Desolation Sound

GET AWAY TO B.C.’S BIGGEST MARINE PARK

TOP-FLIGHT OPTIONS TO B.C.’S BIGGEST MARINE PARK

Explore the natural wonders of British Columbia. You’ll arrive in the largest marine park in the province, covering more than 6,000 acres. There are a number of options for you to get out on the water whether it’s a boat, kayak, or even a stand-up paddleboard. And if you want to get in the water? There are pockets of warm water that make for a perfect place to jump right in.

Kenmore Air flies from Seattle to several different anchorage points in the Desolation Sound area. There are private resorts (Dent Island Lodge, Sonora Resort, Nanook Lodge to name a few – NOTE: Must be a guest at these properties), hotels, and vacation rentals available in the area, making this the perfect meeting place whether you’re looking to cruise the lush shorelines, fish for king salmon or halibut, search for some wildlife or just relax in one of the most beautiful settings on the planet.

Upon Request Destinations: Toba Wilderness | Mink Island | Fisherman’s Landing

Looking to travel to other Vancouver Island destinations?

Check out our Charter flight options

Check out floatplane flights from Seattle to Sunshine Coast

Check out floatplane flights from Seattle to Nanaimo

Need ideas for things to in Nanaimo and on Vancouver Island?

23 Ideas for Family-Friendly Fun on Vancouver Island

5 Luxury Resorts on Vancouver Island

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Arrive at check-in prepared with the following documents:

Passport Book
Travel visa | eTA (foreign passports)

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SEAPLANE

FLOATPLANE

Seasonal service, May to September, for Desolation Sound from either Kenmore Air Harbor or Lake Union. Our fleet includes six-seat de Havilland Beavers and ten-seat Otters. Looking for something more personal? The Cessna 180 is a two to three passenger floatplane that is a most economical charter flight option.

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ACCOMMODATIONS

Kenmore Air flies to five different anchorage points in Desolation Sound, which makes it an ideal connection and pick-up point. There are incredible lodging options in the area such as the April Point Resort and Spa on Quadra Island or the Cabana Desolation Eco Resort on Kinghorn Island, Fisherman’s Landing and Lodge, Nanook Lodge, Sonora Resort, or Dent Island. Other spots — like Mink Island — are privately owned, but have public anchorage.

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APRIL POINT MARINA REFUGE COVE CORTES BAY/GOVERNMENT DOCK DENT ISLAND LODGE GORGE HARBOUR SONORA RESORT PRIDEAUX HAVEN BLISS LANDING MORGAN‘S / FISHERMAN’S LODGE NANOOK LODGE

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March 12, 2022/by [email protected]

Nanaimo

B.C. INSIDE PASSAGE

Nanaimo

ARRIVE AT THE GATEWAY TO CANADA’S INNER PASSAGE

NANAIMO’S BEAUTY STRETCHES FROM MOUNTAIN TO SHORE

Located on the east side of Vancouver Island, the town of Nanaimo juts out into the Straight of Georgia to form a three-sided waterfront. Vancouver sits on the opposite side of the strait while Victoria is 70 miles to the south.

Nanaimo has one of the longest shorelines in Canada, featuring an incredible backdrop of forested hills. Mount Benson rises to the west, the Nanaimo Estuary sits just south of town and to the north is Canada’s Inner Passage and the magnificent fjords that glaciers carved from the coastal mountains millions of years ago. Nanaimo is your gateway to Canada’s Inner Passage as it’s where Kenmore Air’s northbound flights clear Canadian Customs.

Scheduled Destinations

Nanaimo/Departure Bay

Looking to travel to other Vancouver Island destinations?

Check out floatplane flights from Seattle to the Sunshine Coast

Check out floatplane flights from Seattle to Desolation Sound

Need ideas for things to in Nanaimo and on Vancouver Island?

