Volcanoes and vineyards: Portland, Maui & Honolulu holiday

Itinerary in brief:

• 4 nights Portland
• 3 nights Honolulu
• 6 nights Maui

Day 1: UK to Portland

Depart the UK from your chosen airport. On arrival in Portland, you’ll make your own way to your hotel, where you’ll check in for four nights.

Included: International flights

Days 2 and 3: Portland

Portland is a city that loves to eat – the best way to spend your time here is to hop between cafes, breweries and restaurants, tasting the delicious fare on offer. Portland champions ‘farm-to-fork’ food, grown in the lush farmland of Oregon and served up beautifully in restaurants like Clyde Common - why not enjoy lunch before taking a walk through the Hoyt Arboretum. Spend your evenings in one of the many craft breweries that make their home in Portland and enjoy an evening tasting and learning about beer!

On your second day, we’ve included a cycling and doughnut tour of the city, which will take you on a two-hour tour of Portland, tasting 4 of the best doughnuts around whilst riding through several of Portland’s most lively and iconic neighbourhoods. Taste the rich, chocolaty layered La’ssant at NOLA, before heading to the deservedly famous Blue Star, where you’ll sample the French brioche-based doughnut. Then cycle to local favourite Coco Donuts, which not only has scrumptious doughnuts but also roasts their own coffee. Then you’ll cruise down the hill, along the river and to the most famous place in Portland, Voodoo Donuts where you’ll get to skip the line (often an hour-long!) and try the notoriously delicious bacon maple bar. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Included: 4* hotel, doughnut cycling tour    

Day 4: Williamette Valley vineyards & waterfalls

Today you’ll head out on a full-day tour to explore Oregon’s beautiful vineyards and waterfalls. Start your morning at Silver Falls – breathe in the scent of the forest, pick salmonberries and feel the spray from the falls – its such a lovely spot to experience nature. You’ll visit both the north and south falls, walking along peaceful nature trails and even visiting the lush caves hidden behind the curtain of water.

Enjoy a fresh, local lunch at Left Coast Cellars on its sprawling and sustainable estate and then spend the afternoon tasting pinot noirs and other delicious wines in three different boutique vineyards. Take in the rolling hillsides of the Willamette Valley and learn how this lush landscape influences the wine in your glass. Over the last two decades, Oregon has become well known for its wine – after your day of exploring you can head out in Portland to taste some others in the city’s slick wine bars.

Included: 4* hotel, full-day wine and waterfalls tour       

Day 5: Fly to Honolulu

This morning, you’ll make your own way back to the airport for your flight to Honolulu. Aloha and welcome to Hawaii! On arrival onto Oahu, you’ll enjoy a flower lei greeting at the airport before being transferred to your hotel in Waikiki Beach.

Included: Flights, transfers, 3* hotel       

Days 6 & 7: Honolulu

The first thing to do in Honolulu is to take a tour of Pearl Harbour, which we have included in your trip. This iconic harbour was attacked by the Japanese in 1941, triggering the USA’s entry into World War II. Pay your respects at the Arizona Memorial and learn about the tragedy at the visitor centre which will give you lots of insight into the events leading up to the attack. Later you’ll visit the Punchbowl National Cemetery and take a tour through the city of Honolulu, where you’ll visit the Iolani Palace and the statue of King Kamehameha who founded the Kingdom of Hawaii.

The rest of your time here is free - you can relax on the golden sands of Waikiki or if you want something more adventurous, try a hike along the Diamond Head Trail. It is a massively rewarding hike, with 365-degree views when you reach the summit. From down on Waikiki Beach it can look like a challenging climb, but it actually only takes around an hour to reach the 760-foot summit. If you’d like to experience some world-class snorkelling, then head to Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, where a colourful coral reef sits in an extinct volcanoes crater on the south coast. Turtles are regularly seen as well as lipstick tangs and trumpet fish.

Included: 3* hotel, Pearl Harbour and city tour                

Day 8: Fly to Maui

In the morning, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight from Honolulu to Maui. On arrival in Maui, you’ll pick up your car hire from the airport and drive to your hotel - the rest of the day is at leisure so why not explore your hotel before heading to the beach for a sunset cocktail.

Included: 3* hotel, flights, transfer, car hire

Days 9 - 13: Maui

Maui is a beautiful island and the perfect place to relax - you might not even want to venture far from the beach but with so many to choose from its worth visiting a few! Makena Beach has beautiful golden sand with beautiful green water that laps at the beach while Mokapu Beach is perfect for anyone learning to snorkel or scuba dive, with calm waters and a relaxed vibe. Up on the north-west coast, Napili Bay has white sand and swaying palm trees – a quintessentially Hawaiian experience!

If you do want to get out and explore, then driving the Hana Highway will give you fabulous views of the ocean and take you down to the Haleakala National Park, perfect for a day of adventure. The moonlike landscape of Haleakala is made from the lava flows and ash from the crater of the volcano while the varied scenery will expose you to barren cinder cones and lush cloud forest higher up the trailheads. It’s well worth a full day of hiking before exploring the Seven Sacred Pools in the corner of the park, where waterfalls trickle slowly into the sea.

Included: 3* hotel, car hire         

Day 14: Depart Maui

Your time in Hawaii has come to an end – today you’ll return your hire car to the airport in time to catch your flight home.  

Included: Car hire, flights

Day 15: Arrive UK