Things to Do in Poulsbo, Washington
The best things to do in Poulsbo, Washington, are walking the Scandinavian-themed shops of Front Street, strolling the Liberty Bay waterfront and paddling the bay itself. Poulsbo is a city of 11,975 people in Kitsap County, at the north end of Liberty Bay, and it goes by Little Norway.
Norwegian immigrant Jørgen Eliason founded it in the 1880s. Settler Iver Moe asked for a post office named “Paulsbo” after his hometown in Norway, and officials in Washington, D.C., misread it as Poulsbo. Norwegian stayed a main language in town until World War II, and King Olav V of Norway visited in 1975.
Front Street and Historic Downtown
Downtown keeps a Scandinavian look to honor its immigrant founders, with shops such as Nordiska Nordic Gifts & Housewares and Red Plantation Marketplace. A 1914 fire destroyed about a third of the business district, and the replacement buildings went up in cement instead of wood. The Sons of Norway hall on Front Street still carries on the town’s Norwegian heritage.
★ Good to know Art walks run on the second Saturday of every month in the evening.
Sluys Bakery
This downtown bakery makes Poulsbo Bread, the town’s best-known local product, which was once sold internationally.
★ Good to know It opens early every day, so it works for breakfast before a walk on the waterfront.
Muriel Iverson Williams Waterfront Park
Downtown’s waterfront park runs along the shore of Liberty Bay, with a boardwalk and views of the Olympic Mountains across the water. Watch for seals and herons from the shore, or launch a kayak or paddleboard. It’s free and has public restrooms.
★ Good to know Concerts by the Bay play at the waterfront pavilion on Tuesday evenings in July and August.
SEA Discovery Center
Run by Western Washington University, this small marine center on Front Street holds more than 6,000 gallons of water in aquarium exhibits. The tanks show fish and invertebrates from Liberty Bay, local lakes and Puget Sound. Admission is a suggested donation.
★ Good to know It’s open only Fridays and Saturdays, so plan around that.
Kayaking Liberty Bay
Liberty Bay is a sheltered arm of Puget Sound, which makes it an easy paddle. Olympic Outdoor Center rents kayaks and paddleboards from a dock downtown on Front Street, open to paddlers of all levels.
★ Good to know There are three marinas near town, so watch for boat traffic.
Poulsbo Maritime Museum and Heritage Museum
The Poulsbo Historical Society runs four free sites. The Maritime Museum on Front Street opened in 2015 and covers the maritime history of Poulsbo and North Kitsap. The Heritage Museum on Moe Street covers the daily lives of early Poulsbo families.
★ Good to know Martinson Cabin, the society’s historic cabin in Nelson Park on Lindvig Way, opens on Saturdays.
Poulsbo’s Fish Park
Community groups, the city and the Suquamish Tribe started this 40-acre park in 2002. Its trails follow Dogfish Creek to the estuary at the head of Liberty Bay. In late fall, salmon return up the creek.
★ Good to know It’s free and open year-round; enter at 288 NW Lindvig Way off Viking Avenue.
Wilderness Park
This 11.5-acre forest sits right in town on Caldart Avenue, across from North Kitsap High School. An easy 1-mile out-and-back trail follows Dogfish Creek over wooden bridges. It links to a 1.56-mile Park to Park Loop that reaches Raab Park.
★ Good to know Dogs are welcome on a leash, and the trailhead is easiest from the high school lot.
Also in town
The 12-foot Norseman statue greets drivers at Viking Avenue and Lindvig Way, Valhol Brewing pours in town, the Jewel Box Theatre stages shows on Iverson Street, First Lutheran Church has overlooked downtown since 1886, and the farmers market sets up Saturdays from April through December in the Gateway parking lot.
Why is Poulsbo called Little Norway?
Norwegian and other Scandinavian immigrants settled it in the 1880s, drawn by land, rich resources and a landscape like the one they left. Downtown keeps a Scandinavian theme, and Viking Fest each May celebrates that heritage.
How do you get to Poulsbo from Seattle?
Take the state ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island, then drive about 13 miles north on State Route 305. Kitsap Transit buses also serve downtown Poulsbo.
When is Viking Fest in Poulsbo?
It’s held every year on the third weekend in May, centered on the waterfront park downtown.
What other small towns are near Poulsbo?
Port Townsend is northwest on the Olympic Peninsula, and Gig Harbor is south on the Kitsap Peninsula. For more, see our small towns in Washington.
Where to find them
- Front Street and Historic Downtown Front St. NE, Poulsbo, WA 98370 Website Directions
- Sluys Bakery Poulsbo, WA 98370 Website Directions
- Muriel Iverson Williams Waterfront Park 18809 Anderson Parkway, Poulsbo, WA 98370 Website Directions
- SEA Discovery Center 18743 Front St. NE, Poulsbo, WA 98370 Website Directions
- Olympic Outdoor Center (Liberty Bay kayaking) 18743 Front St. NE, Poulsbo, WA 98370 Website Directions
- Poulsbo Maritime Museum 19010 Front St. NE, Poulsbo, WA 98370 Website Directions
- Poulsbo's Fish Park 288 NW Lindvig Way, Poulsbo, WA 98370 Website Directions
- Wilderness Park 18943 Caldart Ave. NE, Poulsbo, WA 98370 Website Directions
Plan your trip: for events and current visitor info in Poulsbo, see Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce →
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Where to stay in Poulsbo
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