Cultural Cascades Overview

Five Cities + Two Countries = Equal Endless Possibilities

Experience the Cultural Cascades: A Mecca for the New Cultural Traveler

“We need to think about cultural tourism because really there is no other kind of tourism. It’s what tourism is. . . . People don’t come for our airports. . . . They come for our culture: High culture, low culture, middle culture, right, left, real or imagined—they come here to experience America.”
--Garrison Keillor

Coffee. Grunge. Microbrews. Software. Our region has become synonymous with nurturing trends, innovations, even entire industries. Now a group of culturally rich cities in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia are embracing what’s next: cultural tourism.

Two countries and five cities have come together in an innovative alliance to capitalize on this growing travel trend and to highlight the endless possibilities of cultural experiences in the region. According to the Travel Industry Association of America, 118 million Americans say they included at least one cultural, arts, historic or heritage activity or event while traveling in the past year.

cultural destinations—the savvy traveler can experience world-class arts, heritage, culture, cuisine and wine right here. From a comfortable seat aboard the Amtrak Cascades, travelers can experience their very own land cruise through a hotbed of cultural opportunities. Leave the stress at home, and enjoy our legendary hospitality. Now is the time to discover what the Cultural Cascades have to offer On View, On Stage, On the Table, On Fire and On Board.

What is the Cultural Cascades Partnership?

A cooperative partnership of five cities—Vancouver BC, Seattle, Tacoma, Portland and Eugene — formed to highlight the wide array of cultural experiences in each city for area residents and visitors alike. Through a strategic partnership with Amtrak, this program also promotes the ease and comfort of travel between these points via Amtrak’s Cascades route.

The result is a unique collaboration. In the face of the economic and political uncertainties, the Cultural Cascades group is positioned to keep their cities vital and attract regional and national visitors eager to embrace cultural experiences. The dynamic website www.culturalcascades.com helps travelers explore the region’s offerings by city, by date or by theme: On View, On Stage, On Fire, On the Table and On Board.