Pacific Northwest Discovery — The San Juan Islands Whales, Wildlife and Coastal Culture

Duration:
July 6-11, 2026

Price:
From $5,895 from Seattle, Washington

Tour Operator:
Orbridge

RESERVE YOUR SPACE

Join W&L travelers on an adventure to the San Juan Islands, a magnificent archipelago of more than 170 islands in Washington State’s Salish Sea. Renowned for their awe- inspiring natural beauty and serene atmosphere, these islands offer a place where time slows down and nature takes center stage.

We begin on San Juan Island, where you can explore the vibrant heart of Friday Harbor, filled with charming shops, fresh local seafood, and the fascinating Whale Museum. Venture beyond the town to discover picturesque farmland, lush forests, rolling hills, and serene pebble beaches. The island’s western bluffs offer prime whale-watching opportunities, making it a perfect spot to witness the majestic creatures in their natural habitat.

Friday Harbor enchants with its walkable historic waterfront. It’s hard to imagine that this peaceful locale was once on the brink of war in 1859, sparked by the shooting of a pig, amid a tense border dispute between the British and Americans.

We’ll explore Fidalgo Island, which promises exceptional whale- and orca-watching, alongside beautiful lakes, parks, trails, and beaches. Don’t miss the breathtaking Deception Pass State Park, where rugged ocean cliffs meet serene old- growth forests, offering panoramic views of the sea and Skagit Bay.

On Orcas Island, known as the “Emerald Isle” for its lush landscapes, you’ll find some of the most rugged terrain in the archipelago. Hike to the summit of Mount Constitution, the highest point, where you can marvel at sweeping views of the entire San Juan archipelago.

As we traverse Deception Pass State Park, with its iconic bridges connecting two islands, you’ll discover tide pools teeming with marine life, long stretches of pristine beaches, and abundant wildlife, including seals, porpoises, foxes, bald eagles, and whales. It’s no surprise that Travel Lens ranked this park among the top-five most beautiful in the U.S.

Lastly, take a leisurely stroll through the charming town of La Conner, with its historic waterfront, vibrant arts scene, and delightful shops and restaurants overlooking the Swinomish Channel, one of Puget Sound’s three entrances. As the locals say, life changes when you’re on island time. Priorities shift, and you’re invited to embrace the slow pace and natural wonders of one of North America’s most spectacular settings.

Traveling With You

Leah Naomi Green is writer-in-residence at Washington and Lee University. She is the author of The More Extravagant Feast (Graywolf Press), selected by Li-Young Lee for the Walt Whitman Award of the Academy of American Poets and named “one of the best books of 2020” by The Boston Globe. Her work has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered and supported by fellowships and awards from the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, the Lucille Clifton Legacy Award, the Treehouse Climate Action Poetry Prize and others. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in The Paris Review, The Nation, Tin House, The Kenyon Review, Poem-a-Day, VQR, The Southern Review, Orion, The Georgia Review, and Ecotone, among other journals. Green teaches English and environmental studies at Washington and Lee University as well as online creative writing workshops for Orion Magazine. She lives in an ecological community in the mountains of Virginia, where she and her family homestead and grow food.

Get to know her better by listening to her interview, What Is, Is Beautiful, on W&L After Class, Lifelong Learning’s podcast.