San Juan Islands Family Multisport
- 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
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Biking, Hiking & Sea Kayaking Washington's Islands of Adventure
What's black and white and wet all over? You guessed it: an orca! And just like these cool sea creatures, you can hang out with your family while having a whale of a time in the San Juan Islands. It's a perfect natural playground. With mountains to climb. Waterways to paddle. Tidal pools to explore. And plenty of games for the whole gang. Like stone skipping. Berry picking. Starfish spotting. Ice cream eating. Shorebird skirting. Constellation naming. Lopez Island waving. It's all waiting for you. You and your pod.
Day 1 Mount Constitution, with 360-degree views of the San Juan archipelago, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker and the Olympic Range 
After taking the ferry to Orcas Island, delight in an awe-inspiring day of hiking around Moran State Park, a nature-lover's paradise of 5,000 wooded acres Kids (and kids at heart!) can cool off with a swim in Cascade Lake.
Days 2-3 Whale-watch on Haro Strait, the "Whale Highway" After a morning hike to the sound, board a chartered vessel for a wildlife-watching cruise to Lopez Island Picturesque rural terrain lines the bike route to our scenic campground Pedal to Agate Beach and Shark Reef Sanctuary, where the younger crowd will have fun exploring tide pools Lopez Village's cafés and galleries invite a visit.
Day 4 An array of activities showcasing the best of the islands - San Juan Island is next on our list After landing at Friday Harbor, hike to Young Hill and relish breathtaking views of the sound The younger set is treated to a pizza party and private tour of the Whale Museum.
Days 5-6 Paddle peaceful inlets and vast kelp beds, spotting harbor seals, otters and bald eagles Bike along rolling terrain to Friday Harbor, where you may want to stop in at the Whale Museum yourself before our final ferry ride.
Guests Reviews About This Trip
My children and I had a remarkable time on this trip. I know it had to be an enormous amount of work for the team but they made everything look so easy and every event transitioned so seamlessly. When I asked my 8-year-old daughter to rate Backroads on a scale of 1-10, she gave the trip a score of 9,000,003.- O'Fallon, MO
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
This was my best vacation ever! The San Juan Islands are spectacular. Seeing their beauty close up and 'out there' was so much better than viewing from a car or bus. The biking, hiking, and sea kayaking were perfect. They and the other members of our group made this trip so much more than a typical vacation. We learned a great deal about the San Juan Islands from the leaders and had great fun doing it. I would recommend this trip to anyone! Our leaders worked great together and had as much fun as we did. Their personal touches topped off this trip, from playing wiffle ball with the kids and Backroads 'Survivor' at the campsites to their deep knowledge of the San Juans.- Clearwater, FL
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 a 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 grassy area for games of all kinds.
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This Trip Is Rated Level 1-3
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 | Road Bike Average | Mountain Bike Average* | Walk & Hike Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 2-3 hours | 10-20 miles | 10-15 miles | 2-5 miles |
| Level 2 | 2-4 hours | 21-30 miles | 16-20 miles | 5-7 miles |
| Level 3 | 3-5 hours | 31-40 miles | 21-25 miles | 7-9 miles |
| Level 4 | 4-6 hours | 41-55 miles | 26-30 miles | 9-11 miles |
| Level 5 | 5-7+ hours | 56-75+ miles | 31+ miles | 11-13+ miles |
*Mountain bikes are used in locations where the best riding is on a combination of dirt and paved roads. View trip locations
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 below, 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."
Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain
Day 1
- Levels 1 to 3 2 Route Options Available
- Hiking 1.5, 4.5 miles
- 300 - 2060 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
- Wildlife Cruise 3 hours
Day 3
- Levels 1 to 2 4 Route Options Available
- Biking 11, 18, 23, 26 miles
- 0 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Day 4
- Level 1 3 Route Options Available
- Biking 5, 9 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
- Hiking 2 miles
- 630 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 2 Route Options Available
- Biking 6, 14 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
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For 33 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Washington tour experts. See our award-winning USA multisport tours, USA biking tours and USA walking and hiking tours.
