San Juan Islands Family Kayaking Weekend

Name: San Juan Islands Family Kayaking Weekend
Brand: REI Adventures
SKU: fsk

Trip Length3 Days

Group Size4–14

Activity level

Starting from

$1,099 for REI Members

$1,199 for non-members

DeparturesJul 2024-Aug 2024

travel@rei.com Live Chat 1 (800) 622-2236

Mon–Fri 7am–5pm PT

Let us handle the hassle while you and your family enjoy a weekend kayaking and exploring the beautiful San Juan Islands.

Home to extraordinary biodiversity, and overflowing with rich natural and human history, the San Juan Islands are a quintessential living, breathing classroom. Equally well known as a world-class kayaking destination, the archipelago is likewise prized for its countless paddling routes. During our four days on the islands, we search for countless marine and wildlife species, learn the history of the native Salish tribe, perfect our paddle strokes, and travel through one of the world’s most fantastic marine ecosystems.

By night a beautiful campsite on Jones Island State Park serves as our lovely home-away-from-home. After a full day of kayaking, intrepid kiddos can continue exploring its wooded trails and quiet coves. Or they can hang back and play games at camp with new friends. As the sun sets, we cozy up fireside for delicious family-friendly meals, reflecting on the once-in-a-lifetime memories we’re making. By the time we set foot back in Roche Harbor we’ll be counting the days until our next visit to the amazing San Juan Islands.

Making s’mores at our beachfront campfire.

Trip Highlights

Paddle the Cascadia Marine Trail to your family’s shoreside campsite on Jones Island
Learn about tide tables, navigation, and charting routes from expert guides
Search for sea lions, otters, porpoise and countless other marine animals
Feast on family-friendly meals inspired by local and regional ingredients
Spend evenings around the campfire with fellow nature-loving families

Activities

This trip is rated Moderate [3]. We will be kayaking up to 8-10 miles (up to 5 hours) a day. Please note that while our minimum age is 8 years old for this trip, that is based on a child who is able to actively participate in all components of this adventure. They should have previous experience with open water kayaking and be comfortable kayaking up to 5 hours in tides, currents, wind, and weather. Should a child struggle or be incapable of helping to propel a tandem kayak in these types of conditions, their parent or legal guardian will need to be skilled and fit enough to paddle an up to 20' kayak on their own under said conditions.

Sea Kayaking

What's Included

Professional instruction and guiding; meals as noted in the daily itinerary; group transfers once on trip; camping and paddling gear as indicated on gearlist; tandem kayaks (no singles).

Accommodations

Primitive island camping, 2 nights

Your Adventure Itinerary

Itinerary map for San Juan Islands Family Kayaking Weekend

Day 1

Paddle from Roche Harbor to our oceanside camp on Jones Island

Meet your group in Friday Harbor this morning before a short transfer to historic Roche Harbor. Here our guides conduct an orientation, give a safety briefing and cover key lessons around marine navigation. We then transfer our belongings to the provided dry bags, pack up our kayaks and enjoy our first lunch together before setting off on the water. Accessible only by boat and part of the Cascadia Marine Trail, Jones Island State Park serves as our home-away-from-home for the next two nights. After crossing San Juan Channel and arriving on this beautiful island oasis we set up camp and enjoy a well-deserved dinner. Lunch and dinner included.

Kayaking: 3 hours

Day 2

Spend the morning paddling the Wasp Islands before an afternoon stop in charming Deer Harbor

Our day on the water begins by exploring a small group of islands clustered within the San Juan archipelago. Home to a remarkable array of biodiversity and a rich cultural history, the Wasp Islands offer families an ideal outdoor classroom. Our expert guides spend time enlightening our group on how this tiny of cluster of islands became such an important part of coastal Native American life, and help us understand the role the San Juan Islands play in a healthy Pacific Northwest marine ecosystem today. Later this afternoon we’ll kayak to the tiny hamlet of Deer Harbor, where we’ll stretch our legs and enjoy a snack. We wrap up the day by kayaking back to our camp on Jones Island, where we can relax around camp or explore on our own before dinner. All meals included.

Kayaking: 4–5 hours

Day 3

Search for whales en route to Roche Harbor before bidding the San Juans farewell

After packing up camp and loading our kayaks, we’re off on our final journey through San Juan Channel. We take our time retracing our route from Jones Island to Roche Harbor. With much of the saltwater and shoreline in the islands being a protected wildlife refuge, this is a perfect last-minute opportunity to watch for eagles, seals, porpoise, orcas and countless other species that call this archipelago home. We celebrate our wonderful three days with a tasty lunch before unpacking back at Roche Harbor. The trip concludes with a fond farewell to new friends and the San Juan Islands back at the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal late this afternoon. Breakfast and lunch included.

