In Seattle, you’re only miles from
one of the world’s great isles.
Many Days - Kitsap Peninsula Suggestions
Suquamish
For thousands of years, the Suquamish people occupied Bainbridge Island and the surrounding land. Today the town of Suquamish is at the center of the Port Madison Indian Reservation. It’s located just across the Agate Pass Bridge, the only bridge from the island.
Archeologists believe that the Suquamish village site has been occupied for at least 2,000 years. You can learn all about the Suquamish Nation at the town’s museum. You can also visit the grave of Chief Sealth, for whom Seattle is named. One of the Northwest’s most important Indian leaders, Chief Sealth died in 1866 at the age of 80. Also worth a look is the former site of Old Man House, the chief’s enormous longhouse on the beach.
Poulsbo
A little further up the road is Poulsbo. The town was originally founded by Scandinavians, mainly Norwegians and Finns. You can still see signs of Poulsbo’s heritage everywhere in the quaint Old Town on Liberty Bay. You’ll find several restaurants there along with a well-known bakery that ships its Poulsbo Bread worldwide. The boardwalk on the north end of the waterfront park is good for a stroll. The town’s excellent marina attracts boaters from throughout Puget Sound.
Port Gamble
About 30 minutes north of Poulsbo you’ll find a little town frozen in time. Port Gamble was created around a sawmill that was established in 1853 by some Maine lumbermen. They brought New England-style architecture and village planning with them. As the company town grew, Victorian frame houses were created, along with white picket fences and common greens. The sawmill was operated until it was closed in 1995, making it the longest continuously operated sawmill in the United States. Today, Port Gamble is a historic district with restaurants, shops, a picturesque church, a museum, and an old graveyard on a hill.
Silverdale
Silverdale is primarily known as the shopping center of Kitsap Peninsula. If you’re shopping for something, you’ll probably find it there. Since restaurants seem to go with shopping, you’ll find all kinds of places to eat, as well. The waterfront in Old Town also has a public dock that offers a good view of Dyes Inlet.
Seabeck
On the eastern shore of Hood Canal, you’ll find a quiet little village called Seabeck. Decades ago, it was a wide-open lumber town and one of the larger passenger ports west of Seattle. Stroll through Scenic Beach State Park for good views of Hood Canal and the Olympic Mountains.
Keyport
If you’re a military buff, there are two museums on the peninsula that are worth visiting. One is in the little town of Keyport. The nickname for Keyport is “Torpedo Town USA” because the U.S. Navy has used its facilities there to develop and test torpedoes since before World War II. Today, the primary tourist draw is the Naval Undersea Museum. It has a variety of exhibits on undersea technology, including the Trieste II, which has descended to 20,000 feet below sea level.
Bremerton
The other military museum is in Bremerton, the long-time home of the Puget Sound Naval Base and the northern port for the Pacific Fleet. The Puget Sound Navy Museum is housed in the shipyard’s administration office, built in 1896. The museum’s exhibits cover the history of the Navy in Puget Sound. You can also take a self-guided tour of the USS Turner Joy, a destroyer commissioned in 1959 and used during the Cold War and the Vietnam War. Bremerton’s waterfront has recently been rebuilt and now features an expanded marina, convention center, hotel and a variety of shops and restaurants.
Gig Harbor
Further south, just a few miles northwest of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, you’ll come across Gig Harbor. It’s a picturesque town known for its commercial fishing fleet and pleasure boats. Around the harbor are all kinds of places to eat, drink and shop. You can also rent powerboats, sailboats, kayaks and other watercraft. Jerisich Dock and Skansie Brothers Park offer access to the bay.
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