Travelers arrive today into Kent, Washington. Our starting hotel is conveniently located in the Kent Valley near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and nestled along a peaceful golf course in close proximity to the Green River Trail should you decide to do some strolling before our Welcome Orientation this evening at the hotel.

Leavenworth Bavarian Village Walk – 5 or 10 km, rated 2B

We leave Kent to transit through the Cascade Mountains stopping on the western slopes for a visit to mighty Snoqualmie Falls. On the eastern slopes, we take a break in the fun little town of Cle Elum at Owens Meats, one of Washington’s oldest businesses boasting the best beef jerky ever! Tucked away in the Stuart Range and Wenatchee Mountains is the Bavarian-themed village of Leavenworth.

Time for lunch here is followed by the local club walk featuring the ambiance of Leavenworth with scenic mountain views and lovely trails along Wenatchee River and on Blackbird Island.

A Bavarian dinner is a good choice this evening and we’ll be looking for the possibility of evening musical events as well as local wine tasting options at a few wineries in town.

Mount Vernon Tulip Town Walk – 6 to 10 km, rated 1 A

Our journey takes us back across the Cascades this morning, stopping for another waterfall wonder at Deception Falls. Espresso Chalet is a fun and quirky coffee joint where “Harry and the Hendersons” was filled and the Bigfoot theme remains alive and well.

Mount Vernon is our destination, and the Big Scoop Sundae Palace is a fitting place to celebrate lunch and ice cream before a local afternoon walk. Today’s route offers a combination of historic downtown, Skagit River, parks, and the Tulip Town Farm, which in an of itself is the main event of the day. Tulip Town grabbed a spot on the list of 7 “most beautiful” tulip farms in America according to Country Living magazine.

The morning highlight is a visit to another tulip farm on Country Living’s list, Roozengarde Tulip Farm. With over 1000 acres of tulips, it’s one of the largest of its kind on the planet!

This afternoon, we board the ferry from Anacortes to the San Juan Islands, docking in Friday Harbor for a two-night stay. The afternoon and evening are free to wander the delightful shops and waterfront views. Everything is within walking distance of our hotel in this coastal fishing village dotted with picturesque old wood frame homes and historic storefronts.

We’ll be looking for opportunities throughout the trip to offer no-host dinners, where we make the booking but everyone is free to order off the menu and pay individually.

Though we have no official walk today, there will be plenty of unofficial tiptoeing through the tulips at Roozengarde in the morning and exploring Friday Harbor in the afternoon.

Splendid San Juan Island Walk – 10 km, rated 2B

We devote the full day to enjoying the natural beauty and history of San Juan Island, rated recently by Trip Advisor as one of the best island destinations in the world. This three-part walk takes in the gorgeous scenery and history of San Juan Island, starting with a 4.5 km walk at American Camp (site of the mid-1800s Pig War) with jaw-dropping Salish Sea views, historical buildings, sweeping grasslands, and driftwood beaches.

The second walk is 3.5 km at English Camp (also part of the Pig War), featuring Garrison Bay, Officer’s Hill, a formal English Garden, and forested loop around Bell Point.

The final 1 km walk is at Lime Kiln Point State Park, featuring potential wildlife sightings (orcas, seals, eagles) along the rocky shore, views of distant Vancouver Island in Canada, and a picturesque lighthouse.

Dazzling Deception Pass Walk – 6 or 10 km, rated 2C

Local museums can be an enchanting way to connect with story of a place. We visit the San Juan Historical Museum this morning to gain new perspectives on the San Juans before taking the late morning ferry back to Anacortes.

Driving south, a Whidbey Island gem awaits us this afternoon at Deception Pass State Park, considered one of the better walking locations in the Pacific Northwest. Deception Pass features a couple of different trails on both the Fidalgo Island and Whidbey Island side of this most visited state park in Washington. Highlights include picturesque headlands, diverse coastal forests, Salish Sea views, hidden beaches, the historic Deception Pass Bridge, and potential wildlife sightings.

Another fun optional, no-host dinner this evening is Seabolt’s Smokehouse, renowned for their mussels and other seafood.

Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve Walk – 3/7 km, 2B/2C
Fort Casey “Triangle of Fire” Walk – 3km, 2C

Our morning begins with one of the best day hikes in Washington State at Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve. This is a stunning landscape with rich farmland and a promising Puget Sound seaport that lured some of the earliest American pioneers north of the Columbia River. An outstanding bluff trail leads to spectacular lagoon views and walking along driftwood-strewn shores with views of both Mt. Baker (to the east) and Olympic National Park (to the west) on a clear day. Bald eagles soaring here are a common sight!

We stop in charming and historic Coupeville for a lunch break and free time before continuing south to Fort Casey Sate Park. In the late 1890s a coastal defense system (The Triangle of Fire) was created along the Juan de Fuca Strait and Admiralty Inlet with the aim of defending the Puget Sound region from enemy invaders. We visit one point of that triangle this afternoon at Fort Casey marveling at sweeping seaside views and the Admiralty Head Lighthouse, with opportunity to explore massive gun batteries scattered amongst high bluff views. If the weather is clear, you may be able to see the other two points of the triangle across the inlet at Fort Worden and Fort Flagler.

