Hawaii & Alaska 30 Days
Embark on an unforgettable summer journey from the vibrant Pacific Northwest to the awe-inspiring landscapes of Alaska and the tropical paradise of Hawaii! You’ll ride in a dune buggy through the Oregon sand dunes, learn to surf with professionals in Hawaii, get your adrenaline pumping with a via ferrata adventure in Whistler, experience the thrill of whitewater rafting with stunning views of Denali National Park, and so much more! Between the new friends you’ll meet and the non-stop fun you’ll have together, this 30-day teen tour is sure to be the summer of a lifetime!
An adrenaline-filled program with the coolest activities, picture-perfect landmarks and a close group bond.
Hotels & resorts.
Includes breakfast and dinner daily. Enjoy excellent food choices at popular restaurants.
Includes all recreation & activities listed
Chartered deluxe motor coach with a professional driver, plus internal flights.
Separate departure dates are assigned to create compatible co-ed age groups.
Varies from 28 to 48 participants.
We can accommodate most dietary preferences and allergies.
Fly to Portland - where your orientation officially begins with some of our favorite icebreakers and “get to know you” activities. Get set for a thrilling jet boat ride on the Willamette River. Soar high on a 1,280 foot long zipline canopy tour adventure with spectacular views. Take a ride on a surrey bike along the quaint waterfront. Take incredible photos in front of the magnificent Multnomah Falls. Try a crazy flavor at Portland’s famous Voodoo Doughnuts.
Travel south to the university town of Eugene, home of the Ducks! Explore some of the world’s most impressive natural sand dunes! Buckle up and take a ride on an exciting dune buggy tour in the dunes along the Oregon coast.
Prepare your Whirlybug for intense competition at Whirlyball, it’s like basketball, lacrosse and bumper cars combined. Learn from professional chefs at a private cooking school. Ride the Seattle Great Wheel on Pier 57 and see the city of Seattle like never before.
On your way to Whistler, visit the legendary Capilano Suspension Bridge, walk through a rainforest canopy with the Treetops Adventure, and experience the thrill of walking above the canyon with Cliffwalk.
Experience the record setting PEAK 2 PEAK gondola that connects Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. Clip into Via Ferrata, a network of steel cables that run the length of a mountain face and cross built-in steps, handles, beams and bridges while you are surrounded by spectacular mountain views. Explore the shops in the pedestrian friendly village. Soak in the sunshine on the shores of Alta Lake, take a dip in the lake to refresh and get active in a game of beach volleyball!
On the return to Seattle, stop for lunch at colorful Granville Island’s Public Market and sample some local foodie favorites!
View downtown Seattle and on clear days to Mt. Rainier from the top of the Space Needle, a landmark you may recognize from Grey’s Anatomy. Watch out for the fishmongers throwing fish at Pike Place Market. Stick your gum on the Market Theater Gum wall. Imagine playing in a rock band in a packed stadium at MoPOP (Museum of Popular Culture).
You will spend 6 days exploring Anchorage, Denali, and Fairbanks.
Fly to Alaska and get ready to take in all of its natural beauty. View massive glaciers up close aboard a glacier boat cruise. Relive the historic Gold Rush of Alaska while you pan for gold. Visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to learn how this sanctuary is working hard to preserve Alaska's wildlife and make sure to keep your eye out for elk, deer, bears, bald eagles and many other animals that call Alaska their home. Take the Alyeska Aerial Tram for a scenic ride to the top of Mt. Alyeska - you may even see a moose or bear down below! Experience the thrill of whitewater rafting as you paddle down the Nenana River and take in the magnificent views of Denali National Park. Meet some incredible, intelligent Huskies, learn about their training and perhaps even get to pet their newest offspring!
