Western Washington Travel Tips



Western Washington Travel

By Ken Rury, Poulsbo, WA

freepages.genealogy.~krury

Call 800-544-1800 x800 for free WA Travel Pack.

See also .

Seattle

Museum of Flight $8

9404 East Marginal Way S., Seattle WA

Pacific Science Center $12

200 2nd Ave N Seattle, Phone: (206) 443-2001

Pike Place Market

Farmers market and crafts.

Seattle Aquarium $8 / Omnidome $7

1483 Alaskan Way, Pier 59 Seattle, WA 98101

Seattle Art Museum $7

100 University St., Seattle, Ph: (206) 654-3100

Space Needle $9/ Pacific Science Center $12

203 6th Ave N Seattle, WA 98109

Underground Tour $8 (also see Pioneer Sq.)

608 First Ave Seattle, Ph: (888) 608-6337

Woodland Park Zoo $8.50

5500 Phinney Ave N Seattle Ph: (206) 684-4800

Western Washington

Bloedel Reserve $6

7571 NE Dolphin Dr, reservations (206) 842-7631

Enchanted Village $13 Wild Waves $26 inc. both

$3 parking, $3 locker, $3 rubber raft, $10 paradrop

36201 Enchanted Parkway S, Federal Way, WA

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

11610 Trek Dr E Eatonville, WA 98328

(on SR 161, from Seattle south on I5 exit #142B)

Ph: (360) 832-6117 or (800) 433-8735

Mount Rainier National Park

Paradise: South on SR 7 then east on SR 706 through Elbe and Ashford to the Nisqually Entrance

Ph: (360) 569-2211 2hrs from Seattle

Mount St. Helens

Mt. St. Helen is a full day trip, but worth the effort. Take Castle Rock exit (#49) off I5 to SR504. Try to make the Visitor Center right when it opens to give you plenty of time to stop at each VC along the way. Be sure to make Johnston Ridge VC at least an hour before closing at 6pm. Includes a movie of the eruption so skip the Omnidome in Seattle.

Olympic Peninsula

See Port Townsend and Fort Worden Park 45min, Hurricane Ridge 3hrs, Olympic Game Farm (1423 Ward Rd, Sequim) & Dungeness Spit 45min, Hoh Rain Forest and the Hot Springs 3-4hrs.

Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium

5400 N Pearl Tacoma, Phone: (253) 591-5268

Also take a drive around the outside of park.

Sports Events

If you go to a 7:00pm sport event, leave Poulsbo by 3:30, park at the ferry ($6) and walk on. Eat at Pioneer Square as you walk to the stadiums. If you leave earlier take the Underground Tours.

WA State Ferry

The best view is on the WA State Ferry (206) 515-3400. Poulsbo to B.I. ferry is 20 min then to Seattle 35min. Walk-ons pay $4 only from Seattle. One car/driver costs $8 each way. View Puget Sound, Mt Rainier, Mt. Baker and Seattle. If taking a day trip to Seattle you should park at the ferry $6 and walk on. The Bremerton run also goes to Seattle and Kingston goes to Edmonds.

Poulsbo Self Tour

Poulsbo, is one of the most beautiful, relaxing towns in WA with a beautiful downtown waterfront park, marina and stores including Marine Science Center, antiques, Scandinavian tourist stuff, world class bakery, chocolates, ice cream, and restaurants. No crowds, no hassle. Across Liberty Bay on Viking Ave is a new Movie Theater and other stores. Adjacent to Hy 305 is the Poulsbo Village Shopping Center. Take Chung's Teriyaki to go or eat at J.J's. Fish House at waterfront. Stay at the Holiday Inn Express, (360-697-4400 on 19801 7th Ave NE) or Poulsbo Inn (360-697-779-3921 on 18680 Hy 305).

Kitsap County Self Tour (several days)

See the free Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport. Then go on to Silverdale and eat at Spiros Pizza or Silver City Brew & Eatery (family oriented). Rest at the Silverdale Waterfront Park or shop at the Silverdale Mall. In Bremerton see the Waterfront Park, museums or tour the Turner Joy ship. Go to B.I. and see the Bloedel Reserve. See Elandan Gardens in Gorst and take a scenic drive to Olympia (save 25 min.) via Gorst, Belfair, Allyn and Shelton on Hy 3.

Seattle Self Tour Day 1 (or split into 2 days)

Walk-on ferry to Seattle by 10:00. A car takes too much time/$. Walk the waterfront to the left of the ferry, check out Ye Olde Curiosity Shop and Seattle Aquarium. Walk across the street to the Pike Place Hill Climb. You can take an elevator or walk a good flight of stairs to the top. You can spend a day here so walk the market on top down to the park, cross the street to the right and find a bite to eat. Walk south on 1st 4 blocks to Seattle Art Museum on University St. Go to 3rd floor of Westlake Center at 5th and Pine to catch Monorail ($1.80 round trip) to Seattle Center. Check times for Imax movies and Science Center closing. Schedule around it. Rest at the giant water fountain or go up the Space Needle. Eat at food court. Save the amusement rides for last. Ride Monorail to Westlake and catch a free bus to ferry.

Seattle Self Tour Day 2 & 3

Take I5 north to N 50th and Fremont to the Woodland Park Zoo. Spend 3-4 hrs here and if you still have energy head south on I5 to exit 158 to Marginal Way for the Museum of Flight. Day 3 Enchanted Village/Wild Waves located between Tacoma/Seattle. Many things cost extra, so bring plenty of $, apply suntan lotion often, no metal on swim suits, drink lots of fluids.

