Our best day in Portland...by far!! We were lucky enough to take this tour on a "Chamber of Commerce" day, sunny and 80 degrees, but I would have done this tour in the pouring rain. First, our tour guide Peter was absolutely outstanding. With a voice that should be on the radio, Peter was an absolute wealth of knowledge throughout the tour. I believe he is a 5th generation Oregonian whose family traveled out here on the Oregon Trail... so he knows his stuff! From citing the height of every Mountain Peak in the Cascades, to geography, botany, wildlife, commerce, and of course history, there didn't seem to be a topic he was not well versed. My wife and I learned so much about about Portland and the surrounding area.
But you simply can't beat the scenery on this trip. From scenic overlooks of the Columbia River, traveling through a rainforest, one spectacular waterfall after another and of course stunning views from Mt. Hood... Wow. Quite honestly after arriving in downtown Portland, we weren't sure why anyone would live there, but once you get out of the city it's not hard to see why with all of this amazing scenery and beauty.
We stopped in Hood River, a quaint little city near the base of Mt Hood, before traveling through some orchards (and a quick pit stop at a Cider farm) before ascending Mt. Hood. After a visit to the Ridgeline Lodge, it was sadly back home, but truly a day filled with great company, spectacular views and great memories. I can't recommend this tour enough... do yourself a favor and take it! Thank you Peter and Oregon Tour Company.