23 Ideas for Family-Friendly Fun on Vancouver Island

5 Luxury Resorts on Vancouver Island

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Arrive at check-in prepared with the following documents:

Passport Book
Travel visa | eTA (foreign passports)

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SEAPLANE

FLOATPLANE

Located on the east side of Vancouver Island, the town of Nanaimo juts out into the Straight of Georgia to form a three-sided waterfront. Vancouver sits on the opposite side of the strait while Victoria is 70 miles to the south. However, Canadians will tell you the distance is actually 113 kilometers.

Nanaimo has one of the longest shorelines in Canada, and it features an incredible backdrop of forested hills. Mount Benson rises to the west, the Nanaimo Estuary sits just south of town and to the north is Canada’s Inner Passage and the magnificent fjords that glaciers carved from the coastal mountains millions of years ago. Nanaimo is your gateway to Canada’s Inner Passage as it’s where Kenmore Air’s northbound flights clear Canadian Customs.

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ACTIVITIES

Nanaimo is a bustling port surrounded by so much natural beauty that there’s as much to do on land as there is on the water. Hike to Ammonite Falls, mountain bike over the miles of trails and board walks, or play one of the five nearby golf courses. You can get out on the water in a kayak, catamaran or even a hovercraft or get in the water with a scuba-diving lesson. It’s all right here.

NANAIMO

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March 12, 2022/by [email protected]

Victoria Seaplane Terminal

SCENIC FLIGHTS & TOURS

VICTORIA SEAPLANE TERMINAL

EXPERIENCE THE QUAINT, OLD-WORLD STYLE OF THIS PICTURESQUE CITY.

Piece of history, place of beauty

Fitting that a city named for an English queen bears the architectural legacy of her nation. Victoria provides a glimpse of the Old Word as epitomized by the afternoon tea served at the Empress Hotel. Arriving by seaplane affords you a better view than aboard any boat and gets you there in less than half the time. Step off the plane, onto the dock at the Seaplane Terminal, and clear customs in the shadow of the Parliament House.

Victoria is absolutely lovely with a compact downtown where you’ll find history mixes easily with modern trends. Classic pubs serve pints at one corner with a craft brewery open nearby. Parks, museums, and even castles are all found within the city with incredible hiking opportunities available just outside of it.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

FLIGHTS TO CANADA

Arrive at check-in prepared with the following documents:

Passport Book
Travel visa | eTA (foreign passports)

FLIGHTS TO THE U.S.

Arrive at check-in prepared with the following documents:

Passport Book
Travel visa | ETSA (foreign passports)

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Floatplane service

Year-round service to the Victoria Seaplane Terminal from either Kenmore Air Harbor or Lake Union. Our fleet includes six-passenger de Havilland Beavers and our larger Otters. Looking for something more personal? The Cessna 180 is a two-passenger floatplane that is a most economical charter option. Sorry, no complimentary baggage storage on-site.

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Activities

A walk around downtown will show why Victoria has been described as being more English than England. If you want elegance, there’s tea at the Empress Hotel. For a more casual afternoon, there’s a thriving pub scene. History buffs can tour the castles or if you’d prefer more natural beauty, Victoria has a well-earned reputation as the City of Gardens because of its ideal growing climate.

VICTORIA SEAPLANE TERMINAL

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March 12, 2022/by [email protected]

Lake Washington Scenic

SCENIC FLIGHTS & TOURS

Lake Washington
Scenic Flight

FROM LAKE WASHINGTON TO ELLIOTT BAY

BOOK A SCENIC FLIGHT

START YOUR SCENIC TOUR WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

A floatplane is the perfect way to see all the different ways in which Seattle is a city on the water. In fact, 41 percent of the city’s total area IS water.

This flightseeing tour starts at Kenmore Air Harbor on the north shore of Lake Washington. From there, you’ll head south to the University of Washington and its lakeside stadium and then on over to the Puget Sound to see Shilshole Bay and Discovery Point.

Your flight adventure includes music and narrated highlights about Seattle before returning to the Kenmore/Lake Washington Seaplane Terminal.

