Washington

Kayaking the San Juan Archipelago

Program No. 23766RJ
Discover the rich array of fauna along the forested coasts of the San Juan Islands. Join expert kayakers and naturalists to relish vistas and discoveries you can only find by kayak!

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At a Glance

Come explore the San Juan Islands — one of the top kayaking destinations in the Pacific Northwest and home to unique creatures of the land and sea, from orca whales and Dalls porpoise and harbor seals, to bald eagles, and unique intertidal creatures. Where forest meets sea, discover the rich array of fauna with expert naturalists while you relish vistas and discoveries unique to kayaking during four distinct kayak excursions. Paddle your way through sheltered waters along rocky coasts, through waters rich with seabirds and marine mammals. Plus, enjoy hiking in San Juan Island’s National Park with dramatic coastal vistas.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Four 3-hour excursions on two-person sea kayaks; two 1-3 mile easy/moderate hikes. On this program, the following equipment is provided: tandem kayaks (no solo kayaks); paddles, life vests, and spray skirts. Dry bags are available upon request. Note: Our kayak providers may use triple kayaks on occasion – for odd group numbers or for safety.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

What You'll Learn

  • Paddle the archipelago in distinct locations around San Juan, Pearl, Henry, Fidalgo, and Burrows Islands.
  • Visit Limekiln Lighthouse — a whale research and observation outpost and one of the best land-based sites to spot Orca whales in their native habitat.
  • Enjoy a field trip to the Whale Museum to learn about the Salish Sea ecosystem, and visit the Pelindaba Lavender Farm — spread over 25 beautiful acres.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Cindy Hansen
Cindy Hansen, born in Gary, Indiana, received a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Washington and previously worked as a whale watch naturalist, education curator for The Whale Museum, and an expert at a gray whale camp at Laguna San Ignacio in Baja. She is currently the education and advocacy coordinator for Orca Network, and volunteers for the research organizations Orca Behavior Institute and Wild Orca. She also volunteers for Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and with the local animal shelter.

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

Profile Image of Cindy Hansen
Cindy Hansen View biography
Cindy Hansen, born in Gary, Indiana, received a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Washington and previously worked as a whale watch naturalist, education curator for The Whale Museum, and an expert at a gray whale camp at Laguna San Ignacio in Baja. She is currently the education and advocacy coordinator for Orca Network, and volunteers for the research organizations Orca Behavior Institute and Wild Orca. She also volunteers for Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and with the local animal shelter.
Profile Image of Shona Aitken
Shona Aitken View biography
Shona Aitken has a degree in ecology and a background in environmental education in her home country of Scotland, and from two years spent in Sweden. She is currently the education coordinator for Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center on San Juan Island. She teaches people about local wildlife and increases awareness of the impact of human activities on wild creatures.
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 Kelley Balcomb-Bartok
Kelley Balcomb-Bartok View biography
Kelley Balcomb-Bartok spent his early summers in the San Juan Islands immersed in Orca whale culture. As a researcher for the Center for Whale Research, he became intimately familiar with the Southern Resident Orca whale population as they traveled through the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia. Kelley's experiences with whales led him to a career in the media communication field, developing a greater appreciation and understanding of the beauty and diversity of the San Juan Islands and surrounding region along the way.
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While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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7 days
6 nights
16 meals
6 B 5 L 5 D
DAY
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Seattle
D
Crowne Plaza Seattle Airport

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your name-tag (sent previously).

Afternoon: Program Registration: 5:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the hotel conference room to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will also complete kayaking waivers. A copy of the waiver is included at the end of these preparatory materials but need not be completed in advance. Our knowledgeable Group Leader will also serve as our Study Leader. In addition to kayaking experts will provide educational content during paddling field trips, we will also hear from local experts for some lectures and field trips. Paddling distances during sea kayaking field trips will vary based on tides, currents, and wind conditions. Program-related travel and transfers will be via private motorcoach, public transportation, and vans/mini-buses depending on circumstances. Please note that supply-chain issues could have an impact on food services, particularly on San Juan Island. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: In the Conference Room, we’ll enjoy a catered Northwest-style dinner plus coffee, tea, water.

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

DAY
2
Anacortes, Fidalgo Island Kayaking, Ferry to San Juan Island
Friday Harbor, San Juan Island
B,L,D
Earthbox Inn & Spa

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 100 miles, approximately 3 hours riding time. Getting in/out of 2-person sea kayaks, paddling approximately 2.5 hours, distances vary due to factors such as tides, currents, wind, etc. Getting on/off a ferry; riding about 20 miles, approximately 1.5 hours. Short shuttle ride from ferry to hotel.

