I just returned from a great trip to Oregon where John and I spent a large portion of the time in Portland. Truth be told, I had not been there before. The Pacific Northwest has been a super destination for Mayflower travelers and now I know why.

When you are hot, you are hot. The Portland area has been enjoying a boom in tourism. The state of Oregon and the city of Portland have worked hard to make this happen. What impressed me is the diversity of the area...short distances to the mountains as well as close proximity to the ocean. Location, location and more location.

The culinary experience is unbelievable and has been featured in all the media. The best restaurants are here! Most of the vegetables, chicken and meat are grown and raised within a very short distance of where they are consumed. The freshness of the food makes a big difference. Did you know that hazelnuts (a.k.a. Filberts) are a speciality of the area?

Our winery tour was as good as Sonoma Valley. Yes, I was surprised at the quality and passion of the Oregonians as to their wine and wineries. In a very small circumference we visited many wineries. We toured and had wine tasting at Archery Summit, famous for their 2011 Premier Cuvée, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. One winery we visited was the newly renovated Ponzi Vineyard in Washington County, where we had a delicious farm-to-table dinner with four tastings of wines. The highlight for me were the scallops in a cauliflower purée.

John and I were in Portland attending a USTOA meeting and also had the pleasure of meeting some of our Mayflower travelers at the beginning of their Pacific Coast Journey. We were at the get acquainted dinner at Der Rheinlander German Restaurant - see the photo above. What a treat to say thank you to so many loyal travelers at once!

Our last day in the area gave us the opportunity to view awe-inspiring Multnomah Falls including the Columbia River Gorge. You can see it in the accompanying photo, and no, the Falls are not raining on John's head!

Well, I am home with very fond memories of the state of Oregon and Portland. We wish to give a special thank you to our hosts. As you know it's the people who care deeply that make it happen!

I wonder how the Mayflower travelers are doing? As I write this they are on day three, exploring the Oregon Coast today. Please take a moment and check out our 2014 Pacific Coast Journey holiday. I know you and your travelers will be most interested.

Click here for a complete itinerary for Mayflower Tours Pacific Coast Journey