Escape to Kitsap County
Sitting amid the icy waters of the Puget Sound, Kitsap County is the almost-island of Washington State. Just a series of bridges, ferries, and one tiny isthmus connect it to the lands of the Pacific Northwest and Seattle across the water. The result is a place of country hamlets and hearty small towns, where Kitsap County vacation rentals peer over the lapping Hood Canal, or spill down to private beachfronts where eye-watering glances of the Olympic Mountains dominate on the horizon. It's a real "get-away-from-it-all" option in WA.
Activities and attractions in Kitsap County
Are you searching for top things to see and do while you're in town? Although it can be tempting to stay in your comfortable vacation rental, you'll want to check out everything that makes Kitsap County a one-of-a-kind vacation spot. Here are some of the top attractions to see, all within 30 miles (48.2 km) of the city center:
- Seattle Center (14.8 mi / 23.8 km)
- Seattle Aquarium (14.8 mi / 23.8 km)
- Market Theater Gum Wall (14.9 mi / 23.9 km)
- Game Works (15.3 mi / 24.5 km)
- Woodland Park Zoo (16.4 mi / 26.4 km)
- Starfire Sports Complex (18.6 mi / 30 km)
Kitsap County caters for all
Kitsap County is a chameleon of a place. You can shop for antiques in the emporiums of Silverdale, or tour old battleships to unravel raw naval history. You can hop between local farmer's markets in the summer, or just laze on the rocky beaches of Bainbridge Island – the views of Seattle are to die for. The Puget Sound also beckons, promising underwater SCUBA adventure, boating trips to spy out splashing killer whales in the swells, or yachting lessons with trained skippers out of the local docks.
Kitsap County keeps going throughout the year
You could join the bigger crowds of people who flock across from Seattle to the charming towns and beaches of Kitsap County during the summer months of June, July, and August. You'll get the best weather for soaking up the Washington rays then, and be able to enjoy biking and boating with less chance of rain. However, if you're hoping to see the salmon spawn, then the fall – from October to November – is a better time to come, while the months between May and September are top for whale spotting on the Puget Sound.
Kitsap County juts into the Puget Sound
Kitsap County pokes up into the cold waters of the Puget Sound with the fork-like Kitsap Peninsula. For its whole length, it's cut through by waterways and bays. Some, like the wide Hood Canal, are large. Others, like tight-knit Dyes Inlet, are narrow. All are fringed with pockets of woodland and fir trees, while some look eastwards to the cityscape of Seattle, and others have gasp-producing views of the Olympic Mountains. It's between those peaks – arguably Washington's wildest region – that you'll find glaciers, hot springs, elks, and black bears.