Breakfast: You'll receive a breakfast voucher. Breakfast is served in the lobby restaurant.

Morning: Once checked out of the hotel, we’ll board the motor coach and ride north to Anacortes on Fidalgo island. Anacortes is a town steeped in maritime history and serves as the gateway to the San Juan Islands. We’ll then ride Washington Park and enjoy its expansive marine views.

Lunch: At a picnic area in Washington Park, we’ll have sack lunches. Sack lunches will feature a sandwich, chef's choice side (whole fresh fruit, chips, or deli salad), beverage, and a chef’s choice fresh bakery treat for everyone.

Afternoon: Next, we’ll ride to the Skyline Marine Center for a kayak safety and operation orientation. We’ll then get into two-person sea kayaks and paddle near Fidalgo and Burrows Islands for approximately 2.5 hours. Fidalgo and Burrows are known for scenic rocky shorelines where evergreen forests carpet the landscape right down to the shore. During the paddle, our naturalist kayaking instructors will provide educational commentary focused on the natural history and wildlife of the area. We’ll reboard our motorcoach and ride a short way to the Washington State Ferry Anacortes Terminal, where we’ll board the Washington State ferry bound for San Juan Island. You might like to enjoy the view of the National Scenic Byway through a tapestry of islands from the inside passenger cabins or from the outside decks as we take our 1.5 hour journey through the archipelago to Friday Harbor. Upon arrival at the dock in the late afternoon, we’ll make a quick transfer via shuttle check to the hotel and check in.

Dinner: At the hotel, we’ll enjoy a tasty meal featuring salad, a main entrée, sides, vegetables, and dessert, plus coffee, tea, water. You may bring other beverages of your own with you.

Evening: After dinner, the Group Leader will provide handouts for recommended morning stretching, yoga poses, and meditation that you may do on your own in preparation for tomorrow’s paddling activity.

DAY
3
Limekiln Lighthouse, San Juan Wildlife, Early Evening Paddle
Friday Harbor, San Juan Island
B,L,D
Earthbox Inn & Spa

Activity note: Wellness activities on own are recommended to warm-up and stretch for the day. Getting on/off vans; driving about 25 miles, less than 1 hour. Hiking up to 1.5 hours; coastal terrain, well-maintained trail. Getting in/out of 2-person sea kayaks, paddling approximately 2.5 hours, distances vary due to factors such as tides, currents, wind, etc.

Breakfast: A breakfast featuring hot and cold choices and beverages will be served in the hotel conference room.

Morning: A local resident expert will join us to offer an insider’s look at contemporary life in the Islands and explores issues affecting island life. Later in the morning, we will be joined by a wildlife rehabilitation expert who will give us an informative presentation about the wildlife that call the San Juan Islands home. We’ll learn about rehabilitation efforts and techniques as well as specific characteristics of local species. We’ll then set out on mini-bus with our Group Leader for a field trip to Limekiln Point State Park, one of the best places in the world to view whales from land. The park is also home to an Orca research outpost and lighthouse. We will explore areas of the park including around the lighthouse (entry into lighthouse is not permitted).

Lunch: At Limekiln Lighthouse, we’ll have sack lunches.

Afternoon: For our next field trip, we’ll load into our mini bus and travel north to Roche Harbor. Established in 1886, Roche Harbor is home to the classic Hotel de Haro which is still open today and is now listed on the National Historic Register. While in Roche Harbor, you’ll have a choice of two walking activities that you may choose to do on own. Choice 1: Set out on a short stroll to the San Juan Islands Sculpture Park and Reserve to view various works of art and sculptures as you stroll through this unique outdoor sculpture park. Choice 2: Self-exploration of Roche Harbor Resort and it’s gardens and marina. After, we will have another kayak safety and operation orientation at the Roche Harbor Marina. We’ll then set out with our naturalists in two-person sea kayaks from the Roche Harbor dock for an early evening paddle to explore the northwest coastlines of San Juan Island, Henry Island, Battleship Island, as well as Westcott Bay.

Dinner: Served in the hotel conference room. Coffee, tea, and water are provided. You may bring other beverages of your own with you to dinner.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
4
Whale Museum, Free Time, Early Evening Reception
Friday Harbor, San Juan Island
B,L
Earthbox Inn & Spa

Activity note: Wellness activities on own are recommended to warm-up and stretch for the day. Walking up to 1.5 miles throughout the day, standing up to an hour at a time; paved walkways, wooden docks; 25 steps with railing to upper level at Whale Museum.