Departure Terminal: Kenmore / Lake Washington
Flight Duration: 25 min.
Cost: $109 per person

LAKE WASHINGTON

You’ll start at Kenmore Air Harbor on the northern tip of what is the second-largest lake in the state. This is where Kenmore Air started in 1946 with three friends from high school working on a single floatplane in a garage on the site of an old shingle mill. There are three floating bridges that cross Lake Washington, separating Seattle on the west from the Eastside communities like Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland.

SEATTLE’S SIGNATURE LANDMARK

The Space Needle is a landmark that was constructed for the 1962 World’s Fair, which was held in Seattle. At 605 feet from ground to tip, it was the country’s tallest structure west of the Mississippi when completed. The observation deck is located 520 feet off the ground, and offers a panorama view of the city skyline, the Olympic mountains to the west, the Cascades to the East as well as Elliott Bay and the Puget Sound. It takes the elevator 41 seconds to go from the base of the needle to the top.

VISIT SEATTLE | TAKING FLIGHT

Conrad – opera singer, Dallas native, and first-time visitor to Seattle – takes you along on a picture-perfect flight over Lake Union, Elliott Bay, and downtown on a Kenmore Air seaplane.

Conrad was one of eight real travelers who experienced the sights, sounds, textures, smells, and tastes of Seattle in the series, “Seattle First Takes.”

March 12, 2022/by [email protected]

San Juan Islands Scenic

SCENIC FLIGHTS & TOURS

San Juan Islands
Scenic Flight

SEE WHAT MAKES THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS SO SPECIAL

BOOK A SCENIC FLIGHT

THE BEST WAY TO SEE THE SAN JUANS IS FROM ABOVE

We’ll provide the breathtaking views of the Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands, and you’ll get a tour that is unbelievably beautiful and unmistakably Northwest in one of our Kenmore Air seaplanes.

This tour is narrated, and you’ll see why a seaplane is the best way to see our corner of the country as you take-off from our Kenmore/Lake Washington terminal and head out to the San Juan Islands. Just like every trip with Kenmore Air, the view is always included…

Departure Terminal:  Kenmore / Lake Washington
Flight Duration:  1 hr. 45 min.
Cost:  $279 per person

SAN JUAN ISLANDS

An archipelago is the fancy way to refer to a group of islands, and the San Juans are composed of 172 different named islands and reefs that sit between Anacortes, Wash., and Vancouver Island, which is part of British Columbia. All told, there are 408 miles of shoreline on the islands, the most of any single in the United States. Our scenic tour will provide an incredible perspective, allowing you to see exactly why Orcas Island is known for hiking (it’s the hilliest) while Lopez is best for biking (it’s the flattest). You’ll find four lighthouses located on the San Juan Islands, but not a single stoplight.

DEEP HISTORY

Four of the islands in the archipelago are accessible by ferry, but our scenic tour will give you a glimpse of the entire region, which sits at the intersection of three different waterways. The Strait of Georgia is to the North, the Strait of Juan de Fuca is located to the West with the Puget Sound located to the south. The collective region is known as the Salish Sea. The islands were first charted in 1791 by a Spanish explorer, however, the fossil evidence shows that hunting was occurring on the islands more than 6,000 years ago. The islands are also home to three different orca pods who live in the Salish Sea region with more than 80 in the local population.

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March 12, 2022/by [email protected]

Mt. Rainier/ Mount St. Helens

SCENIC FLIGHTS & TOURS

Mount Rainier & Mount St. Helens

Fly Face-to-Face with Two World Wonders

BOOK A SCENIC FLIGHT

The Volcano Tour offers a peak experience

This incredible 90-minute scenic flight tour from Seattle flies you around Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens getting you up close and personal with Rainier’s 25 glaciers – the largest collection of permanent ice on a single US mountain south of Alaska. From your window seat aboard our 9-passenger Caravan wheel-plane, you’ll also have the perfect vantage of Mount St. Helens’ 2-mile wide crater. Make sure to look closely…. she’s often steaming.

