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Washington

The San Juan Islands by Land and Sea: Hidden Anchorages

Program No. 21786RJ
Cruise the San Juan Archipelago aboard a 100' eco tour vessel, visiting national parks, spotting Orca whales and other wildlife, and enjoy guided scenic walks as we explore trails.

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Protecting the Environment

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
May 19 - May 25, 2024
Starting at
2,599
Jun 2 - Jun 8, 2024
Starting at
2,749
Jun 23 - Jun 29, 2024
Starting at
2,899
Jul 7 - Jul 13, 2024
Starting at
2,899
Jul 28 - Aug 3, 2024
Starting at
2,899
Aug 11 - Aug 17, 2024
Starting at
2,899
Aug 25 - Aug 31, 2024
Starting at
2,899
Sep 8 - Sep 14, 2024
Starting at
2,749
Oct 6 - Oct 12, 2024
Starting at
2,499
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
May 19 - May 25, 2024
Starting at
3,099
Jun 2 - Jun 8, 2024
Starting at
3,349
Jun 23 - Jun 29, 2024
Starting at
3,639
Jul 7 - Jul 13, 2024
Starting at
3,639
Jul 28 - Aug 3, 2024
Starting at
3,639
Aug 11 - Aug 17, 2024
Starting at
3,639
Aug 25 - Aug 31, 2024
Starting at
3,639
Sep 8 - Sep 14, 2024
Starting at
3,349
Oct 6 - Oct 12, 2024
Starting at
2,999

At a Glance

Orcas breach nearby, harbor seals caper in the straits and bald eagles soar overhead as you navigate the pristine waters and narrow passageways of Washington’s San Juan archipelago. During three daylong voyages aboard the Salish Express, observe porpoises, whales and seabirds from the deck of the privately chartered vessel as you learn from the knowledgeable local captain and crew. Discover the islands’ unique ecology and geology on shore excursions with a local expert. You will dine on cracked crab as you make your way between islands and enjoy comfortable lodgings in the seaside port of Friday Harbor, the heart of the San Juan Islands.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to 2.5 miles daily on varied terrain and standing for up to one hour. Walking up/down boat ramps and various docks, getting on/off vessel; climbing stairs. Elevators and lifts unavailable on vessel and mini-buses.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Enjoy three days of private study cruises in the San Juan Archipelago aboard the Salish Express, highlighted by onshore explorations of the lighthouses, historic sites and hidden corners of three islands.
  • Experience the history and beauty of San Juan Island with lodgings and museum visits in charming Friday Harbor.
  • Get a glimpse of remote, off-grid island living during a a short hike on remote, Stuart Island, an exclusive “outer island” jewel accessible only by private vessels, followed by a picnic lunch aboard the Salish Express while cruising the islands.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Michael Vouri
Michael Vouri retired as the chief of interpretation and historian for San Juan Island National Park after more than 21 years. He has written books about the Pig War, the Royal Marines and San Juan Island. He has worked as a reporter and editor for newspapers, a U.S. Air Force public affairs officer, and as assistant director of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. Michael has been a Road Scholar instructor on San Juan Island since 1997 and a Group Leader since 2016.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Michael Vouri
Michael Vouri View biography
Michael Vouri retired as the chief of interpretation and historian for San Juan Island National Park after more than 21 years. He has written books about the Pig War, the Royal Marines and San Juan Island. He has worked as a reporter and editor for newspapers, a U.S. Air Force public affairs officer, and as assistant director of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. Michael has been a Road Scholar instructor on San Juan Island since 1997 and a Group Leader since 2016.
Profile Image of Kevin Loftus
Kevin Loftus View biography
Kevin Loftus is the executive director at the San Juan Historical Museum. Kevin spent his formative years in Chicago before heading to Northern Arizona University. After graduating, he answered a call to the corporate world in Dallas, Texas. A love of cycling led to learning about the San Juan Islands. Upon first visiting San Juan Island in 2000, Kevin realized the Islands were calling, becoming his home in 2005. Kevin became the executive director of the San Juan Historical Museum in 2008.
Profile Image of Kevin Culmback
Kevin Culmback View biography
Kevin Culmback's years of travel as well leading wildlife excursions in Western Washington, make him a perfect group leader for the San Juan Islands and Pacific Northwest. Growing up outside Seattle, Kevin has always enjoyed all things outdoors. Kevin has spent years traveling the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Hawaii and beyond, exploring the natural world and capturing those areas through his camera lens. After 20 years in the San Juan Islands, his heart is in the Northwest... until the travel bug bites again.
Profile Image of Bill Engle
Bill Engle View biography
Bill Engle is a retired postmaster of Shaw Island. He grew with a mountain-climbing father and a gardening, birding, environmental activist mother, and has always had a passion for the outdoors. He has lived in the San Juan Islands for more than 30 years and is the founding president of the San Juan Islands Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society. Before becoming postmaster, his role as a part-time flex clerk placed him in every post office in San Juan County.
Profile Image of Nancy Spaulding
Nancy Spaulding View biography
Nancy Spaulding and her husband Lewis have lived on San Juan Island since 1978. The island and their garden have remained major influences in their artistic expression. Nancy approaches landscape from a broad and intimate perspective. She continues to create new works using pure pigment, soft pastel. She enjoys exploring new materials such as mixed media, often in combination with her pastels. Nancy recently showed her art at the National Botanic Garden in Washington as part of the 100th anniversary celebration of U.S. National Parks.
Profile Image of Kathleen Foley Lewis
Kathleen Foley Lewis View biography
Kathleen Foley is the Stewardship Manager of the San Juan Preservation Trust and has been a staff member since 2005. In this role, she oversees the management of 30+ different nature preserves, conducts annual monitoring visits, and coordinates restoration activities and youth education. She is a Washington native with a long history of exploring the San Juan Islands and enjoys a wide variety of outdoor pursuits. Kathleen lives with her son, Evan, and partner, Bill, near the lovely False Bay on San Juan Island.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
San Juan Islands, Afoot and Afloat
by Marge & Ted Mueller
Thousands of visitors are drawn annually to the San Juan Islands, which are famed for their safe, scenic boating, lush meadows and dense forests, abundant bird life, and fascinating bits of history. Most of those visitors (and residents alike) have relied on this best-selling guide to outdoor recreation in the Islands. Now in a fully revised third edition, the book covers everything you want to know about park and marina facilities, beaches, shorelines, historic sites, natural science, and marine life. Whether you arrive by land, sea, or air, this fact-filled guide is a must for enjoying the best of the San Juans.
Friday Harbor
by Mike Vouri, San Juan Historical Society, Julia Vouri
A book that reviews the rich history and residents of Friday Harbor throughout the past 100 years.
Living High: An Unconventional Autobiography
by June Burn
This autobiography chronicles Farrar and June Burns travels around the United States and their experience homesteading in the San Juan Islands, teaching Eskimos and traveling across the United States in a covered wagon. She wrote extensively for various periodicals and wrote several books. Burn's autobiography Living High: An Unconventional Autobiography (1941) documents much of her early life story, particularly her time on Sentinel and Waldron Islands in Washington’s San Juan Islands. The book has been republished several times.





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.