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Along the “one-oh-one” to Eugene, Oregon- Tour #1

The ultimate UH Warrior Road Trip

Tour #1- September 13-20, 2020

7 nights/9 days from: $2695 quad $2795 triple $2995 double $3795 single Aloha UH Road Warriors! We are off to Eugene, Oregon for “Football Saturday” at Autzen Stadium, known as one of the most intimidating college stadiums. While only a capacity of 54,000, Autzen is loud, one of the loudest in college football. It’s a place you’ll hear long before you’ll see it, but boy, is it a sight, big, beautiful and noisy as a typhoon.

Football Saturday begins with Puddles, the Oregon Duck, one of college football’s most popular mascots leading the team onto the field while on the back of a roaring Harley Davidson. There’s nothing quite like a visit to Autzen Stadium.

Ah, but before we arrive in Eugene, we have planned out a road trip quite like no other experience. It begins with a 3-night stay in Santa Rosa at the Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country. As we travel north, two one-night casino hotel stays, Blue Lake Casino & Hotel and The Mill Resort on Coos Bay, Oregon. Our last 2 nights, the Courtyard Marriot Eugene-Springfield, walking distance to restaurants and shopping.

In Santa Rosa, our tour includes, Safari West, a renowned 400-acre private wildlife preserve. Climb onboard the custom safari vehicles and we are off to explore the Sonoma Serengeti. There is also a visit to the Charles M. Schulz Museum, housing the largest collection of Peanuts strips in the world. Wine country without visiting a winery, no way! We will be visiting two wineries complete with tastings and lunch, Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens as well as Barra of Mendocino in Redwood Valley.

Along the way, visits to the Humboldt Redwoods State Park via the Avenue of the Giants and a stop at Legend of Big Foot, a gift shop in the middle of one of the most amazing forests. The shop is chock full of carvings and just about any Bigfoot souvenir imaginable. And, Trees of Mystery to experience a nearly 1/3-mile journey through the forest tree tops via their unique SkyTrail gondola.

More, oh yes, a visit at Prairie Creek Visitors Center where stately giant redwoods are just a short walk away. There’s also a giant dune buggy tour along Oregon’s dunes, covering 8-miles of dunes and 2-miles of ocean beach. One last stop on the 101 before Eugene, exploring the small coastal town of Florence and its bustling little downtown.

Guaranteed, this is a one-of-a-kind tour, a one-time only experience, and this UH Road Warrior tour is one you do not want to miss.

Itinerary/Details

Day 1 – September 13th, 2020 -Sunday – Honolulu-San Francisco-Santa Rosa

United Airlines #372 Departs Honolulu 7:00 am – Arrive San Francisco 3:00 pm

Please meet your Panda Travel® escort at the United Airlines check-in counters located in Terminal 2 a minimum of 2-hours prior to the departure time.

On arrival at the San Francisco Airport, please make you way to baggage claim. Once everyone has accounted for their bags, we are off to the bus for the drive to Santa Rosa. The drive time is approximately 1.5 hours.

Accommodations for our 3-night stay in Santa Rosa is at the Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country, ideally located in the heart of the historic district and walking distance to a variety of shop and restaurants.

Hotel staff will be on-hand to assist with our bags. Once checked-in, the remainder of the afternoon and evening is free.

Accommodations: Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country

Day 2 – September 14th, 2020 -Monday – Santa Rosa (B/L)

After breakfast at our hotel, please meet in the lobby by the designated time as we are off on an adventurous day.

We are off to discover the Sonoma Serengeti at Safari West, 900 animals from over 90 unique species roaming through this 400-acre preserve. It’s an adventure to Africa by way of Sonoma County.

Our adventure is three hours in total, beginning with a 1-hour leisurely stroll through the Amani Oasis Aviary where demoiselle cranes preen along the path and scarlet ibis soar overhead. You’ll also come face to face with a black and white colobus monkey, search out a cleverly camouflaged cheetah and watch the courtly parade of flamingos.