Departure Terminal:  Boeing Field
Flight Duration:  2 hr.
Cost:  $298 per person

MOUNT RAINIER

Standing at a staggering 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier is the Pacific Northwest’s reigning giant. It dwarfs its fellow Cascade Range peaks by more than 10,000 feet. Home to more than 36-square-miles of glaciers, Mount Rainier hasn’t had a major eruption in nearly 1,000 years. But don’t let the tranquil hillsides fool you. Scientists affirm this giant is still very much alive.

Witnessing the towering peak of Mount Rainier is a quintessential Pacific Northwest moment. And, there’s no better view than from a Cessna Caravan.

MOUNT ST. HELENS

Mount St. Helens is smaller in stature. It tops out at 8,363 feet. But what it lacks in height, it has more than made up for inactivity. May 18, 1980 – its massive eruption became the biggest in modern history. Its plume rose 15 miles high and the mudflow created from its collapsed dome stretched to the Columbia River. Today, the ecosystem on the hauntingly beautiful slopes thrives as old-growth forests once again take root and wildflowers bloom.

ABOUT THE FLIGHT TOUR

This incredible 90-minute scenic flight tour from Seattle flies you around Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens getting you up close and personal with two of the Pacific Northwest’s biggest volcanos!

March 12, 2022/by [email protected]

Seattle Scenic

SCENIC FLIGHTS & TOURS

Seattle Scenic
Seaplane Tour

THE BEST WAY TO SEE SEATTLE IS FROM ABOVE

BOOK A SCENIC FLIGHT

SEE THE EMERALD CITY SHINE BELOW YOU

In Seattle, you can do more than live near the water, you can actually live on it in one of the houseboat communities on Lake Union. That’s where your Scenic Seaplane Tour starts, gliding across the surface of the lake and up into the air where you’ll get a bird’s eye view of the University of Washington, and its lakeside football stadium. It’s then on over to Elliott Bay where you’ll see the city’s dramatic skyline and Seattle’s professional sports stadiums. Everyone gets a window seat on this 25-minute sightseeing flight!

The Seattle Scenic Seaplane Tour is a uniquely Northwest way to see this world-class city. You get to enjoy the unique thrill of flying off the water and soaring over one of the most beautiful regions in the world. The flight ends just like it began, gliding across the water of Lake Union right in the heart of the city for an experience you’ll remember forever.

Departure Terminal: Lake Union
Flight Duration: 25 min.
Cost: $119 per person

START IN THE HEART OF SEATTLE

You’ll take off from our terminal in South Lake Union, one of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in the city with tech companies like Amazon and Google providing the horsepower for that growth. The lake sits at the heart of Seattle, serving as a reference point for four distinct neighborhoods. Seattle Center is located just to the southwest while Gas Works Park sits on the north shore at the site of the old Seattle Gas Light Company.

OUR CITY’S SIGNATURE LANDMARK

The Space Needle is a landmark that was constructed for the 1962 World’s Fair, which was held in Seattle. At 605 feet from ground to tip, it was the country’s tallest structure west of the Mississippi when completed. The observation deck is located 520 feet off the ground, and offers a panorama view of the city skyline, the Olympic mountains to the west, the Cascades to the East as well as Elliott Bay and the Puget Sound. It takes the elevator 41 seconds to go from the base of the needle to the top.

VISIT SEATTLE | TAKING FLIGHT

Conrad – opera singer, Dallas native, and first-time visitor to Seattle – takes you along on a picture-perfect flight over Lake Union, Elliott Bay, and downtown on a Kenmore Air seaplane.

Conrad was one of eight real travelers who experienced the sights, sounds, textures, smells, and tastes of Seattle in the series, “Seattle First Takes.”

