NIU Pacific Northwest Trip

Northern Illinois University invites the public to explore mountains, ancient forests, dense rain forests and rugged beaches on a trip June 19-28 to the Pacific Northwest.

The trip begins in Seattle with a tour guide to experience the Space Needle, Puget Sound and Mount Rainier. In the evening, the group will join NIU alumni from the region on a private dinner cruise aboard the Royal Argosy.

The next stop is Victoria, British Columbia, via a cruise through Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, both world-renowned for their natural beauty and populations of orca whales.  A main attraction in Victoria is The Butchart Gardens, one of the world’s premier floral show gardens.

After returning to the mainland, the tour extends into Washington and Oregon, visiting Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, a Lewis and Clark Expedition encampment and the International Rose Test Garden, which showcases award-winning roses from around the world.

While in the Portland, Ore., guests will cruise along the Columbia River Gorge and enjoy breathtaking sights of waterfalls.

Before departing, guests will travel up the North Fork to see incredible views of Mount St. Helens and surrounding valleys. A trip to the Forest Learning Center offers exhibits to experience a volcanic eruption.

First-class hotel accommodations, airfare, a deluxe private motor coach, some meals and staff assistance from the NIU Alumni Association are covered under the trip cost of $3,355.

Visit myniu.com to register or call 815-753-1452 for assistance.