Local guide

Things to Do in Olalla, WA

What is there to do in Olalla, WA? Start with the private beach out back. Beyond that, everything worth doing is within twenty minutes: Gig Harbor's waterfront, kayaking the bay, and tidepooling at low tide. The list is short, and that is the point.

Olalla is small. That is the whole point. Here is what to do with your days.

By Assaf, the Olalla Bay editor. Last updated: November 2, 2026.

If you are looking for things to do in Olalla, start by doing nothing, on the beach out back. The house sits on its own private stretch of shoreline, and most guests find that the deck, the dock gazebo, and the water fill the first day without any planning at all. Walk the beach at low tide (check the tide guide first), paddle the bay in the morning (the kayaking guide has the details), and keep your eyes open. Seals, otters, eagles, and the occasional whale are all regulars here; the wildlife guide tells you what to watch for.

When you are ready for more, get in the car. Everything below is within about twenty minutes, drive times are approximate with no traffic. This is the complete list of what Olalla actually offers. It is short, and that is why it works.

Getting to Olalla

Olalla sits on the Kitsap Peninsula, and there are three good ways in.

By ferry from Seattle. Washington State Ferries runs the Fauntleroy, Vashon, and Southworth triangle route. No vehicle reservations are taken on this route; ferries load first come, first served, so plan to be in line at the tollbooth at least twenty minutes before sailing. From the Southworth terminal it is about ten minutes to Olalla. Check wsdot.wa.gov for current schedules, and read the sailing details: some departures route via the third terminal, which changes the crossing time.

By fast ferry from downtown Seattle. Kitsap Transit runs a passenger-only fast ferry from Pier 50 in downtown Seattle to the Southworth terminal in about twenty-six minutes. It runs weekdays year round and Saturdays from May through September. From Southworth, the last stretch into Olalla needs a taxi, a rideshare, or a bike; there is no scheduled bus from the terminal into Olalla itself. Both ferry routes, with boarding rules and seasons, are covered in the Southworth ferry guide.

By car. From Seattle or SeaTac, take I-5 south and cross the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, then follow Highway 16 to Olalla. Plan on about an hour from Seattle and about thirty minutes from Tacoma, with no traffic.

By boat. The public Olalla boat ramp is open around the clock with no launch fee. Launching is affected by the tides, so check the tide guide first. There are pit toilets and no drinking water. Kayaks and paddleboards launch here too; the kayaking guide has the details.

Olalla Bay Market & Landing

Five minutes from the house, and the center of town in every sense that matters. The market is a cafe, a pizza kitchen, a beer and wine stop, and a waterfront deck where half of Olalla seems to end up on a sunny afternoon. The sourdough pizza comes out of a wood-fired oven, and the lavender latte is the local signature. Pizza service starts at 2pm Thursday through Saturday and 11am on Sunday, so plan around that; showing up at noon for pizza will end in disappointment.

The building has been a gathering place since 1884, and it wears its history openly. This is the home of the original Polar Bear Plunge, a stop on the old Mosquito Fleet steamer route, and the town tied to Dr. Linda Hazzard and the 1912 Starvation Heights trial, which true-crime people still make pilgrimages for. The tiny one-room museum at the landing covers it with artifacts and photographs, and it is worth twenty minutes of your time.

Drive: about 5 minutes, at 13965 Crescent Valley Rd SE. Hours: Thursday to Saturday 8am to 8pm, Sunday 8am to 6pm, closed Monday through Wednesday. Parking: a small lot plus street parking; it fills up on summer weekends. Best time: a weekday afternoon on the deck, or Sunday morning before the pizza crowd. olallabaymarket.com

Olalla Lavender Festival

Every July, Olalla smells like Provence for a weekend. The Lavender Festival spreads across the town with the Olalla Grange as its hub: live music, artisan vendors, food trucks, workshops, and rows of blooming lavender. The gathering places include Ooh La La Lavender Farm on Banner Road, where you can walk the fields and watch a distillation demo, plus the winery, the market, and Spin Cider on Millihanna Road. The 2026 festival ran July 18 and 19; the organizers have already set July 17 and 18, 2027.

Outside the festival, Ooh La La Lavender Farm takes visits by appointment through the season, so you can still walk the rows in late summer if you call ahead.

