Tour - San Juan Island 2010

July 24 - August 1, 2010

Discover the Pacific Northwest! Your trip begins in Seattle with a leisurely drive and ferry ride to the San Juan Islands. There you will enjoy a four-day/three-night sea kayaking and camping trip. Sea kayaking gives you opportunities to observe sea life, from whales and seals to cormorants and bald eagles. Paddle among large and small islands, taking time to hike and explore on foot as well. At your camp you'll enjoy gourmet meals of salmon, wine and apple crisp dessert to go along with spectacular ocean views. (You call this roughing it?)

The second portion of your adventure takes you to Whidbey Island and Olympic Peninsula. Your travels include exploring parks with lighthouses and WWII era defenses, hiking in the Olympic National Park, and visiting a lavender farm or two.

The final portion of your trip is a visit to Seattle, where you will dine on the waterfront and visit the famous Pike Place Market.

This special trip is limited to ten guests. See the itinerary for details.

WOW! What a trip this was!
Look for photos on our Facebook page, soon!
(and keep your eye out for our next visit)

- PACIFIC NORTHWEST ADVENTURE - TRIP ITINERARY -

Day 1 - Saturday -
     July 24, 2010
     Fly to Sea-Tac airport in Seattle, Washington, where your tour leader will meet you and your fellow adventurers. From the airport, the group travels northward through Seattle to Anacortes for our first night's stay.

Day 2 - Sunday -
     July 25, 2010
     After breakfast we will board a ferry from Anacortes to San Juan Island. Keep your eyes open for whale sightings along the way. We will arrive in Friday Harbor by mid-morning and drive to our lodging. After settling in, we will take a tour of the island. There are points of interest and vantage points for observation. We will visit national parks that preserve and celebrate early island settlements, historic lighthouses, sculpture gardens and the quaint town of Friday Harbor with its artisan shops and restaurants.

Day 3 - Monday - July 26, 2010
Today your adventure begins in earnest. We will meet our sea kayaking guides and go through the kayaking orientation, pack our gear and launch our adventure. Sea kayaking is an easy activity and lots of fun. We launch from the western side of San Juan Island and paddle northward into prime Orca habitat. Keep your eyes open for whales and other sea life. We will have rest stops on smaller islands on the way to Stuart Island, our base of operations for two nights. After setting up camp, our guides will prepare a meal of smoked salmon fettuccine, organic salad greens, garlic bread, and for dessert, Dutch oven apple crisp. (Not your typical camp grub, huh?)

Day 4 - Tuesday - July 27, 2010
Today you have options. Stuart Island is the home of hiking trails and an abandoned lighthouse. You can explore at your leisure on foot or paddle around the island searching for more sea life. After our day's explorations we will have dinner and if you like, an evening bioluminescent paddle.

Day 5 - Wednesday - July 28, 2010
Today we break camp and head to a new island, passing through Minke Lake, so named for the Minke whales that are so often spotted there. You will have breaks along the way and wind up on Jones Island, a Washington State Park known for its exceptional waterfront camping. After setting up camp, we will have an opportunity to explore the island on foot or on water.

Day 6 - Thursday - July 29, 2010
After breaking camp we will paddle through the San Juan Channel, exploring smaller islands and observing more wildlife. There is a lunch/rest stop before making our way back to San Juan Island. Once the gear is stowed and goodbyes are said to our guides, we will return to our lodging on the island, take a well-earned shower, and head to Friday Harbor for some dinner and souvenir shopping.

Day 7 - Friday - July 30, 2010
     In the morning we take the ferry back to Anacortes and then drive south onto Whidbey Island. Along the way there are opportunities for exploring Deception Pass, Fort Ebey Park, Oak Harbor, Coupeville and Fort Casey Park. Near historic Fort Casey we will board another ferry to Port Townsend. On the Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend's history includes a naval training station that was used in filming An Officer and a Gentleman. We will visit this site before heading west toward Olympic National Park. On this night we will stay in a historic lodge on a quiet lake.

Day 8 - Saturday - July 31, 2010
     After some explorations near the lodge, we will have breakfast along the way to the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center. High in the mountains of Olympic National Park we can see glaciers on mountain peaks, hike trails and survey land and water from the Olympic Peninsula to Vancouver Island. Our journey continues east through Sequim, where we will visit a lavender farm or two. On our last ferry ride we will cross the Puget Sound into Seattle. Tonight we have our last dinner together at the water's edge and reminisce on the week's adventures.

Day 9 - Sunday - August 1, 2010
After breakfast at Pike Place Market we return to the airport to catch our flights home.

The trip includes all transportation (from airport pick-up to return at the Seattle-Tacoma airport), lodging, daily breakfast, the kayak trip (with all meals), and dinner on the Seattle waterfront. The sea kayaking trip includes all kayaking gear, dry bags for personal belongings, tents, all meals and a local naturalist and guide. A packing list will be provided for all guests. This trip is limited to ten guests.

Your trip leader is Michael Hughes of Tread Light Adventure Travel and events coordinator for Cumberland Transit in Nashville, Tennessee. For additional information, contact Michael by e-mail or by calling 615-646-4823 (TLAT) or 615-321-4069 (CT).

CLICK HERE for trip rates, reservation and cancellation policy, and for additional notes.