Northwestern Odyssey 25 Days
Join this teen travel adventure visiting the natural wonders of the Canadian Rockies, Lake Louise, Banff, Jasper, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks on this US and Canada student travel program. Adrenalin pumping describes the activities – whitewater rafting, water skiing or wakeboarding, downhill karting, professional surf lessons, dune buggy adventure, and alpine sliding. Just plain awesome describes the cool vibe of Seattle, beach time in the Okanagan Valley and the athletic glory of Olympic sites like Whistler Blackcomb, Calgary and Park City. Our summer program leaders are experts at creating a close, inclusive family for everyone. Homer’s odyssey lasted for 10 years. This trip will be 25 incredible days that will give you memories that last a lifetime.
An adrenaline-filled program with the coolest activities, picture-perfect landmarks and a close group bond.
Hotels & resorts.
Includes breakfast and dinner daily. Enjoy excellent food choices at popular restaurants.
Includes all recreation & activities listed.
Chartered deluxe, air conditioned motor coach with a professional driver.
Separate departure dates are assigned to create compatible co-ed age groups.
Varies from 28 to 48 participants.
We can accommodate most dietary preferences and allergies.
Fly to Portland, where your orientation officially begins with some of our favorite icebreakers and “get to know you” activities.
Get set for a thrilling jet boat ride on the Willamette River. Take a ride in a surrey along the quaint waterfront. Enjoy an evening of ice skating and/or sampling VooDoo Doughnuts!
Travel south to the university town of Eugene, home of the Ducks! Learn to surf on the Oregon Coast with a professional surf school. Explore some of the world’s most impressive natural sand dunes. Buckle up and take a ride on an exciting dune buggy tour in the dunes along the Oregon coast.
Toss fish with the Pike Place fishmongers. Sail the Puget Sound in a high-performance yacht. Add your contribution to the infamous tradition and stick your gum on the Market Theater Gum wall. Rock out in front of a virtual audience On Stage at the Museum of Popular Culture (MoPoP). Take in Seattle, 518′ off the ground at the top of the Space Needle. Buckle up for Whirlyball, a team sport that combines elements of basketball and lacrosse in bumper cars. If the Mariners are playing at home during your visit, cheer them on at T-Mobile Park.
On your way to Whistler, check out trendy Granville Island, Vancouver, and enjoy street performers and a marketplace lunch. Head to sunshine and snow together in the summertime in Whistler BC! Browse the shops in the pedestrian friendly village. Travel 2.7 miles reaching a maximum height of 1,427′ over Fitzsimmons Creek from Whistler to Blackcomb and back again on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola. Clip into Via Ferrata, a network of steel cables that run the length of a mountain face and cross built-in steps, handles, beams and bridges while you are struck by spectacular views of nature all around. Conquer the Sasquatch, a monster zipline over a mile long and is the longest zipline in all of Canada and the USA! You will experience spectacular views and 7,000 feet of pure eco-exhilaration! Will you take it on? Relax in your fully furnished condos and hangout in the outdoor hot tub.
Learn to waterski or wakeboard with professional instructors or go banana boating in Lake Okanagan. For those more advanced wakeboarders, try out wakesurfing and enjoy the ride in this hands-free, freestyle sport. Lounge lakeside, tan, listen to your tunes or play football on the sandy beach.
Marvel at the glacial-fed, emerald-colored Lake Louise. Hike past Mirror Lake to the Lake Agnes Teahouse to taste some of their famous apple crumble. Browse the shops in the quaint town of Banff. Tour the Athabasca Glacier on the Columbian Icefields in Jasper National Park to sip glacier water and throw a snowball or two. Snap a photo in front of the husky-shaped Peyto Lake and admire the impressive Bow Falls outside the Banff Springs Hotel.
Visit Canada Olympic Park, home of the 1988 Winter Olympics. Race a downhill kart around 50 twists and turns and covering a distance of over 1800 meters (5905 feet) on a continuous downhill gravity-fed trajectory. Take in “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth” at the Calgary Stampede. For the 17-day trip, enjoy your farewell and cherish memories that last well beyond summer’s end!
Take a scenic boat tour on Lake McDonald, the largest lake in Glacier National Park. Have your camera ready for breathtaking views of the west side of the park. Give axe-throwing a try and then spend an evening strolling through the resort town of Whitefish, in the Rocky Mountains.
Spend the night in Bozeman and catch a summer movie before continuing to Jackson Hole the next day.
Whitewater raft the Snake River and brave its many rapids including Lunch Counter, Big Kahuna, Champagne and Ropes. Keep your eyes peeled for bison and elk at Yellowstone. Visit Old Faithful and watch it shoot 3,700 to 8,400 gallons of boiling water 106' to 185' in the air. Stroll on the boardwalk over the Fountain Paint Pots. Explore the town square of Jackson Hole and gaze at the snowcapped mountains in Teton National Park.
Visit the home of the 2002 Winter Olympics and take an extreme tubing ride down the landing hill of a ski jump in an inner tube at speeds up to 50 mph! Venture on one of over 45 rides at Lagoon Amusement Park including the state of the art roller coaster, Cannibal. Enjoy the pool, outdoor hot tub and fitness center at our hotel. Grab dinner and ice cream in town. Look back at an incredible odyssey at your farewell banquet.
Return Flight Home from Salt Lake City, Utah
Head to Salt Lake City and say farewell to your new friends as you part ways for your return home. The summer might be over, but all the memories you’ve made will last a lifetime!
Portland, Oregon
Enjoy a comfortable stay at the Hyatt Place Portland, a modern hotel located minutes away from downtown.