Drive: about 10 minutes to the Grange (7554 SE Fragaria Rd) and the farms. Tickets: check the festival site; some venues are ticketed and farm parking is limited (Crescent Valley Farm used timed arrival reservations in 2026). Best time: Saturday morning, when the fields are fresh and the crowds are thin. olalla-lavender-festival.com

Olalla Vineyard & Winery

Ten minutes up Olalla Valley Road, on a promontory looking over the bay and Colvos Passage. This is a small, family-owned winery, open since 2008, and the tasting room sits in one of the prettiest spots in the area. They ferment in handcrafted Italian amphorae, old-world style, which is unusual enough to ask about. There is live music most Friday evenings in season, and the view over the water with a glass in hand is the whole argument for going.

Drive: about 10 minutes, at 13176 Olalla Valley Rd SE. Phone: 253-851-4949. Hours: typically Thursday through Saturday noon to 6 and Sunday 1 to 5, closed Monday through Wednesday; confirm on their site before you go. Parking: limited, and it fills up on music nights. Best time: a clear afternoon. olallawines.com

Anderson Point Park

Eight minutes from the house, and the best beach walk near Olalla that is not your own. Sixty-six acres of forest slope down to a saltwater beach on Colvos Passage, with Vashon Island across the water. The trail to the beach is about three-quarters of a mile, all downhill, which means the walk back is all uphill. Plan accordingly, and bring shoes you do not mind getting sandy.

Drive: about 8 minutes, at 8401 SE Millihanna Rd. Phone: (360) 337-5350 (Kitsap County Parks). Hours: daylight only. Parking: a small lot, strictly enforced; cars blocking the entrance or on the shoulders get ticketed and towed. Best time: low tide, when the beach is widest. Check the tide guide. Kitsap County's park page

Banner Forest Heritage Park

Fifteen minutes away: 635 acres and 29 miles of trails through second-growth forest. This is where locals go to walk, run, ride bikes, and ride horses, and the forest exists because the community fought to keep it from being developed. The trails get properly muddy in the wet months. Wear waterproof boots and you will be fine; wear sneakers and you will learn.

Drive: about 15 minutes; the main trailhead is at 6451 Banner Rd SE in Port Orchard. Phone: (360) 337-5350 (Kitsap County Parks). Parking: at the trailheads off Banner Road. Dogs: on leash. Best time: any dry stretch, or embrace the mud in winter. Great Peninsula Conservancy

Manchester State Park

Worth the twenty-minute drive. Manchester sits on Rich Passage with 3,400 feet of saltwater shoreline, wooded hiking trails, and a genuine piece of history: the 1901 torpedo warehouse, left over from when this shore was part of the harbor defenses. Walk the beach, watch for birds and seals, poke around the old military buildings, and picnic on the lawn by the water.

Drive: about 20 minutes, at 7767 E Hilldale Rd, Port Orchard. Phone: (360) 871-4065. Hours: 8am to dusk, year round. Parking: a Discover Pass is required. Best time: a sunny afternoon, with a picnic. If Manchester leaves you wanting more shoreline, the day trips guide covers Point Defiance and Owen Beach across the water in Tacoma. Washington State Parks

Bandix Dog Park

TripAdvisor ranks it the number two attraction in Olalla, and the dogs agree. Bandix is a thirty-plus acre off-leash park run by Kitsap County with the help of volunteers, with separate areas for small and large dogs and wooded trails to wander. It opened in 2004 and it shows, in the good way: this is a well-loved, well-used park, not a fenced afterthought. Bring water shoes for yourself if it has rained; bring a towel for the dog either way.

Drive: about 10 minutes, at 13390 Bandix Rd SE. Hours: open daily. Best time: weekday mornings, when the regulars have it mostly to themselves.

Spin Cider

A family-run cidery on Millihanna Road making traditional and modern hard ciders from Pacific Northwest apples, including fruit from its own orchard. Tastings run on weekend afternoons and are handled by appointment, so check spincider.com before heading over. It is a ten-minute drive and an easy pairing with the lavender farm and the winery nearby.

Drive: about 10 minutes, at 8323 SE Millihanna Rd. Hours: weekend afternoons, by appointment. Best time: a Saturday afternoon, before dinner.

Olalla Community Club concerts

The Olalla Community Club calls it "the only concert series that starts with a potluck," and that tells you most of what you need to know. From September through May, about once a month on Saturday nights, the club hosts touring folk, bluegrass, and Americana acts. Potluck at six, concert at seven. There are also free jam sessions every other Thursday evening, where local musicians just show up and play.