Seattle Self Tour Day 4 (shopping day)

Downtown on 1st, the Pioneer Sq. area offers a variety of unique stores. Catch a bus to 5th and Pine to Nordstrom, Bon Marche and Westlake Center Mall.

Seattle CityPass $26.50

You can buy a City Pass at any of the sponsoring sites, which include the Aquarium, Seattle Art Museum, Space Needle, Science Center, Imax movie, Woodland Park Zoo, and Museum of Flight. Save 50% and skip ticket lines.

Weather

The weather rarely matches the weather report. It may rain in one part and be dry in another. A cloudy day often will burn off after morning. A clear sky is preferred for the beach at Ocean Shores or mountains. Be prepared for rain.

Send travel tips & ideas to krury@.

Rev 2.0 07/06/1999, author has no affiliation with sites. Costs are rounded.

Directions to Poulsbo, Washington

Poulsbo is in north Kitsap County, west of the Puget Sound, north of Bremerton and east of Hood Canal.

Tacoma 75 min., Seattle 60-90 min., Edmonds 45 min., B.I. 20 min., Olympia 90-120 min. to Poulsbo.

Directions from Sea-Tac Airport via Ferry: Go north from Sea-Tac airport on the access road leaving the terminal or parking area, stay in the right lanes. Follow the “To Freeway” signs for 1.7 miles to the 518 freeway. Exit to your right off the freeway access road onto the 518 freeway at the “To 518, 5, 405 Seattle” sign. Move into the left lane as soon as possible. Go 1.3 miles east to I5. Exit off the 518 freeway to your left at the “I5 North Seattle” sign. Go north on I5 for 9.9 miles (move into right lanes after going 7 miles on I5). Exit to your right off I5 at the “Exit 164B, 4th Ave. S” sign. (The 164B exit immediately follows the 164A exit). Stay in the right lane for .6 miles to “4th Ave. South” sign. Turn right at “4th Ave. South”, stay in the right lane for .1 miles to Royal Brougham. Turn right onto Royal Brougham, stay in the right lane. Go west for .4 miles to intersection of Alaskan Way and Royal Brougham. Turn right and stay in the left lane. Go north for .6 miles to ferry terminal entrance and turn left. Take the Washington State Ferry to Bainbridge Island (35 minute crossing), proceed from the Bainbridge Island terminal to Poulsbo via Hy 305 (11 miles).

Directions from Sea-Tac Airport via Highway: Take I-5 South from the airport to Tacoma. From Tacoma take the Bremerton Hy 16 exit from I-5 (figure 75 min. from here). Hy 16 merges into Hy 3 at Gorst, proceed North toward Bremerton until you see the Hy 3 North or Silverdale sign. Take Hy 3 North beyond Silverdale, bypass the first Poulsbo exit, continue, taking the second Poulsbo-Kingston - Bainbridge Island Exit (Hy 305 south). Exit right, then merge left onto 305, proceed straight through traffic light. Hy 305 runs through Poulsbo. Travel time approximately 1.5 hours.

Directions from Everett: Take the Washington State Ferry from Edmonds to Kingston (30 min), proceed from the Kingston terminal to Poulsbo via the Port Gamble and then Bond Road (10 miles). Turn left off of Bond Rd onto Hy 305, which runs through Poulsbo.

Directions from Tacoma and Olympia: Take the Bremerton Hy 16 exit from I-5 (figure 75 min. from here). Hy 16 merges into Hy 3 at Gorst, proceed North toward Bremerton until you see the Hy 3 North or Silverdale sign. Take Hy 3 North beyond Silverdale, bypass the first Poulsbo exit, continue, taking the second Poulsbo-Kingston - Bainbridge Island Exit (Hy 305 south). Exit right, then merge left onto 305, proceed straight through traffic light. Hy 305 runs through Poulsbo.

Downtown Poulsbo: Take Hostmark or Lincoln down the hill from Hy 305 to Front Street. Park on Front Street or behind the stores is also a large parking area.

Poulsbo Village Shopping/Holiday Inn Express: turn into the Poulsbo Village shopping center off 305 at the N.E. Liberty Road traffic light, there is a Burger King and soon to be Denny's on the corner. At the Liberty Rd and 7th Ave stop sign turn right if going to the Holiday Inn or left if going to Poulsbo Village.

EDS: If you have followed the instructions to the Poulsbo Village shopping continue left on 7th Ave until you reach 8th Ave where you should turn left. The EDS office is in the 2-story red building on the corner of 8th and 7th. The main entrance is in the middle of the lower floor under the EDS sign.

Silverdale: From Poulsbo (15 min.) take Hy 305 west to Hy 3 south take the Silverdale exit and turn left at the light on Clear Creek Rd. Silverdale has the largest Mall west of the Puget Sound and there are also many large exterior stores like Price-Costco, HomeBase, Barnes&Nobles etc. The waterfront park is south on Silverdale Way, left on Linder Way or Byron St.

Bremerton: From Poulsbo (30 min.) take Hy 305 west to Hy 3 south take the Bremerton exit staying in the right lane it wraps around onto Waaga Way/Hy 303. Cross Warren Ave. Bridge and turn left on 11th St and follow to Kitsap Co. Historical Museum, USS Turner Joy, Naval Museum and Ferry Terminal.

Keyport: From Poulsbo (10 min.) take 305south to Keyport exit Hwy 308 or follow Front St. around Liberty Bay and turn left on Viking Way. Follow the signs to Keyport (left on Hwy 308 or Luoto Rd).

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