San Juan Islands Family Multisport
Biking, Hiking & Sea Kayaking Washington's Islands of Adventure
Midway between mainland Washington and Vancouver Island sit the San Juans, an idyllic cluster of hilly islands that offer a wealth of outdoor pursuits. There is a magical combination of natural beauty, welcome solitude and an easygoing pace of life - one you'll adopt before you know it. Our multisport adventure is a perfect way for your family to experience what Northwest island life is about. Explore scenic Friday and Roche Harbors on historic San Juan Island, journey to rugged Orcas Island and pedal on peaceful Lopez Island. Each isle has a unique appeal, and each activity you choose - be it biking, walking, paddling or simply sitting back and savoring the view - provides a different perspective of the area's natural attractions. And at night, enjoy the comforts of two waterfront resorts.
Trip Planning Links
- Explore San Juan, Orcas and Lopez Islands by foot, bike and kayak
- Paddle peaceful inlets above vast kelp beds, spotting harbor seals, otters and bald eagles
- Look for tiny sea creatures in the tide pools at False Bay
- A wildlife-watching cruise and the chance to see orcas
- Mount Constitution, with 360-degree mountain and island views
The Day-to-Day Itinerary
Days 1-3 San Juan Island
Meet in Anacortes 
Catch the ferry bound for San Juan Island and Friday Harbor, whose quaint streets, lined with shops and galleries, invite a stroll Savor a bountiful picnic at historic British Camp, then walk to the summit of Young Hill for a sweeping view of the San Juan Islands Bike along the stunning west side of the island to a bluff with vistas of Haro Strait and enjoy a thrilling descent to Cattle Point Lighthouse Kids have fun exploring the tide pools at False Bay Embark on a sea-kayaking excursion through peaceful inlets and vast kelp beds.
Days 4-6 Orcas Island
A wildlife-watching cruise to Orcas Island gives you the chance to view orcas, eagles, osprey, herons and harbor seals in their natural habitat Hike along the cedar-lined shores of Cascade Lake Kids enjoy a night out at the Fun House, an interactive center designed especially for children Ferry to Lopez Island to take advantage of its gentle terrain and beautiful rural scenery Back on Orcas, ascend Mount Constitution for inspiring vistas of surrounding islands and the Cascades.
- 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.
Other Trips You Might Like:
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Look at what other guests are saying about this trip!
This was our best family vacation! Our leaders were just wonderful - helpful, friendly and working constantly to make a perfect trip for us. The kids adored them. We are already thinking of where we should go next year with Backroads. Thank you!- San Francisco, CA 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
NORTHWEST FUN: Casual Inns
Roche Harbor Resort
San Juan Island (3 nights) Located in the charming waterfront hamlet of Roche Harbor, this popular island destination offers spacious condos with private decks, a swimming pool and tennis courts.
Outlook Inn
Orcas Island (2 nights) Set on picturesque Eastsound, this historic country inn provides cozy guest rooms perfect for relaxing.
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 |
Day 1
- Level 1 1 Route Option Available
- Hiking 2 miles
- 625 feet elevation gain
Day 2
- Levels 1 to 3 3 Route Options Available
- Biking 7, 13, 34 miles
- 100 - 2000 feet elevation gain
Day 3
- Levels 1 to 2 3 Route Options Available
- Biking 6, 11, 22 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
- Sea Kayaking 3 hours
Day 4
- Level 1 1 Route Option Available
- Hiking 2.5 miles
- 50 feet elevation gain
- Wildlife-Watching Cruise 3 hours
Day 5
- Levels 1 to 3 4 Route Options Available
- Biking 14, 20, 26, 31 miles
- 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Day 6
- Levels 1 to 3 2 Route Options Available
- Hiking 1.5, 4.5 miles
- 300 - 2100 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.