Drive: about 10 minutes, at 12970 Olalla Valley Rd SE. Phone: 253-857-5650. Schedule: September to May, roughly monthly; see olallacommunityclub.org for the lineup. Best time: bring a dish to the potluck and stay for the show.

The Polar Bear Plunge

Every January 1st at noon, a cannon shot sends a crowd of costumed locals sprinting off the Olalla Creek bridge into the water, across the street from the market. The bridge is less than a minute's walk from the house, or a few minutes by kayak, which makes the plunge the rare Olalla event you can watch without driving anywhere. The plunge is a community tradition, not a commercial event: the market hands out free hot cider and official certificates, and the whole town seems to show up to watch, jump, or both. If you are in Olalla for New Year's, this is the one thing happening, and it is worth planning around.

When: January 1st, noon. Where: the Olalla Creek bridge, across from Olalla Bay Market. Best time: arrive by eleven to park and find a viewing spot.

Olalla Valley Farmers Market

A seasonal farmers market runs in Olalla through the summer, listed May through September. Day and hours have varied by year, so confirm the current schedule before visiting. Expect the usual spread: produce, flowers, eggs, and nursery plants.

Drive: about 10 minutes. Season: summer. Best time: opening hour, for the best produce.

Pets Galore Horseback Riding

A private horse park in Olalla offering riding lessons, guided trail rides, and parent-led pony rides for small kids. Everything is by appointment only, so call a few days ahead; there are no drop-ins. It is a good rainy-season backup plan and a hit with kids who have outgrown the playground phase.

Drive: about 10 minutes, at 13659 Cedar Glen Ln SE. Phone: 253-857-7506. Hours: by appointment only. Best time: book ahead for a weekend morning.

Cascadia Marine Trail

The Cascadia Marine Trail is a 140-mile network of kayak-camping sites stretching the length of Puget Sound, and Olalla sits right on it. The nearest campsites are Lisabeula on Vashon Island, directly across Colvos Passage, plus Manchester State Park and Blake Island a paddle away. Sites are first come, first served for non-motorized beachable boats; confirm a site is open before you go. The kayaking guide covers launching from the house and the bay.

Olalla Boat Ramp

The public boat ramp at Olalla is the practical end of the waterfront: open twenty-four hours, no launch fee, with a beach beside it. Launching is tide-dependent, so check the tide guide. Facilities are basic (pit toilets, no drinking water), which is exactly right for a quick launch.

Deadmans Island Kayak + SUP

For days when the house kayaks are taken, or when you want a guide who knows every cove. Deadmans Island Kayak + SUP runs kayak and paddleboard rentals plus guided adventure tours out of Gig Harbor, launching from area beaches, for all skill levels. It is a local passion project with a pirate theme and a loyal following, run by a guy who grew up paddling the South Sound, and it is the easiest way to get on the water with someone who has spent decades on it.

Drive: about 20 minutes to Gig Harbor. Phone: 425-765-8278. Book: reserve ahead at deadmanskayaksup.com. Best for: guided tours, extra boats when the house kayaks are taken, paddleboard rentals.

Find it all on the map

Everywhere listed above, in one view. Save it to your phone before you head out; cell signal gets thin on the back roads.

Go next

Olalla is a base, not just a destination. Gig Harbor is fifteen minutes away, with its waterfront, museums, and breweries. Port Orchard is twenty minutes, with the waterfront foot ferry to Bremerton. Vashon Island is a ten-minute ferry ride from Southworth, made for a day trip: farmstands, the Point Robinson lighthouse, and sunset at Lisabeula. The day trips guide covers Tacoma, Seattle, and the Olympic Peninsula for longer days. Coming from the city? The Seattle weekend getaway guide covers the ferry routes and the Friday-to-Sunday plan. For a wider roundup, see the Best of Kitsap 2026 guide, and families can start with the kids-friendly activities near Olalla Bay guide. Each of those towns has its own guide: things to do in Poulsbo for the Norwegian waterfront, things to do in Bremerton for the museums and the waterfront, and things to do in Port Orchard for a slower harbor morning. When the plan is dinner in Gig Harbor, the where to eat in Gig Harbor guide has the waterfront picks. Here for the holidays? The Holidays in Kitsap guide covers tree lightings, boat parades, and markets across the season, with separate guides for Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping.

