We've found our rhythm. As we bike, our pedal strokes are in sync (well, mostly). So are our faces, full of big smiles. And our state of total contentment. The sun is shining. The water sparkling. All around is the invigorating sense of adventure. Ahh. It's good to be here. Together as a family. In a perfect natural playground called the San Juans.
Days 1-2 Kids search for creatures in the tide pools of False Bay on San Juan Island | Explore the quaint streets of Friday Harbor, lined with shops and galleries | Walk to the summit of Young Hill for a sweeping view of the San Juan Islands | Bike along the isle's stunning west side to a bluff with vistas of Haro Strait and enjoy a thrilling descent to South Beach.
Day 3 Sea kayak through peaceful inlets—you might spot harbor seals or otters napping in the kelp canopies | Adults pedal rolling hills through bucolic farmland to Friday Harbor while kids enjoy an afternoon of tie-dyeing and games | In town, visit the Whale Museum and learn about marine mammals, with a special focus on the orcas that frequent the local waters.
Day 4 Look for minke whales and majestic orcas during our wildlife-watching cruise with a local naturalist | Explore Moran State Park, a paradise of 5,000 wooded acres, 30 miles of trails, five freshwater lakes and four waterfalls | Youngsters get a night at the Funhouse, an interactive center designed especially for kids and teens.
Days 5-6 Ferry to Lopez Island and enjoy its gentler terrain, beautiful rural scenery and fresh Northwest cuisine | Junior biologists are sure to get a kick out of exploring the nooks and crannies of the intertidal zone at Shark Reef | On Orcas Island, hike along the cedar-lined shores of Cascade Lake | Ascend Mount Constitution for 360-degree views of the islands, Mount Baker and the Olympic Range.
Our family was amazed at the experiences we had on the trip. Beautiful islands to visit and fabulous guides to help us experience them in the most unique way!- Atlanta GA
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Located in the charming waterfront hamlet of Roche Harbor, this popular island destination has hosted guests since 1886, when it was part of a lime works and company town. (pool)
It's a short walk to the private beach and the shops and galleries of downtown from this retreat at the water's edge.
There's no better way to find out about Backroads than by hearing it from the people who have traveled with us. For more about the Backroads Experience, read our Guest Testimonials.
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Comments about San Juan Islands Family Multisport Adventure Tour:
Our family was amazed at the experiences we had on the trip. Beautiful islands to visit and fabulous guides to help us experience them in the most unique way!
Comments about San Juan Islands Family Multisport Adventure Tour:
We loved everything about our adventure: the accommodations, the leaders, the nonstop activity. Our family ranged in age from 10 to 73 and we all enjoyed every moment. Thank you for making our vacation spectacular!
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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Comments about San Juan Islands Family Multisport Adventure Tour:
We had the trip of a lifetime. It was just great! Every detail was attended to and I can't think of one single thing I would have changed.
Comments about San Juan Islands Family Multisport Adventure Tour:
What a perfect place to take your family. Water, warmth and whales! Such a jem of trip. Backroads has all the connections, logistics and the best leaders we've ever had the pleasure of traveling with.
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The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind—you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due.
Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
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AVAILABLE TO BOOKi GOING FASTi CONTACT USi PRIVATE TRIP - RESERVEDi
Interested in a Private Trip? Check out the Make It Private tab for private dates available, or call us at 800-462-2848.
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.
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| Daily Route Options | |||||||||||
| Day | Activity | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | |||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | ||
| 1 | Walking/Hiking | 3 | 600 | ||||||||
| 2 | Biking | 7* | 0 | 31 | 1550 | ||||||
| Biking | 12* | 600 | |||||||||
| 3 | Biking | 11* | 500 | 19 | 1100 | ||||||
| Biking | 22 | 1100 | |||||||||
| Kayaking | in Roche Harbor (3 Hours) | ||||||||||
| 4 | Walking/Hiking | 2* | 300 | ||||||||
| Walking/Hiking | 5 | 2100 | |||||||||
| Other | Orcas Island Wildlife-Watching Cruise (3 Hours) | ||||||||||
| 5 | Biking | 12* | 500 | 24* | 1100 | ||||||
| Biking | 19* | 900 | 30 | 1500 | |||||||
| 6 | Walking/Hiking | 3 | 0 | ||||||||
Note: The San Juan Islands' landscape is characterized by constant rises and valleys. The continuously rolling terrain can make the routes, which include sections of chip-sealed pavement, feel more challenging than the mileage may suggest.
* Includes shuttle.
Learn more about how we determine our activity levels and fully support a range of abilities and interests.
Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources (such as Map My Ride and Garmin devices) may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies. Readings from a Garmin or a smart phone are influenced by other factors such as air pressure.
We've designed this trip to give you and your family plenty of opportunities to explore the natural world together, enjoying one-of-a-kind experiences like our whale-watching excursion in sea kayaks, spotting and learning about marine life with our expert naturalist. And we've also built in plenty of time to enjoy your luxurious private home near Roche Harbor, whether hanging out together or pursuing various diversions and then swapping stories over dinner.
On our San Juan Islands trips we have an extra leader supporting you along the road and trail—for a total of three, compared to the industry standard two. So we can be in more places at once, giving personal attention to guests traveling at their own pace. Here's more on our Trip Leaders.
We design and support our San Juan Islands trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.
After 30 years of creating Backroads Multisport Adventures, our trip designers know how to blend the perfect balance of biking and hiking with other activities to showcase the best of a region. And then they arrange the seamless transitions that would be so hard to orchestrate on your own—adding dimensions to your trip that are exciting, inspiring and just plain fun.
When everyone's together, there's lots going on; and when kids' and adults' priorities diverge, it can seem like two different trips. That's why our Family Adventures in San Juan Islands have three Trip Leaders—including a dedicated Kids Activity Expert who regularly takes younger travelers off to do their own thing. Other companies try to get by with two leaders; we step up and do it right. For more on our family focus, check this out.
It may be hard to imagine being on a family trip with no other families on it—but it happens regularly with some companies. On a Backroads Family Adventure there are typically several families on each departure, creating more opportunities for your kids to make new friends as they try fun things together – which is a big part of the experience.
Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in San Juan Islands, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.
A great bike is obviously critical for a great multisport trip; you don't want to gamble on one that's been sourced locally to trim costs. This trip features our acclaimed Backroads Custom Titanium bikes, expertly tuned and fitted, and included in your trip price. Learn why our titanium bikes are ideal for most riders.
Guests rave about our picnic spreads. Enjoy a welcome break in a scenic spot, or a quick refuel stop if you don't want to lose momentum. And because we have two vans, one can host lunch while the other is out providing support along the route.
Our Trip Leaders in San Juan Islands live in the area and are deeply engaged in their communities, giving them unique inside knowledge they're happy to share in making your experience that much richer. They'll introduce you to people, customs and parts of town you'd likely never encounter on your own—and teach you a few local phrases to help break the ice.
At Backroads we've honed our expertise in active family travel over many years and a lot of trips. We host at least 20 times more family guests than any other active company, so we're constantly gaining new insights that make our trips even better. Detailed planning, behind-the scenes logistics, unrivaled support from three Trip Leaders—all backed by a team that proudly creates the kind of experiences we'd want to share with our own families.
The activities on Backroads Family Adventures are designed with all of you in mind. We've got easier routes designed for younger kids' abilities – and attention spans—and great longer options scaled to fit the tastes and energy levels of tweens, teens and adults. To narrow down the best choices for your family, take a look at our age guidelines.
Under our Book with Confidence policy, your Backroads trip will run even for a single family of three or four people, subject to a nominal extra fee. Or transfer to another trip, and we'll give you a credit. It's all part of our trademark commitment to treating guests with integrity, transparency and total accountability. Read all the details.
Backroads has been inviting active travelers to explore our own backyard since Jimmy Carter was in the White House. We offer more trips than anyone else in San Juan Islands, and we've spent more years finding the best ones. What keeps it real is having a consistent vision and the same passionately committed leadership for nearly four decades.
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Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities. You can pick from the selection of dates below for your group; some dates are only available for 16 or more guests while other dates are available for 8 or more guests. If your party has fewer than 8 guests, or your preferred date is not available, we'll create a departure just for you. Call or email us to reserve your date.
Click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
8 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 8 OR MORE GUESTS 16 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 16 OR MORE GUESTS RESERVED
Don't see your ideal travel date? Make a Date! i
Invite your family and friends on an adventure that's entirely your own - for your group of 8 or more. Find out more
I simply can't imagine a better way to immerse yourself in the life of a region, to explore hidden corners and appreciate nuances while enjoying the benefits and enormous satisfaction of traveling under your own power. These are experiences you cannot have behind the wheel of a car, or on a train or a tour bus. Active travel is, at its heart, a way of connecting more authentically with the world. Sure, Backroads provides amazing leaders, superb accommodations and meals, and opportunities you could never arrange on your own. But all of our comprehensive planning and support is aimed at something far simpler: bringing you the immediate, highly personal satisfaction of discovering a new world on your own terms.
— Tom Hale, Founder & President
