San Juan Islands Multisport
Biking, Hiking & Sea Kayaking Washington's Islands of Adventure
Mother Nature's aqueous masterpieces - tranquil channels, shimmering harbors and pristine bays - provide the stunning backdrop for our exploration of Washington's San Juan Islands. On bike and foot, follow thick corridors of trees past sheltered inlets and coves, and over rolling green mountains. In sleek kayaks, navigate peaceful bays, where harbor seals, great blue herons and sea stars make their home. Shop in galleries featuring the work of local artists, feast on the freshest catch of the day and soak in the magical sunsets that are all part of life on the San Juans.
Trip Planning Links
- Explore San Juan, Orcas and Lopez Islands by foot, bike and kayak
- Paddle peaceful inlets and vast kelp beds, spotting harbor seals, otters, bald eagles
- Whale-watch on the Haro Strait, the "Whale Highway"
- Mount Constitution, with 360-degree mountain and Island views
- Browse the outdoor showroom of Orcas Island Pottery
The Day-to-Day Itinerary
Days 1-3 friday harbor
Meet in Anacortes 
Ferry to San Juan Island for a warm-up ride along peaceful roads Hike to the top of Young Hill on a trail that reveals breathtaking views of the sound Friday Harbor's quaint streets, lined with shops and galleries, invite a stroll Ride through the rolling terrain and rural beauty of Lopez Island, perhaps stopping to indulge your sweet tooth at Holly B's Bakery Bike a scenic loop around San Juan Island and past Lime Kiln State Park for sweeping vistas of Vancouver Island and the Olympic Peninsula At Roche Harbor, slip into sea kayaks and explore the waters off picturesque Henry Island Visit the Whale Museum and view its collection of artwork and artifacts.
Days 4-6 eastsound
Join a local naturalist on a wildlife cruise, searching for orcas, harbor seals and majestic bald eagles Visit sparkling Mountain Lake in beautiful Moran State Park, a nature-lover's paradise Through forests of cedar and fir, ascend lofty Mount Constitution on foot Visit the renowned studios of Orcas Island Pottery Bike the hemlock- and fir-lined roads on your way to Orcas Landing After a relaxing lunch at the landmark Orcas Hotel, we ferry back to Anacortes.
- 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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Look at what other guests are saying about this trip!
Overall, phenomenal trip and great introduction to the Backroads business model. Well planned, well executed and great fun for my wife and me. We were referred enthusiastically to Backroads, and now in turn, we would refer our friends and family to go on such a trip. We would do several future trips based on our overall experience. Bottom line, if you think you would like a vacation that feature exertion, great natural beauty, bonding with new friends and having to never worry about your activity schedule or the details or quality of accommodations or cuisine, Backroads is your easy answer.- Northbrook, IL More about this Trip All Guest Reviews
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.
San Juan Islands Multisport
HARBOR SUNSETS: Premiere Inns
Friday Harbor House
Friday Harbor (3 nights) An elegant inn featuring the works of Washington artists in suites overlooking yacht-filled Friday Harbor. Its restaurant is lauded for innovate Northwest cuisine.
Outlook Inn
Eastsound (2 nights) Spacious suites at this delightful inn on Orcas Island feature balconies, stellar water views, fireplaces and whirlpool tubs.
San Juan Islands 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insider Trips | Explore at a leisurely pace—on village walks, market strolls, art history excursions, hands-on cooking classes and more. | ||
| 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
- Levels 1 to 3 3 Route Options Available
- Biking 14, 24 miles
- 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
- Hiking 3 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
- Levels 1 to 3 4 Route Options Available
- Biking 14, 20, 23 miles
- 500 - 1500 feet elevation gain
- Optional Biking 12 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 3
- Levels 2 to 3 2 Route Options Available
- Biking 20, 30 miles
- 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
- Kayaking 3 hours
Day 4
- Wildlife-watching cruise 3 hours
- Level 1 1 Route Option Available
- Hiking 4 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 5
- Levels 2 to 3 2 Route Options Available
- Hiking 4.5, 8.2 miles
- 2000 - 2500 feet elevation gain
Day 6
- Levels 2 to 3 2 Route Options Available
- Biking 12, 20 miles
- 1000 - 1500 feet elevation gain