DETAILED ITINERARY:
DAY 1 - Arrive in Spokane,
Washington: Spokane is Washington’s second
largest city but retains a “small town” ambience. The downtown
area is especially attractive with Riverfront Park and Spokane
Falls. Meet your Tour Manager at 6:00 p.m. in the lobby for
dining suggestions.
DAY 2 Wallace, Idaho and Kalispell,
Montana: Wallace, Idaho, is an old mining
town and is one of the few places where the entire town is
listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has
one of the best collections of turn-of-the-century architecture
in the Pacific Northwest. There are several interesting museums
that offer a glimpse into the fascinating history of the area.
Continue into Montana and travel along the largest natural
freshwater lake west of the Mississippi, Flathead Lake. More
than 28 miles long, it occupies a trough dredged out by a
great glacier about 12,000 years ago. Meals: B, D
DAY 3 Glacier National Park:
Welcome to Glacier National
Park! Founded in 1910, the park is a land of mountain ranges
carved by prehistoric ice rivers. The vistas seen from Going-
to-the-Sun Road, named one of the top 100 scenic drives, are
breathtaking and a photographer’s paradise. The best way
to travel is via the Red Buses whose drivers are known as
“jammers.” The antique red buses are both a symbol of the
park and a reminder of a time when adventurous travel was
done with style. The name “jammer” is carried over from the
days when the buses had standard transmissions and the
drivers could be heard “jamming” the gears as they drove up
and down the rugged mountainous highway. Meals: B, D
DAY 4 Waterton-Glacier International
Peace Park: Travel
north into Canada to Waterton Lakes National Park and
embark on a boat cruise of Upper Waterton Lake, with its deep
scenic bays, sheer vertical mountains and beautiful wilderness surroundings.
In the afternoon, enjoy an included lunch at the
Lakeside Chophouse and see the Prince of Wales Hotel, one
of the most photographed hotels in the world. Meals: B, L
DAY 5 Great Falls Touring:
Depart for Great Falls today. This
area held great significance for the Lewis & Clark Expedition.
You visit the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center to learn about
the explorers who were forced to spend nearly a month around
the falls in June 1805. Much of the Missouri River in this area
is as it was when Lewis and Clark first viewed it over 200 years
ago. Then visit the C. M. Russell Museum, a gifted artist who
masterfully captured art and soul of the American West.
Meals: B, D
DAY 6 The Gates of the Mountain
Cruise: Follow in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark
on a journey to the Gates of the Mountains. This historical boat
trip along the Missouri River traverses spectacular cliffs towering
1,200 feet on either side. Meal: B
DAY 7 Miracle of America Museum
and Flathead Lake Cruise: Take the drive to Polson
this morning for a visit to the Miracle of America Museum.
The collection of “Americana” artifacts is in the thousands and is
scattered throughout an handful of buildings. Continue up the west
side of the lake to
the town of Lakeside to climb aboard your vessel for a narrated
cruise on scenic Flathead Lake. The largest natural fresh water
lake west of the Great Lakes, Flathead Lake’s breathtaking
splendor is sure to please. Return to Missoula for a farewell
dinner hosted by your Tour Manager. Meals: B, D
DAY 8 Travel Home:
Following breakfast a group transfer to the Missoula Airport
is available for flights out after 10:00 a.m. Meal:
B
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
Day 1 – Hampton
Inn, Spokane, Washington
Day 2 – Red
Lion Hotel, Kalispell, Montana
Days 3 and 4
– Glacier Park Lodge, East Glacier, Montana
Day 5 – Hampton
Inn, Great Falls, Montana
Days 6 and 7
– Best Western PLUS Grant Creek Inn, Missoula, Montana
Rooms for the night before and after the tour are
available. Cost for a room in Spokane is $279, and in Missoula
is $349, tax and breakfast included.
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