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The San Juan Islands and the Olympic Peninsula
July 30 – August 6, 2005
The Pacific Northwest contains some of the most diverse and extravagantly scenic landscapes in North America. The Olympic Peninsula and San Juan Islands, where the US and Canada meet, is the ideal location for an educational and eventful journey. This area is one of glaciered peaks and lush forests, dynamic cities, native cultures, and a seascape of dramatic islands and harbors. On this tour we experience the sophistication of Seattle and Victoria, the lush rainforests and tall peaks of the Olympic Peninsula, and the rugged beauty of the San Juan Islands. We stay in charming hotels, and dine on fresh local cuisine. This is a spectacular and unique tour featuring the very best of the Pacific Northwest!
July 30 Seattle
We begin our tour in Seattle, the "Emerald City." Your Program Leader will meet you at Sea-Tac airport and drive you the short distance to our centrallylocated hotel. From our hotel you can explore nearby Pike Place Market, the waterfront, and Pioneer Square. This evening we meet for a welcome reception and dinner. D
July 31 Seattle - Olympic Peninsula
This morning we take a ferry from Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula. As we cross Puget Sound, we have an excellent view of Seattle's skyline and waterfront, and with luck we'll be treated to a view of Mount Rainier in the background. The Olympic Peninsula extends north between the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound. It is a remote and rugged area of wild coastlines, deep old-growth forests and craggy mountains. The area contains the continent's only temperate rainforests, as well as genteel Victorian seaports and a number of Native American tribes.
We arrive in Bremerton — a navy-yard town since the late 19th century, and the US Navy's largest West Coast shipyard and submarine base. From Bremerton we travel north along the beautiful harbors of Puget Sound to Port Townsend — a lovely Victorian town filled with shops and restaurants. From Port Townsend we visit Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, home to over 250 bird species. We then travel into Olympic National Park and up Hurricane Ridge, where we are treated to views of the heart of the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Overnight on Olympic Peninsula. B
August 1 Olympic National Park
We spend today in Olympic National Park. This area is recognized as one of the world's most important wild ecosystems. The park is unique in the contiguous United States for its temperate rainforests, where rainfall can exceed 150 inches per year. Encircled by the park's rainforests, the Olympic Mountains rise up to the 7,965-foot peak of Mount Olympus and an alpine zone where no trees grow at all. Together, elevation and heavy snowfall combine to form 60 glaciers within the park.
This morning we travel to Cape Flattery, the northwesternmost point of land in the contiguous United States. Here we visit the Makah Cultural and Research Center, a fascinating collection of artifacts from the Makah tribe — featuring totems, cedar canoes, and shell knives. We then travel through the Makah reservation en route to the enchanting Hoh Rain Forest. Here we enjoy a walk where we're surrounded by verdant rainforest with innumerable shades of green. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. B, D
August 2 Port Angeles - Victoria
This morning we take an hour-long scenic ferry across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Victoria, BC. Here we check in to our hotel, located within walking distance of the marina and the downtown shops and restaurants. We then gather for an orientation walk around this very British city, including the Parliament Buildings, Chinatown, and Fisherman's Wharf. We end our tour with a visit to the renowned Royal British Columbia Museum, featuring natural history and historic exhibits including Indian artifacts and a superb collection of totem poles. This evening is at your leisure to choose from among the many fine restaurants of this wonderful city. B
August 3 Vancouver Island
We spend this morning at Butchart Gardens, a beautifully designed and manicured Victorian-style garden dating from 1904. We then drive further up the coast of Vancouver Island and stop for a glass of wine at Cherry Point Vineyards and a stroll through its fields. We then visit Duncan — the "city of totems." At the Quw'utsun' Cultural Center we have the opportunity to watch women knit Cowichan sweaters and native carvers create totem poles in an open-air carving shed. This afternoon we return to Victoria, where you are free to further explore this beautiful city or enjoy time back at our hotel. B
August 4 Victoria - San Juan Island
This morning we take a ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. After lunch we visit Friday Harbor's Whale Museum and listen to the recorded voices of local whale pods. We then have free time to explore this beautiful town's brightly painted, turnof-the-19th-century homes and pleasant business district. This afternoon we meet our private boat for a whale watching cruise around the islands (we typically have a 90% chance of seeing orcas). Once we spot them, we'll lower a hydrophone into the water to listen to the whales communicate. We will have a naturalist on board to help us identify individual whales from their distinctive dorsal fins. We will also keep an eye out for other local wildlife: harbor seals, sea lions, river otters, auklets, pigeon guillemots, puffins, great blue herons, and bald eagles. We may also see gray or humpback whales. At the end of the cruise we enjoy cocktails as the sun sets over the islands. Our boat drops us off at our hotel on San Juan Island. B
August 5 San Juan Islands
Today we spend the day on our private boat cruising among the San Juan Islands. We'll witness the rugged beauty of the area as we cruise to some of the more remote and undeveloped islands of this chain. We see wild deer and sheep on Spieden Island, search for Dall's porpoises off Stuart Island, visit Turn Point Lighthouse, and cruise past three active bald eagle nests. We enjoy a relaxing picnic lunch on one of the islands. This evening we return to our hotel for a festive farewell dinner featuring fresh local seafood. B, L, D
August 6 San Juan Island - Seattle
This morning we take the ferry to Anacortes — a scenic trip that offers a dramatic way to say goodbye to the San Juans and Puget Sound. We then drive two hours south to Sea-Tac airport for flights home. B
IMPORTANT
This is merely an announcement of the tour program of the Commonwealth Club of California. Please refer to individual tour folders/agencies for specific itineraries, tour inclusions, exclusions and responsibilities. It shall be the responsibility of the tour participant to ascertain directly with the vendor agency of each program what the exact requirements, payment due dates and fees pertaining to each program are. A Commonwealth Club representative accompanies each tour to enhance the study tour aspects and to represent the Club on the tour. The Club reserves the right to cancel the tour and/or not provide a Club representative if the number of participants falls below the number sufficient for a Club-sponsored tour.
All tour prices are per person, double occupancy and airfare, when included, is from San Francisco unless otherwise noted; all travel dates and tour costs are subjected to change. Included in all tour prices is a modest charge to cover the Commonwealth Club's costs of administering a membership tour program. All dates and tour costs are subject to changes at any time. Tour participants must be members of the Commonwealth Club of California or belong to their immediate family.
If you wish to receive more information on our
2005 Tour Program, please contact The Club's travel desk at (415) 597-6720 or email the Club Tour Desk
with the following information:
-Your Name
-Address
-Home Phone
-Tour Name/s
