San Juan Islands—Victoria

Our Signature Trip

The San Juan Islands - Victoria tour is a great way to experience many of the best features of the Pacific Northwest by bicycle, foot, and on the water.  You’ll do it all in one glorious week: the San Juan Islands; Victoria, Canada; and the Olympic National Park.

“One of the Best Places to Cycle,” Says League of American Bicyclists

The San Juan Islands are the best and most popular place to bicycle in the United States, according to the League of American Bicyclists.  Accessible only by ferry, the islands offer smooth country roads with very little traffic.  They also boast some of the best weather in the Pacific Northwest.  Because they lie in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, the islands receive only 20-25 inches of rain per year, about half of Seattle’s total.

Guemes Island Introduces the San Juans

Our adventure starts in Seattle on a Saturday morning with a complimentary ride in our van to Anacortes, the gateway city to the San Juan Islands.  We cycle to a county ferry that takes us to Guemes Island and enjoy the views of Puget Sound and Mt. Baker as we cycle the perimeter of this small island.  Guemes has no commercial facilities and hardly any traffic, a peaceful introduction to the week ahead.  After returning to the mainland, we board a Washington State ferry bound for Lopez Island and our lodging for the next two nights at the Edenwild Inn.  We dine tonight at the nearby Bay Café, one of the best restaurants in the San Juan Islands.

Explore Peaceful Lopez Island

On Sunday we’ll cycle the length of Lopez Island, through rolling pastureland, beside rocky cliffs, and along pebble-strewn beaches.  Lopez is considered the cyclist’s island because of its extensive network of low traffic roads and lack of any major hills.  We’ll take a break from riding to walk into Shark Reef Park, where we can watch seals bark on the rocks below and gaze out at San Juan Island just a mile away.

Pig Wars and Killer Whales

On Monday we ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.  We'll cycle to American Camp, a national historic park featured prominently in the 1859 "Pig War" between England and the United States.  You’ll also see Lime Kiln State Park, the only state park in the country devoted to observing orca (killer) whales. Most of the filming of movies about orca whales has been done in this area.  Wind and currents here cause nutrient-rich waters to well up in front of the rocks we sit on in the park.  This starts the food chain that leads to salmon eating small fish and orca (killer) whales chasing the salmon.  If we are lucky we will see these magnificent animals play and leap from the water.

We spend the next two nights at Lakedale Resort, ranked by the Fine Living Channel as one of the 10 most romantic hotels in the world.  You’ll love the deck overlooking the lake where we often have breakfast, and the cozy common area — perfect for a drink at day’s end.

Kayak Serene Waters of Puget Sound

Tuesday is our first layover day.  We've hired a local sea kayaking company to provide us with equipment, instruction, and guides for a half day of fun on the water.  The serene water around the islands in the San Juan chain is one of the most beautiful and safe places in the country to sea kayak.  Slowly, silently, we paddle next to the rocky coast.  Exploring inlets, watching eagles, seals, and sea birds, we are in tune with the sea.  The rest of the day is free for shopping at local art galleries, getting a massage, cycling, hiking, or just relaxing at the resort.  We usually lead a hike to British Camp where we explore the gardens and historical exhibits, and hike to the top of a hill with panoramic views of the islands.

Whale Watch Tour Follows Orcas

Wednesday morning we’ll board a wildlife cruise boat in Roche Harbor and go searching for eagles, seals, and orca (killer) whales.  Chances are good that we’ll see one of the three local pods of whales as they slowly cruise up and down the west side of San Juan Island, feasting on salmon.  After lunch we cycle past fields of lavender and rocky cliffs with views of the Olympic Mountains across the Juan de Fuca Strait.

Beautifully Appointed Rooms Face Victoria’s Inner Harbor

Late Wednesday afternoon, we take the international ferry to Vancouver Island in Canada, then shuttle to the Laurel Point Inn in Victoria.  We spend the next two nights in our spacious and well-appointed rooms overlooking Victoria’s Inner Harbor, adjacent to downtown Victoria’s many attractions and excellent restaurants.

World Famous Butchart Gardens: 50 Acres of Floral Splendor

Thursday morning we visit the world-famous floral display at the Butchart Gardens.  Admission to these 50 acres of beautifully manicured gardens is included in your tour.  After lunch at the gardens we cycle back to Victoria along the coast through an exclusive residential area.

An English Adventure: Parliament Buildings, High Tea, European Shops and Chocolates

Friday is our second layover day and is spent in Victoria with time to see such famous places as the Parliament Buildings, the Provincial Museum, a superb shopping area, and the Inner Harbor.  For those who would rather cycle than shop and sightsee, we catch a morning ferry to a great optional ride along the coast of the Olympic Peninsula to Lake Crescent in the Olympic National Park.

Sweeping Views of the Puget Sound

Those sightseeing in Victoria will take a Friday afternoon ferry to Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula, where we all spend the night at a hotel overlooking Puget Sound.  On Saturday we cycle into the flat farmland of the Dungeness Peninsula.  The lightly traveled road goes right beside Puget Sound with sweeping views of the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island to the north, and the snowcapped mountains in the Olympic National Park to the south.  We finish with lunch at a scenic marina, then take a ferry into the heart of downtown Seattle, a dramatic visual climax to an unforgettable week.

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