San Juan Islands Bike Tour

Biking on the San Juan Islands, the world seems both expansive and small at the same time. In the San Juans, to-do lists and busy schedules recede and are replaced by placid water, distant peaks and the rhythm of simple fishing villages along the Washington shore. As your focus shifts, it is inexorably drawn to the vastness of the Pacific sprawling to the west, the magnificence of the North Cascades on the horizon and the broad open skies above. These idyllic and relaxing islands, with their temperate maritime climate, lush vegetation and stunning views, offer an absolutely amazing location for your next active-travel bicycle vacation.

Highlights

• Taste the bounty of the islands throughout the week as you enjoy fresh seafood and locally grown vegetables at a variety of outstanding restaurants
• Sea kayak on the pristine waters off the northern coast of San Juan Island
• Perch on Lime Kiln Point, one of the world’s best places to spot passing orca pods
• Spend time on the waterways between islands where sights of wildlife such as orcas, seals, and sea eagles are common
• Cycle quiet valley roads, past historic farms and beautiful shorelines of San Juan, Orcas, and Lopez Islands

The terrain is full of rolling hills, including some long, gradual grades and some short steep ones. The riding near Anacortes and on Lopez Island is the most gentle, and Orcas Island has the hilliest terrain. Many of the roads on the islands have a "chip seal" surface, which is a type of pavement treatment that is more rough than typical asphalt. This type of surface makes the riding slower and a bit more difficult for the distance when compared to asphalt roads you may be used to.