Local guide

The rain comes. The day stays good.

Rain is part of the South Sound from November through March, and the area plans for it. In Gig Harbor, the Harbor History Museum is the closest indoor stop: a waterfront maritime museum open Wednesday through Saturday, with a restored 1893 one-room schoolhouse, a 65-foot fishing vessel, and the story of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse. The Gig Harbor library branch runs free storytimes and kids' programs through the week. Across the water, the Puget Sound Navy Museum in Bremerton is free and next to the ferry terminal, Bainbridge Island pairs a hands-on kids' museum with a free art museum steps from the dock, and Tacoma stacks the Museum of Glass, LeMay America's Car Museum, the Washington State History Museum, and the Tacoma Art Museum into one 35-minute day trip.

The house itself is built for gray days: the hot tub in the rain, the deck when it breaks, and the game room in between. These are the best excuses to leave it.

Written by Assaf, the Olalla Bay editor. Updated October 2026.

In Gig Harbor itself

Harbor History Museum. At 4121 Harborview Drive on the waterfront, the museum covers the Gig Harbor Peninsula: permanent galleries, rotating special exhibits, the restored 1893 Midway Schoolhouse, the 65-foot purse seine vessel Shenandoah, and the first Thunderbird sailboat ever built. It is open Wednesday through Friday 11 to 4 and Saturdays, and the second Saturday of each month is free. Plan on an hour or two.

Gig Harbor library. The Pierce County Library branch at 4424 Point Fosdick Drive is open Monday through Thursday 10 to 7 and Friday through Sunday 10 to 6, with a kids' section, storytimes, STEAM play days, and free community events through the week. It is the easiest free rainy-day stop near the house, and checking out a library pass can get you into the Harbor History Museum free.

Coffee and a movie. The waterfront coffeehouses make a slow morning of it, and the Galaxy Uptown Theatre covers the classic gray-afternoon move. Details on where to linger are in the where to eat guide.

Across the water: Bremerton

Puget Sound Navy Museum. At 251 1st Street, right next to the Bremerton ferry terminal, this official U.S. Navy museum is free and open daily 10 to 4, closed Tuesdays from October through April. Exhibits cover the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the region's naval heritage, and there is a hands-on discovery room built for kids. It takes about an hour, and it is easy to pair with a waterfront walk when the rain lets up. While you are there, the USS Turner Joy destroyer museum ship is moored steps away.

Pacific Planetarium. A few blocks from the Navy museum, this small digital planetarium runs shows under a fixed dome, a good add-on when you are already in Bremerton.

Across the water: Bainbridge Island

Kids Discovery Museum. Known as KiDiMu, the children's museum at 301 Ravine Lane NE is steps from the Winslow ferry dock. Hands-on exhibits, a pretend town, a treehouse with a slide, and an art studio, built for young kids. Hours change with the season, so check before you go.

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. Right next door at 550 Winslow Way East, with free admission and rotating exhibitions of contemporary art, plus a bistro for lunch. The two museums pair naturally into one rainy afternoon, and the first Friday of the month brings an evening art walk.

The Tacoma indoor circuit

Museum of Glass. At 1801 Dock Street on the Thea Foss Waterway, the museum runs live glassblowing demos in its hot shop daily, with galleries and a theater. In fall and winter it is open Wednesday through Saturday 10 to 5 and Sunday noon to 5, and the third Thursday evening of each month is free. Check their calendar for current hours before visiting.

LeMay America's Car Museum. One of the largest car collections in the country, with galleries organized by era and a kids' zone. A solid two to three hours on a wet day.

Washington State History Museum and Tacoma Art Museum. Both sit within walking distance of the Museum of Glass along the waterway, so you can chain two or three indoor stops without moving the car.

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. When the kids need animals, the zoo's indoor aquarium areas stay open through the rainy season. It sits inside Point Defiance Park; details are in the Point Defiance guide.

Questions people ask

What can you do indoors near Gig Harbor when it rains?

The Harbor History Museum on the waterfront is the closest indoor stop, open Wednesday through Saturday with a restored 1893 schoolhouse, a 65-foot fishing vessel, and exhibits on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse. The Gig Harbor library runs free storytimes and kids' programs, and the waterfront coffeehouses and the Galaxy Uptown Theatre cover the rest of a gray day.

Is there a free museum near Olalla Bay?

The Puget Sound Navy Museum in Bremerton is free and open daily except Tuesdays from October through April, with a hands-on kids' room, right next to the ferry terminal. The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art in Winslow is also free.

What is there to do with kids indoors near Gig Harbor?

The Kids Discovery Museum on Bainbridge Island is a hands-on children's museum steps from the Winslow ferry dock. Closer in, the Gig Harbor library runs storytimes and STEAM play days, and the Puget Sound Navy Museum in Bremerton has a dedicated children's discovery room. Hours change seasonally, so check before you go.

What is the best rainy-day day trip from Olalla Bay?

Tacoma is about 35 minutes away and stacks several indoor stops: the Museum of Glass with live glassblowing demos, LeMay America's Car Museum, the Washington State History Museum, and the Tacoma Art Museum. Bremerton is another solid choice, pairing the free Puget Sound Navy Museum with a waterfront walk when the rain lets up.

Does the Museum of Glass have free admission days?

The Museum of Glass in Tacoma opens its doors free on the third Thursday evening of each month. In the fall and winter season it runs Wednesday through Saturday 10 to 5 and Sunday noon to 5, with hot shop glassblowing demos daily. Check their calendar for current hours before visiting.