Social Program + Tours

AIHce Guest Registration includes the Welcome to Portland Brunch, admittance to the Expo, including a complimentary drink ticket to the Opening Reception, and access to the General Sessions. Social tour tickets are sold separately; registration for AIHce is not required to purchase.

Welcome to Portland Brunch

The annual Welcome Brunch will be held at the Portland Hilton Hotel on Monday, May 16, at 10:00 a.m. Make a date to catch up with friends, make new acquaintances, and enjoy an introduction to all that Portland has to offer.

Cost included in the AIHce Spouse/Non-IH registration fee; ticket required. 

Social Tours

Portland offers a unique mix of activities — both indoor and out — and has something for everyone. An intimate setting, with short blocks, elegant gardens, iron bridges, outdoor art, and intriguing architecture, you’ll enjoy getting to know this diverse and slightly off-beat city with a personality all it’s own. Enhance your stay at AIHce by participating in one or more of the following tours and activities.

Fees include coach transportation, professional escort, and admissions where applicable. Additional inclusions are listed in tour descriptions. Tickets are not refundable after April 27. If, as of April 27, enrollment in a tour is low, AIHce reserves the right to cancel. Refunds will be issued automatically.

If you are already registered for AIHce, click to add Social Tour Tickets.

Monday

ST-01 Portland Highlights
12:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m., $40 per person

Get to know Portland on this “windshield” tour of the city’s highlights — Pioneer Square, Saturday Markets, the Steel Bridge, Waterfront Park, the Pearl District and Voodoo Doughnuts to name a few…

Stop at Pittock Mansion, once the home of pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock, who made their fortune in railroads, ranching and mining. The Mansion displays an interesting mix of Turkish, English and French designs using Northwest materials and features the progressive technology of the time — a central vacuum system, intercom, and indirect lighting.

From Pittock Mansion, it’s a short ride to the world-famous International Test Rose Garden in Washington Park. Established in 1917, the Garden features 600 varieties of roses and over 10,000 blooms which should just be budding in May — a sight not to be missed!

ST-02 Microbrew Hop
4:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m., $58 per person

 

Oregon produces all of the ingredients it takes to make great beer — fragrant hops from the Willamette valley, grains from the eastern plains, crystal clear waters from the Cascades and people with a pioneering spirit to complete the recipe. Discover the reason Portland’s popular microbrews receive national recognition.

Visit three of Portland’s popular brewpubs, each featuring its own distinctive brews. Lift a pint with fellow conference-goers and enjoy pub fare (at one brewery) as your guide shares a little of the history of Oregon’s renowned microbrew industry.

Tuesday

ST-03 City Art Trek
9:00 a.m.–Noon, $18 per person

You’ve seen Portland by bus now see it up close and personal! Join your guide as he shares anecdotes that bring Portland’s history to life.

Uncover the hidden treasures of Pioneer Courthouse Square, often referred to as the city’s living room. See Portlandia, the second largest hammered copper statue in the country, second only to the Statue of Liberty. Marvel at the architecture in the Government District. Stroll through historic South Park in the Cultural Arts District. Meander along Waterfront Park where the Willamette River, outdoor works of art and Portland’s many bridges converge against a breathtaking city skyline.

Total walking distance = 1 mile. Sturdy shoes, comfortable clothes, hat, sunglasses, sun protection recommended. Snack stop along the way.

ST-04 “DeVine” Wines
12:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m., $59 per person

Visit one of the most scenic and prolific wine growing regions in the Pacific Northwest — Yamhill County. Travel past rolling hillsides, picturesque vineyards, and tidy orchards to visit two of the area’s finest vineyards, Duck Pond Cellars and Erath Vineyards.

Like the great wine regions of France and Germany, Oregon’s wine country is blessed with a long, moderate growing season ideal for growing grapes used in Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and White Rieslings. Yamhill County’s vintners produce wines that consistently receive the highest honors in U.S. and international competitions.

Tour one winery, sample tastings at both wineries, boxed lunch included.

ST-05 By Gorge!
1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m., $32 per person

Experience the grandeur of the Columbia River Gorge and discover the ecology and history of one of the world’s most magnificent landscapes. Travel along the mighty Columbia River and stop at Multnomah Falls, the most spectacular of the waterfalls, and the fourth highest in the U.S. Stand at the base of the falls and revel in their splendor, visit the gift shop and interpretive center, or walk the Simon Benson Bridge.

Continue on to Bonneville Dam, one of the first of eight federal locks and dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. The dam generates over one million kilowatts — enough power to meet the needs of nearly 500,000 homes a year. Learn how the dam operates, watch fish migrate through the underwater fishways, and discover how ships navigate the river.

Wednesday

ST-06 Portland Spirit
11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m., $50 per person

Join your guide for a short walk from the Portland Hilton to Waterfront Park. Board the Portland Spirit and set sail on a wonderful luncheon cruise on the Willamette River.

Spend a leisurely afternoon sailing past towering buildings, under historic bridges, and past stately riverfront homes. Enjoy a delicious onboard lunch while being serenaded by a piano interlude. After lunch, visit the wheelhouse, watch for exotic birds and other wildlife, and don’t miss Portland’s skyline as your cruise returns to the city.

Lunch includes a plated entree selected by each guest, coffee, tea, and soft drinks; appetizer, dessert, and other beverages available for purchase.