Travel

Item Description

Raise Your Glass to Adventure in Portland, Oregon for Four Days & Three Nights at the Benson Hotel for Two, Including a Wine Tour of Willamette Valley and Your Choice of Brunch on Mississippi Food Tour or Portland Food Carts, Pods & Patios Tour (Land Only) 

Portland is so many things to so many people: vibrant, mellow, quirky, cultural, a haven for foodies, a place for eco-activists, close to the ocean, also near the mountains - but most of all it's got a friendly charm that keeps everyone coming back! Explore all that Portland has to offer from one of the city’s most treasured historic landmarks, The Benson Hotel, and explore the bustling downtown on a choice of two food tours! Then spend a full day in the lush Willamette Valley on a personalized wine tour, where you'll raise your glass to adventure in the Pacific Northwest!

Founded in 1913, The Benson features elegant European design with a host of modern amenities. See why U.S. Presidents and CEOs have made The Benson their home away from home for a hundred years—and why The Oregonian voted this the Best Portland Hotel in 2012. The Benson's superb location puts you within walking distance to all of the shopping, dining, and entertainment of the Pearl District, Pioneer Square, and downtown. Famous boutiques, bookstores, breweries, and performing arts are just steps away. The accommodations feature flat-screen TVs, windows that open, plush organic bamboo bathrobes and slippers, mini-bars, in-room safes and in-room complimentary coffee and tea - essentially anything that will bring the comforts of home to your travels.

Some of Portland's best spots are located near the Benson Hotel, so you won't want to miss out while you’re in town! A few of the best gems include the Pearl District, home to some of the city’s best known chefs and restaurants, world class art galleries, and vibrant shops and boutiques, which has earned a worldwide reputation for urban renaissance. Founded in late 1892, the Portland Art Museum is the seventh oldest museum in the United States and the oldest in the Pacific Northwest, and has a collection of more than 42,000 objects, displayed in 112,000 square feet of galleries. Visit one of Portland's Centers for the Arts, where they bring over 1,000 music, theater, dance, and lecture performances to Portland each year, and are recognized as the fifth largest performing arts center in the U.S. Washington Park offers plenty to see and do, with a children's playground, an international rose test garden, a Japanese garden, an archery range, the Hoyt Arboretum, and so much more.

Sip, swirl and savor wines on your Willamette Valley Wine Tour, and get a taste of the most decadent wines the lush Willamette Valley has to offer! The guides are expertly trained in the ways of the Willamette Valley and its many picturesque vineyards. You will have the opportunity to taste the famous pinots, chardonnays, rieslings, and other varieties that are well-known throughout the region. As you taste these incredibly flavorful, locally-grown wines, learn about the growth of wine grapes from leading industry experts. This tour is perfect for an all-around wine lover, someone new to the wine scene, or anyone in between. No matter how much exposure you've had to the world of wine, there's always another glass to enjoy!

Intimidated by Portland's surplus of food trucks, restaurants, and must-try eateries? Fortunately you have two tours to choose from for some gastronomic guidance! Leave all the planning to your guide on the Brunch on Mississippi Food Tour, and sample some of the best bites that Portland has to offer! This small-group foodie walking tour explores the hip Mississippi District, and takes you to several businesses for brunch bites, ranging from pastries and sandwiches to drinks and beyond! You'll also stop at Prost! Portland, an iconic German beer hall. Or on the Food Carts, Pods and Patios Tour you will head to Hawthorne Asylum, one of the city's oldest food cart pods, where you'll get the chance to try treats from five to seven different food carts plus a brewery! Try fresh-cut fries with cheese and gravy, a Canadian staple; get healthy with fried cauliflower and fresh slaw from a Lebanese owned food cart; or devour made-from-scratch Belgian waffles at one of the city's most popular dessert carts. The tour finishes with some local craft beer on one of Portland's largest (and warmest) patios.

Your getaway for two includes:
4 days/3 nights accommodations at the Benson Hotel
All room-related taxes
Wine Tour of Willamette Valley, including hotel pickup and drop-off
• Your choice of Brunch on Mississippi Food Tour or Portland Food Carts, Pods & Patios tour
Free concierge reservation service

Terms and Conditions
Travel package is non-refundable and subject to availability. Certificates/gift cards cannot be replaced. Blackout dates: Feb 2-3. Tour runs on specific days of the week and at specific times. If tour is not available, it may be substituted with equal or similar experience. A minimum 45 day advance reservation is required. Please email us at auction@stmaryhs.org to find out deadline to travel.