Enjoy your stay at our premium hotel located on 40 oceanfront acres of Ka’anapali Beach. Take an exclusive double-deck catamaran to snorkel amongst more than 250 species of fish off the coast at Coral Gardens, one of Maui’s premier snorkeling destinations. Visit the rustic surfer town of Pāʻia and sample some authentic Hawaiian cuisine. Be amazed by a luau on the resort’s Sunset Terrace. Learn to surf with a professional instructor.
Fly to Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. Travel by boat to your rooms and throughout the resort on this incredible property located on the Southern Kohala coast. Snorkel or swim with tropical fish and rare green sea turtles in a salt-water lagoon. Try a paddleboard or boogie board. Swim or lounge by one of three fresh-water pools. Explore the Kings’ Shops and Queen’s Marketplace for dinner. Visit Volcanoes National Park to see one of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kīlauea, and the world’s largest volcano Mauna Loa. Spend the evening on this island exploring Old Kailua town.
Our resort is situated on Duke Kahanamoku Beach, the widest stretch of Waikiki that is one of the best beaches in America. Sunbathe or swim in one of the hotel’s five pools including the Paradise Pool featuring an aquatic playground with four slides including a 77-foot lava tube slide (the longest in Waikiki), three waterfalls and two heated spas. Take a splash-filled ride on a 6-seater Banana Boat from Koko Marina. Visit the Dole Pineapple Plantation and sample some of the famous pineapple-flavored Dole Whip! Hike Diamond Head, a crater formed from the eruptions of the Ko’olau Volcano many years ago. Say farewell to your new friends as you part ways for your return home. The summer might be over, but all the memories you’ve made will last a lifetime!
Honolulu, Hawaii
Enjoy a luxurious stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort. This hotel offers the perfect mix of exceptional hotel accommodations and classic Hawaiian hospitality.
Big Island, Hawaii
Discover a Big Island hotel like no other at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. A destination in itself, this impressive property is nestled within 62 oceanfront acres, offering breathtaking tropical gardens and abundant wildlife. Enjoy three unique swimming pools – including waterfalls and slides and salt-water lagoon with a white-sand beach.
Maui, Hawaii
Surrounded by 40 lush acres, on a white sand beachfront, enjoy the ultimate Kaanapali beach hotel. The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa hotel has two free-form pools divided by waterfalls, lava tube slide, a rope bridge, and outdoor whirlpool. All guest rooms have a private lanai (porch).
Portland, Oregon
Enjoy your stay at either the Hyatt Place Portland Airport/Cascade Station or The Embassy Suites Portland Airport located minutes away from downtown Portland.
Eugene, Oregon
Staying at the Hyatt Place Eugene, you’ll be perfectly situated for your next trip to the Southern Willamette Valley. Whatever fits your idea of adventure, you’ll discover the spirit of the Pacific Northwest during your stay.
Seattle, Washington
Enjoy your stay at either the Residence Inn Seattle - Convention Center or Doubletree Seattle Airport-Southcenter. These hotels offer spacious suites and fitness centers and are well situated to explore the popular landmarks of the Emerald City!
Whistler, British Columbia
Blackcomb Springs Suites is an all-suite, condo-style hotel at the foot of Blackcomb Mountain. Suites include full kitchens and spacious rooms. Enjoy an outdoor pool and hot tub as well.
Anchorage, Alaska
While in Anchorage, you will stay at either the SpringHill Suites Anchorage Midtown hotel or Embassy Suites Anchorage. All rooms are suite-style and amenities include an indoor pool and whirlpool, as well as a fitness center.
Fairbanks, Alaska
While in Fairbanks, we'll return to the Hyatt Place Fairbanks for a well-deserved rest and wind-down after exciting days filled adventures in the gorgeous Alaskan scenery.
Flight to Portland
We help you coordinate your flight to arrive within designated times so that we may greet you upon arrival. For participants from the New York area, we offer a chaperoned flight that leaves from the New York area. One of your summer leaders and staff from our office will be at the airline counter to greet you, introduce you to fellow travelers, help you to check-in and the leader will be with you from check-in onward.