Kayaking: 4 hours

Gear List

The key to staying comfortable while on an active trip is layering. To get maximum comfort with minimum weight, you need versatile layers that mix and match to create the right amount of insulation, ventilation and weather protection. Try to bring only what is necessary—this will help you and the field staff.

Already booked this trip? Sign into your online traveler profile for a more detailed list of what you'll need.

REI members can shop for gently used gear online or at most REI stores. Members can also trade in pre-loved used gear online or at any REI store in exchange for REI gift card credit. Check out Re/Supply at REI to learn more.

Provided by REI

All Group Cooking Gear
Dry Bags
Group First Aid Kit
Paddles
PFD and Spray Skirt
Tandem Kayaks
Tent(s)

What to pack

Provided by you (Required)

You might also consider

Travel documents

Final Bulletin (Emailed Prior to Departure Date)
Photo Identification

Contact Us

Feel free to give us a call at 800-622-2236 1 (800) 622-2236 should you have any questions regarding the gear list. The staff at our stores and Direct Sales ( 800-426-4840 1 (800) 426-4840 ) will also be happy to help you with gear questions. Or check out REI Expert Advice , which has great information to help you prepare for your trip.

Call 1 (800) 622-2236 to reserve this trip on the phone

Mon–Fri 7am–5pm PT

Options

Children’s discount (ages 8–17) - $200

Not Included

Transportation to Friday Harbor, Washington; sleeping bag and sleeping pad (available for rent); park entrance fees where required; insurance of any kind; alcoholic beverages or soft drinks; optional guide gratuities; items of a personal nature.

Consider as you sign up

Airline tickets - Please check with us before purchasing your airline tickets to ensure your trip is confirmed with the minimum number of participants required to operate.

Travel insurance - To protect your travel investment, we highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance.

REI membership - Get a member discount on most REI Adventures trips plus other valuable benefits.

Get a $50 annual statement credit towards future Experiences - With the REI Co-op Mastercard, members get a $50 statement credit for our classes, day trips, and multiday outings. Earn a $100 REI gift card after your first purchase outside of REI within 60 days from account opening. See details & sign up.

Additional Information

Cancellation and Transfer Policy

A refundable deposit of $400 is required at time of booking to secure space. Full payment is required 60 days before departure date.

If you decide to cancel your trip, the following fees apply and are due when we receive notice of your cancellation:

91+ days prior to departure = $0
61 to 90 days = $400
31 to 60 days prior to departure = 50% of the total trip cost is non-refundable
0 to 30 days prior to departure = No transfer or refund options

If you instead transfer to another trip, the following fees are due at the time of the request:

61+ days prior to departure = $0
31 to 60 days = $400
0 to 30 days prior to departure = No transfer or refund options

If a transferred reservation is later cancelled, the original applicable cancellation penalties will apply.

See the cancellation and transfer policy details page for more information.

To protect your investment, we recommend that you purchase travel insurance.

Weather

The San Juan Islands average 50% less precipitation than Seattle. This is due to the rain shadow effect of the Olympic Mountains located to the south and west. During summer months, expect daytime temperatures in the upper 60s and 70s with evening temperatures in the 50s. Most days are sunny with occasional fog in the early morning, however rain is a possibility at any time making adequate rain gear essential.

Single Travelers

Families will be roomed together unless any family members request single accommodations, in which case they will be asked to pay a single supplement fee.

General Information

This trip is subject to the booking information set forth in the current REI Adventures Weekend Reservation Information. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. Additional trip information will be provided upon sign up. We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance through REI Adventures. If coverage is purchased at the time of your initial reservation, the 'Pre-existing Conditions Exclusion' is waived (certain exclusions apply).

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Why wait? Space is limited, reserve your adventure today.

Meet your guides
Emily S.
From hiking, swimming, fishing and kayaking in summer to skiing and snowshoeing in winter, you'll find Emily outside. She grew up in Oregon and took her love of the ocean to UC Santa Cruz where she earned a B.S. in marine biology. She began guiding in 2012.
Meet your guides
Jess
Jess’s thirst for adventure leads her from her hometown of Park City, Utah in the winter to the quiet corners of the San Juans during the summer. She’s also an accomplished backcountry cook and takes great pleasure in creating well-rounded outdoor experiences.

Adventure Expert

Heather

The San Juan Islands are the ideal vacation destination for outdoorsy families. Jaw-dropping scenery, world-class kayaking and a rich natural and human history are the perfect match for curious minds and adventurous spirits.

Trip specifics may change over time. Reviews reflect the version of the trip that was active at the time the reviewer took it. Please review the itinerary as described above and call our team for any additional details.