March 12, 2022/by [email protected]

Kenmore Air floatplane on San Juan Island

Fisherman Bay

LOPEZ ISLAND

Fisherman Bay

FIND SECLUSION AND SPLENDOR ON LOPEZ ISLAND

DIRECT SEAPLANE FLIGHTS FROM SEATTLE TO LOPEZ ISLAND

The easternmost island in the San Juans is also the most laid back so take a deep breath once you arrive in the protected inlet at Fisherman Bay, step onto the dock, and relax. Things are a little more leisurely here on the Friendly Isle. Lopez Island is 15 miles long with 63 miles of shoreline and everything from forests to farms to the Lopez Island Vineyards and Winery.

A ferry trip to Lopez Island starts with a long drive north to Anacortes. Far faster and convenient, a Kenmore Air floatplane flight from Seattle gets you there in about an hour, which gives you more time to relax into the all-natural beauty whether it’s looking out on the lagoon at Spencer Spit State Park or walking the rocky shoreline of Shark Reef Sanctuary. Furthermore, a meal at the serene Ursa Minor is a must for upscale island-sourced fare and a well-appointed wine list. It’s no wonder why so many artists and craftspeople are drawn to the seclusion and the simplicity that is found here. Don’t be surprised if some of them wave. Remember, it’s the Friendly Isle.

Check out our Kenmore Air live camera view of Fisherman Bay!

Curious to visit other destinations in the San Juan Islands?

Check out flights from Seattle to San Juan Island

Check out flights from Seattle to Orcas Island

SEAPLANE

FLOATPLANE

Fly to Lopez Island year-round from either Kenmore Air Harbor or Lake Union, arriving at the pier aboard one of Kenmore Air’s six-seat de Havilland Beavers or eight-seat Otters. If you’re seeking something more intimate, the Cessna 180 is a two to three passenger float plane that is a most economical charter flight option. Sorry, no complimentary baggage storage on-site.

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ACCOMMODATIONS

From camp sites to cottages to full-fledged resorts, you have a full range of choices when it comes to where you’ll be staying. Odlin County Park and Spencer Spit State Park both offer some of the best camping in the state. Lopez Farms has sites, too, in addition to cottages. But if you’re looking for something less rustic the Lopez Islander Resort and The Edenwild Boutique Inn are a pair of solid choices.

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LOPEZ ISLAND

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March 12, 2022/by [email protected]

Rosario Resort

ORCAS ISLAND

Rosario Resort

A LUXURIOUS PIECE OF HISTORY ON ORCAS ISLAND

DIRECT SEAPLANE FLIGHTS FROM SEATTLE TO ROSARIO RESORT

This slice of old-world elegance is literally a piece of history: Rosario Resort & Spa is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The mission-style mansion dates back to 1909, created by shipbuilder Robert Moran as a retreat amid incredible natural beauty. A place to relax, recover and recharge. Just don’t call it rustic, as it’s updated to include every modern convenience.

The resort is known for the craftsmanship of its construction and a full array of amenities from the full-service spa to the waterfront restaurant and fireside cocktail lounge. The Aeolian organ, which is composed of 1,972 pipes, is housed in a special music room. Located along Cascade Bay, this is one of the more special destinations served by Kenmore Air.

Check out out Kenmore Air live camera view of Rosario Resort!

Curious to visit other destinations in the San Juan Islands?

Check out flights from Seattle to Friday Harbor

Check out flights from Seattle to Lopez Island

SEAPLANE

FLOATPLANE

Seasonal service, April to October, flying from either Kenmore Air Harbor or Lake Union, arriving at the pier aboard one of Kenmore Air’s six-seat de Havilland Beavers or eight-seat Otters. If you’re seeking something more intimate, the Cessna 180 is a two to three passenger float plane that is the most economical charter flight option. Sorry, no complimentary baggage storage on-site.

