Favorite Puget Sound spots?

Dabble

Active Member
May 26, 2020
125
Olympia, WA
Boat Info
1997 330 Sundancer
2000 230 Bow Rider
Engines
97 - Twin 5.7 Merc V-Drives
2000 - 5.7 Bravo III
What are some of your favorite puget sound (and surrounding) spots and why?

Mine:
Hope Island State Park - great mooring buoys and fun island for exploring
Boston Harbor Marina - beer on tap, ok food, and beach for kids to play in the water. Very laid back.
Port Townsend - lots of reasons
Narrows Brewing - beer...

Share some of your favorites!
 
Last edited:
Does the San Juans count?
If so, then Jones Island is one of my favorites.
 
We spend a month going south of Anacotes all the way to Olympia. We purchase a state park pass each year. It allows you to use all state buoys and dock for free. Blake Island has many buoys and a dock with power. The walk around the island is about 2 hours. The place has a native pavilion that features a salmon dinner. The Hood canal is interesting and at the end is a park dock with a pump out. The park is worth the long walk about 2 hours.
 
We're Tacoma Yacht Club members so from Olympia Yacht Club dock to Jarrels Cove, to Fulicity Bay, Oro Bay, Wolochet Bay, Gig Harbor, Quartermaster Harbor, Thea Foss Waterway, Des Moines marina
 
It's been too long since I lived and boated The Sound but I would have to add the Tides Tavern in Gig Harbor and most anyplace in hoods Canal....particularly Pleasant Harbor.
 
My list:
  • Public Dock in Gig Harbor (for dinner, we get pizza to go from Tides and for breakfast we get to go from Kellys or Netshed 9). Great people and boat watching spot.
  • Sucia Island in the San Juan Islands. So many anchorages, and so remote.
  • Blake Island across from Seattle. Night views of the city are great, and power on the docks means quiet nights and an extended cruising season. Just watch out for raccoons (one opened our canvas and joined us in the cockpit this year; nobody was happy).

We've been meaning to go to Narrows, thanks for the reminder!
 
Blake Island is one of my favorites, especially when you are able to get dock space. You can hike all over the island, and go to the salmon bake in the pavilion, I've done it several times and it's always a good meal and show.

In the San Juans, we found a nice little cove at the south end of Lopez called Barlow Bay. Nice holding anchorage, and pretty well protected. There's a dinghy dock on the north side of the bay, and you can go for a walk around the cove and out to Iceberg point for an incredible view. You can also set crab pots at the opening of the bay and have pretty good luck.

We also like going to Langley Harbor on Whidbey Island. You are a short walk away from some really good restaurants up in the town. There's a pizza joint on the right side of the street as you walk from the marina, you have to try the clam pizza. Yeah, it sounds gross, but it is really good.

So many more places we like, but those are the ones that are top of mind. I'll think of more and reply.
 
My list was missing a not so obvious spot. for that I would add Longbranch in the south sound. The folks that run that marina area easy to work with, and found a home for me a number of times. And when we go for walks on shore, everybody waves to us like we are locals.
 
My list was missing a not so obvious spot. for that I would add Longbranch in the south sound. The folks that run that marina area easy to work with, and found a home for me a number of times. And when we go for walks on shore, everybody waves to us like we are locals.
Yes, I miss spelled it... Filucy Bay, Longbranch WA
 
Just saw this thread and we’re taking notes. We only have a 240 Sundeck we keep on Lake Union(Seattle). We’re pretty comfortable sneaking out of the Locks and zipping around the Sound though. We’ve been to Blake Island, Bremerton and as far north as Coupeville/Oak Harbor so far. Hoping to get out farther when the weather gets nicer.
 

Attachments

  • 34DD501B-9CFA-4B92-91A3-8E7FD5873D03.jpeg
    34DD501B-9CFA-4B92-91A3-8E7FD5873D03.jpeg
    141.2 KB · Views: 206
To me, any where in San Juan's are nice. Particularly Roche Harbor due to amenities. Go in July and squeeze in a spot. Buy some fresh cooked dungeness crab from the vendor on the dock make your self a couple sides and first night dinner is heaven for $20 bucks. Visit all the big shoulder boat owners in their Hatteras's and have free drinks all night long. However, one of the lesser travelled but absolutely fabulous locations is South Pender Island/Bedwell Harbor on the Canadian side just north of Stuart Island. Woa, a great resort and not travelled a bunch. Down side is limited slip availability. Roche can be a pita too limited slip wise if you try to dock there after 1500ish. Here's the Marina and resort at Roche on a typical July day.
Picture 080.jpg


Picture 067.jpg
 
Last edited:
We are based in Tacoma and we do like the San Juans, but if we are north we are in the Canadian Gulf Islands. Now, with that being said we have so much here in our own backyard, Tacoma Foss waterway, Vashon Island with Quartermaster Harbor, Gig Harbor, Wollochet Bay, Longbranch, Oro Bay, Anderson Isl.(our personal favorite), Olympia, Jerrels Cove, the south & central Puget Sound could take many weeks to explore thoroughly... (pic is Oro Bay)
2021-06-19 21.33.53-1.jpg
 
Friday Harbor, Bremerton, Deer Harbor, Alderbrook Resort (Hood Canal), Bellingham Bay, LaConnor, Elliott Bay, Port Townsend, Victoria.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,943
Messages
1,422,703
Members
60,927
Latest member
Jaguar65
Back
Top