jwhite

I am planning a trip for several families (with kids) to Seattle/Vancouver area in July for one week. Instead of spending a lot of time on ferries, we are sticking primarily with Seattle and Vancouver. Plan is to spend first three nights in Seattle to explore Seattle and take a day trip to Rainier. Next 2 nights in Bellingham for a day cruise to Friday Harbor/whale watching and a day trip to Mt. Baker. One night in Vancouver and last night prior to flying out is back in Seattle. I am looking at San Juan Cruises for an all day cruise to Friday Harbor/whale watching trip out of Bellingham. Is this a good trip or too much time on a boat? Would a better alternative be to take a passenger ferry (WSDOT) to Friday Harbor and then catch a whale watching trip from there?

Any comments/suggestions on the itinerary would be appreciated as well. The kids are mostly teenagers - we are an active group.

starrs

If they are older kids, I'd do this - http://www.outdoorodysseys.com/ It's at the top of my bucket list.

Gardyloo

Staying in Bellingham it's quite out of your way to get to Anacortes for the San Juan Island ferry, and IMO you're rather pressed for time as it is. The Bellingham operation seems reasonable; of course I'm sure you're aware that seeing whales is not guaranteed. Whether it's too long on the boat sort of depends on the kids; between the wildlife viewing and the shore excursion in Friday Harbor, it doesn't sound too bad.

I'd question the need for the Mt. Baker day. It's quite far from Bellingham, and while it's nice, I don't know that the kids would find it all that different from the day trip to Mt. Rainier. If you could I'd certainly think about ditching that day and reallocating it to Vancouver. There's so much to see in Vancouver, especially with kids, versus another day in the car. Hint: if you miss whales on the cruise, you can see them at the Vancouver aquarium in Stanley Park, one of the best aquariums (aquaria?) in North America.

jwhite

Thanks to both for the replies - very helpful. I added Mt. Baker to keep the big kids (dads) happy but will consider changing that.

San_Juan_Cruises

Just thought I'd add a quick response (in full disclosure, I am the reservations supervisor for San Juan Cruises). On our 8 hour whale watching tour in the San Juan Islands, 2 hours are spent on a shore visit in Friday Harbor, with the other 6 hours on the water. If you take a ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor, then go on a whale watch, it's just about the same amount of time on a boat/ferry, plus you'd have the 45 minute drive in each direction between Bellingham and Anacortes.

As for the drive to Mt. Baker, it's just over an hour each way, and if you don't do much hiking up there, it would only take 4-5 hours, leaving the rest of your day for activities in Bellingham/Whatcom County. Well worth a visit in downtown Bellingham is the Bay Street area - Rocket Donuts, the Spark Museum Of Electrical Invention, the Pickford Film Center, the Whatcom Museum and lots of great dinner spots. I take my 10 and 12 year old boys to that part of town all of the time (okay, mainly for the donuts!). There's also some great parks along the waterfront - Boulevard Park is the main one.