A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES

[HostDave]

In our last few blogs, we’ve been providing a bit of a preview of what to see and do on our new Pacific Northwest voyages on the elegant American Empress when she debuts on the Columbia and Snake Rivers in April 2014. While the grand American Queen is a master of all things related to the South and the Heartland and has sailed rivers such as the Mississippi for nearly two decades, the addition of the American Empress to the American Queen Steamboat Company’s fleet opens up a world of new possibilities in the Pacific Northwest.

The American Empress was built specifically to cruise this region and our itineraries visit all the highlights with our complimentary Hop-on/Hop-off tours in each port of call while our Premium Experience excursions provide even more in-depth exploration. Prior blogs have detailed the sights of Astoria, OR, Stevenson, WA and The Dalles, OR but in today’s blog we wanted to touch on the alluring attractions of Richland, WA; Lewiston, ID and a special pre-cruise opportunity to discover charming Spokane, WA.

We bill our stop in Richland as a visit to Sacajawea State Park for a very good reason: the Interpretive Center on the park grounds is the key highlight of the port call and features the history of Lewis and Clark and their expedition team commissioned by Thomas Jefferson as the Corps of Discovery. Their mission was to investigate the lands of the West and find the easiest navigable water route to the Pacific Ocean. As most students of history know, Sacajawea was the Native American guide that proved invaluable in teaching the intrepid explorers how to listen to, understand and live off the land as well as providing service acting as an ambassador and interpreter for the team with the various tribes they met along their journey. The park is included in the Hop-on/Hop-off tour that is offered to every guest free of charge. Our Hop-on/Hop-off tours are a hallmark of the American Queen Steamboat Company in each port of call. The complimentary tour also includes a visit to The Country Mercantile Store filled with gourmet foods, jams, homemade ice cream and one-of-a-kind gifts that literally provide a taste of this charming region of the Pacific Northwest.

For those more interesting in drinking in their history, we offer a Premium Experience excursion along the Walla Walla Wine Trail which takes guest through this renowned wine-making region famous for its award-winning Merlots, Cabernet Sauvignons, Syrahs, Viogniers and more. Since the Sacajawea State Park Interpretive Center is a highlight of the area as well, it is also included on this intriguing tour. A second Premium Experience excursion takes guests to the Hanford Research Facility which was built in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project and was the world’s first large-scale plutonium production reactor. The B-Reactor produced the plutonium used in the atomic bomb detonated over Nagasaki just five days before the end of World War II.

Lewiston has so much to offer that we created two different inclusive Hop-on/Hop-Off tours. One visits the Nez Perce National Historic Park where guests can learn about the people of the Nez Perce tribe who trusted and assisted Lewis and Clark’s expedition. A second complimentary tour travels from Lewiston across the river to its sister city of Clarkston. Though the two towns were clearly named after the pioneering duo, Clarkston was not actually a stop on the trail followed by Lewis and Clark. Nonetheless Clarkston, nestled between the Snake and Clearwater rivers, has an intriguing history on display at the Clarkston Community Historical Society and Museum.

For those guests looking for an adrenaline rush, the name of our Premium Experience excursion in Lewiston says it all: Hells Canyon Jet Boat Experience. Guests visit America’s steepest gorge in a jet boat on the Snake River. While the trip is an adrenaline rush, it also comes with every possible modern convenience. Each enclosed jet boat is heated and features padded benches, panoramic windows and even restroom facilities. Stops include Hells Gate State Parkand the Garden Creek Ranchwhere guests can enjoy coffee and a snack in one of the most picturesque settings in the country.

For those sailing on the American Empress from east to west between Lewiston and Portland, we offer a chance prior to the voyage to discover the beguiling charms and pleasant surprises of Spokane, WA which is less than 100 miles south of the Canadian border. Spokane is a beautiful and unique city with an identity that is ever-changing with the times. Guests can enjoy a guided tour of the city along the way to Riverfront Park. This 100-acre expansive park boasts of a skating rink, an historical carousel built in 1909, and views of the river falls and rock channels. The tour also features a stop at the Sculpture Path, home to more than 20 unique sculptures of varying media. Guests wishing to get an up-close look at the cascading falls can hop on a gondola that travels via wire across the falls, offering a perfect vantage point to experience the power and beauty of the falls below.

If we’ve learned one thing while assembling our complimentary Hop-on/Hop-off tours and our in-depth Premium Experience excursions, it’s that the Pacific Northwest is blessed with incomparable natural beauty, a rich history, a strong sense of history and a healthy dose of charm and friendliness. In so many ways it mirrors the experience our guests now enjoy on the American Queen’s journeys on the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. In fact, one of the best ways to appreciate what America has to offer is to book an American Queen voyage this year and follow it up with an American Empress adventure in 2014. By doubling our fleet, we can offer an intriguing world of possibilities.