July 2006
Go West
Explore the Kitsap Peninsula
This summer, head to the west side of the Puget Sound to explore the Kitsap Peninsula. You’ll find a slower pace and more open space than you will on the urbanized, east side of the Sound. The Peninsula is almost an island, surrounded on three sides by water with more than two hundred miles of shoreline, making most of the towns on or in sight of the water. Various outings – from camping to boating to biking to shopping to museum hopping – entice visitors to explore the towns and their histories. Here are five ways to enjoy the Peninsula.
Explore the History
Kitsap Peninsula offers four unique museums that highlight facets of the area’s history.
The first people to live here, thousands of years ago, were ancestors of the current Suquamish tribe. The Port Madison Indian Reservation is home to the Suquamish Tribal Center and Museum, heralded by the Smithsonian Institute as outstanding. Children will enjoy listening to videos of elders recounting memories about traditional games and growing up. A replica of Ole Man House, the longhouse that served as home for leaders and a site for community festivities, is on display in the museum in remembrance of the original longhouse built at the water’s edge. Exhibits focus on the importance of canoes, baskets and the traditional way of life for the people. Suquamish leader Chief Sealth, for whom Seattle was named, is buried in the tribal cemetery near the museum.
Ole Man House State Park, a small waterfront park about five minutes from the Museum, honors its namesake cedar longhouse, built around 1800. Although the 900-foot-long structure no longer exists, you can see where it once stood. There is a beach where children can roam looking for shells, while adults enjoy the views of the Puget Sound. It is an excellent place for a picnic. If you did not plan a picnic, stop at the tribal run restaurant at the Clearwater Casino for a reasonably priced lunch.
Take the ferry from downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island
and drive Highway 305 toward Poulsbo. Follow the "Suquamish Museum
and Tribal Center" signs. Open Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. October
through April; daily, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., May through September. Admission:
$4 adults; $2 children younger than 13. 360-598-3311. www.suquamish.nsn.us/museum.
The Naval Memorial Museum of the Pacific (Bremerton Naval
Museum) in Bremerton highlights the importance of the Navy to this area,
telling the history of the Naval Shipyard and of naval warfare through
the ages. The Naval Shipyard has been in Bremerton for more than 100 years,
and Bremerton considers itself a naval town, as numerous fleets have been
stationed there. At the museum, children enjoy pretending to captain a
battleship by steering it through Puget Sound. See historical artifacts,
including a cannon that is more than 1,000 years old.
Take the ferry from downtown Seattle to Bremerton; the museum is located next to the ferry dock at 402 Pacific Ave. Open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday 1 - 4 p.m. Admission is free. 360-479-7447. Bremnavmuseum@aol.com. www.museumsusa.org/museums/info/1157719.
Near the Museum is the USS Turner Joy, a decommissioned destroyer. Built in Seattle in 1959, it served mainly in the Pacific during the Vietnam War era and was taken out of service in 1982. It is restored to look as it did when active and is open daily for tours. Most areas are accessible. The small living and dining quarters fascinate children.
Follow directions to the Naval Museum above; the ship is located at 300 Washington Beach Ave., near the ferry terminal. Open daily, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Admission: $8 adults, $7 seniors, $6 children 5 to12. 360-792-2457. www.ussturnerjoy.org.
The Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport, between Silverdale and Poulsbo, focuses on submarines. There are five major exhibit areas, starting with the general “Ocean Environment,” featuring a video of the underwater “smokers” (eruptions) and life near them. Learn about the history of diving, from first diving bells to modern submersibles. A key attraction for kids is the control room of a submarine. Old and newer torpedoes are also exhibited.
From Seattle, take the ferry to Bremerton and drive Highway 3 north to Route 308. Turn right (east) on Route 308 and follow the signs to Keyport and the museum. Open daily, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., June through September; Wednesday-Monday, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m., October through May. Admission and parking are free. 360-697-1129. www.keyportmuseum.cnrnw.navy.mil.
Take a Hike
The Peninsula has nine state parks as well as 14 county and numerous city parks.
One of my favorites is Scenic Beach State Park in Seabeck. On a clear day, you will have a fabulous view of the Olympic Mountains. This 88-acre park is ideal for a day of hiking, with a picnic or overnight camping in the summer. You can also go beachcombing or play volleyball or horseshoes near the 50-plus tent campsites. The campground is close to Green Mountain Forest, with more hiking trails. Fishing and sailing are also available, with a boat launch half a mile east of the park. You can even gather oysters in season!
Take the Seattle ferry to Bremerton and drive north on Highway 3 to Silverdale, or take the Edmonds ferry to Kingston and drive south on Highway 307 and south on Highway 3 to Silverdale. From Silverdale, drive to Newberry Hill Road; turn right on Seabeck Highway; drive six miles and turn right on Scenic Beach Road; drive one mile to the park. Open throughout the year, 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. in summer, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. in winter. No charge for day parking; standard campsite fee is $15. 1-888-CAMPOUT (226-7688). www.parks.wa.gov.
At the north end of the Peninsula, hikers can visit Point No Point Lighthouse and Park. See the plaque noting the signing of the Treaty of 1855 between the United States and three tribes, the Chimacum, Skokomish and S’Klallam, on the land spit at Point No Point. The lighthouse is the oldest on Puget Sound, having been in service since 1880. The Kitsap County Department of Facilities, Parks and Recreation leases the land, runs the lighthouse and maintains the beach area surrounding it. It is open for touring on weekends between noon and 4 p.m. April 1 through Sept. 3.
Take the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston. From Highway 104, 2.3 miles west of Kingston, go north on Miller Bay Road which will shortly thereafter become Hansville Road. After approximately 7.5 miles on this road, turn right on Point No Point Road and follow it to the lighthouse at its end. 360-337-5350. www.kitsapgov.com/parks.
