Local guide

Kingston: Ferry Town Day Trip from Olalla Bay

Kingston is a ferry town at the north end of Kitsap County, about 50 minutes from Olalla Bay. The day trip is the ferry itself: a 30-minute crossing from Edmonds with Olympic Mountain views, then a walkable waterfront downtown with a farmers market, a pub, a burger spot, a world-class pizzeria, and a crepe shop. Ten minutes north sits Port Gamble, an 1853 mill town preserved as a National Historic Landmark. Kingston is often called the Gateway to the Olympic Peninsula, and it earns the name.

A ferry ride, a waterfront downtown, and a mill town frozen in 1853.

By Assaf, the Olalla Bay editor. Updated October 2026.

A boat on calm Puget Sound water under a soft sky
A boat on calm Puget Sound water. Photo from the Olalla Bay collection.

Kingston is not a town you pass through. It is a town you arrive at by water, or you drive to the water to leave by boat. The Edmonds-Kingston ferry is the reason the town exists in its current form, and it shapes everything about a visit: the downtown clusters around the terminal, the park sits next to the dock, the restaurants face the water, and the rhythm of the day follows the ferry schedule. A day trip here is really two experiences stacked together, the crossing and the town, plus a third if you drive ten minutes north to Port Gamble, where time stopped in the 19th century.

From Olalla Bay, Kingston is about 50 minutes by car via WA-3 North and WA-104. The drive itself is unremarkable, a straight run through the middle of Kitsap County past Bremerton and Silverdale. The reward is at the end, when the road drops to the water and the ferry terminal appears. Plan a full day: morning ferry or drive, lunch in Kingston, afternoon in Port Gamble, and a ferry ride back if you want the water twice.

The ferry: the trip is the destination

The Edmonds-Kingston ferry is one of the great short crossings in Puget Sound. Washington State Ferries runs the route daily, with sailings roughly every 40 to 60 minutes, and the crossing takes about 30 minutes. The vessels normally assigned are the Jumbo-class MV Spokane and the Jumbo Mark II MV Puyallup, with MV Walla Walla as relief. These are large boats, and the upper decks give wide views in every direction.

From the water, the Olympics fill the western horizon. On a clear day the snow-covered peaks look close enough to touch, and the ferry threads between the mainland and Whidbey Island with open water on both sides. Seals and sea lions show up in the wake. Eagles ride the thermals over the shoreline. If you are lucky, you will spot a whale. The crossing is short enough that the whole trip feels like a bonus, not a commute.

There are two ways to use the ferry on a Kingston day trip. The first is to drive to Kingston, park, and ride as a walk-on passenger to Edmonds and back, treating the ferry as a sightseeing cruise. Walk-on passengers board at the Kingston terminal, and the round trip takes about an hour of sailing plus loading time. The second is to drive to Edmonds, park there, and ride to Kingston as a walk-on, then explore Kingston on foot. Both work. The Edmonds side has its own waterfront worth an hour if you have time.

Kingston also has a second ferry. Kitsap Transit runs a passenger-only fast ferry from Kingston to Pier 50 in downtown Seattle in about 40 minutes. The route launched in November 2018 and gives Kingston a direct water link to the city. For an Olalla Bay guest, the fast ferry is less useful as a day trip, since Seattle is a separate excursion, but it is worth knowing about: Kingston is connected to downtown Seattle by water in under an hour.

Practical details: Edmonds-Kingston ferry

Downtown Kingston: small, walkable, on the water

Downtown Kingston is compact. The whole commercial strip runs along NE State Highway 104 within a few blocks of the ferry terminal, and you can walk it in under an hour. The Port of Kingston runs the marina and Mike Wallace Park, which sits right next to the terminal. The park is the town square: a grassy waterfront lawn with a stage, picnic tables, and views across the Sound. On Sundays from May to October, the Kingston Public Market sets up here, with vendors selling produce, baked goods, crafts, and food truck meals, plus live music. The market runs 10am to 3pm and is worth timing a visit around.

