Gig Harbor

• from : A car is really quite requisite to see the Gig Harbor area as a whole. Gig Harbor is easy to get to by car from the rest of the Puget Sound area. From Interstate 5 take the Washington State Hwy 16 west across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The first four exits after the bridge are all Gig Harbor exits.

The Shoreline Restaurant at the head of the bay and the Tides Tavern toward the entrance offer floats for patrons.

• Jerisich Park, 3323 Harborview Dr, ☏ +1 253 851-1793. This popular guest moorage is about a quarter of the way up the south shore of the harbor. The long guest float extends from the park’s flagpole. Moorage is free, with a maximum stay of 48 hours. On shore are a few picnic tables and restrooms with showers. 
• Arabella's Landing Marina, 3323 Harborview Dr (look for black pilings topped with dunce caps), ☏ +1 253 851-1793. Boating accommodations for day excursions and overnight trips including restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, wheelchair accessibility, storage lockers. 
• Gig Harbor Marina and Boatyard, 3117 Harborview Dr, ☏ +1 253 851-7157. A full-service boatyard and marina: covered and uncovered slips, haul out/repair facilities in Downtown Gig Harbor. 
• Peninsula Yacht Basin, 8913 N. Harborview Dr, ☏ +1 253 858-2250. Slips range up to 85 feet with covered moorage from 36 to 46 ft. Power and water available for all slips 

The major bus stations in Gig Harbor for Pierce Transit (Rt #100 & 101) and Sound Transit Rt #595 are at the 🌍 Purdy Park & Ride and the 🌍 Kimble Dr Park & Ride, near downtown at Kimbell Dr, off of the Pioneer Way Exit from Hwy 16. The Kitsap Transit Bus only serve the Purdy P&R while the Olympic Bus Lines pick up and drop off at The Inn at Gig Harbor:

• 🌍 Bremerton-Kitsap Airporter, (scheduled stop) The Inn at Gig Harbor @ 3211 56th St NW, ☏ +1 360-876-1737. Scheduled ground transportation to and from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to various locations on the Kitsap Peninsula. The most regular and direct and consistent bus between Sea-Tac, Tacoma, Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula. They also make an additional stop at the Purdy P&R. 
• Sound Transit, Tacoma Dome Station, E Parking Bldg @ 610 E Puyallup Ave (stops in Purdy and Kimball Dr P&R), ☏ +1-888-889-6368. Express buses up to downtown Seattle from Gig Harbor(Rt #595). 
  • 595 goes up to downtown Seattle via Tacoma Community College, Tacoma Dome during the morning rush hours and returning to Gig Harbor in the afternoons, no weekend service.
  • 590,594 goes from downtown Seattle to downtown Tacoma via the Tacoma Dome Station at all hours during the week and weekends. Take the #1 or 2 bus from Downtown Tacoma to Tacoma Community College (TCC) and transfer to #100 bus to Gig Harbor. Transfer to Greyhound and Amtrak at the Tacoma Dome Station or in downtown Seattle.
• Kitsap Transit, ☏ +1 360 479-6962, toll-free: +1-800-501-7433, kitsapride@kitsaptransit.com. Kitsap Transit offers limited service to the Port Orchard Ferry Terminal from the Purdy P&R (north of Gig Harbor near the Kitsap/Pierce County line) on the "Purdy Connector". Transfer to other Kitsap Transit buses or the passenger only ferry to Bremerton from the Port Orchard Ferry Terminal. Full fare $2 and is part of the regional ORCA network system. 
• Pierce Transit, ☏ +1 253 581-8000, toll-free: +1-800-562-8109. Local routes on buses that run on natural gas and connect with other regional transit systems. Pierce transit can also be tracked with a free smartphone app from One Bus Away that provides easy access to real-time transit information for the Puget Sound region and beyond. They offer service to Gig Harbor from Tacoma. Adult $2, youth $0.75 and is part of the regional Orca payment system. 
  • 100 Goes from Tacoma Community College (S 19th & Mildred) to Gig Harbor, and provides local service through Gig Harbor (between Point Fossdick Dr & 45th to Purdy P&R).
• Key Peninsula School Bus Connect, ☏ +1 253 884-2287. The local council in Key Peninsula have arrangements with the local school district to provide public transportation in and around Key Peninsula and Fox Islands with connections to Purdy P&R. (updated Jan 2019)

The 🌍 Tacoma Narrows Airport (FAA LID: TIW) (for general aviation only) is 6 mi (9.7 km) south of downtown Gig Harbor and 11 mi (18 km) from downtown Tacoma. The nearest airport for commercial passenger flights is in Sea-Tac (SEA ^IATA). The Bremerton-Kitsap Airporter operates a regularly scheduled shuttle connection to Gig Harbor from Sea-Tac (see listing under By bus in the above).

• Cushman Trail. This popular paved pedestrian and bike trail connects various points of interest downtown and crosses forested and wetland areas making for a nice varied ride through the area. Also has access to street parking and bathrooms. 

• Pierce Transit, ☏ +1 253-581-8000. Operates local and regional public transit bus routes in Pierce County. Communities within the county served by this operator's routes include Fife, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Puyallup, Steilacoom, Tacoma. (updated Jun 2023)
  • Bus route 100 - Local service between retail centers at 45th St Ct NW & Point Fossdick Dr NW, Kimball Dr P&R, downtown and Purdy P&R. There's no bus service to most places west of Hwy 16 and Key Peninsula (KPN & KPS). During the summers, there is a local trolley bus numbered #101 along the same route as the #100.

