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Route Rating Level 3 to Level 4

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Premiere Inns
Trip Price:
  • $2,698 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+$640 for sgl. occ.)
6 DAYS, 5 NIGHTS
ROLL OVER DATES BELOW FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
2009 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
TRIP NOTES

All meals included except 1 dinner.

Cancellation Policy

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Meet / Depart

La Conner, Washington/Anacortes, WA, or La Conner, WA

Special Interest

Boat, Fine Wine & Cuisine, Kayak, Natural Beauty &/or Wildlife, Spa, Whale Watch

Recommended Reads

Essential trip reading

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Contact Us

Call: 800-462-2848
or 510-527-1555
Fax: 510-527-1444
E-mail us

801 Cedar St.
Berkeley, CA 94710

Business Hours:
7 days a week
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time

Or contact your travel agent

San Juan Islands

San Juan Islands Biking

Exploring the Islands in the Pacific Northwest

Amid the pristine waterways just northwest of Puget Sound lie Washington's San Juan Islands. Thick with cedar and fir trees, each island beckons you to explore. With shimmering water views before you, wind your way around hidden coves, where harbors shelter colorful boats. Pedal over rolling hills and through villages, with the snowcapped Olympic and Cascade Mountain Ranges rising in the distance. Your next island adventure is just a ferry ride away, and evenings are dedicated to relaxing in delightful inns and indulging in fresh seafood.

View the Classic Casual Inns Itineraries.

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Day 1 la conner

Meet in the fishing village of La Conner Ride through the lush Skagit Valley, noted for its fields of tulips and daffodils.

Days 2-3 eastsound

Bike to Anacortes and ferry to hilly Orcas Island, a tapestry of rural landscapes Spin through forests of western hemlock Explore the town of Eastsound, where you can browse art shops and galleries, or treat yourself to a massage at a nearby spa Ride to Moran State Park and pedal or hike up Mount Constitution From this highest point in the San Juans, gaze at a panorama of the Canadian Gulf Islands, and the Olympic and Cascade Ranges.

Days 4-6 friday harbor

Keep an eye out for breaching orcas, sea otters and soaring eagles on a wildlife cruise with a local naturalist Pedal past secluded bays and driftwood beaches For a new perspective of the island, consider an optional sea- kayaking excursion through the peaceful waters near Roche Harbor Perhaps you'll decide to relax at the hotel or spend time visiting shops, art galleries and the Whale Museum in Friday Harbor Ferry to Lopez Island, a bicyclist's paradise known for its rural beauty and protected harbors.

Route Rating What's this? Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Each offers options for more or less activity, so you can decide exactly how much you want to do day by day.

Lodging What's this? Our lodgings are divided into three different categories.

Premiere Inns:These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic regional flair.

Casual Inns:These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the areawith such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and proximity to our activities.

Deluxe Camping:We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every camp chore and perform culinary magic.

Detailed Itinerary

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Guest Trip Reviews

This trip was an adventure for us to a new and spectacular landscape. It was interesting to do a biking trip that also offered opportunities for hiking and sea kayaking, mixed with a number of interesting geographic and historic learning experiences. Everyone was so friendly and engaging, and we really felt that we got to know everyone well. The leaders were wonderful, as has always been the case with Backroads, but especially for first-year leaders, they were exceptional. We are so glad to have discovered the uplifting Backroads type of vacation, and we shall continue to participate in these trips as long as we are physically able to do so.
Jackie Weidenfeller - Rockville, MD

More Reviews of this Trip

All Guest Reviews

For 30 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Washington tour experts. For biking tours in USA, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our USA biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning USA walking and hiking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning USA multisport tours click here.

San Juan Islands Biking

WATER VIEWS: Premiere Inns

Channel Lodge
Channel Lodge

La Conner (1 night)
Each room in this charming inn features a private balcony and beautiful vistas of the boats and birdlife residing in Swinomish Channel.

Outlook Inn
Outlook Inn

Eastsound (2 nights)
Look out onto the sound from spacious and elegantly furnished suites in a quaint harbor town on Orcas Island.

Friday Harbor House
Friday Harbor House

Friday Harbor (2 nights)
A blufftop inn with stylish guest rooms featuring fireplaces, whirlpool tubs and floor-to-ceiling views of Friday Harbor.

You are viewing the Clasic Premiere Inns version of this trip.

View the Classic Casual Inns Itineraries.

San Juan Islands Biking

Route Rating: Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Trips For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level Average Time Average Distance
    Biking Walking
& Hiking
1 2-3
hours		 10-20
miles		 2-5
miles
2 2-4
hours		 21-30
miles		 5-7
miles
3 3-5
hours		 31-40
miles		 7-9
miles
4 4-6
hours		 41-55
miles		 9-11
miles
5 5-7+
hours		 56-75+
miles		 11-13+
miles
Day 1
  • Levels 1 to 2  2 Route Options Available
  • 15, 22 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Levels 2 to 4  4 Route Options Available
  • Morning 18, 22 miles          
  • 1000 - 2000 feet elevation gain
  • Afternoon 11, 16 miles
  • 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain 
Day 3
  • Levels 2 to 5   7 Route Options Available
  • Biking 9 miles
  • 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
  • Hiking 4.5 miles
  • 500 - 2500 feet elevation gain OR
  • Biking 11 miles
  • 2000 - 2500 feet elevation gain
  • Biking 6, 13, 17 miles
  • 500 - 1500 feet elevation gain
  • Optional Walking 3 miles
  • 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 4
  • Levels 3 to 4  2 Route Options Available
  • 12, 20 miles
  • 1000 - 1500 feet elevation gain
Day 5
  • Levels 2 to 5  4 Route Options Available
  •  21, 31, 41, 50 miles
  • 1000 - 2500 feet elevation gain
  • Optional Sea Kayaking 3 hours
Day 6
  • Levels 2 to 3  4 Route Options Available
  • 20, 26, 29, 31 miles
  • 1000 - 1500 feet elevation gain

You are viewing the Clasic Premiere Inns version of this trip.

View the Classic Casual Inns Itineraries.