Enjoy the beauty of the San Juans on this overnight kayak tour specifically designed for fun for the whole family!
Best For: Families with children ages 6-12 years of age. Both novice and experienced outdoor-enthusiast families welcome!
We take kids as young as 6 on overnight adventures to Jones Island Marine State Park, located north east of San Juan Island. Jones Island has great hiking and walking trails, rocky shorelines for tide-pooling, and epic views of the San Juans and sunset. Located to the east of San Juan Island, the paddle to Jones Island is in the protected waters of San Juan Channel, making the crossing easier for families. The Family Multiday can be done as a 2 or 3 day adventure.
Questions? See answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions.
Tour Dates & Rates
Packing List
Why San Juan Outfitters for your Family Adventure?
Our guides are AMAZING! Our guides are the best in the industry, and are hand selected to join our San Juan Outfitters staff. All guides have degrees or backgrounds in biology, ecology, or outdoor recreation, and some are K-12 educators during the school year. Our guides are great at working with kids and making sure that your tour is fun and exciting for both the kids and adults. San Juan Outfitters’ guides participate in rigorous safety training with Seattle Adventure Sports and Body Boat Blade in addition to biweekly safety training sessions. Safety is, and will continue to be our #1 priority.
Attention to Customer Service - We make sure to provide the highest level of customer service from start to finish to make sure you feel great when booking with San Juan Outfitters. We are open daily and happy to help answer questions about your tour, San Juan Island, or any part of your trip to make sure you travel with ease.
San Juan Outfitters provides top of the line gear and fresh meals, so all you need to pack is your personal items. See our packing list for what to bring along. All gear from tents to camp pillows are provided using top of the line brands like REI and Mountain Hardware. Meals and snacks are included from lunch the first day to lunch the last day and can be as kid friendly as needed. Picky eaters? No problem! Let us know and we will prepare a menu that works for your family. We use local and fresh ingredients whenever possible and meals include menu items like breakfast hash and pasta primavera. All participants are required to complete and return their pre-trip questionnaires, which is used get to know you a little better!
All guests paddle in double or triple kayaks with gear packed into the kayak. We use triple kayaks as doubles on overnights and pack larger gear items into the middle seat. We use Northwest Kayaks that are very stable and easy to steer using a foot peg rudder system. Please note that on a family tour, depending on the kid’s size and ability, the adults in the group will be the main paddler for the boat which is loaded with gear. Guides do their best to pair people to build the strongest boats possible.
Your guide will call you the day before your tour to go over the details of your trip. If you are on island the day before departure, your guide will set a time to meet up and give you dry bags so you can come packed and ready to go the day of your tour.
Tour Dates and Rates
Sample Itinerary
Depending on your family and group size, some itinerary items can be switched up to give your family the best trip! Want more camp time or more paddling? Let us know! We email a pre-trip questionnaire prior to your tour to make sure we provide the best tour possible for your family.
Please note that times/activities may change due to tides and weather.
Day 1
- Meet at our Friday Harbor office around 9am to be pushing off in kayaks by 10am
- Paddle to Pt Caution for lunch on a pebble beach
- Cross San Juan Channel and paddle along the Wasp Islands enjoying spectacular water and island views
- Arrive to Jones Island around 2pm
- After camp is set up, enjoy some downtime in camp, a hike, or tide-pooling. Your guide will be prepping a fresh made dinner!
- Dinner at 6:30pm
- Take an evening paddle, build a camp fire (burn bans permitting), or do a sunset hike to finish the day
Day 2 (Middle Day of 3 Day Tour)
- Start the day with a hot breakfast and coffee
- Day paddle the Wasp Islands, a beautiful chain of small islands located between Jones Island and Shaw Island
- Another fabulous dinner back in camp and end the day with activities or down time
Day 2/3 Final Day
- After a delicious hot breakfast, pack up camp to be launching by 10am
- Cross San Juan Channel paddling toward San Juan Island enjoying views of the channel, Speiden Island, and Canada
- Arrive to our docks in Roche Harbor by 2pm – do not plan off island travel prior to 4:30pm. Return time is subject to change due to tides and weather.
- If you do not have a car, we will shuttle you back to Friday Harbor
More questions? See answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions.
What our customers are saying:
The trip was awesome! The scenery is so beautiful and we had great weather, but what made the trip really special were our two guides. They were very knowledgeable, gave great instruction, and were so gracious and fun. They really felt like part of the extended family before the weekend was over! San Juan Outfitters rocks!
What our customers are saying:
An incredible experience! This was the first time we'd taken our kids kayaking (ages 12 and 8), and they loved it so much they now want to invest in kayaks! Chris was an awesome guide ... super knowledgeable about the surroundings and wildlife!
Get more information and reserve
Our multi day tours offer unique unforgettable experiences in the San Juan Islands. Please call us at (866) 810-1483 or (360) 378-1962 or use this form to contact us to get more information.