The Mukilteo Ferry offers one more scenic experience on the Puget Sound, depositing us on the mainland for a final drive to our last hotel in Kent. You’re invited to join us for an optional, no-host dinner tonight at a fun local eatery next to our hotel for camaraderie and reminiscing about our Spring-time Adventure in Washington State!

Our Skagit Valley Tulip Festival & San Juan Islands Walking Adventure draws to a close this morning with breakfast at our hotel.  The glorious colors of Spring in the Pacific Northwest can’t get any brighter when tulip fields are included!

We hope you enjoyed these highlights and hidden gems of our country’s 42nd state and return home filled with fond memories to share with the ones you love. Thanks for experiencing this walking wonderland with us!

With help from local experts and walking guides, these itineraries are crafted with extensive on-site planning by WAI tour planners.

When planning Classic Curated Tours, our objective is to capture the essence of a destination—the history, culture, and natural wonders unique to that part of the world. We then build activities and walks that take us inside these characteristics.

Yes, these tours are educational, but they are also interactive and immersive; walking gets us off the bus and penetrates local cultures to not only see, but also touch, smell, and feel these special spaces.

Along the way, interactions with locals amplify the experience by sharing insights into the magic of that particular location.

We generally walk at a pace of 2 to 3 miles per hour. Several walks on this trip are oriented more towards education, and therefore take longer due to stops for guide commentary. Nature walks, on the other hand, generally continue at a steadier pace because we’re stopping less to talk.

In most cases, we are not “strolling.” We are walking at a relaxed but steady pace. Your experience will be significantly affected by your level of physical fitness. If not walking regularly at home, we strongly recommend that you make a priority of “training” beforehand to both enjoy the trip and avoid medical issues due to overexertion. If you have questions about your ability to participate, please contact our office at [email protected].

We have adopted a walk difficulty rating system which contains a numeric indicator for trail incline and an alpha indicator for trail terrain. The explanation for this system is presented on the table below:

INCLINE

1. Minimal hills or stair climbing. Cumulative elevation gain: <200 feet.
2. Some moderate hills and stair climbing. Cumulative elevation gain: 200-1000 feet.
3. Some significant hill or stair climbing. Cumulative elevation gain: 1000-2000 feet.

TERRAIN

A. Almost entirely on pavement.
B. A significant part of the route is on well-groomed trails with very few obstacles.
C. A significant part of the route is on somewhat difficult terrain (rocky / rooted paths or soft sand).

Good quality, tourist-class accommodations are the standard for our Adventure. Most accommodations on this tour are selected primarily as a practical base from which to pursue our itinerary.  Many, but not all, of our accommodations on this adventure are either single-floor or two-floors with elevators. Travelers should be able to carry their luggage up a number of steps to get to a second-floor room if necessary.

The tour starts and finishes at our hotel in Kent, Washington, served by Sea-Tac International Airport (SEA). Sea-Tac is located a 15-minute taxi ride from our hotel in Kent.

We recommend that you contact Laura Pfahler, the travel agent we work with, to help book your flight arrangements. In this age of airfare complications and airport uncertainty, using a travel agent is a good investment!

More details about flight arrangements and travel agent contact information will be provided in an Adventure Advice PDF by email after you register for the Adventure.  Please do not book your airfare prior to receiving these flight details from us!

• Laura Pfahler: 503.434.6401 or [email protected]

WAI believes strongly in the importance of travel insurance for financial and medical protection from any number of unforeseen circumstances that can arise before departure or during your Adventure. Many travel insurance providers are available for you to consider. Laura Pfahler and Sharon Mitchell of World Travel Inc. are travel agents who provides air travel and insurance services to many WAI travelers.

Laura Pfahler: 503-434-6401 or [email protected]
Sharon Mitchell: 971-261-2091 or [email protected]

Check out Insurance Tips from World Travel for a short introduction to travel insurance. (NOTE: WAI receives no commission or financial remuneration from World Travel Inc.).

As always, do some shopping to ensure you are getting the best value. Using the SquareMouth.com website can be a good way to compare pricing.

Other options include:

• Allianz
• Betins
• Travel Guard
• Travel Insured International

WAI bears no responsibility for travel insurance benefits advertised by various credit card companies. If you are relying on this type of benefit for insurance, we advise you to verify coverage types and limits and that your purchase does in fact qualify you for this insurance.

NOTE: We suggest purchasing from a reputable, well-established insurance company (avoid buying insurance from an unknown company found only online). Travelers interested in purchasing “cancel for any reason” insurance coverage should be careful to check pricing and terms BEFORE they register for a tour. Recent changes in the international travel landscape has caused changes in the policies of some insurance companies, and made the purchase of this particular type of policy even more time-sensitive.

Our approach to wellness on tour has traditionally been to encourage travelers to:

Soon after registration, an “Adventure Advice” email will be sent with critical information on flight arrangements as well as important steps to take in the months before your trip. Please do not buy your airline tickets until you review this Adventure Advice email.

A final payment is due 90 days before departure (January 22, 2024) and is non-refundable after the due date. You will receive a prompt email from us a week or two in advance. Please see our General Tour Conditions for the full terms and conditions for participation in this Adventure.

Around 2-3 weeks before departure, you will receive a final email packet with details of the program, including hotel names and contact information, a list of fellow travelers, and a more detailed daily schedule.

Take a few minutes to peruse the San Juan Island & Skagit Valley Tulip Festival itinerary. We are eager to share the delights of the Pacific Northwest in Springtime with you!