FAMILY VACATION
6 - 18 guests
Activity Level 3
Earn Your Lunch
I stay active on vacation and love the feeling of relaxing after a busy day on the go. I season my trips with a little fresh exercise.
Read more about the Active Range
Price
USD $4499/per adult
USD $4099/per child
Child rates apply for children 12 years and under.
Next available departure
23 Jul - 28 Jul
Activity Level 1
What's The Rush?
I'm active and in decent shape and not looking to experience a place just through a bus window. I'm happy to slow down on the trail, soak it in and breathe in the fresh air.
Walking: 2-3 hours per day on gentle-gradient trails.
Other activities: On these trips, you'll be taking part in a range of other activities that focus less on building up a sweat and more on enjoying the finer things in life.
Activity Level 2
On the Move
Sure, I own some hiking boots, they're even worn in, but they don't go on long trips. I like my creature comforts and I like to give a range of activities a go.
Walking: 2-4 hours per day on gentle to moderate gradient trails. No multi-day hikes.
Biking: 1-3 hours, cruisy rides achievable by anyone, even first-timers. Kayaking: 1-3 hours, entry-level sea kayaking with specialist guides and stable boats.
Other activities (i.e. snorkeling): Always optional and very little exertion required. A highlight for many!
Activity Level 3
Earn Your Lunch
I stay active on vacation and love the feeling of relaxing after a busy day on the go. I season my trips with a little fresh exercise.
Hiking: Typically, 3-6 hours per day on well-formed backcountry trails. Expect some significant gradient inclines and declines.
Altitude: Your trip may include some moderate altitude areas, though these don't form the focus of the trip and are generally manageable.
Biking: 1-3 hours on well-formed paths or roads where you can expect some hills with moderate climbs and descents.
Kayaking: 1-3 hours, entry-level sea kayaking with specialist guides and stable boats.
Other activities (i.e. caving): Always optional and very little exertion required. A highlight for many!
Activity Level 4
Challenge Accepted
I'll let my trusty guides sweat the small things, so I can focus on my goal. Getting to the top, reaching the end, achieving my dreams! Sure, it'll be tough, but the views will be worth it.
Hiking / Trekking: Typically, 4–6-hour hikes with options for more, sometimes with limited or no vehicle support and nearly always with ascents and descents.
Altitude: Some trips at this level will reach a significant altitude. We are here to help you manage that and make your experience one to cherish for a lifetime.
Biking & Kayaking: If one, or both, of these activities are 'your thing,' there are trip options in this range, allowing you to be on two wheels or with a paddle in your hand for most of the day.
Activity Level 5
The Upper Limit
I'm ready to put in the hard work to reap the rewards. I'm a seasoned adventurer, not afraid to get my boots wet.
Trekking & Altitude: This is classic trekking, at altitude. Some might even call it 'expedition-style.' We've had folks from all walks of life achieve their dreams on our grade 5 trips, so if you're in for a challenge get in touch to find out if this is for you.
Discover the best of all worlds – spectacular scenery, a rich diversity of wildlife, and some of the best wining and dining the Pacific Northwest has to offer on this six-day San Juan Island adventure. Find out for yourself why the San Juan Islands are a destination for peacefulness and relaxation. Listen as your guide explains the intriguing history of the Lime Kiln Park Lighthouse, the last lighthouse in Washington to receive electricity. Perfect your expertise on breaching, spy-hopping, and lob-tailing as you keep a watchful eye out for killer whales in the rolling ocean waves. Find out why entering Moran Mansion is like taking a step back in time with its rich mahogany paneling, earth-tone tiles, stain glass lighting, and unique fireplace hearths. Explore the diverse landscapes of mountains, wooded countryside, and spectacular vistas at Orcas Island.
Experience a slice of paradise with your favorite people on this San Juan Islands family vacation.
This trip is operated by Austin Adventures
Day 1
Our journey will start with a morning shuttle from Seattle to Anacortes before catching a ferry to San Juan Island. You'll notice the hustle and bustle of city life begin to fade as we pass the picturesque islands of Lopez and Shaw. We'll arrive onto the Island at Friday Harbor, a charming, historic, walkable seaport just steps from the ferry landing, and disembark, enjoying lunch before heading out to explore the coastal town. This afternoon we'll make our way to American Camp, located on the southern end of the Island. The camp was occupied by the U.S. Army from 1859 through to 1874 due to a water boundary disagreement with Great Britain, and American soldiers lived here during the peaceful 12-year joint occupation of San Juan Island. After you've checked out the site, saddle up for your first bike ride of the trip back to Friday Harbor. Our accommodation for the next 3 nights, the Discovery Inn, provides affordable comfort with handsomely appointed rooms designed for relaxing and close-by to downtown Friday Harbor where you’ll find award-winning dining, art galleries, and fun shops with souvenirs for browsing. Tonight we'll dine nearby at the Friday Harbor House before resting for the next days of activities and wildlife.
Discovery Inn (Lunch, Dinner)
Biking: 10 miles (16 kilometers)
Day 2
After a scrumptious breakfast overlooking Friday Harbor, we’ll make our way over to Roche Harbor, a historic seaside resort steeped in rich history and surrounded by lush gardens, for a morning of kayaking. After gearing up, we'll head out on the water to paddle the quiet bays and shoreline. Keep your eyes peeled for sea lions, bald eagles, otters, porpoise and – if you’re lucky – orca whales! This afternoon, after we've enjoyed a packed lunch at Pickens Island, we'll drive through cottage country to the San Juan Island National Historical Park where the English Camp is located. The English Camp is where the British soldiers lived during the boundary dispute over the ownership of the island until the islands were awarded to the United States by Kaiser Wilhelm I in an arbitration agreed by the parties in the 1872 Treaty of Washington. Once we've explored the camp we'll slowly make our way back to Friday Harbor by pedal, enjoying the coastal views from the rolling hills. Along the way we'll stop off at a winery to taste award-winning estate-grown wines in the coolest-climate growing region of Washington State. We'll be back in time for you to explore the Friday Harbor shops if you wish. You're on your own for dinner tonight to enjoy one of the many local hotspots in Friday Harbor - ask your guides for their recommendations!