From there, we climb aboard custom safari vehicles and roll out to explore the Sonoma Serengeti. From the canvas-covered shade of the truck, we are off in search of the marvelous megafauna of Africa. Our expert guides will track down graceful giraffes, nimble impala, imposing cape buffalo and maybe even a few hulking rhinoceros. You never know what we’re going to find!

After all this adventuring, let’s get together for a BBQ lunch cooked over their custom wood-fired grill served alongside an assortment of tasty sides. A vegetarian option will also be available.

We bid good-bye to the staff at Safari West and this afternoon’s touring takes us to the Charles M. Schulz Museum for a docent guided tour followed by free time to explore on your own. Get acquainted with Charles Schultz and his lovable cast of characters on a tour of the museum and its grounds.

Opened in August of 2002, the museum is dedicated to the works of Charles Schulz, creator of the Peanuts comic strip. Enjoy viewing the largest collection of original Peanuts artwork in the world, get a chuckle when you come across a familiar Peanuts comic strip and learn Schultz’s role in developing the art of cartooning. There are also three exhibition galleries that change every 6-months.

After the tour, take time to visit the gift shop with unique Peanuts themed items, the Warm Puppy Café where Sparky (Charles Schultz) used to hang out along with the old ice rink.

Now, back to our hotel, arrival around 4:00pm and the remainder of the afternoon and evening is free. Beside the historic area around the hotel, a short drive away is Santa Rosa Plaza, with over 120 shops and restaurants and open until 9:00pm. The Graton Resort & Casino is approximately a 15-minute drive and open 24-hours.

Accommodations: Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country

Day 3 – September 15th, 2020 -Tuesday – Santa Rosa- Healdsburg (B/L)

After breakfast, we are off on another unique touring day.

The morning begins with a visit to the Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate and Gardens. The folks at Kendall-Jackson will be there to greet us on arrival with a “welcome splash”. Enjoy free time to tour the vineyards and adjacent gardens. Set on approximately four acres, the estate gardens offer seven distinct garden spaces. While some are educational in nature, some, solely for beauty and still others provide fruits, vegetables, and herbs used by the estate’s culinary team

Did we forget to mention wine tasting, sorry, and yes there will be a couple of pouring stations for sampling. There will be 4 wines to choose from, 2 red and 2 white.

The Demonstration Vineyards planted just outside the tasting room affords you a firsthand view of the many wine grapes grown here and a glimpse into what happens on the vines before the grapes become wine. You will have the opportunity to taste grapes right off the vines for a better understanding of flavor profiles and characteristics that each grape carries.

Our visit includes a buffet lunch, a chicken dish with breads, salad, desert, and iced tea.

This afternoon we are off to the town of Healdsburg, small, yet considered a wine and culinary epicenter. Small town charm, beautiful landscapes, intriguing shopping, art of all types are notable features of Healdsburg.

Enjoy free time to stroll through Healdsburg’s lovely central plaza, names by Travel and Leisure Magazine as one of “America’s Most Beautiful Town Squares.” The streets around the plaza feature a delightful mix of boutiques and specialty stores.

Downtown Healdsburg is also “Art Central,” with some two dozen galleries located within walking distance of the plaza.

If you’d like to continue wine tasting, there are more than two dozen tasting rooms scattered around the downtown area. Since there is no driving required, it’s easy to stroll and sip. Sample wines from well-known wineries or small production boutique operations.

From here, less than 30-minutes back to our hotel and the remainder of the afternoon and evening is free.

Accommodations: Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country

Day 4 – September 16th, 2020 -Wednesday – Santa Rosa- Blue Lake (B/L/D)

After breakfast, time to bid our good-byes to Santa Rosa, get on Highway 101 and journey north to Blue Lake, located just north of Eureka.

The morning begins with a visit to Barra of Mendocino Winery, located in the heart of Mendocino County wine country. The drive time is just over one hour and once there we will enjoy a tour, wine tasting and buffet lunch.

Set on 50 acres of beautiful vineyard surroundings planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel, the Barra winery is an architectural phenomenon that dates to the 1970’s. The circular 5,000 square foot tasting room features interior beams reaching up to 40-foot ceilings, a circular tasting bar, and indoor fountain.

