Northwest Magazines

Western Washington Vacation Guide - Kitsap & Olympic Peninsula

There are several ways to reach the peninsulas, most over water. Land entrances are provided by Hwy 101, which nearly completes a loop. If you’re coming up the coast, continue north through Aberdeen, or start at the other end of the highway where it meets I–5 in Olympia. Washington State Ferries and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge take you to the Kitsap Peninsula from the eastern side of Puget Sound. Another connects Port Townsend with Whidbey Island, and private ferry connections link Port Angeles with Victoria, British Columbia.

KITSAP PENINSULA
Most visitors reach the Olympic Peninsula by first crossing the Kitsap Peninsula. This landmass misses being an island only by virtue of a narrow ridge between Hood Canal and Case Inlet. The Hood Canal Floating Bridge has also made the peninsula more accessible.

Port Orchard
Port Orchard is on the south shore of Sinclair Inlet, 16 miles north of Gig Harbor. The waterfront district is decorated with a number of murals, while restaurants, delis, antique shops, art galleries, and a public marina impart a maritime atmosphere.

Marina Park is a popular gathering place, with a covered gazebo and a boardwalk. The beach is accessible here, and during the summer several festivals, concerts, and the outdoors Farmers Market take place. Naval shipyard harbor tours depart from the waterfront.

The Log Cabin Museum features a “family” that follows a seasonal story line depicting South Kitsap life. The building is actually an original settler’s cabin. Nearby is the Sidney Museum and Art Gallery.

Traveling west from Port Orchard on Hwy 166 to its intersection with Hwy 16, you will find the Elandan Gardens and its extensive bonsai collection. The 6-acre spread includes a gift store and nursery.

Bremerton
Bremerton is connected directly to downtown Seattle by Washington State Ferry service and is also easily accessible by car.

Kitsap & Olympic Peninsula

The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard dominates life in Bremerton. The USS Turner Joy, a naval destroyer, is on display at the Bremerton boardwalk. One of the compartments is a Prisoners of War memorial.

The Bremerton Naval Museum chronicles the history of the U.S. Navy through displays of ship models, naval weapons, photographs, and memorabilia. Next door is the Kitsap County Historical Museum.

Silverdale and Keyport
A few miles north of Bremerton is Silverdale, which has been transformed into the shopping magnet of Kitsap County.

Keyport serves as the home of the Naval Undersea Museum. This official naval museum depicts the history of torpedoes, mines, and submarines, and includes a Confederate mine from the Civil War.

Poulsbo
The principal town in north Kitsap County is Poulsbo on the northwest shore of Liberty Bay. Travelers on their way to the Olympic Peninsula via the Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry pass through the outskirts of the town. From this vantage, Poulsbo appears much like any suburb, but a few blocks away the appearance is transformed.

Downtown Poulsbo reflects the inhabitants’ efforts to hold onto their Scandinavian heritage, and Poulsbo is known as “Little Norway.” Shops and restaurants along Viking Way and Poulsbo Village remind visitors of Poulsbo’s past.

Kingston and Port Gamble
Kingston and Port Gamble were once a couple of lively timber towns. Life is a bit quieter now, but the communities have much to offer. Kingston, a gateway to the peninsula and Olympic National Park, sees ferry service from Seattle and Edmonds in its marina. The entire town of Port Gamble has been designated a National Historic District, maintaining the look and feel of its 1850s founding days.

Hood Canal
Hood Canal separates the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas. This 80-mile-long fjord—not a canal at all—was created when the glaciers retreated at the end of the last ice age. Clams, oysters, and crabs are harvested from its waters.

Quilcene and Brinnon
These two burgs on Hood Canal are nestled in the scenic area of Hwy 101 that threads between the eastern edge of the Olympic National Forest and the shore of Hood Canal. Both towns offer sheltered deep-water marinas and rivers—just right for kayaks and boats, scuba and fishing gear. Explore canal beaches for clams and oysters. Quilcene is home to a major oyster farm and historic museum. Brinnon has a world-renowned rhododendron nursery right on Hwy 101.Roads and trails access the eastern slopes of Olympic National Park.

Hoodsport is the largest community on Hood Canal, along Hwy 101 on the western shore. Wines can be tasted at Hoodsport Winery, which produces raspberry, rhubarb, and loganberry wines in addition to more traditional grape varieties.

The Hood Canal Bridge, 55 miles north of Hoodsport, crosses Hood Canal near its mouth. Supported by pontoons, this is one of the few floating bridges in the world that spans salt water.

OLYMPIC PENINSULA
The center of the Olympic Peninsula consists of the Olympic Mountain Range. The peaks of the range, along with much of the foothills, are a part of either Olympic National Park or Olympic National Forest. The park consists of high mountainous country, temperate rain forest, and nearly 40miles of shoreline along the Pacific.

Olympic National Park
Among the best known features of Olympic National Park are Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, Sol Duc Hot Springs, the Hoh Rain Forest, and Lake Quinault.

Hurricane Ridge overlooks the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The drive from Port Angeles is 17miles long and well-paved. The visitor center at the summit is open from May through September.