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ROSARIO RESORT

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ORCAS ISLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Orcas Island is the largest in the archipelago, Mt. Constitution is the highest point and this island’s history as the former center of Washington’s fruit-packing industry can be tasted in the stands you’ll find across the island. It’s known as the gem of the San Juan Islands for good reason with a world of adventure and beauty waiting for you. (Video Credit Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce)

March 12, 2022/by [email protected]

West Sound

ORCAS ISLAND

West Sound

WEST SOUND IS A CHARMING VILLAGE ON ORCAS ISLAND

DIRECT SEAPLANE FLIGHTS FROM SEATTLE TO WEST SOUND

Orcas Island is the largest of the San Juans, and West Sound often gets overlooked. Sure, Rosario Resort offers Old World elegance and Eastsound is the island’s bustling hub, but West Sound features food and farms that have earned Orcas Island its reputation in the culinary world while retaining a more laid-back approach.

A ferry ride to Orcas requires a drive up to Anacortes, but with Kenmore Air, you’re just a 1 hour 15 min. floatplane flight away before you’re traipsing up an island road to the Orcas Island Winery or discovering a food-and-farm tour. And don’t let the casual ambience fool you, the Kingfish Inn is a culinary gem and its partnership with nearby OrcaSong farm will have you absolutely eating up the scenery of West Sound.

Curious to visit other destinations in the San Juan Islands?

Check out flights from Seattle to Friday Harbor

Check out flights from Seattle to Lopez Island

SEAPLANE

FLOATPLANE

Seasonal service from April to September, departing either Kenmore Air Harbor or Lake Union, arriving at the pier aboard one of Kenmore Air’s six-seat de Havilland Beavers or eight-seat Otters. If you’re seeking something more intimate, the Cessna 180 is a two to three passenger floatplane that is a most economical charter flight option. Sorry, no complimentary baggage storage on-site.

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WEST SOUND

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ORCAS ISLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Orcas Island is the largest in the archipelago, Mt. Constitution is the highest point and this island’s history as the former center of Washington’s fruit-packing industry can be tasted in the stands you’ll find across the island. It’s known as the gem of the San Juan Islands for good reason with a world of adventure and beauty waiting for you.

March 12, 2022/by [email protected]

Desolation Sound

TOP-FLIGHT OPTIONS TO B.C.’S BIGGEST MARINE PARK

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

FLOATPLANE

Nanaimo

NANAIMO’S BEAUTY STRETCHES FROM MOUNTAIN TO SHORE

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

FLOATPLANE

VICTORIA SEAPLANE TERMINAL

Piece of history, place of beauty

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

FLIGHTS TO CANADA

FLIGHTS TO THE U.S.

Floatplane service

Lake Washington Scenic Flight

START YOUR SCENIC TOUR WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

LAKE WASHINGTON

SEATTLE’S SIGNATURE LANDMARK

VISIT SEATTLE | TAKING FLIGHT

San Juan Islands Scenic Flight

THE BEST WAY TO SEE THE SAN JUANS IS FROM ABOVE

SAN JUAN ISLANDS

DEEP HISTORY

Mount Rainier & Mount St. Helens

The Volcano Tour offers a peak experience

MOUNT RAINIER

MOUNT ST. HELENS

ABOUT THE FLIGHT TOUR

Seattle Scenic Seaplane Tour

SEE THE EMERALD CITY SHINE BELOW YOU

START IN THE HEART OF SEATTLE

OUR CITY’S SIGNATURE LANDMARK

VISIT SEATTLE | TAKING FLIGHT

Fisherman Bay

DIRECT SEAPLANE FLIGHTS FROM SEATTLE TO LOPEZ ISLAND

FLOATPLANE

Rosario Resort

DIRECT SEAPLANE FLIGHTS FROM SEATTLE TO ROSARIO RESORT

FLOATPLANE

ORCAS ISLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

West Sound

DIRECT SEAPLANE FLIGHTS FROM SEATTLE TO WEST SOUND

FLOATPLANE

ORCAS ISLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Lake Washington
Scenic Flight

San Juan Islands
Scenic Flight

Seattle Scenic
Seaplane Tour