Pacific Connect

Join us for an authentic adventure in the great American West designed for current 7th & 8th graders. Pacific Connect is a balanced travel experience that combines must-see touring, active outdoor adventures, meaningful Jewish experiences, and a unique opportunity to forge friendships as part of a close-knit group. No need to fly half-way around the world to experience a truly memorable summer on Pacific Connect.

• The Must-Sees and the Hidden Gems
  Pacific Connect covers all of the major destinations from the far north to the far south of the American West. Explore Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Sedona, and the many national parks along the way. We visit world renown sites like the Microsoft Campus, Puget Sound, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Hoover Dam, and Crater Lake. We also make time for more off-the-beaten path experiences like digging for gold in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, kayaking on Lake Tahoe and staying at a dude-ranch in Utah.
• Once-in-a-Lifetime Outdoor Adventures
  Pacific Connect is also about the wide open spaces and stunning national park's of the American West. Live the great outdoors hiking on a glacier in Mt. Ranier, exploring the rainforests of Olympic National Park, walking in the shadow of giants in Redwood National Park, climbing to the base of Half Dome in Yosemite, descending deep into the Grand Canyon, and ascending to the towering peak of Angels Landing in Zion National Park. See a side of nature that you have only dreamed about, and challenge yourself along the way.
• Living Jewish Values
  As a BBYO Passport experience, Pacific Connect is also an opportunity to explore your Jewish identity in a new context. Take part in rewarding service projects, bond with fellow Jewish teens from a range of backgrounds, and celebrate Shabbat at the University of Washington, on a dude ranch in Utah and with the local Jewish communities of Ashland, Oregon and Berkeley, California.
• An Introduction to College Life
  Participants on Pacific Connect spend part of the program based on the picturesque college campuses of the University of Washington, Southern Oregon University in Ashland, and the University of California, Berkeley. Staying in college dormitories is a wonderful introduction to university living and is a great base for our travels.
  

Check out the program itinerary for a fuller picture of what this experience is about...

• Visit cities including Seattle, Portland, Ashland, San Francisco, Sedona, and Phoenix
• Explore national parks that include Olympic, Mt. Rainier, Crater Lake, Redwood, Yosemite, Zion and Grand Canyon
• Hike on a snowy glacier atop Mt. Rainier and relax in a natural hot spring in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
• Raft down the Columbia River Gorge, kayak on Lake Tahoe, and enjoy the rugged Pacific Coast beaches of the Northwest
• Step back in time at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, shop at Pike Place Market in Seattle, and explore Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco
• Tour the innovation headquarters of Microsoft and Boeing
• Walk through a redwood tree, learn how to pan for gold, and experience life on an Indian Reservation
• Learn about social change at the Gates Foundation and take part in a series of service and conservation projects
• Celebrate Shabbat at the University of Washington, on a dude ranch in Utah, and with the Jewish communities of Ashland, Oregon and Berkeley, California
• Get an introduction to college campus life living in the dorms at the University of Washington, Southern Oregon University, and Berkeley
• Visit to traditional Native American communities
  
• Take a dip in the desert waters of Lake Mead
  

Check out the program itinerary for a fuller picture of what this experience is about...

WEEK #1 / Seattle, Mt. Rainier & Olympic National Park
Pacific Connect starts in Seattle where we explore Pike Place Market, the Microsoft Campus, the Boeing airplane assembly headquarter, the Chihuly Gardens and the iconic Seattle Space Needle. Seattle is also our base for day trips to Mt. Rainier, and kayaking in Puget Sound. After a relaxing Shabbat on the University of Washington campus, we travel to Olympic National Park to explore its rainforests, rugged coastlines, and natural hot springs.

WEEK #2 / Portland, Ashland & Northern California
In week two we travel southwards to Oregon, stopping at Mt. St. Helens en route. In Oregon we explore Portland, raft down the Columbia River Gorge, take in the views at Crater Lake, and spend a memorable Shabbat in quaint Ashland, Oregon — where we take part in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Northwest Connect caps off in Northern California, hiking through redwood forests, learning about salmon conservation efforts, and traveling down the coast line all the way to San Francisco.

WEEK #3 / Yosemite, Tahoe & the Bay Area
Our third week starts in the San Francisco where we visit all of the highlights in the city and around the Bay Area — capped off by a Shabbat on the camps of UC Berkeley. From the Bay Area we climb into the Sierra-Nevada Mountains to explore Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park's Half Dome. Along the way, we learn how to pan for gold and even make a visit to the Jelly Belly Factory.

WEEK #4 / Zion, Bryce & Grand Canyon National Park
In our final week together, we travel to the canyons lands of the southwest — exploring Bryce, Zion, and Grand Canyon National Park. Our final Shabbat is a rewarding one, at the Ponderosa Ranch in Southern Utah. Our journey concludes at the red rocks of Sedona, rafting down the Salt River, and a final celebration in Phoenix.

Program Package

• Airport pick-up & drop-off. Participants are responsible for arranging own transportation to the start and end cities. cities.
• Accommodations (hotels, country lodging, camping and campus dormitories)
• All meals (kosher or vegetarian/allowance)
• Activities & entrance fees
• Deluxe motorcoach
• Dynamic staff team
• Medical insurance (excludes pre-existing conditions)
• Laundry Service

Trip Links

• Program Itinerary 
• Pre-Trip Prep 2012
• Register Now