The rest of the year, Mike Wallace Park is a quiet place to sit and watch the ferries come and go. In December, the town decorates the park with holiday lights, and the display draws visitors from across the county. The park is free, open year round, and a good base for a walk through town.

The shops along Highway 104 are local and low-key: a bookshop, a hardware store, a bakery, a coffee roaster, and a handful of restaurants. Nothing here is a chain. The pace is slow, and that is the point. Kingston is a town where you walk, you eat, you sit on a bench and watch the water, and you do not hurry.

Practical details: Mike Wallace Park and Kingston Public Market

Where to eat in Kingston

Kingston has a small dining scene, but it punches above its size. Four places anchor it, all within walking distance of the terminal.

The Kingston Ale House

The waterfront pub steps from the ferry. The Kingston Ale House has indoor and outdoor seating, a deck facing the water, and a menu of Northwest staples: halibut fish and chips, a smoked Beechers burger, and a smoked salmon chowder that has won Best of the Best in Kitsap County. Karaoke runs Friday and Saturday nights, trivia on Sunday evenings. It is the kind of place where you watch the ferry dock while you eat.

Practical details: The Kingston Ale House

The Grub Hut

The burger spot. The Grub Hut is a laid-back diner across from the Firehouse Theater with more than 30 burgers on the menu, plus sandwiches, gyros, shakes, and soft-serve ice cream in 25 flavors. The menu includes veggie patties and salads for lighter appetites. It was voted Best Burger by the North Kitsap Herald four years running, 2009 to 2012. Families come for the kids menu and the shakes. The vibe is unpretentious and loud in a good way.

Practical details: The Grub Hut

Sourdough Willy's Pizzeria

The surprise. Sourdough Willy's is a small pizzeria in Kingston that now holds a world title. Chef and owner Will Grant opened the shop in 2020, building every pie on a 129-year-old sourdough starter. In 2025, he became the first American ever to win the Premio Follie Lifetime Achievement Award at the Pizza World Cup in Rome. Seattle magazine named it an editorial pick for Best Pizza in the region. The signature is the New Yorker, a Sicilian-style pizza with pepperoni, Italian sausage, ricotta dollops, basil, and a drizzle of hot honey. The shop has waterfront views toward the ferry terminal and serves beer. It is the kind of place that makes a day trip worth it on its own.

Practical details: Sourdough Willy's Pizzeria

J'aime Les Crepes

The crepe shop. J'aime Les Crepes makes savory and sweet crepes to order with fresh ingredients. The savory menu includes a smoked salmon crepe with green onion, cream cheese, black pepper, and lemon juice. Sweet crepes come with fresh fruit and whipped cream, plus gelato. The shop is tiny, with a few tables, so many visitors carry their crepes across the street to the park. It opens early, 6am on weekdays, which makes it a good first stop if you arrive on an early ferry.

Practical details: J'aime Les Crepes

The Cup and Muffin

The coffee stop. The Cup and Muffin is a quick-service coffee and sandwich shop with a drive-thru, a short walk from the terminal. It serves breakfast sandwiches, including a sausage-and-egg English muffin, plus a hot Italian grinder and a lotus drink that regulars mention by name. Outdoor seating, free Wi-Fi, pet-friendly tables. It is the practical choice if you need coffee before the ferry or a sandwich to take on the boat.

Practical details: The Cup and Muffin

Port Gamble: a mill town frozen in 1853

Ten minutes north of Kingston, Port Gamble is one of the most remarkable small towns in Washington. It was founded in 1853 by the Puget Mill Company, a partnership of Josiah Keller, William Talbot, and Andrew Pope. The founders built it to look like their hometown of East Machias, Maine: white clapboard houses, steep roofs, white picket fences, maple-lined streets, and a white-steepled church on the water. The mill they built ran continuously until 1995, making it the longest-running lumber operation in North America. In 1966, the town was declared a National Historic Landmark. The National Park Service has called it the finest example of a nineteenth-century Pacific Coast logging community.

