Spend three days paddling the San Juan Islands and two nights enjoying award-winning craft beers from small Washington State breweries as our expertly guided sea kayaking tour by day becomes a waterfront tasting room by night. This year we are featuring, Icicle Brewing from Leavenworth, San Juan Brewing from Friday Harbor, and Wander Brewing from Bellingham (see departure dates below). We will be pairing these locally crafted beers with our delicious camp cuisine while you relax and enjoy the view! Find out more about our trip below and we hope to see you on your next San Juan Island Kayak Tour! Contact us if you'd like to put together a custom group or a private trip!
Your Outdoor Odysseys guides will meet you in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Our van will take the group, which generally averages from 6-8 participants (maximum of 12), to our launch site on the south side of San Juan Island. After packing all camping and personal gear, we’ll have a thorough orientation covering the fitting of the boat, paddling technique, safety and boat handling. We won’t get on the water until everybody feels comfortable about paddling.
We'll paddle north past the unique and numerous islands and wildlife refuges that helps comprise the 172 islands of the archipelago. We’ll keep a sharp eye out for wildlife including eagles, harbor seals and the smallest of the whale family, the harbor porpoise. As we look to the east, you'll have spectacular views of Mt. Baker. Our destination for the night is Jones Island, one of the jewels of the San Juans. Jones is entirely state park and ringed with waterfront campsites and a forest of evergreens and Gary oak trees. After camp is set up, your guide will prepare dinner while you get to relax with a number of beer tastings poured and detailed by an expert from the brewery.
Awaken to the sounds of the sea and a hot cup of coffee from our on-island roaster. Indulge in a warm breakfast cooked by your guide in a dutch oven before starting your paddle. Choose from a number of routes weaving through the broken chain of Wasp Islands or paddle beneath the cliffs and lime kiln ruins on the north side of Orcas Island. Spend the late afternoon hiking a portion or all 4 miles of the trail around Jones or lay on the beach and watch river otters and mink play along the rocks. Dine on more food and beer tastings while you watch the sun dip below the horizon from arguably the best sunset view in the archipelago. Finish your evening by the campfire and under the light of the stars, or see the “stars in the water” on a guided bioluminescence trip.
The adventure is far from over on the last day. We’ll kayak past picturesque Yellow and Low Islands, which are owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy. Enjoy a long lunch on Turn Island with views of harbor seal haul outs and Mount Baker. We’ll complete our journey on the east side of San Juan Island, load our gear and our paddlers, and have you back to Friday Harbor between 2-4 PM to meet your Washington State ferry or continue your time on the islands.
The OO crew couldn't have been more professional and prepared from the moment they picked us up at Friday Harbor through the launch and landing. It was beyond expectations and worth every penny.
BrianIf you’re looking for a fun and unforgettable kayak trip in the San Juan Islands, I highly recommend Outdoor Odyssey. Our 3-day trip was superb.
ShellyI am not usually someone to pay for a guided tour, but this was absolutely worth it and a huge highlight during our time in the San Juan Islands. Our guide was awesome. We were a group kids, teens and adults (two families). We learned a lot about the island, and had a ball along the coast for our 7 mile day trip.
Seth KThe food was excellent. Organic as much as possible, fresh as much as possible, well prepared, and plenty of it.
TimThis trip was one I will never forget. Outdoor Odysseys does such a great job on these kayak trips. Our guides were wonderful. The food was beyond belief...for anywhere, not just a kayaking trip.
DJWThis company has been around for a long time. They know how to treat people.
