Poulsbo is a city on Kitsap Peninsula in the Puget Sound of Washington state. Known as "Little Norway," Poulsbo was settled in 1892 by Norwegian loggers, farmers and fishermen who likened the fjord-cut landscape to their homeland. Front Street is lined with dozens of quaint and colorful shops offering Scandinavian gifts, fine art, fashions and antiques.
Like most towns on the Kitsap Peninsula, Poulsbo was built around the harbor before there were roads, so the town center is geared towards the piers.
Port of Poulsbo Guest Marina, 18809 Front St, ☏ +1 360 779-3505. It has 130 visitor slips - 60 may be reserved (for groups of 15 boats or more). Easy access to shops and restaurants from the marina. Electrical, pump outs and Wi-Fi available.
Poulsbo Yacht Club, ☏ +1 360 779-3116. Reciprocal yacht clubs only, water and power. Telephone and cable TV hookups are available. Two fixed and one portable waste water stations make pump-outs
The major bus stations in Poulsbo for Kitsap Transit is the 47.7594-122.65151North Viking Transit Center and Park & Ride, north of town at Viking Way NW & Vetter. The Clallam Transit Rt #123 and Jefferson Transit Rt #7 stop at the North Viking Park & Ride.
Bremerton-Kitsap Airporter, (bus stop) AM/PM Mini-Market at 22003 Viking Way (SE of the junction SR-3 and 305, next to the North Viking Transit Center), ☏ +1 360 876-1737. It provides scheduled ground transportation to and from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to various locations on the Kitsap Peninsula. They also have an additional stop at Wal-Mart on 21200 Olhava Way.
Clallam Transit Rt #123 The Clallam "Strait Shot" (#123) runs thrice daily (M-Sa) and twice on Sundays to Port Angeles from the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal via Suquamish Way and North Viking Transit Center/P&R in Poulsbo with limited stops in Sequim, Jamestown and Discovery Bay.
Jefferson Transit (JT)[dead link] JT #7 connects Poulsbo to Port Townsend via Port Ludlow while the #14 bus goes up to Port Townsend from the Kingston Ferry Terminal.
Kitsap Transit Bus 514 Traveling on the Hood Canal Bridge to PoulsboKitsap Transit, ☏ +1 360 479-6962, toll-free: +1-800-501-7433, [email protected]. Kitsap Transit offers transit services throughout the area from the N Viking P&R to Kingston (307); Bremerton (301); Silverdale (301, 331 or 332); Bainbridge Island (390); Downtown Poulsbo (344), etc. Passengers transfer to the Kitsap Fast Ferry in Kingston or onto the Washington State Ferries in Bainbridge Island or Bremerton to reach Seattle. Continue on the Link Light Rail to the airport from downtown Seattle. full fare $2 and is part of the regional ORCA network system.
The 47.7971-122.49612Kingston Ferry Terminal is also nearby. The Dungeness Line bus picks up and drops off at the Kingston Ferry Terminal and the Edmonds Ferry Terminal at the other side:
Dungeness Line (Greyhound Connect), (Scheduled stop) Corner at Henery Hardware @ 10978 NE State Highway 104 in Kingston (eastbound buses/vans pick-up and drop off at the ferry dock while the westbound buses/vans pick up and drop off at Henery Hardware), ☏ +1 360 417-0700. Twice daily connections to/from Discovery Bay, Port Townsend and Port Angeles in one direction and over to Edmonds, downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac in the other. Reservations required. (updated Aug 2017)
Amtrak Cascades stops in Edmonds. The station is less than 10 minutes on foot to the ferry terminal, with a Washington State Ferries connection to Kingston more than once an hour. Local buses connect from Kingston's ferry terminal and stop near Poulsbo's waterfront.
Stroll down Front Street. All the shops and restaurants in Scandinavian decor and architecture.
47.73282-122.645351SEA Discovery Center, 18743 Front St NE, ☏ +1 360 598-4460. Th-Su 11AM to 4PM. Promote lifelong learning and appreciation for the marine environment and underwater technology by enhancing science education with hands on learning and conservation. free.
47.72986-122.629132Raab Park, 18349 Caldart Ave NE, ☏ +1 360 779-9898. 21 acres, Sand volleyball, playground, picnic areas/shelter available for private rentals, barbeques, restrooms, nature hiking trail (.2 mile), winding paths, exercise path (.33 mile), some exercise stations, lawn/sitting areas, arboretum, multi-purpose playfield, wildlife/bird viewing, skate park, dance stage, community gardens, fenced dog run
47.8176-122.6523Kitsap Memorial State Park, 202 NE Park St, ☏ +1 360 779-3205. 8AM-Dusk. Kitsap Memorial State Park is a 58-acre camping park with 1,797 feet of saltwater shoreline and facilities for group and individual recreation near Poulsbo, weddings and overnight stays. The park offers beautiful natural surroundings and sweeping views of Hood Canal. Also available to rent is an old-fashioned log hall that sits atop a wooded bluff, with panoramic view of Hood Canal and the Olympic Mountains. Built in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration, the hall has an expansive, cozy wood interior with an open log cathedral ceiling. Ideal for weddings, receptions, family reunions and company picnics. Rental cabins are also available. (updated Jun 2018)
If the great outdoors is your passion, rent a kayak and paddle scenic Liberty Bay, take a walking tour of the town, or simply relax along the boardwalk and look for seals, herons and eagles.
