The Eastern Ports: Tri-Cities to Clarkston
What the longer Columbia and Snake sailings add beyond the Gorge.
Get Columbia River Cruise QuotesBeyond the Gorge: The Eastern Ports
Past The Dalles the river opens onto the Columbia Plateau, and the longer sailings continue to ports that most visitors to the Pacific Northwest never see.
Umatilla for Pendleton
Coach trips to Pendleton for its woolen mill, its underground tunnels and its famous rodeo heritage.
The Tri-Cities
Richland, Pasco and Kennewick surround the meeting of the Snake and the Columbia: wineries, riverfront parks and Sacajawea Historical State Park.
Walla Walla
A wine town reached from the river on expedition sailings, with a historic downtown.
The Palouse
Rolling wheat hills and, on Lindblad’s itinerary, Zodiac and kayak time on the Palouse River near Palouse Falls.
Clarkston and Lewiston
Twin towns at the Snake–Clearwater confluence; jet boats into Hells Canyon and sites of the Nez Perce National Historical Park.
Getting Home From Clarkston
Cruises that end in Clarkston usually connect with flights from Lewiston or Spokane, and some lines include the transfer. Allow time: the Lewis Clark Valley is a long way from major hubs. The Lewis Clark Valley visitor site has more on the area if you want to stay on.
Travelers with limited mobility should ask about jet-boat and canyon excursions in advance; our sister site Accessible River Cruises explains what to check. And protect a trip this far from home with proper cover — see Cruise & Travel Insurance.
Wine Country and Atomic History
The plateau’s sunny, dry climate has made the Columbia Valley one of the country’s major wine regions, and tastings around the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla are a highlight of many sailings. The same stretch holds a very different story: the Hanford site near Richland produced plutonium for the Manhattan Project, and its B Reactor is part of a national historical park, with tours run by the Department of Energy in season. Few cruise stops anywhere pair a winery afternoon with a nuclear-history morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need the full trip to Clarkston to see the eastern ports?
Yes. The Gorge-only cruise turns around in the Gorge, so the Tri-Cities, the Palouse and Hells Canyon are only reached on the Portland–Clarkston sailings or the longer grand voyage.
What is Hells Canyon?
The canyon of the Snake River upstream of Lewiston and Clarkston, along the Idaho–Oregon border, often called the deepest river gorge in North America. Cruise guests usually see it on a jet-boat excursion.
Cruise All the Way to Clarkston
Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will quote the full Portland–Clarkston sailings and help with flights home.
Quote the Full River