CocoaTom Murphy graduated from Lawrence University with a biology degree in 2003. After graduation Tom spent a year and a half overseas. He traveled through India, worked for an NGO in Nepal, and taught elementary students science in the…
Read MoreBorn and raised on the shores of the Salish Sea in Port Townsend, Wa, Jason held a fascination for the natural beauty of the region. After studying Cultural Anthropology at Western Washington University, he embarked on a 22 year…
Read MoreGrowing up in Seattle, Maddie Hollister gained a love for outdoor recreation and education attending a summer camp on Puget Sound, where she eventually became a lifeguard and outdoor educator. She studied marine biology and science communication at Quest…
Read MoreSam grew up outside Seattle, WA, with the Cascade Mountains and the Puget Sound as his backyard. After getting a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Washington, Sam vagabonded through Europe, Australia, and the US before finding…
Read MoreIvy was raised in a trail building family in White Salmon, Washington, with Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge as her playground. She grew up with a passion for mountain biking, trail running, backpacking, and skiing. In her…
Read MoreHailing from the San Fransisco Bay Area Evelyn grew up camping, hiking, and mountain biking in redwood forests and soaking up the sun on the California coast. When she isn’t paddling Evelyn enjoys surfing, collaging, making tunes on the…
Read MoreMaddy Marquardt came to Outdoor Odysseys having grown up in Michigan and spent her summers paddling the lakes and rivers of Northern Michigan with her grandma. She did her undergraduate in Neuroscience at Michigan State University, served as a…
Read MoreEli Todaro grew up in Southeast Louisiana. Eli is a NOLS Wilderness First Responder alumni with specialties in swift water and high angle rescue. He has always had a great passion for the outdoors. Growing up hunting and fishing…
Read MoreLeah grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her introduction to the outdoors began at summer camp which she went to for over a decade. Through this camp, she was able to backpack throughout Alaska for 3 months and explore…
Read MoreBoston bred, Georgia grown, and Seattle seduced; Patrick remains as footloose as his “military brat” childhood would deem but continues to rebound back to the San Juan Islands. In Georgia he attended both high school and college where he…
Read MoreBorn in Snohomish, WA, Christina grew up mushroom picking, squid jigging, crabbing, traveling, backpacking, fishing, clamming, skiing, frog catching, climbing, and everything else outdoorsy. Christina made her way down to Orange, CA to attend Chapman University as a Business…
Read MoreBorn near the ocean cliffs of northern California, Zoey was raised just as much by redwoods and harbour seals as she was by her parents. She is currently going into her 4th year at Quest University, focusing her studies…
Read MoreElliott grew up in sunny Seattle and spent countless days exploring the Cascades, Puget Sound, and the forests and deserts throughout Washington. He studied environmental science and policy down in California, and uses his emphasis in ecology daily while…
Read MoreKatie is a paddling fanatic that grew up in Columbia, MO on the Missouri River. She has been paddling in the Salish Sea since 2017 and has been mesmerised by the waters and beings of this bioregion ever since. …
Read MoreAnna grew up spending most of her time split between Washington and Alaska swimming, hiking, biking and just about everything in between. She recently graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Recreation and Leadership Management. With the…
Read MoreHayden’s roots are in Colorado and Central Oregon. She ventured out to the Pacific Northwest when she started school at University of Oregon, where she studied human physiology and business. These days, she finds joy in connecting others to…
Read MoreDuncan will be returning for a second season to the San Juan Islands as an Outdoor Odysseys guide and adventure filmmaker. Born in San Mateo, California, Duncan grew up SCUBA diving, backpacking and sailing. After college he spent a…
Read MoreHailing from Omaha, Nebraska, Keith has felt a strong westward pull his entire life. Keith’s love affair with the American west coast (South and North) began during his National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) Semester in Baja, Mexico. Later he…
Read MoreMatthew Porter graduated with a degree in English Language and Literature from the University of South Carolina in 2009. While not spending his time buried in modernism and shakespeare, Matthew was cutting his teeth on the numerous creeks and…
Read MoreJennifer will be returning for a fifth season to the San Juan Islands to share its unique beauties with kayakers and foster a reciprocal relationship with nature. Born and raised in Kansas City, MO, Jennifer’s first adventure out West was following…
Read MoreBorn and raised in the corn fields of Amish Country Lancaster County, PA, Kevin has traded in the corn fields for the ocean breezes of San Juan Island. His stint as a collegiate football athlete eventually gave way to…
Read MoreBorn on the coastal islands of Georgia and raised in the marshes and swamps of the south, Laura has always maintained a deep connection to the ocean. Her earliest memories are paddling canoes through the Okefenokee Swamp with her…
Read MoreBen hails from the Great Lake state of Michigan. He spent much of his childhood outdoors camping and kayaking in the myriad of rivers and lakes that helped foster a great appreciation for anything in nature. With a B.S.…
Read MoreMiles was born in Ipswich, Massachusetts, a small beach town on Boston’s North Shore. He graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison this spring with degrees in economics and environmental studies, but will assure you that the natural world has always…
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