Eugene, Oregon
Stay at the Hyatt Place Eugene where you’ll discover the spirit of the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle, Washington
Embassy Suites Bellevue offers newly renovated and remodeled two-room suites with an indoor heated pool and fitness center.
Whistler, British Columbia
Blackcomb Springs Suites is an all-suite, condo-style hotel at the foot of Blackcomb Mountain. Suites include full kitchens and spacious rooms. Enjoy an outdoor pool and hot tub as well.
Kelowna, British Columbia
Hyatt Place is a modern hotel located near the scenic shores of Okanagan Lake and surrounded by a majestic mountain range. Enjoy beautiful views, an indoor pool and fantastic fitness facilities.
Banff, Alberta
The Silver Creek Lodge is a luxury condo property located in the Bow Valley of the Canadian Rockies! Spread out in the one and two-bedroom suites appointed with everything you will need for a chill home base while you explore Banff and beyond!
Calgary, Alberta
Enjoy a comfortable stay at the Delta Hotel, which features a fitness center, indoor pool, whirlpool, and waterslide.
Kalispell, Montana
The Springhill Suites Kalispell is only 30 minutes away from Glacier National Park. Start your day off with a hearty breakfast, make a splash in the pool, or train at the fitness center.
Bozeman, Montana
You’ll make a quick stop at the Homewood Suites Bozeman on your way on to the famous resort town of Jackson Hole.
Jackson, Wyoming
Cowboy Village Resort is nestled in a beautiful forest only a few minutes from the heart of Jackson Hole, and close to the area’s National Parks. All cabins of this charming resort boast modern comforts and amenities. Resort facilities include a swimming pool and fitness center.
Park City, Utah
The modern Hyatt Place Park City hotel, situated at the foot of Park City’s namesake mountain, offers spacious rooms, an outdoor pool, hot tub and gym!
Flight to Portland, Oregon
We help you coordinate your flight to arrive within designated times so that we may greet you upon arrival. For participants from the New York area, we offer a chaperoned flight that leaves early morning. One of your summer leaders and staff from our office will be at the airline counter to greet you, introduce you to fellow travelers, help you to check-in and the leader will be with you from check-in onward.
Return Flight Home From Salt Lake City
Our leaders help you to check-in and remain in the airport until flights in designated times have departed. For those from the New York area, we offer a chaperoned flight.
Food and Meals
Experience the greatest food in teen travel at our top-notch restaurant selections. Our North American Active Teen Tours visit teen-approved restaurants, handpicked for their excellence. We raise the bar for teen dining experiences with our group dinners at hibachi-style grills, authentic local BBQ, and popular Italian eateries. Depending on the itinerary, you may find yourself dining at the Cheesecake Factory, Eataly, Hard Rock Cafe, a popular upscale food hall with local gourmet options or a happening area where you will have many cuisines to choose from. For lunch, you will enjoy eating in smaller groups and choosing from local cafes and other restaurants. We make a point to balance incredible food choices that teens love with trying great local favorites. Cap off some meals with dessert at delicious establishments such as Cow’s Ice Cream Parlor, Crumbl Cookies, Voodoo Donuts, Matsumoto’s Hawaiian Shave Ice and Diddy Riese for their famous fresh baked cookie ice cream sandwiches.
We have satisfied the choosiest of eaters and gladly accommodate most special dietary requests including vegetarian, food allergies, lactose intolerance, celiac disease, and kosher style. We welcome discussing your individual requirements with you and have extensive experience in this area.
Rooming
You will stay in the finest hotels and resorts, which are chosen based on safety, security, amenities, comfort and location. Indoor accommodation rooms vary from doubles to triples. Triples may contain two beds and a rollaway or be a suite style with a sofa bed. Each participant has their own bed.
Laundry
You will only need to bring one week’s worth of clothing as outlined in the packing list that will be sent to you prior to departure. We visit local laundromats weekly and we will supply the detergent and dryer sheets. Don’t worry if you’ve never done laundry before, we’ll show you the ropes. Parents, we know the thought of your children doing laundry is making you smile!
What’s Included
Included in your program tuition is all lodging, breakfast and dinner daily, recreation & entertainment listed, airport transfers in designated times, gratuities & taxes.
Not included is transportation to and from the program, lunches, snacks, personal spending money for souvenirs, and laundry. We also make available optional travel insurance that is not included, but highly recommended.
Please contact us with any questions. We are happy to hear from you!
Do you separate different age groups?
It depends on the program, so it’s always best to contact us. On some programs, we assign a specific departure date by age group to create the best possible social dynamics. For example, if grades 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are listed on a program, note they will not all be traveling together on the same departure.
To find the programs with exclusive age-specific departures, look for tags saying “middle school” for students completing 7th and 8th grades, or “ON TOUR” for students completing 11th and 12th grades.
Who are the staff and what are their qualifications?
Our staff are educators, guidance counselors, coaches, college and university students, former camp counselors, residence life coordinators, community volunteers, world travelers, and other leaders with diverse backgrounds. Many are former participants themselves who couldn’t get enough of the Westcoast experience! Learn more about our summer leaders.
What is the difference between an Active Teen Tour and a Global Adventure program?
Our Active Teen Tours offer larger group sizes (generally 35-48 participants) and travel in deluxe motor coaches. Accommodations include quality hotels and occasional fun college residences.
Global Adventures are smaller group experiences (generally up to 36 participants). Groups travel by private motor coaches and occasional public transportation internationally, and use passenger vans in the USA. Select European programs travel exclusively by train and public transportation. While these programs have a slightly bigger focus on adventure travel, we stay in quality hotels and lodges, always ensuring a good night’s rest.
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