Not far from the Lighthouse, near Hansville, is the Nature Conservancy’s Foulweather Bluff. Considered a coastal lagoon, it is a fun hike through second growth forest and a brackish marsh ending at the beach. Children will enjoy watching great blue herons hunting and eating, and you can also see ducks and seabirds.
Take the ferry from Seattle to Winslow on Bainbridge Island, and take Route 305 across Agate Pass; turn right immediately on Suquamish Way and continue through Suquamish to Hansville; from Hansville, proceed 2.8 miles on Twin Spits Road. The preserve is on the left. Look for the trail access between two “no parking dusk-to-dawn” signs. Open during daylight hours. 206-343-4344. www.nature.org/washington.
Stroll Through a Garden
Check out the six acres of Elandan Gardens to see more than 100 different bonsai, including one nearly 1,500 years old, all set among waterfalls, ponds and sculptures. Close to the waterfront, this unique place for families includes a nursery, gift store and strolling garden. Children will love the “small trees” along with all the other plantings.
Take the ferry from Seattle to Bremerton. Off the ferry, take the first left onto Burwell Avenue, also known as Route 304 east. Follow Route 304, which merges with Route 3 south. Route 3 merges with Highway 16 east. Since Elandan Gardens is on the water side of the highway, pass it and continue on Highway 16 eastbound. Take the first Port Orchard exit and turn right onto Tremont Avenue. Make the first left turn back onto Highway 16, this time headed west. The gardens are the first driveway on your right. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 360-373-8260. www.elandangardens.com.
At Bloedel Reserve at the north end of Bainbridge Island, enjoy 150 acres of gardens, woodlands with hundreds of different types of trees, natural ponds and a reflecting pond, and a Japanese Garden and Teahouse. All cars park at the front gate, allowing you to walk a large loop. A leisurely stroll will take about two hours, and the paths accommodate strollers. Reservations limit the number of people entering the reserve to 20 each half-hour, so it never feels crowded. Stop at the stately main house and visitor’s center, about halfway through, for a brief tour of the past owner’s house. Head back outside to sit for a few minutes to enjoy the panoramic view of the bay. Eat before coming because you can’t bring food into the reserve. Pets have to stay home.
Find detailed directions online. Reservations are required to tour the reserve – call 206-842-7631. Open Wednesday-Sundays, except federal holidays, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Admission: $10 adults, $8 for 65 and older, $6 for children 5 to 12. www.bloedelreserve.org.
Shop till You Drop
Adults may be excited by the large number of antique shops in Port Orchard, known as the “antique capitol” of the Peninsula. To delight children as well as adults, head to Springhouse Dolls and Gifts in a pink Victorian house. Right next door is the Victorian Rose Tearoom, a lunch spot where you are surrounded by dolls and teddy bears. A children’s menu is provided for younger children. For a special outing, try going on the fourth Sunday of each month when high tea is served.
Take the Tremont exit from Highway 16; go right to Bethel Road; turn left and keep going until you see the pink building on your left – Springhouse Dolls and Gifts and the Tearoom are in the same building at 1130 Bethel Ave. 360- 876-0529. www.springhousegifts.com.
Poulsbo, known as “Little Norway,”
is a picturesque little town with numerous stores featuring its Scandinavian
history. Located between Bremerton and Kingston, this town was named after
Paulsbo, Norway because its location resembled the fjords of Norway. The
filing clerk thought the “a” looked like an “o”
and the name stuck! The blue and white storefronts downtown reflect the
colors of the Norwegian flag. Check out Liberty Bay Park on the waterfront,
where you can bring a picnic and watch the fishing boats. Make a stop
at Sluy’s Bakery, which invented Poulsbo Bread.
Get Active
Bring your bikes to ride on the Kitsap Peninsula, especially in Poulsbo or Bainbridge Island. The less-traveled roads make for good day rides for families. Bainbridge Island has several bike routes, although most tend to be hilly. Check out the Squeaky Wheels Club (www.squeakywheels.org) for a cycling map of the island. They list four beginner rides that are on relatively flat paths. Cascade Bicycle Club offers several group rides including a big family ride, Kitsap Color Classic, in October (www.cascade.org). The West Sound Cycling Club, based in Silverdale, offers regularly scheduled rides (www.westsoundcycling.com). If your family prefers mountain biking, try Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club (www.bbtc.org).
Another option: leave the land and explore the miles of coastline. Rent a kayak from Olympic Outdoor Center in Poulsbo, located downtown on Front Street, and explore Liberty Bay from the water. Consider one of the introductory lessons with tours led by experienced naturalists (360-697-6095; www.olympicoutdoorcenter.com). Back of Beyond, located in Winslow, offers kayak and canoe rentals on Bainbridge Island’s Eagle Harbor. They also offer tours for all levels (206-842-9229; www.tothebackofbeyond.com).
Gig Harbor Rent a Boat, at 8829 N. Harborview Drive in Gig Harbor, also offers kayaks for rent, as well as sailboats and powerboats for family outings (253-858-7341; www.gigharborrentaboat.com). The Gig Harbor Sailing Club and School at 3226 Harborview Drive has a two-hour “Introduction to Sailing” trip and harbor tour, where you can learn a few things or just sit back and enjoy being on the water. Your family might enjoy it enough to take classes to learn to sail (253-858-3626; www.gigharborsailing.com). Children need to be at least 8 years old to take classes.
The Kitsap Peninsula offers something for everyone in the family – outdoors or indoors, active or slow-paced. This year discover the other side of the Sound.
Janice Lovelace is a Bothell freelance writer, photographer and traveler.
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