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標題: Portland Tour Review [打印本頁]

作者: myversa 時間: 2009-10-13 08:07 標題: Portland Tour Review

I just came back from a 3 day Portland tour and just want to share you my thought.  This was not a shopping only tour but also had some sightseeing too.  This is the tour I went with: http://www.honeyholidays.ca/chinese/westore3d.html.

We mainly went to 4 places.

* Mt. St. HELENS聖海倫斯火山旅遊中心(自費成人∕小童 US$3)；
   住宿：春田市SPRINGFIELD / SHILO INN 或同級酒店
* 北美洲"撒哈拉沙漠" FLORENCE﹣乘坐沙灘車(自費成人US$10);
* 參觀2500萬年歷史之海獅洞，乘坐電梯深入地下208呎，
   了解海獅生活習性 (自費成人US$8 小童6-15歲 US$4.5);
   * 天主教露天教堂﹣建於1924年，佔地64英畝，以一樓高十層之天然岩洞作為禮堂；

The only thing that I would recommend is 乘坐沙灘車.  It was fun ride even though we were in a big car.  I think riding in small group would be much more fun.  We were lucky to see some sea lion in the sea lion cave but it was pretty far away.  Not really worth the trip.  As for the church, the tour guide gave us too little time staying.

Tips for joining tour:

1.  Read the itinerary carefully, like this time it says 聖海倫斯火山"旅遊中心" so he only took us to "旅遊中心" not the volcano itself.  In addition, it says "海獅洞" so he did not guarantee us to see the sea lion.
2.  When you book the tour, make sure the travel agency book you the right tour.  We have two girls who intended to book the "shopping tour", which supposed to go to Portland downtown to shop but the agency book them this tour instead.
3.  Also put spare small bill for last day because you need them for paying tips.  I had to ask for change for small bill at that moment...

作者: 快樂牛郎 時間: 2009-10-13 08:30

1. Read the itinerary carefully, like this time it says 聖海倫斯火山"旅遊中心" so he only took us to "旅遊中心" not the volcano itself.

This is hilarious

作者: myversa 時間: 2009-10-13 08:40

This is hilarious
快樂牛郎發表於 2009-10-13 09:30

Yes... We payed 4 bucks and went inside to watch a 20 minutes of movie and browsed their small museum. That was it...

Right, one more tip, do not believe the admission fee stated in the itinerary. most of the fee went up one dollar when we went. They did not even bother to update the sheet...

作者: myversa 時間: 2009-10-13 10:34

We stopped at both outlet, Woodburn and Seattle Premium Outlet. Of course there is no tax in Woodburn. I noticed on a parking space in Seattle Outlet, there were few old shoes and paper bags scattered on the ground. I also saw a lot of changed clothes right in the outlet.

Tips: Good to go with tour because the custom usually does not check how much you buy. I went with 3+ day tour 3-4 times and none got checked.

作者: qqmaro 時間: 2009-10-13 10:55

for 沙灘車, do you drive your own, or they have their own driver?

作者: myversa 時間: 2009-10-13 11:00

You can drive your own or have them to drive for you.

For us, it's the big blue thing that fit 20 people or so. They drive for us. Part of the trip was like roller coaster ride, you go from top of the sand hill direct down, it was exciting.

http://www.sanddunesfrontier.com/home.htm

作者: qqmaro 時間: 2009-10-13 12:46

You can drive your own or have them to drive for you.

For us, it's the big blue thing that fit 20 people or so. They drive for us. Part of the trip was like roller coaster ride, you go from top of ...
myversa 發表於 2009-10-13 12:00

sounds really fun

作者: myversa 時間: 2009-10-13 13:22

that was the most fun 30 minutes of the whole trip.. if I have driven the car my car, I do not think I dare to go down hill like he did. so taking the 20 person car has it own advantage too.

作者: fibbi 時間: 2009-10-13 13:37

天主教露天教堂 I went last time on my own and enjoy it much more than on tour. There is actually a nice garden on the 2nd level (we paid $2 and take the elevator up).

作者: myversa 時間: 2009-10-13 14:07

yes I like the 天主教露天教堂 and I paid $3.75 if I remember correct to use the elevator. However, we only got to stay 30 minutes and lineup to buy tickets already took us 10 minutes; therefore we did not have enough time to finish the garden...

作者: shutterbug 時間: 2009-10-13 14:51

pictures please?

作者: myversa 時間: 2009-10-13 14:53

pictures please?
shutterbug 發表於 2009-10-13 15:51

still in my camera.

will post some pictures this week after my dad leave for Taiwan tonight.

作者: news 時間: 2009-10-14 08:27

went for the same tour few years back...the sand dune was fun!

作者: fibbi 時間: 2009-10-14 10:47

本帖最後由 fibbi 於 2009-10-14 11:49 編輯

Picture from the upper level garden (the Catholic church in portland...)

作者: gleaner 時間: 2009-10-14 17:07

I looked at the things you did within 3 days and must admit that's quite a bit!

Mt. St. Helens is a huge place. It would take a couple of days to trek up to the viewing pts let alone going up to the rim (which is not allowed anyways). As for the Sea Lion's cave and the Catholic church, I find them too 'tourist' and can't stand going with a group.

I never went with a tour group as I like to have my own pace. I am a bit surprise the tour does not have the columbia gorge in it...it's such a spectacular site.

Maybe I am getting old now...I don't buy much at these shopping outlets anymore so I don't worry about taxes....and I rather pay taxes (using my Nexus) than trying to cheat them over $50 bucks....just my thought.

作者: myversa 時間: 2009-10-18 20:28

14# fibbi

I should have walked the garden... I thought we did not have time so I omitted that part of the walk...

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