Search

Cultural History Pages:

Search for a tour by category:

Search site:

Island Tours

  • Distance: 70 miles
  • Routes: Washington State Ferries
  • Estimated Driving Time: 4 days

Tour Overview

The tour covers Vashon Island, Bainbridge Island, and the main islands of the San Juan island group (Lopez, Shaw, Orcas, and San Juan).  Each island has a unique history and character. The Washington State Ferry system provides regular and reliable service to each of the islands, making it easy to travel. Each of the islands are bike friendly though with frequent hills.

 

Key Waypoints along Vashon Island

Vashon Ferry Terminal

The trip from Seattle to Vashon Island (and beyond) requires a ferry. As the ferry traverses the Puget Sound, on... Visit

Vashon

This is the “metropolis” of the island, and its brief main street, 99th Ave. SW/Vashon Highway SW, is lined on... Visit

Tahlequah

Once the location of a Coast Salish village, Tahlequah was initially called Clam Cove by 19th century settlers, before acquiring... Visit

All waypoints on this leg

Side trips along Vashon Island

Mukai

This short, 2-mile side trip takes you to the Mukai Farmstead and Garden, a historic berry farming operation established by Japanese Americans that also contains a formal Japanese garden.

Maury Island

This 22-mile, approximately 40-minute round trip takes you to Maury Island, actually a peninsula of Vashon Island connected by a narrow sand spit. The island was named by Cmdr. Charles Wilkes in 1841 for Lieut. William L. Maury, who was...

Side trips along Vashon Island

There are no side trips along this tour leg.

Key Waypoints along Bainbridge Island

Eagle Harbor

Nine miles from its starting point, the ferry slips behind the protecting arm of Wing Point, to the right, and... Visit

Winslow

The ferry docks on the north shore of Eagle Harbor at Winslow, which is the largest population center of Bainbridge... Visit

Seabold

The first name was Bull Town, for William Bull, who settled there in 1880. In 1892, when a post office... Visit

All waypoints on this leg

★ Mainstreet Community

Side trips along Bainbridge Island

Fort Ward

Take this short, two-mile side trip to Fort Ward, a 330-acre military reservation and barracks established in 1910–11.  

Point White

This 3-mile detour takes you through a protecting peninsula between Pleasant Beach and Port Orchard Bay.

Gazzam Lake

Take a three-mile loop through this lakeside nature preserve where visitors can hike and look for abundant wildlife.

Arrow Point

Named for the many arrow points found there, Arrow Point’s protecting arm reaches out to form Manzanita Bay. This 3-mile side trip takes you to an Indian battle field.

Poulsbo

This 11-mile side trip leaves Bainbridge Island, crossing Agate pass to Kitsap Peninsula and the maritime community of Poulsbo along Liberty Bay.

Bloedel Reserve

You can’t drive through these gorgeous manicured grounds, but the Bloedels’ 150-acre estate, which the family donated and has been open to the public since 1989, is worth the stroll-through.

San Juan Islands

This tour follows the San Juan Islands Scenic Byway. Follow the historic canoe route of the Coast Salish people aboard Washington State Ferries from Anacortes to the beautiful San Juan Islands. Once there, the Islands are easily accessible by multiple modes—walking, bicycling, transit, automobile, and even by kayak.

This leg of the tour has 9 waypoints and 4 side trip tours

Take this Tour Leg

Side trips along San Juan Islands

There are no side trips along this tour leg.

This tour has 3 legs, 31 waypoints, 4 side trips, and covers 70 miles.