Introduction
Puget Sound Area
Orientation
Neighborhoods
Lodging
Real Estate
RV Parks / Camping
RV Rental
Balloon Flights
Biking
Boating
Cruises
Fishing
Golfing
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Houseboating
Offroad - ATV
Rafting / Kayaking
Skiing/Boarding
Guides / Outfitters
Outdoor Gear
Attractions / Parks
Scenic Drives
Sightseeing Tours
Whale Watching
Books / Maps
Tourism Resources
Nearby Destinations
Transportation
Ferry System
Weather
Photo Gallery
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The Puget Sound Area
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The Puget Sound, an inland branch of the Pacific Ocean, connects the majority of Washington’s population – both physically and culturally. Work and recreation in the Puget Sound area are defined by water; the Port of Seattle and Port of Tacoma are two of the nation’s busiest cargo ports, and the state-run ferry system connects the large inland cities of Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia to the surrounding San Juan Islands, Whidbey Island, and the Kitsap Peninsula.
Click here for more information the Washington State Ferry System.
The area traditionally has been a world-hub for transportation, shipping, and industry – in recent years this has been extended to the high tech and aerospace. The people of the Puget Sound area have carved a niche in the Pacific Northwest in terms of vacation, recreational pursuits such as whale watching, sailing, or kayaking in the Puget Sound; hiking, mountain biking, and camping in the many forests and mountains in the Cascade Mountains, or skiing excursions to Mount Rainier to the south or Mount Baker to the north. |
For a big-city adventure, check out the Space Needle and Pike PlaceMarket in Seattle, or any number of the fine dining and cultural activities avilable throughout the Sound. Click here for a Washington State events calendar. Go-Washington.com is your one-stop website for all Washington vacation and tourism information, including the Puget Sound area.
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Puget Sound Destinations |
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Anacortes |
Population: 14,557 |
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Anacortes is the largest city on Fidalgo Island, the jump-off point to the rest of the San Juan Islands and very beautiful in its own right. Fidalgo Island is accessible from the mainland via bridges to the east (for Fidalgo is the easternmost of the islands). It's also connected via bridge to Whidbey Island. Much of the San Juan archipelago is inaccessible save by boat, but Anacortes is the site of the Washington State Ferry terminal. From here, you can not only explore the rest of the San Juans, but Sidney/Victoria, British Columbia. |
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Bellingham |
Population: 67,000 |
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Bellingham is a moderately sized, tree-lined city that shoulders up to
Bellingham Bay. Visitors who find the often wet but decidedly mild
temperatures of Bellingham more to their liking can still enjoy views
of the bay from waterfront parks, or catch the peak of Mt Baker rising
above the lesser mountains to the east of the city. There are also
regular services linking Bellingham to the San Juan Islands and
Victoria B.C. |
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Kitsap Peninsula |
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Only nine nautical miles from Seattle and separated from the Olympic
Peninsula by the Hood Canal, the Kitsap Peninsula provides a peaceful
escape from city traffic. The Great Peninsula, as Kitsap is actually
called, has so many arms of land jutting into the Puget Sound that the
area has a disproportionate amount of shoreline. Rocky beaches give
way to sandy shores, farm land and a forested interior. While Kitsap
lacks the soaring mountains characteristic of the Olympic Peninsula
interior, it has a different sort of appeal. |  |
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| Mount Baker |
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At 10,778 feet, Mt. Baker is covered year-round in a thick white blanket of snow. In spring, foliage and flowers appear at the base of Baker and ice-free streams flow freely again. By summer, alpine meadows have thrown their own quilt of color over Baker's flanks, and North Fork Nooksack River runs blue-green with cold run-off waters. Fall ushers in first frosts and trees turn to brilliant reds and yellows. Winter snows again envelope the area and provide a new range of recreational opportunities. There are more than 400 miles of trails around Mt. Baker, ranging from hour-long hikes to longer overnight trips. For views of the Cascades, choose from a number of trails that climb up out of the trees, usually steeply. If you're after vistas without the work, hike a mile-long loop in Heather Meadow at the end of Mt. Baker Highway. |  |
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Mount Rainier National Park |
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Mt. Rainier is 14,110 feet high, an active volcano covered in ice and
snow. The glaciers that keep this peak white and cold year round
stand in sharp contrast to the old-growth forests and subalpine
meadows ringing the mountain's flanks during spring and summer. Three
locations in the south provide access to the park, as does an entrance
on the northwest side and another in the east. Most visitors to Mt.
Rainier are after a quick peek at the peak or some camping and hiking
in the wilderness. |  |
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Olympia |
Population: 43,000 |
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Located at the south end of the Puget Sound, Olympia, Washington's
state capital, is graced with elegant government buildings and
gardens. Stroll across carefully groomed lawns for a closer look at
the dome on the Capitol. If you're after some fresh air after
exploring the inner workings of the State, mosey out to Capitol Lake
Park for fun in the water and a picnic on the grass. Or, walk along
the harbor for salt air and regular sea gull sightings. |
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Olympic National Park
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Population: 8,500
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From ice encrusted-crags to crisp glacial lakes, salty ocean beaches
and the deep, quiet damp of temperate rainforest, the Olympic National
Park is a small paradise on earth. Bears meander along slopes strewn
with wildflowers in summer, while visitors wander narrow trails that
penetrate this beautiful wilderness. A relatively short jaunt from
the civilized world, a visit to the Olympics can be short, sedate and
scenic or, with the proper pack, long, solitary and strenuous. |
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Port Townsend |
Population: 8,300 |
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Port Townsend runs down to the waters edge on the northeast corner of
the Olympic Peninsula. With spectacular views of the Olympics to the
south and a stretch of the Juan de Fuca straights to the north, Port
Townsend seems like the edge of wilderness, despite the close
proximity of the San Juan Islands, Whidbey Island and Victoria B.C.
Port Townsend has plenty of attractions to keep visitors occupied,
though most pass through on their way see Olympic splendors. |
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San Juan Islands |
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Low tide in the San Juan Islands leaves 786 islands dry; few of that
number are named and fewer still inhabited. San Juan Island, Orcas
Island, and Lopez Island have the largest year-round populations and
can be reached by ferry. Whales spouting offshore, orca-sightings and
beautiful seascapes keep the area flush with visitors during the
summer. The San Juan Islands offer protected inlets, islets and
regular breezes, making the area popular with sailors and sea-kayakers
alike. |  |
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Tacoma |
Population: 200,000 |
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Located just west of the Puget Sound's bear claw-like protrusion into
Washington lands, Tacoma has waterfront views in addition to a fine
selection of parks and cultural offerings. Port Defiance Park, north
of Tacoma's center, sprawls out on 700 acres of land jutting into the
Puget Sound. While the park's proximity to civilization limits
natural wildlife spotting, a zoo and aquarium allows visitors to
choose between tigers and sharks in a controlled environment. Arts
flourish in the Seattle-Tacoma area. Stop in at the Museum of Glass,
then, when glassy-eyed, head over to the Tacoma Art Museum or
Washington State History Museum for a little variety. Outdoor
enthusiasts will be pleased to know that Tacoma is within easy driving
distance from both Mt Rainier National Park and Mt St Helens National
Volcanic Monument. |
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Whidbey Island |
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Forests drop down to hidden coves, rocky beaches and steep cliffs at
Whidbey Island's edges. Connected to the Washington mainland by a
bridge spanning spectacular Deception Pass, this island is a popular
Puget Sound getaway for visitors up on the ferry from Seattle, or down
by road from the north. Despite the fact that the island is so easily
accessible, Whidbey Island is a worthwhile stop, crowds or no. |
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