San Juan Islands Family Multisport
Biking, Hiking & Sea Kayaking Washington's Islands of Adventure
Shimmering harbors, endless beaches, bountiful starfish 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 a bit of 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.
- Explore San Juan, Orcas and Lopez islands by foot, bike and kayak
- Paddle peaceful inlets and vast kelp beds, spotting harbor seals, otters and bald eagles
- Look for tiny sea creatures among the tide pools at Shark Reef
- Whale-watch on Haro Strait, the "Whale Highway"
- Mount Constitution, with 360-degree mountain and island views
The Day-to-Day Itinerary
Day 1 Orcas Island
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.
Days 2-3 Lopez Island
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.
Days 4-6 San Juan Island
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.
Adult Route Rating What's this?
- Premiere Inns: These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic regional flair.
- Casual Inns: These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the area with such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and proximity to our activities.
- Deluxe Family Camping: We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every camp chore and perform culinary magic.
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Alaska Multisport Glacier Multisport Redwood National Park MultisportOther Western US Trips
Look at what other guests are saying about this trip!
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 More about this Trip All Guest Reviews
For 30 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the tour experts. For multisport tours in , trust our in-depth connections. To see all our multisport tours click here. For our selection of award-winning biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning walking and hiking tours click here.
San Juan Islands Family Multisport
TOWERING TREES AND WATER VIEWS: Deluxe Camping
Moran State Park Campground
Orcas Island (1 night) Our campsite is near the shore of tranquil Cascade Lake - a great spot for a refreshing dip.
Spencer Spit Campground
Lopez Island (2 nights) Set out in the sound on the slender spit, this campground offers stunning vistas over the water.
Lakedale Campground
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.
San Juan Islands Family Multisport
Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain
Routes 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 | Biking Average | Walking Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Kid-Friendly Routes
The route options below are for adults and older kids with more biking experience who are up for longer rides or hikes. For all other kids (and adults who choose), we make it easy to do even less than the shortest option mentioned above, usually by taking a short lift in one of our support vehicles. We are here to make sure everyone has a great time so there's no need for you to worry about whether your child will be able to "keep up."
Day 1
- Levels 1 to 3 2 Route Options Available
- Hiking 1.5, 4.5 miles
- 500 - 2500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
- Levels 1 to 2 4 Route Options Available
- Walking 1.5 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
- Biking 4, 16, 19 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 3
- Levels 1 to 3 3 Route Options Available
- Biking 11, 18, 23 miles
- 0 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Day 4
- Level 1 3 Route Options Available
- Biking 5, 13 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
- Hiking 2 miles
- 625 feet elevation gain
Day 5
- Levels 1 to 3 4 Route Options Available
- Biking 11, 16, 26, 31 miles
- 500 - 1500 feet elevation gain
- Sea Kayaking 3 hours
Day 6
- Level 1 1 Route Option Available
- Biking 6 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
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.