Walking Port Gamble today feels like stepping into a living museum. The 120-acre historic district is compact and easy to explore on foot. The centerpiece is the Port Gamble General Store and Cafe, in a building restored to its 1916 form. The store sells gifts, souvenirs, espresso, sandwiches, soups, and ice cream. Upstairs sits the Sea and Shore Museum, a shell collection. Next door, the Port Gamble Historic Museum covers the town's logging and maritime past, with exhibits on the mill, the founders, and the S'Klallam people whose land the town occupies. The museum is open Thursday through Sunday, noon to 5pm.

The St. Paul's Episcopal Church, built in 1870 from the same plans as the village church in East Machias, stands on Rainier Avenue above the water. It is one of the most photographed buildings in Kitsap County and still hosts weddings and Sunday services. The town also has a cemetery, Buena Vista, established in 1856, where early settlers are buried. Guided ghost walks run October through April, using the town's preserved buildings as backdrop.

Port Gamble is still a company town in a sense: there are no homeowners. Everyone rents. In 2020, Rayonier acquired the holdings of Pope Resources and now manages the town. The preservation is careful and deliberate, and the result is a place that feels less like a tourist attraction and more like a town that simply never changed.

Practical details: Port Gamble

Trails: two heritage parks

Kingston has two large forest parks, both free, both worth a visit if you want to stretch your legs after lunch.

Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park

The bigger of the two. Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park covers 3,493 acres with more than 60 miles of trails, a dedicated mountain-bike ride park, and water access for kayaking. The trails wind through second-growth forest, wetlands, and shoreline with views of Port Gamble Bay. The Beaver Trail Loop, 2.4 miles and rated easy, is a good introduction: it starts in the park, heads into dense woods, passes small ponds, and can be muddy in wet weather. The park is multi-use, shared by hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians. Hikers have the right of way, but watch for bikes on blind corners. Dogs are not allowed in some areas.

Practical details: Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park

North Kitsap Heritage Park

The quieter of the two. North Kitsap Heritage Park covers 799 acres of forest and wetland on Miller Bay Road, with more than 10 miles of trails. The terrain ranges from old logging roads to narrow footpaths, and the park protects the headwaters of Grovers Creek and Carpenter Creek, two salmon streams. The Spine Line Trail, 2.7 miles, is the main route. The park is a good choice for a peaceful walk, trail running, or birding. It is less busy than Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park and feels more remote.

Practical details: North Kitsap Heritage Park

A sample Kingston day

Morning: Drive from Olalla Bay to Kingston, about 50 minutes. Park near the terminal. Walk the waterfront, then ride the ferry to Edmonds and back as a walk-on for the views. Or skip the ferry ride and head straight to the Cup and Muffin for coffee.

Midday: Lunch in Kingston. Pick one: Ale House for fish and chips on the deck, Grub Hut for burgers and shakes, Sourdough Willy's for world-class pizza, or J'aime Les Crepes for a savory crepe. After lunch, browse the shops along Highway 104 and sit in Mike Wallace Park.

Afternoon: Drive 10 minutes north to Port Gamble. Walk the historic district, visit the General Store and the museum, and photograph St. Paul's Church. If you want a hike, stop at Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park on the way back and walk the Beaver Trail Loop.

Evening: Drive back to Olalla Bay, or ride the ferry one more time if you want the water at golden hour. The return drive is about 50 minutes.

Practical tips before you go

Ferry schedules change. Check Washington State Ferries and Kitsap Transit before you go if you plan to ride. The Fall 2026 Kingston to Edmonds schedule runs September 20 to December 26, with the first departure at 4:45 AM and the last at 11:10 PM. Boarding passes are required for vehicles on weekends and holidays, 8am to 8pm, to hold a place in line at Kingston.

Business hours change by season. The Kingston Public Market runs May to October. The Port Gamble Historic Museum is open Thursday through Sunday. Check official sites before you drive.

Kingston is walkable, but Port Gamble and the heritage parks require a car. Park once in Kingston, walk downtown, then drive to Port Gamble and the parks.

For more Kitsap day trips, see Things to Do in Bremerton, Fox Island, and Olympic National Park Day Trips from Olalla Bay.