Visit Poulsbo Washington: The lil Norway of the Pacific Northwest

Over the next few weeks in my travel posts- I am featuring a series on small towns in the Puget Sound . The west sound area of Seattle has some of the most beautiful scenery, and small town gems.  Even though I get tired of the rain and overcast skies, there is just nothing like Northwest summers.

If you have never explored or visited Kitsap county, then do hurry over and check out some of the breathtaking scenery before summer ends!  The Kitsap Peninsula is home to several scenic towns and landscapes.

Today I am sharing the Norwegian village of  Poulsbo. It's located in the northern part of the county, and offers a variety of outdoor activities, shopping, and destination eateries. It is a little taste of Norway in the Evergreen state.

If you are coming from Seattle, jump on the Bainbridge Island ferry downtown . It's a 3o minute crossing  and a half hour drive from the ferry terminal. You will love the sweeping views of the sound from the decks of the boat. If you prefer to drive, the area is easily accessible via the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

Things to see in Poulsbo:

The Poubsbohemian Coffee House

This is now my favorite coffee shop in the Northwest. I call it an "Office with a View"." I've always known about this java stop, but never actually visited until this summer. I know, crazy right?! I could sit here all day and let the hours pass by! I did just that the other day as I worked on my laptop.

In between the old time barber shop and the Poulsobohemian, is the most devine view and seating area. You may have to get in line for one of the 4 Adirondack chairs facing Liberty bay, what a view!  For the overcast and colder days, there is plenty of seating inside along with huge picture windows.  The service is wonderful, and  the coffee is too!

Bayside Barber Shop

If you need your ears lowered while in town, the barber shop is close.  Grab your cuppa Jo from next door and get a haircut at the Bayside Barber Shop. I love old time barber shops!

Fat Apple Bakery 

I 've never eaten here, but the treats in the window look scrumptious! I did visit years ago when it was operated under a different name. I was more interested in the red phone booth than the treats. What a great spot for a photo shoot!

The Maritime Museum 

The museum opened in 2015 and showcases the rich history of Poulsbo, and the North Kitsap area.  As portrayed In the Viking mural , Poulsbo was settled in the mid 1800's by European settlers from Scandinavia. At this time the bay was home to logging camps and dogfish oil businesses. Imagine this pretty place being called "Dogfish Bay!"- back then it was called that instead of Liberty Bay.

Sluys Bakery

Anyone who is a fan of donuts in Kitsap, knows about this place! Every kind of sweet delicacy can be found here. The maple dough boy is a favorite of mine.  I chose to leave him in the shop and save calories this time.  Sluy's also makes a bread well known to Northwest peeps as "Poulsbo Bread." Several grocery retailers in the area carry it.

Poulsbo is a very relaxing place with several types of eateries and shopping choices. JJ's Fish House has delicious seafood plates: The cod is to die for!  Sogno di Vino is a wine bar and ristorante with a romantic atmosphere.  The outdoor seating area is beautiful and has fire pits for cooler northwest days.

Sea Discovery Center
 This  center used to be called the Poulsbo Marine Center back in the day, not sure when the name changed. This is an awesome place for kids to learn about sea life in the Puget Sound.  I've been here on a few field trips with students ,and they always love it! It is a great hands on experience.

This time when I visited, this orange rock was waiting for me on the dock.  It so inspired me and gave me lots of hope for future days! Sometimes blessings show up in the most unexpected ways.  Never lose hope of your dreams. When days seem dark and nothing is going right, there is light at  the end of the tunnel!

Water Sports and Activities

This marina is always packed especially on weekends. Even though I don't own a boat, I find it so relaxing to come here and sit on the dock.  It's a lovely experience to take in the gorgeous scenery, and listen to the sounds of the sea. I have yet to rent a kayak here, but that is next on my list. 

Poulsbo is great for a day trip, or a mini vacation too. This charming small town has so much to offer.

This concludes my little tour of Poulsbo, I hope you can make plans to visit soon!

Do you enjoy visiting small towns, or do you prefer big cities?

I actually enjoy visiting both, it just depends how relaxing I want it to be!  Thanks for visiting and stayed tuned : More small town charmers coming on the blog soon!  In the mean time check out Port Gamble here , another beautiful town on the Kitsap Peninsula.

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