Breakfast: Served in the hotel conference room.

Morning: After breakfast, we will gather in the hotel conference room for a presentation from a local expert on our local resident orca pods. We will also hear recordings of a uniquely social population using their “language” to communicate with one another.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Everyone will go on a walking field trip to the Whale Museum (the nation's first museum dedicated to whales living in the wild). Enjoy some afternoon free time to explore Friday Harbor or otherwise enjoy as you wish! We’ll meet up at the hotel late afternoon for a short reception. Enjoy a wine reception featuring Washington wines hosted by Skagit Valley College and your group leader. Celebrate the long term partnership of SVC and Road Scholar, and take time to socialize and connect with program staff and your fellow participants.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
5
Kayaking Friday Harbor, SJI National Park American Camp Hike
Friday Harbor, San Juan Island
B,L,D
Earthbox Inn & Spa

Activity note: Getting in/out of vans/mini-buses; driving about 25 miles with stops, approximately 1.5 hours total riding time. Getting in/out of 2-person sea kayaks, paddling approximately 3 hours, distances vary due to factors such as tides, currents, wind, etc. Hiking about 2.5 miles, approximately 1.5 hours; well-maintained dirt trails.

Breakfast: Served in the hotel conference room.

Morning: We will hop into vans and ride to Jackson’s Beach where we’ll launch from the beach for our morning paddle of approximately 2.5 hours. We’ll paddle through Griffin Bay and pass by Dinner Island and Brown Island as we explore the San Juan Channel. We’ll return to the hotel after our field trip.

Lunch: Served in the hotel conference room.

Afternoon: For our next field trip with our Group Leader, we’ll set out in vans/mini-buses and ride to Pelindaba Lavender Farm to learn about this niche farm and sample some of its culinary products. We’ll then continue riding south to the island’s southern area and the south end of the San Juan Island National Park site at American Camp. Upon arrival, we’ll set out on a spectacular coastal hike with epic views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountain range to the west. Our buses will pick us up at the end of the trail and we’ll return to the hotel late afternoon.

Dinner: Served in the hotel conference room. Coffee, tea, and water are provided. You may bring other beverages of your own with you to dinner.

Evening: After dinner, a local historian joins us to give us a presentation on the impact the fishing industry has played in San Juan Island history.

DAY
6
Kayaking Garrison Bay, Henry Island, SJI West Side
Friday Harbor, San Juan Island
B,L,D
Earthbox Inn & Spa

Activity note: Wellness activities on own are recommended to warm-up and stretch for the day. Getting in/out of vans/mini-buses; driving about 20 miles with stops, approximately 3/4 hour riding time. Getting in/out of 2-person sea kayaks, paddling approximately 1 hour; distances vary due to factors such as tides, currents, wind, etc.

Breakfast: Served in the hotel conference room.

Morning: We will gather in the hotel conference room for a presentation by a local expert from the San Juan Island Preservation Trust Stewardship, highlighting the island’s most precious resource: undeveloped land. We’ll then hop into vans/mini-buses and ride to Roche Harbor for a paddle along the island’s scenic west side, known as one of the best areas to view wildlife of all types. Our naturalists will also identify and point out intertidal life along the shoreline.

Lunch: At a scenic spot, we’ll have sack lunches.

Afternoon: Returning to the hotel mid-afternoon, the remainder of the afternoon will be free. You might like to explore in town, spend time with fellow Road Scholars, or just relax.

Dinner: In the hotel conference room, we’ll enjoy a tasty farewell dinner, including coffee, tea, water. Other beverages will be available for purchase.

Evening: We'll then gather for a quick wrap-up and review of the program, including a review of the departure details. Share some of your favorite experiences from the program with new Road Scholar friends. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.

DAY
7
Ferry to Mainland, Transfer to Seattle, Program Concludes
Friday Harbor, San Juan Island
B

Activity note: Hotel check-out 7:15 a.m. Getting on/off a ferry; transfer to Anacortes about 20 miles, approximately 1.5 hours. Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 100 miles, approximately 2.5 hours. Drop-offs at SeaTac International Airport followed by original starting hotel at approximately 12:30 p.m. and 1:00 p.m., respectively. Schedule outbound flights after 2:30 p.m.

Breakfast: Early breakfast in the hotel conference room.

Morning: We will check out of the hotel, walk to the ferry landing, and board the Washington State Ferry. Upon docking in Anacortes, we’ll board a chartered motorcoach and ride to Seattle with drop-offs at SeaTac International Airport, followed by the original hotel. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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