We begin with a short tour of the crush facilities, barrel room, wine storage facilities followed by a tasting of six wines and ending with a hot lunch buffet.

All the wines here are estate grown and organically farmed from three different vineyards. Do visit their gift shop before leaving as unfortunately, they do not ship to Hawaii.

Back on Highway 101 and our next stop is at The Legend of Big Foot Gift Shop, a roadside souvenir shop. Myth or fact? Why worry, just enjoy some free shopping time, stretch your feet, and just maybe find that truly unique treasure. The shop offers wood carvings, and a variety of fun items including must have Big Foot reading material. Outside, don’t forget to get a photo with the Big Foot statute.

And now, off to our last stop of the day, the Humboldt Redwoods State Park Visitor Center, a “must stop” on the Avenue of the Giants. The center offers a variety of interactive displays, wildlife exhibits, souvenirs, books, maps of the park and the area. Enjoy time to look around and even though there is no guided tour, staff is available to assist with questions about the park and redwoods.

Humboldt Redwoods State Park is California's 3rd largest state park, with over 53,000 acres, including 17,000 acres of old-growth redwoods, some of the world’s most majestic ancient redwood groves.

We are now off to our hotel for the evening, Blue Lake Casino Hotel, drive time approximately 1-hour. With an arrival of approximately 6:00pm, after check-in come down and join us for a buffet dinner.

After dinner, free time to enjoy the casino. While small, they do offer over 600 slot machines as well as table games. Each tour member will receive a $5 free slot play and a $5 table games match play.

Accommodations: Blue Lake Casino Hotel

Day 5 – September 17th, 2020 -Thursday – Blue Lake- Coos Bay (B/L/D)

After breakfast, please meet at the designated time as we are off on a full day of touring.

The morning begins with a visit to the Prairie Creek Redwood State Park Visitors Center, approximately one-hour drive. This historic structure built in the 1930’s was used as a dormitory for the Civilian Conservations Corps. Created by President Franklin Roosevelt as a work-relief agency that provided jobs in exchange for public relief for families decimated by the Great Depression. It would become one of the most successful New Deal programs of his presidency.

Established in 1923 Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is home to the second largest remaining stand of contiguous old growth coast redwood forest left on our precious planet, Earth.

At the visitor’s center, learn about the history of this Old Growth Redwood park, the animals and plants found here, and the many miles of trails to explore. The center also offers a wide array of books covering everything from local trails, flora and fauna, and local history.

We expect to stay approximately 1.5 hours, and this allows time for those who may want to experience one of the shorter trails which begins from right outside the center. There is a short ¼ mile interpretive walk on the Revelations Trail. The other 2 include a 2-mile loop of Elk Prairie and the Redwood Access Trails or a 2.3-mile loop of the Prairie Creek and Foothill Trails.

From here, we are off to the Trees of Mystery, a park and tourist attraction along U.S. Route 101 near the coastal town of Klamath, California. It features interpretive trails through Giant Redwoods and several unusual tree formations.

Lunch is right across the street at their restaurant, Forest Café. After lunch, enjoy free time to explore this family owned operation that has been welcoming visitors since 1946.

In the park, much to enjoy. There’s an 8/10th mile of groomed interpretive trail through the awe-inspiring redwood. Part of the trail (the Trail of Tall Tales) is devoted to the mythology of Paul Bunyan, America’s larger than life logger from the turn of the century.

There’s also the SkyTrail gondola ride, 1/3-mile journey through the forest tree tops. It’s a unique experience, to get an up-close downward perspective from the tops of the redwood trees that measure 100’s of feet in height. There’s a total of 8 gondola cars that make the approximately 8-10-minute ride up the mountain. Once at the top, enjoy spectacular views of the redwoods and mountaintop ocean vista from the observation deck.

More yet, the End of Trail Museum, one of the largest privately-owned world-class museums. It has been painstakingly assembled over a period of about 40 years by Marylee Thompson, and her heart is in every item on display here. The museum is constantly being upgraded and improved, so even if you were here as recently as a few months ago, there is always new information and more displays.