Hwy 101 skirts the southern shore of Lake Crescent, a deep, clear lake west of Port Angeles. Rooms and campsites are available. Boating and fishing are enjoyed on the lake, and biking and hiking are popular on shore at the Spruce Railroad Trail. A popular hike leads to Marymere Falls, and a more challenging hike leads to Mt. Storm King, 2000 feet above the lake.

Sol Duc Hot Springs has pools warmed by geothermal heat along the Sol Duc River. The resort here provides dining, massages, cabins, and campsites. This is an excellent base camp for hiking deeper into the park.

The Hoh Rain Forest is perhaps the single most famous aspect of the park. A wonderland of moss and verdant growth, the forest is created by the tremendous rains that fall in the valley of the Hoh River as moisture-laden air sweeps off the Pacific and rises over the mountains. Start in Forks and follow the main road into the park to the visitor center. Several popular hikes lead through the forest and there is some wheelchair accessibility.

Lake Quinault
Lake Quinault is a large lake where the Olympic National Park meets the Quinault Indian Reservation. Besides camping near the shores, visitors are welcomed at the Lake Quinault Lodge, a large rustic lodge built in 1926.Kalaloch Lodge, in a similar rustic style, is situated on the ocean farther north.

La Push
La Push is both the headquarters of the Quileute Indian Tribe and the largest community along the coastal section of the park. Tribal art and artifacts can be purchased in town and there are cabins and a restaurant right on the beach. Rialto Beach is close to town.

Port Townsend
Perched on the point where Puget Sound joins the open sea, Port Townsend has been welcoming visitors for more than 150 years. In 1888, John Muir wrote, “This being the port of entry, all vessels stop here, and they make a lively show about the wharves and in the bay.”  Ships made it lively then as throngs of tourists do today. One of only three Victorian port towns on the National Historic Registry, the history of Port Townsend is one of commercial dreams, growth, abandonment, and rebirth. Port Townsend
offers more than a glimpse of some of the finest period architecture in the Northwest. Visitors won’t find much in the way of national-brand lodging, but historic hotels and mansions have been converted into bed-and-breakfast inns.

Fort Worden State Park, at the northern edge of town, was one of the primary shore defenses for Puget Sound. Its military role declined after World War II, and eventually it became a part of the Washington State Parks system. Today, it is home to the Centrum Arts and Creative Education Center, which conducts more than 80 festivals, workshops, and concerts annually. Don’t miss visiting the Marine Science Center and Point Wilson Lighthouse.

Sequim
Sequim (pronounced skwim) and the surrounding Dungeness Valley are strongly affected by the rain shadow of the Olympics. The same forces that squeeze moisture out of the atmosphere on the rain forest side work in reverse here. The climate is so dry that local farmers require irrigation. Sequim has become a mecca for retirees and golfers. The Lavender Festival in July has grown to be one of the peninsula’s largest events. Those who cannot attend the festival will find most farms open year-round.

The country’s longest natural sand spit is Dungeness Spit, which projects into the Strait of Juan de Fuca north of Sequim. The Dungeness Recreation Area provides hiking trails, fishing, and horseback riding. The Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge protects habitat while providing viewing opportunities for the public.

Port Angeles
With a population of almost 20,000, Port Angeles is the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Due to the city’s position immediately north of Olympic National Park and south across the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Victoria, British Columbia, it serves a gateway to these regions. Near the ferry terminals are visitor centers with information about the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island.

While in Port Angeles check out the Arthur Feiro Marine Life Center on the waterfront and pick up a brochure for guided or self-guided historic tours of the downtown or a map for the Art on the Town walking tour.

The headquarters of the Olympic National Park is in Port Angeles. It includes an extensive visitor center with displays, activities, and information.

The Port Angeles Waterfront Trail allows hikers or bikers to connect to the Olympic Discovery Trail, which extends east of town for 20 miles to Sequim. This trail also continues out to the end of Ediz Hook, a sand spit almost as long as its famous cousin at Dungeness. Benches are provided along the trail and restrooms and picnic sites are available.

The Port Angeles Fine Arts Center features a collection of contemporary art, several by Northwest artists. There is also a 5-acre outside art exhibit.

The Museum of the Clallam County Historical Society in the renovated Carnegie Hall provides exhibits, artifacts, text, historic photographs, and displays that focus on the county’s heritage and culture.

Neah Bay
West of Port Angeles, Hwy 101 runs inland. Turn on Hwy 112 to stay along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Only a few communities dot the shores of the strait itself, like Sekiu on Clallam Bay, famous as a base for fishing charters. Neah Bay is located within the borders of the Makah Indian Reservation, and it is the most northwesterly town in the contiguous United States.

A walking trail connects Neah Bay with Cape Flattery, the most northwesterly point. An observation deck and picnic tables are provided at the end of the trail, from which visitors can see Tatoosh Island, a former Makah fishing and whaling camp. Such wildlife as puffins, sea otters, and seals live in the vicinity. Orcas and gray and humpback whales are also occasionally seen.

Forks
As one of the last frontiers developed in Western Washington in the last half of the 19th century, Forks is known for its pioneer and homestead spirit. The Forks Timber Museum displays intriguing reminders of the pioneer loggers, as well as the coastal natives. The building itself was constructed in 1990 by the carpentry class of Forks High School.