From quiet pebble beaches to blossoming meadows, San Juan Island cycling is a peaceful retreat from busy everyday life. A scenic ferry ride from Washington’s Fidalgo Island brings you to the maritime world of the San Juan islands. Here you can cycle on serene island roads, navigating around harbors, inlets, bays, and rolling green mountains. You will ride through color tulip nurseries and old sheep farms. You'll visit artist colonies and taste fresh seafood cuisine. In the fall, you can pick your fill of wild berries from just about anywhere along the way. Pure bliss!
The San Juan islands are a natural haven for wildlife. You will cycle, swim, and kayak in the natural habitats of great blue herons, black-tailed deer, cormorants, seals, sea otters, and kingfishers. You can watch for dolphins and orca whales as you ferry through the island channels, where whale sightings occur regularly in season.
Taking after Norway’s fjords—especially after a big powder day in the Cascade Range—the San Juan’s, owing to isolation and ferry only access have collectively held onto their rural island lifestyle. Wildlife here is both rare as it is diverse: Wolf Eels to Giant Pacific octopus, Minke whales to Dall’s porpoise, Silver fox and Wild turkey to Peregrine falcon. As well the largest breeding population of Bald eagles in the lower 48.
From the best possible vantage point, either atop a saddle or kayak, you will range from Orca—called “the Emerald Isle” by locals—to farm rooted Lopez to the alpaca ranches, lavender farms and wineries of San Juan. One minute you’re breathing in old-growth Cedar and majestic Douglas-fir, sweeping past a gorgeous freshwater lake. The next, either caught up in the exhilaration of Killer whale spotting or big wave watching…
Think vibrant, varied and utterly vital.