Sample group itinerary

Pacific Northwest: Rainier, Olympic & the San Juan Islands

8 days · Round trip from Seattle

This is a sample itinerary — an example of a trip we have built for groups, not a scheduled departure. We build every group trip around your travelers: the dates, length, pace, hotels and activities can all change.

Mount Rainier's meadows and waterfalls, the Quinault and Hoh rain forests, two nights on the wild Olympic coast, Hurricane Ridge, the ferry to Whidbey Island, and a day on the water among the San Juan Islands looking for orcas.

Day by day

Day 1
Arrive Seattle and Tacoma
The Evergreen State welcomes you as you arrive at the Seattle airport to begin your Pacific Northwest experience. Meet your tour director and travel to Tacoma, with some free time to settle in at your hotel. Later in the afternoon, tour LeMay – America's Car Museum. Harold and Nancy LeMay amassed the world's largest privately owned collection of automobiles and related memorabilia, and gave much of it to the public to preserve the history of the automobile and its influence on American culture. Then join the group for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
Dinner included
Day 2
Mount Rainier
Depart Tacoma for a day in Mount Rainier National Park: waterfalls, alpine views, wildflowers, giant trees and wildlife. Enjoy short walks and hikes with picture stops as you travel across this volcanic mountain, with a stop at Paradise for lunch on your own. Stroll through old-growth forests where Douglas fir, hemlock and cedar dwarf visitors, while the higher elevations bring big mountain views and waterfalls large and small. Return to Tacoma for an evening free on your own.
Breakfast included
Day 3
Lake Quinault to Kalaloch
Travel to Lake Quinault for sightseeing and hiking in the Quinault Rain Forest, called the "Valley of the Rain Forest Giants" for its record-size trees: the largest Western red cedar, Sitka spruce, Western hemlock, Alaska cedar and mountain hemlock grow here, along with five of the ten largest Douglas firs. The forest receives around 12 feet of rain a year. A picnic lunch is included. In the afternoon, travel to the coast, enter Olympic National Park and arrive at Kalaloch for a two-night stay. The evening is free to explore the beach and have dinner on your own.
Breakfast and lunch included
Day 4
Hoh Rain Forest and Ruby Beach
Explore the beaches and rain forest trails of the Olympic coast, with a hike in the Hoh Rain Forest and a stop at Ruby Beach. Return to Kalaloch with the rest of the day free: miles of beaches, tide pools, Kalaloch Creek and a rain forest trail, or simply relax in this magical place.
Breakfast included
Day 5
La Push, Forks and Sol Duc
Enjoy the coastal side of Olympic National Park as you travel to La Push and Rialto Beach for a hike along the coast to Hole in the Wall. Next, stop in Forks, the town made famous by Twilight, for lunch on your own. In the afternoon, travel to Sol Duc for a short hike to Sol Duc Falls followed by a swim in the hot springs. The day ends in Port Angeles, with dinner included at a local restaurant.
Breakfast and dinner included
Day 6
Hurricane Ridge to Bellingham
Drive to the top of Hurricane Ridge for sweeping views and a hike on one of its many trails. Then make your way to Port Townsend for free time to wander the shops and have lunch on your own. In the afternoon, take the ferry across to Whidbey Island and tour Fort Casey Historical State Park, where you can stand at the Admiralty Head lighthouse or in a cliff-side gun battery and scan the horizon as soldiers did in both World Wars. Continue north to the seaside town of Bellingham, with the evening free for dinner on your own.
Breakfast included
Day 7
San Juan Islands whale watching
After a leisurely morning, board a San Juan Islands whale-watching cruise from Bellingham. Look for orcas, humpback and minke whales, bald eagles, seals, porpoises and sea lions as the captain and naturalists talk about the wildlife, history and geology of the islands. Lunch is served aboard as you head for prime whale-watching waters. After a day on the water, travel south to the Seattle area for a farewell dinner and a final night near the airport.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Day 8
Journey home
Breakfast is included this morning, then take the hotel shuttle to the airport for your flight home.
Breakfast included