Questions people ask

Is there anything to do in Olalla itself, or do we have to drive everywhere?

Plenty. The market and the private beach are in Olalla proper, and the lavender festival venues, the winery, and the parks are all within about ten minutes. Gig Harbor, the nearest bigger town, is about fifteen minutes away.

Do we need a car in Olalla?

Yes. Nothing in Olalla is walkable from the house except the beach out back. Everything else on this list needs a short drive, all under twenty minutes.

When is the Olalla Lavender Festival?

Every July. The 2026 festival ran July 18 and 19, and the organizers have set July 17 and 18, 2027. Check the festival site for tickets and the venue list, since some stops have limited parking.

Which beach should we go to near the house?

Start with the private beach at the house. For a change of scenery, Anderson Point Park is eight minutes away, with a forested trail down to a saltwater beach on Colvos Passage. Go at low tide, when the beach is widest.

What is there to do in Olalla on a rainy day?

The market is cozy in the rain, the winery tasting room is indoors, and Banner Forest is beautiful wet if you have waterproof boots. Or stay in: the house has a hot tub and the bay to watch.

Can we bring our dog to Olalla?

Yes, and Bandix Dog Park is one of the best off-leash parks in Kitsap County, ten minutes away. Manchester State Park and Banner Forest both welcome leashed dogs on the trails. Check the house rules on pets before you book.

How do we get to Olalla from Seattle?

Three ways: the Washington State Ferries triangle route from Fauntleroy to Southworth (no reservations, first come first served), the Kitsap Transit fast ferry from downtown Seattle to Southworth, or driving via the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in about an hour. Details are in the getting-here section above.

Can we get around without a car?

Honestly, no. The fast ferry gets you to Southworth, but there is no scheduled bus from the terminal into Olalla. Plan on a taxi, a rideshare, or a bike for the last stretch.

What is the Polar Bear Plunge?

A January 1st tradition: at noon, a cannon shot sends costumed jumpers off the Olalla Creek bridge into the water, across from the market. Free hot cider and official certificates follow.

Where can we launch kayaks or paddleboards?

From the private beach at the house, or from the public Olalla boat ramp. The kayaking guide has routes, tides, and the marine trail campsites.

Is there a farmers market in Olalla?

A seasonal market runs through the summer; confirm the current day and hours before visiting, as the schedule varies by year.

What is there to do in Olalla in winter?

The Polar Bear Plunge on January 1st, storm watching over Colvos Passage, cozy afternoons at the market and the winery, and empty trails in Banner Forest. The community concert series runs September through May.

What does Olalla mean?

Olalla is a Salishan and Chinook Jargon word meaning berry or berries, usually spelled olallie or ollalie in jargon lexicons. Chinook Jargon was the trade language of the Pacific Northwest through the 1800s. The name fits: berries and grapes have long grown in the fields around the community.

Can you ride the Virginia V steamship?

Yes. The Virginia V is the last operating steamship of the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet, the fleet of small boats that once linked the islands and ports of the Sound. Built in Maplewood in 1921 and 1922, she ran the Seattle to Tacoma route through the West Pass nearly every day from 1922 until 1938. Olalla is part of her history: in a severe 1934 storm she nearly destroyed her upper decks pounding against the Olalla dock pilings, and she was rebuilt in under three months. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and restored stem to stern, she returned to service in 2002. Today she runs public excursions, private charters, and visits to maritime festivals around Puget Sound. She docks at South Lake Union in Seattle, behind the Museum of History and Industry and the Center for Wooden Boats. Check the Steamer Virginia V Foundation calendar for sailing dates.

When is the Olalla Americana Music Festival?

The next festival is set for Saturday, August 21, 2027, from 11 am to dusk. It began in 1991 as the Olalla Bluegrass Festival, organized by the Olalla Community Club, and was re-branded in 2016 as an Americana festival, mixing country, rock, folk, blues, and bluegrass. The one-day, volunteer-run program features about eight regional and national acts, with food trucks, artisan and craft vendors, old-time craft demonstrations, a beer garden, children's activities, and the long-running Berry Pie Baking Contest. The organizers paused the festival for 2025 and 2026 to help launch the new two-day Olalla Lavender Festival. Confirm details on the festival's own site before making plans.