The Kitsap Audubon Society has been meeting since 1972 and has a broad coalition of birders tracking and sharing sightings since then. They maintain an active website with updates of the latest sightings, suggestions on areas for birders and even a regular newsletter. They also developed a checklist of birds likely to be seen birds in the area.
The state Audubon society developed The Great Audubon Birding Trail which includes key migration flyways. Flyways are major north-south routes of travel for migratory birds and likely areas to see birds along the route extending from Alaska to Patagonia. Liberty Bay near Poulsbo is one of only a handful of areas named to the list.
Sea kayaking can be a rewarding way to explore the Liberty Bay near Poulsbo. Poulsbo is one of the many harbor towns that cater to kayakers with shops and restaurants accessible from the water.
Organized trails offer overnight camping options and maps of appropriate travel lengths and scenic travel destinations.
Kitsap Peninsula Water Trails. The National Parks Service named this 'Trail of the Month' in the entire USA for the month of December 2012, PDF copies of the water trails map are available and Poulsbo is on the trail.
47.73276-122.646261Olympic Outdoor Center, NE Young St, toll-free: +1-800-592-5983. It offers kayak rentals, classes and basic information for paddling the area for just a few hours or week long adventures.
Poulsbo Farmers Market, Poulsbo Village Medical/Dental Center (Corner of 7th & Iverson). Every Saturday 9AM-1PM, April to December. This seasonal market pulls in farmers, bakers, chefs, and artisans from across the region. Their mission is to provide the best food, hand-crafted products, and sense of community that Kitsap has to offer. (updated Jul 2019)
If shopping makes you a bit hungry, feast on handmade European chocolates, baked goods, fresh waffle cones, delicious smoked salmon or gourmet coffee in one of Poulsbo's fine restaurants and cafes.
Sluys Poulsbo Bakery, 18924 Front St NE, ☏ +1 360-779-2798. Summer: daily 4:30AM–7:30PM, closes an hour earlier Su-Th in winter. Handmade pastries and breads. Famous for the Viking Cup and Poulsbo Bread. (updated Aug 2025)
Casa Luna, 18830 Front St NE, ☏ +1 360 779-7676. Daily 11AM - 9PM. popular Mexican restaurant located close to the marina.
Green Light Dinner, 18820 Front St NE, ☏ +1 360-697-3449. 50s diner styled. Good breakfast food, does have okay lunch food. Milkshakes with or without booze. (updated Aug 2025)
Tizley's Europub, 18928 Front St NE, ☏ +1 360 394-0080. M Su 8AM - 10PM, Tu-Sa 8AM - midnight. Poulsbo loves anything Scandinavian and centrally located Tizley's is no exception. Good food, great beer selection and a deck that offers warm weather visitors a refreshing view of the Liberty Bay.
The Loft, 18779 Front St NE, ☏ +1 360-626-0224. American food. Best views in town, very crowded in the summer. Extensive outdoor seating. (updated Aug 2025)
ENVY Bar and Grill, 19559 Viking Ave NW, ☏ +1 360 779-2202. M-F 8AM - 2AM, Sa Su 7AM - 2AM. known for their giant burgers and great selection of local beers.
One Ten Lounge, 18881 Front St, ☏ +1 360 930-0134. M-Th Su 4-10PM, F Sa 2PM-12:30AM. known for their martinis and appetizers.
Paella Bar, 19006 Front St, ☏ +1 360 930-8446. 2-10:30PM. Spanish tapas bar known for their small plates and extensive wine menu.
Poulsbo Inn & Suites (Poulsbo Inn), 18680 State Highway 305 NE, ☏ +1 360 779-3921. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. A continental breakfast buffet is served, which includes homemade waffles. $83-125.
47.5028122.36541Foxbridge Bed and Breakfast, 30680 State Hwy 3 NE (8/10 of miles south of Hood Canal Bridge), ☏ +1 360 598-5599. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 6PM. Peace and serenity in the woods... hot, gourmet breakfast. Active military ID discount. $115.
Kitsap Regional Library Poulsbo, 700 NE Lincoln Rd, ☏ +1 360 779-2915. This branch offers many events for children and adults alike including story time, writers club, kids movies etc. See website for current events.
This city travel guide to Poulsbo is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
This website uses the Wikivoyage API to get and display all the information you see. This is the MediaWiki API, which is a general API for accessing data from Wikimedia projects. You can find information about it here: MediaWiki API.
State Route 3 (SR-3) is the main highway to Poulsbo.
← Port Gamble ←
S
SE