• Gig Harbor Rent a Boat, 8829 N. Harborview Dr, ☏ +1 253-858-7341. Rent a kayak, canoe, pedal boat or a power boat to explore the harbor and beyond. 

• Horsehead Bay Public Boat Ramp (Horse Head Bay Dr NW & 38th St NW). 

• Destiny Harbor Tours, 4430 Holly Ln. NW, ☏ +1 253 225-6306. Harbor tours, sightseeing, charters and eco tours of Tacoma Narrows Bridges, Gig Harbor, Salmon Beach, Point Defiance, Thea Foss Waterway and the Port of Tacoma. 

Sea kayaking can be a rewarding way to explore Gig Harbor and the Kitsap Peninsulas nearly 400 miles of coastline allowing the paddler a closer and slower look at their surroundings and making Kitsap one of the most popular areas to kayak in Puget Sound. Thick forests of majestic pine and deciduous trees and hundreds of creeks and estuaries dot the coastline. Or just explore Kitsaps many harbor towns like Gig Harbor that cater to kayakers with shops and restaurants accessible from the water such as the Tides Tavern. With kayak rentals available nearby Gig Harbor is a popular place to spend a few hours exploring or set off or restock on a major expedition.

Organized trails offer overnight camping options and maps of appropriate lengths and scenic travel destinations.

• Cascadia Marine Trail. This inland sea trail is a National Recreation Trail and designated one of only 16 National Millennium Trails by the White House. Suitable for day or multi-day trips, the Cascadia Marine Trail has over 50 campsites to visit including several close to Gig Harbor such as The Narrows Park which is a safe haven at the midpoint of the Tacoma Narrows. At night it's great to watch the vehicle lights on the Narrows Bridges from the serenity of the park. The white dome of Mt. Rainier is visible over Tacoma, especially on moonlit evenings. 
• Key Peninsula Marine Trail. A 40-mile Peninsular Marine Trail near Gig Harbor with 14 legs between 15 points of interest during a paddling journey around the Key Peninsula 

Scuba diving the cold waters of Puget Sound takes a bit more gear and training than other warm water locations, but the rewards are incredible. The area contains some of the best diving in the world and many areas are accessible from the Kitsap Peninsula. Many dive sites are completely covered with colorful sea creatures that defy description. Giant Pacific Octopus are common, along with friendly wolf eels. Colorful sponges, sea cucumbers, sea stars, soft corals, anemones and fish can be seen on nearly every dive. The state has offers a guide to parks with launch sites.

• 🌍 Colvos Passage Marine Preserve Area, 10015 Sunrise Beach Drive Northwest (accessible from Sunrise Beach Park). This protected marine area is considered one of the best shore accessible diving areas in Puget Sound. Known for its many friendly Wolf Eels and its 25-foot-high rugged rock wall that runs along the shoreline for about 200 feet. There are also sightings of Giant Pacific Octopus, Ratfish, Copper, Brown, and Quillback Rockfish, Lingcod, Greenlings, many varieties of sculpins, Green Sea Urchins, scallops, Rock Sole, Starry Flounder, countless sea stars, warbonnets, gunnels, and different varieties of nudibranchs. 
• Well-known to regional scuba divers, Z's Reef Marine Preserve is a designated conservation area on the shores of Fox Island just south of Gig Harbor. A variety of fishes typically associated with rocky habitats congregate at the site and in such quantities that are unusual for southern Puget Sound. The dominant fishes include copper rockfish, brown rockfish, and quillback rockfish. Other common fishes include lingcod, kelp greenling, painted greenling, wolfeel, and striped seaperch. Pregnant rockfishes are observed at the site during the spring indicating that at least some fishes use the site for reproduction. Other marine organisms include sea stars, encrusting organisms such as giant barnacles, red sea cucumbers, shrimp, and red rock crabs. Seastars are common including sunflower seastar and gumboot chitons are also frequently observed.

Shellfish are prized resources of the Puget Sound, the cool, clean waters provide some of the finest shellfish habitat in the world. Washington State is the nation’s leading producer of farmed bivalve shellfish (clams, geoduck, mussels and oysters) and with Kitsap Peninisulas dozens of Public Clam and Oyster Beaches and miles of coastline it is a popular place for individuals to find these elusive and sought after shellfish. Maps of public shellfishing areas and health warnings and updates can be found online at the state's Fish and Wildlife website as with all fishing in Puget Sound permits are required and can be purchased online or in some sporting goods stores.

• Sunrise Beach Park, 10015 Sunrise Beach Drive Northwest. Open year-round for clam and oyster fishing. Colvos Passage Marine Preserve lies south of the County Park. Marine preserve restrictions do not apply within Sunrise Beach County Park. 

• Madrona Links Golf Course, 3604 22nd Ave NW, Gig Harbor, ☏ +1 253 851-5193. 18-hole public golf course, reasonably priced and well maintained. 

Additional camping and moorage options are available at nearby Kopachuck and Joemma Beach State Parks.

Tacoma lies to the south across the Tacoma Narrows Toll Bridge and Olalla and Port Orchard lie to the north.

Gig Harbor is 6.8 nautical miles to Cedrona Cove on Fox Island. It is also a launch to visit Eagle Island on Balch Passage north of Anderson Island which is 12.5 nautical miles. Penrose Point State Park is 13.8 nautical miles due south after passing underneath the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the Shilshole Bay Marina in Seattle 24 nautical miles away.