Return Flight Home from Oahu, Hawaii
Our leaders help you to check-in and remain in the airport until flights in designated times have departed. For those from the New York area, we offer a chaperoned flight.
Food and Meals
Experience the greatest food in teen travel at our top-notch restaurant selections. Our North American Active Teen Tours visit teen-approved restaurants, handpicked for their excellence. We raise the bar for teen dining experiences with our group dinners at hibachi-style grills, authentic local BBQ, and popular Italian eateries. Depending on the itinerary, you may find yourself dining at the Cheesecake Factory, Eataly, Hard Rock Cafe, a popular upscale food hall with local gourmet options or a happening area where you will have many cuisines to choose from. For lunch, you will enjoy eating in smaller groups and choosing from local cafes and other restaurants. We make a point to balance incredible food choices that teens love with trying great local favorites. Cap off some meals with dessert at delicious establishments such as Crumbl Cookies, Voodoo Donuts and Matsumoto’s Hawaiian Shave Ice.
We have satisfied the choosiest of eaters and gladly accommodate most special dietary requests including vegetarian, food allergies, lactose intolerance, celiac disease, and kosher style. We welcome discussing your individual requirements with you and have extensive experience in this area.
Rooming
You will stay in the finest hotels and resorts, which are chosen based on safety, security, amenities, comfort and location. Rooms vary from doubles to triples. Triples may contain two beds and a rollaway or be a suite style with a sofa bed. Each participant has their own bed.
Transportation
On this program, we travel in various ways. On land you’ll ride in a chartered deluxe, air-conditioned motor coach with a professional driver. For internal flights, we fly on regularly scheduled commercial flights included in the trip tuition.
Laundry
You will only need to bring one week’s worth of clothing as outlined in the packing list that will be sent to you prior to departure. We visit local laundromats weekly and we will supply the detergent and dryer sheets. Don’t worry if you’ve never done laundry before, we’ll show you the ropes. Parents, we know the thought of your children doing laundry is making you smile!
What’s Included
Included in your program tuition is all lodging, breakfast and dinner daily, recreation & entertainment listed, airport transfers in designated times, internal flights to Alaska, to Hawaii and within the Hawaiian Islands, gratuities & taxes.
Not included is transportation to and from the program, lunches, snacks, personal spending money for souvenirs, and laundry. We also make available optional travel insurance that is not included, but highly recommended.
Please contact us with any questions. We are happy to hear from you!
Do you separate different age groups?
It depends on the program, so it’s always best to contact us. On some programs, we assign a specific departure date by age group to create the best possible social dynamics. For example, if grades 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are listed on a program, note they will not all be traveling together on the same departure.
To find the programs with exclusive age-specific departures, look for tags saying “middle school” for students completing 7th and 8th grades, or “ON TOUR” for students completing 11th and 12th grades.
Who are the staff and what are their qualifications?
Our staff are educators, guidance counselors, coaches, college and university students, former camp counselors, residence life coordinators, community volunteers, world travelers, and other leaders with diverse backgrounds. Many are former participants themselves who couldn’t get enough of the Westcoast experience! Learn more about our summer leaders.
What is the difference between an Active Teen Tour and a Global Adventure program?
Our Active Teen Tours offer larger group sizes (generally 35-48 participants) and travel in deluxe motor coaches. Accommodations include quality hotels and occasional fun college residences.
Global Adventures are smaller group experiences (generally up to 26 participants on all itineraries other than the 17, 20 or 25-day Greece & Italy, 20-day Greece & Portugal or 10-day Greek Islands, which varies from 24-36 participants.)
Groups travel by private motor coaches and occasional public transportation internationally, and use passenger vans in the USA. Select European programs travel exclusively by train and public transportation. While these programs have a slightly bigger focus on adventure travel, we stay in quality hotels and lodges, always ensuring a good night’s rest.