The museum is organized into six rooms of specific interest. They include The Local Room, dedicated to the local Yurok, Karuk and Tolowa tribes. Many, many fine examples of basketry, bead work and shell work can be found here, as the local peoples were exceptional crafters. Another example is the Northwest Room, lined with cedar that these tribes found so many uses for. Cedar was present as implements, storage boxes, lodges and longhouses, and even whaling boats.

We will remain here for 3-hours in total for lunch and the park.

From here, on our way to Coos Bay, Oregon and our hotel stay for the evening. The drive time is about 3-hours and we will make a brief rest stop along the way.

Accommodations for this evening is at the Mill Resort Casino Hotel with an arrival between 6:00-6:30pm. After check-in, please join us for a dinner buffet. With over 200 waterfront rooms overlooking Coos Bay, it’s the perfect spot for the night. Our room block is divided between the hotel tower and the lodge section.

After dinner, enjoy the casino with over 700 slots and table games that include blackjack, roulette, craps, three card poker, Spanish 21 and Fortune Pai Gow.

Our group will be enrolled in a free slot play program. There will be vouchers that can be redeemed at the Mill Club. When you redeem this voucher, you will receive a Mill Club Card and loaded on that card there will be anywhere from $5.00 to $250.00 in free slot play. It is like a lottery, and quite fun to discover your free slot play!

Accommodations: Mill Resort Casino Hotel

Day 6 – September 18th, 2020 -Friday – Coos Bay-Florence-Eugene (B)

After breakfast, please meet at the designated time as we make our way to Eugene, home of the Oregon Ducks and only one day away from Football Saturday.

The morning begins with drive to Florence, just about one-hour and once there, oh boy are we going to have fun. We are off to enjoy a one-hour giant dune buggy tour along approximately 8-miles of dunes and 2-miles of ocean beach. It’s a scenic way to see the Oregon Dunes with a touch of excitement. Climbing and descending through the most beautiful, impressive dunes will be an unforgettable experience. This tour operates rain or shine!

Each buggy can accommodate up to 27 passengers. While it is a slower, scenic way to enjoy the dunes, folks with back issues, vertebrae issues or herniated discs may not want to participate.

If you stay behind, consider a round of miniature golf. Our bus will also be close by.

From here, a very short drive to historic Old Town Florence, nestled along the Siuslaw River, offering lovely scenery, unique shops, galleries, a historic museum, and a variety of dining options. Along the river, you can sip a cup of coffee or a cool drink at riverside tables as you watch the passing boats, frolicking sea lions, and listen to the call of the sea birds.

Many of the buildings have fascinating histories, and the streets are festooned with beautiful flower boxes, ornamental streetlights, and benches. Enjoy free time for lunch on your own and shopping.

We now turn inland and make our way to Eugene. The drive time is a little over one-hour. Accommodations for the next 2-nights are at the recently remodeled Courtyard by Marriott Eugene-Springfield. Within walking distance are a variety of dining options to choose from. Downtown Eugene is a short cab or Uber away.

Accommodations: Courtyard by Marriott Eugene-Springfield

Day 7 – September 19th, 2020 -Saturday – Eugene (B)

FOOTBALL SATURDAY! – GO WARRIORS!

After breakfast, free time until we depart for the official UH tailgate party at Essig Field, just across from Autzen Stadium, followed by the game. Once the game time has been set, we will finalize the departure time from the hotel.

After the game, please make your way back to our buses for the return to the hotel. Once back, the remainder of the afternoon and evening is free.

Accommodations: Courtyard by Marriott Eugene-Springfield

Day 8 – September 20th, 2020 -Sunday – Eugene-Honolulu

Please meet in the lobby by 3:00am for the transfer to the Eugene Airport. We do need to leave promptly by 3:30am. Once at the airport, please claims you bags from the bus and begins the check-in process.

United Airlines #572 Departs Eugene 6:00 am – Arrive San Francisco 7:38 am

United Airlines #1175 Departs San Francisco 8:45 am – Arrive Honolulu 11:04 am