Crystal Seas Kayaking — Attraction in Friday Harbor

My husband and I went on the All Day kayak tour on San Juan Island between Snug Harbor and Lime Kiln State Park. The All-Day tour kayaks in a group together with the 3-hour tour until roughly the halfway point, where we continued on to Lime Kiln and the 3-hour tour returned to Snug Harbor. It was a beautiful, relatively calm day and the equipment provided by Crystal Seas was good - Seaward tandem kayaks. The tour takes you along the coastline roughly 5 miles in each direction. On the trip out to Lime Kiln we mainly just followed close to the shoreline. As you get closer to Lime Kiln you will begin to see other kayaking groups (Crystal Seas is the only tour company allowed to leave from Snug Harbor). Just past Lime Kiln State Park we got out, used restroom facilities, and ate a quick lunch. On the way back to Snug Harbor we stayed out in open water more, trying to catch the incoming tide and wind (Unfortunately the wind didn't materialize, but we were able to take some advantage of the incoming tide). We saw a number of bald eagles and several varieties of jelly fish, which were abundantly evident. We also saw small herring jumping out of the water. (We did not expect to see Orcas based on an earlier visit to the Lime Kiln whale watch station). If you are indecisive about whether to take the 3 hour or all-day tour, I'd opt for the 3-hour tour. The all-day tour is a lot of paddling and the scenery along the coastline does not...

My wife and I wanted to explore the Pacific Northwest on bicycles so we chose a four day Inn to Inn trip combining bicycling and whale watching that visited San Juan, Orcas, and Lopez Islands. Every aspect of the trip met or exceeded our expectations. The included lodging and food were great (lots of locally grown ingredients and well-executed recipes). The weather was very cooperative (we visited in July) and the Islands are good places to cycle. Beautiful. Great stops along our route to enjoy the vistas, lavender farms and local crafts.

Each island has a different vibe, with easy to moderate riding. Orcas was the most challenging riding, and I found the opportunity to ride some of the hills loads of fun. My wife road in the van that day because she was uncomfortable with the steep hills and lack of bike lanes, but still enjoyed the fabulous scenery. Lopez is relatively flat with rolling hills and less traffic. San Juan, the most populated of the islands, combined elements of the other two but it's wider shoulders and very considerate drivers make it a great place to ride. (You could have a great time staying only on San Juan, but you'd be short changing yourself..)

The very best part of this trip was our guides- Sam and Mike. They worked hard but made it look easy. They accommodated the guests' wishes while sticking to the timing/plans for each day. Their execution was flawless. We"ll be...

This is my 3rd day trip with Crystal Seas and it never disappoints!!! We did the all day kayak trip and did 10 miles of paddling total. Our guide Hannah was extremely knowledgeable on the history and wildlife in the area and gave us excellent pre-trip kayak instruction. She even gave us a little tow when we were struggling to keep up at the end (embarrassingly so). It was a beautiful rainy day and we saw tons of wildlife including my first octopus in the wild! Seeing the wildlife in and from the water is by far the highlight, especially the whales when they show up! The scenery is incredible! By all means, bring layers (moisture wicking base layer and mid-layer and an outer waterproof layer) as the weather in the Pacific Northwest can go from chilly and/or rainy to hot when the sun breaks through the clouds very quickly. I like to wear water shoes like Keens or Chacos so it is no big deal if your feet get wet. It also can be windy on the water so I throw in a beanie hat, gloves and sunglasses (last year I work shorts and a tank top because it was a much warmer day). Just come prepared for a variety of weather and you will enjoy your trip so much more if you are comfortable. Also, I highly recommend a GoPro or waterproof camera so that you can capture the experience. I'll be back next year!!! Thanks again:) Crystal Seas!!! Can't wait for next year's...