Make your way to the meeting point near the southern end of Lake Washington, located about 25 minutes from both downtown Seattle and Bellevue. Hop aboard a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver ─ a classic single-engine, propeller-driven bush plane fitted with floats ─ and begin your scenic flight to the San Juan Islands, lying just 90 miles (145 km) north of Seattle.
As your seaplane takes off from the lake, see notable landmarks such as the rambling lakeside estate of Bill Gates, and admire panoramic views of the Seattle skyline, including the Space Needle. Your pilot shares information via an intercom and headsets, allowing you to communicate with others on 6-passenger aircraft.
Crossing over Puget Sound, snap photos of the majestic Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges and the various islands of the San Juan archipelago, such as Orcas Island and Lopez Island. During the 45- to 50-minute flight, keep your eyes peeled for sea life like orcas (killer whales), minke whales, bald eagles, seals and sea lions. Then touch down at San Juan Island, the second-largest and most populous of the islands, and head into downtown Friday Harbor to explore this walkable seaport for about 20 minutes.
Afterward, reboard the seaplane for the return flight to Lake Washington.