Discovery Inn (Breakfast, Lunch)
Kayaking: 2 hours
Biking: 10 miles (16 kilometers)
Day 3
Today we'll head out to explore San Juan Island by bike and by foot, starting with a shuttle from Friday Harbor this morning. Make sure to pause and take in the expansive views as we make our way to the historic Lime Kiln State Park. Set on a rocky bluff at the west end of San Juan Island, it's considered to be one of the best whale-watching spots on earth. We’ll embark on a short hike loaded with picturesque views while watching for the 80+ Orca that call these shorelines home. The pods, which also include humpback and minke whales, pass through the area every May through September, with peak times depending on salmon runs. After lunch, we’ll hop on bikes to pedal over to Pelindaba Lavender Farm – an experience for all the senses! Here they cultivate all their lavender flowers in organically certified fields and extract the essential oils from these flowers in their own on-site distillery. We'll be able to explore the farm and purchase any products if you wish! The day’s adventure will end back at Friday Harbor once we arrive on our bikes and there will be time to freshen up before dinner tonight in Roche Harbor.
Discovery Inn (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Hiking: 1-2 miles (1.5-3 kilometers)
Biking: 10 miles (16 kilometers)
Day 4
This morning we'll depart San Juan Island after breakfast and take a short ferry over to Orcas Island. We'll take a lovely loop hike around Cascade Lake that offers intimate views of the lake and its pine-studded shores. Along the western banks, you'll have various viewpoints on the banks of the lake. You may also catch a glimpse of a deer or two on your venture. After completing the hike enjoying some lunch, we'll board a boat and get ready to go whale watching! This all-afternoon tour will take you to the best spots to look for all the different kinds of whales of this area and learn how they hunt, interact, and migrate. We'll then drive across to the Rosario Resort where you will stay for the last two nights of the trip. Rosario Resort & Spa was built over 100 years ago by a Seattle shipbuilder and it offers comfortable and relaxing guest accommodations with beautiful views of the Islands including the magnificent East Sound and Cascade Bay. We'll dine tonight at the resort's restaurant featuring fresh, locally sourced, and creative house-made seasonal cuisine.
Rosario Resort & Spa, Orcas Island (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Hiking: 2.7 miles (4.2 kilometers)
Cruise: 3 hours
Day 5
Surrounded by small, scenic State Park-designated islands, Orcas Island is a playground for adventurers, so this morning we’ll explore one of the many trails of Moran State Park. Named after Robert Moran, the Seattle Mayor and ship builder who provided the land, the park is 5,424-acres and offers abundant camping, five freshwater lakes for swimming and more than 30 miles of hiking, bicycling, mountain biking and equestrian trails. If you’re feeling energetic, we'll take a hike up Mount Constitution to the highest point in the San Juan Islands (it’s worth the effort – the views are spectacular!). We'll head around the left side of Mountain Lake, and then continue on to Twin Lakes, before starting your jaunt to the top of Mt. Constitution. Sitting on the crest is a stone tower replica of Russian watchtowers constructed in the Caucasus during the 12th century. We'll enjoy lunch on the trail and head back down in time for freshening up before our last dinner. Tonight we'll wrap up our active day with a farewell dinner at The Mansion at Rosario and toast to a great trip exploring the San Juan Islands!
Rosario Resort & Spa, Orcas Island (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Hiking: 4 miles (6.4 kilometers)
Day 6
This morning, find a refreshing, majestical waterfall as we hike a trail located near Eastsound, Washington with other falls scattered along the way. Enjoy watching the water rush down the rocks as you're enveloped in a lush forest. Watch for birds flitting through the trees! We'll then make our way to the Orcas Ferry Landing to catch our final ferry back to Anacortes, with a packed lunch provided for the journey. Once we've landed in port we'll have a drive before dropping you back to either the hotel or the airport. This is the end of your trip and we’ll leave you refreshed and invigorated from the good food, exercise, rest, and great times you’ll have had with us!
No Accommodation (Breakfast, Lunch)
Hiking: 0.8 miles (1.3 kilometers)
Discounted child prices are available for children 12-years-old and under.
Child rates apply for children 12 years and under.
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By paying in full we are able to pass on savings to our guests, but please note that by opting for this payment plan, your booking becomes non-refundable, non-cancellable, and non-changeable.
We highly recommend that you purchase Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) insurance. We recommend Redpoint Insurance – you can find details here.
T+Cs Apply.
With an average of 12 guests per departure and an industry-leading 6:1 guest-to-guide ratio, you’ll enjoy a highly personalized experience with the perspective of an insider.
It’s so much easier to relax and enjoy your adventure when you have fun, caring guides who know the land, are experts in motivation, sweat all the details and whip up incredible meals, too!
When we say all inclusive, we mean it! Meals and snacks, activities, lodging, transportation, guiding services and more. Every detail is handled; all you need to do is show up!
Every aspect of your trip is thoroughly considered for your safety, from highly vetted vendors and well-maintained equipment to extensively trained guides and our seasoned operations team at headquarters.
Family travel and North American National Parks are our specialty. We’ve perfected our itineraries and sustained relationships for decades, ensuring you'll experience your destination to the fullest.
For us, the extra mile is never extra, it’s part of the way! Count on special touches throughout your trip that will amplify your experience. If we’ve done our job, they’ll have you saying “wow!”
