Trip
Overview
Lodging
Detailed Itinerary
All meals included.
Anacortes, Washington
Boat, Cruise, Kayak, Natural Beauty &/or Wildlife, Swim, Water Activities, Whale Watch
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
Shimmering harbors and endless beaches, bountiful star fish and sea birds provide the backdrop for your family's adventure on Washington's San Juan Islands. On bike and foot, follow corridors of trees past inlets and coves and over mountains, stopping along the way for exploration and picnics. Wind your way through peaceful bays by kayak, catching glimpses of curious harbor seals, great blue herons and tide pools brimming with sea life. A wildlife-watching cruise with a local naturalist brings you closer to nature's more elusive and exotic creatures, including, with luck, majestic orcas. This multisport adventure is the perfect way to experience what Northwest island life is all about, be it pedaling, paddling, hiking or simply sitting back with your kids and enjoying a sea otter's view.
View the Family Casual Inns Itineraries.
View the Classic Premiere Inns Itineraries.
View other trips in USA
Meet in Anacortes 
Catch a ferry bound for Orcas Island Enjoy an awe-inspiring day of hiking around Moran State Park - a nature lover's paradise of 5,000 wooded acres Ascend lofty Mount Constitution From the summit, take in views of the San Juan Archipelago and Canada's coastal mountains Kids (and kids at heart) can cool off with a swim in Cascade Lake.
After a morning hike to the sound, board a chartered vessel for a wildlife-watching cruise to Lopez Island Bike through picturesque rural terrain to our scenic campground Pedal to Agate Beach and Shark Reef Sanctuary to explore tidal pools Pay a visit to the cafés and galleries in Lopez Village.
Ferry to Friday Harbor Hike to the summit of Young Hill for breathtaking views of the sound Kids are treated to a pizza party and private tour of the Whale Museum in town Put in at Roche Harbor for a sea-kayaking adventure in placid waters While paddling, keep an eye out for harbor seals and bald eagles Head out on a scenic ride along rolling terrain to Friday Harbor 
Stop in at the Whale Museum before our final ferry ride.
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.
This was the best family trip we have taken! We all thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and were sad for it to end. We are afraid that if we go on another Backroads trip it couldn't possibly be this good! The families were a good mix and the leaders were so amazing and cohesive. The San Juan Islands are so beautiful and we were lucky to have perfect weather.- Delray Beach, FL
For 30 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Washington tour experts. For multisport tours in USA, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our USA multisport tours click here. For our selection of award-winning USA biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning USA walking and hiking tours click here.
Orcas Island (1 night)
Our campsite is near the shore of tranquil Cascade Lake - a great spot for a refreshing dip.
Lopez Island (2 nights)
Set out in the sound on the slender spit, this campground offers stunning vistas over the water.
San Juan Island (2 nights)
Surrounded by 50 acres of lakes, this site offers a private beach for swimming and a large grass area for games of all kinds.
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 |
2 Route Options Available
4 Route Options Available
3 Route Options Available
3 Route Options Available
4 Route Options Available
1 Route Option Available
On this Family Trip, our routes follow rolling terrain. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.
