San Juan Islands Family Adventure
5 days
From $ 2499
Duration5 days
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  • Etepia
  • San Juan Islands Family Adventure

Hike, bike and kayak on this 5-day family friendly adventure in the San Juan Islands. Tucked away in the northwest corner of the United States, the San Juan Islands are an unforgettable destination to bring the whole family. This trip was designed to perfectly balance adventure, education and relaxation with an itinerary that includes scenic hikes, fun bike rides, whale watching, and an overnight kayak tour to Jones Island. Start things off on an educational foot with a visit to the Whale Museum. Learn about the amazing marine mammals of the Salish Sea before we encounter some of them over the next few days of our journey. Bike along the gently rolling hills of Roche Harbor road, see wooly alpacas grazing in their fields, and get up close with living invertebrates in a marine biology research lab on San Juan Island. On an overnight kayak tour to Jones Island State Park, head into the San Juan Channel and tour several beautiful islands. With the help of our wonderful guides, we bring the natural wonder of the islands to life. Kids get an REI day pack — Kids traveling on our Family Adventures will receive an REI day pack for their adventure! Kids age 8-17 will receive the REI Flash 18 Pack (while quantities last, colors may vary). Learn more about REI Family Adventures. Not traveling with kids under 18? Check out our San Juan Islands Multisport trip.

This tour is operated by

  • Duration: 5 days
    Service level: Standard
  • Physical Grading: Average
  • Ages: 18+
San Juan Islands Family Adventure - Tour Map

Itinerary

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Day 1: Start with a visit to the Whale Museum and take an afternoon paddle.
Our trip begins today in Friday Harbor, Washington, located in the spectacular San Juan Islands archipelago. Meet your guides and fellow travelers at 12pm at the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal. After a visit to the Whale Museum, which supports stewardship of whales and the Salish Sea, we transfer to Roche Harbor for lunch. This afternoon we enjoy a kayak trip on the north end of San Juan Island and learn how everything in the islands is interconnected, from kelp to jellyfish, seals to orca whales. Watch for seals, shorebirds, porpoise and more as we get a feel for paddling. After our introductory paddle, we check into our comfortable canvas tent cabins at Lakedale Resort. Tonight’s dinner, made with locally sourced ingredients, in prepared by your guides. Lunch and dinner included.
Sea Kayaking: 2.5 hours on open water with waves, tides, currents.
Meals: D
Day 2: Bike on San Juan Island and visit a marine biology research lab.
Departing from Lakedale on our bicycles, we ride on rolling hills past many small family farms. Herds of woolly alpacas, close relatives of the llama family, can be seen grazing in their fields. Arriving at San Juan County Park we take in the panoramic views, then coast down to Lime Kiln Park to watch for whales while eating a picnic lunch. Our next stop is a marine biology research lab for a tour of the underwater world of San Juan Island. This is our chance to observe living invertebrates, touching and interacting with a wide variety of the animals living in the intertidal zones of the island's shore. We return to our tent cabins with free time to explore the resort before gathering for dinner. All meals included.
Cycling: 12 miles (3-4 hours) on paved and gravel roads with rolling hills and a few steeper sections. Fully van supported. Option to add 12 miles.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 3: Overnight kayak tour to Jones Island Marine State Park.
Following breakfast we pack into provided dry bags and prepare for an overnight camping excursion. We paddle our kayaks into the San Juan Channel to tour several beautiful islands, including Yellow Island and the Wasp Islands. Reaching Jones Island, we set up camp in the Marine State Park. This afternoon we relax at camp, enjoy an afternoon hike around the island, or visit a nearby low bank beach to cool off in the 48 degree water! The guides prepare a delicious backcountry dinner. The day concludes with an optional hike to the western viewpoint for a blazing San Juan sunset. All meals included.
Sea Kayaking: 5 miles (3-4 hours) on open water with waves, tides, currents. Optional hiking: 1 mile (1 hour).
Meals: B, L, D
Day 4: Kayak back to San Juan Island; explore tide pools and look for wildlife.
We pack our gear into our kayaks, then paddle across Speiden Channel towards the north side of San Juan Island. We'll watch for eagles, seals, porpoise and orca whales; much of the saltwater and shoreline in the islands is a protected wildlife refuge so sightings of birds and mammals is a regular occurrence. Following the coastline, we peer into tide pools to see many of the invertebrates we learned about at the marine biology lab. A picnic lunch with outstanding views of the North Cascade and Olympic Mountains refreshes us. We continue paddling to Roche Harbor; the total distance (typically between 5-8 miles) depends on the strength and interest of the group. Reaching our takeout point, we unpack the kayaks and return to Lakedale Resort. Tonight we stay in either log cabins, or rooms at the lodge. The guides prepare another great dinner. All meals included.
Sea Kayaking: 5-8 miles (3-4 hours) on open water with waves, tides, currents.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 5: Enjoy a whale watching tour or hike up Mount Young before departing.
We board one of the most environmentally friendly boats in the islands to view the diverse marine life that surrounds us. In the company of an expert naturalist we look for orca whales, humpbacks, porpoises and more. Anyone not wishing to join the whale watching tour can join the guides for a scenic hike. The trail leads to the top of Mount Young (650’), where we eat a picnic lunch while taking in panoramic views of San Juan, Canada’s Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island and beyond. The trip concludes with a transfer to the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal. We plan to arrive by 4pm. Departures by float plane or ferry can be booked for any time after 5pm. Breakfast and lunch included.
Boat cruise: 4 hours. Optional hiking: 2 miles (2 hours) with 650’ elevation gain/loss.
Meals: B, L

Inclusions

Included

  • Four nights accommodations
  • meals as noted in the daily itinerary
  • camping equipment (tents, sleeping bags, cooking gear, utensils, etc

  • Accommodation

    Furnished canvas tent-cabins, 2 nights, island camping, 1 night, lodge rooms (private) or log cabins (shared), 1 night

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