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sound along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington
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North America > United States of America > Pacific Northwest > Washington (state) > Puget Sound

Puget Sound is geologically a big fjord, a semi-enclosed body of water with its northern boundary marked by Admiralty Pass and the Strait of San Juan de Fuca, first mapped by Captain George Vancouver. Salt water from the nearby Pacific Ocean mixes with fresh water runoff from the surrounding watershed in western Washington, in a sheltered arm of ocean between Seattle and the mainland of Washington State to the east and the Olympic Peninsula to the west. The southern boundary is marked by where the mainland and the Olympic Peninsula meet, near Olympia. It is the second largest estuary in the United States, with 3,790 km (2,350 mi) of shoreline. The Puget Sound watershed covers nearly 42,800 km2 (16,500 sq mi) and consists of over ten thousand rivers and streams that drain into the Sound.

An Orca 'porpoising' in Hood Canal area of Puget Sound

Locals generally refer to Puget Sound as both the body of water and the geographic area surrounding it. While there are different definitions of Puget Sound, Wikivoyage defines the Puget Sound Region to consist of Puget Sound, the islands of Puget Sound, the Kitsap Peninsula, and the mainland counties which form both the western and eastern sides of Puget Sound leading up to the edges of the watershed in the high crests of the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges. Counties with this area include: Island, Snohomish, Kitsap, King, Pierce, and Thurston

Regions

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Map
Map of Puget Sound

 North Sound
The North Puget Sound region lies north of the Admiralty Inlet and Port Townsend and west of Whidbey Island. Includes the city of Bellingham and the picturesque San Juan Islands.
 King County
Where Seattle is located, it also has some unique suburbs, such as Bellevue, Redmond, Woodinville, Kent and many others that extend north, east and south from the core. Bordered to the west by the Kitsap Peninsula this region includes Vashon Island and Blake Island.
 Kitsap Peninsula
A nice mix of rural and urban activitie: quaint harbor towns, parks, beaches, golf courses, nearly 400 miles of coastline and dozens of public marinas and boat launches. It includes Bainbridge Island.
 South Sound
South Puget Sound region includes the cities south of Tacoma and the state capital at Olympia, further south.

Cities

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map of Puget Sound with major cities

The Puget Sound Region has many cities, check in the subregion articles for more of them. Some areas might be mentioned here but be covered more broadly in other subregion articles. For example Port Townsend is on the shores of Puget Sound, but it is part of the Olympic Peninsula subregion.

  • 1 Bellevue lies across Lake Washington to the east of Seattle. It is the fifth largest city in the state.
  • 2 Bremerton is the main city within the Kitsap Peninsula. This harbor town is fun place to explore.
  • 3 Gig Harbor — a small historical harbor town near the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
  • 4 Olympia lies at the southernmost bit of Puget Sound. It is the beautiful state capital.
  • 5 Port Orchard classic harbor town with downtown shopping area on the Kitsap Peninsula. It is the county seat of Kitsap County.
  • 6 Port Townsend historic port with its turn of the century buildings is popular with tourists.
  • 7 Seattle is by far the largest city in the region. It is the heart of a vibrant metropolitan area and a major tourist destination.
  • 8 Silverdale is a popular town on the Kitsap Peninsula with amazing views of Puget Sound.
  • 9 Tacoma is another major city in the South Sound. Formerly mostly industrial, the city center has been beautified, and the city now offers attractions such as the famous Museum of Glass, Point Defiance Park, and the Washington State History Museum.

Other destinations

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Puget Sound area offers a vast variety of areas from thick rain forests and rocky wild rivers to sophisticated urban areas with an international cultural influence.

Understand

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Suquamish woman photographed by Edward S. Curtis in 1913.

History

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Puget Sound's complex series of waterways were formed from receding glaciers that left the area about 14,000 years ago cutting deep into the land forming valleys that eventually flooded creating the intricate landscape that we know today.

According to scientific data, the first people arrived in Puget Sound about 12,000 years ago, but according to native Suquamish people, legend says that all of the earth was water, then the Old One dried the land and created everything from mud; he used the last mud balls from the earth to create the people. Then he sent Coyote to teach the people how to live with the earth, Coyote traveled the earth teaching the people and making life better for them.

By 1792, when Captain George Vancouver named the area after one of his officers and declared the area for Great Britain, the Suquamish and Salish people had already developed a multifaceted and complex society of their own. The Suquamish people called Puget Sound the Lushootseed name 'WulcH, which simply means "Salt Water". For thousands of years, the Suquamish traveled the waters of Puget Sound in well designed cedar canoes, and before settlers developed roadways, a complex series of ferries known as the ‘Mosquito Fleet’ was also the main way people and goods were transported around the area, and the waters of Puget Sound became the first regional highway.

Once the Washington Territory was established in 1853, the U.S. government began signing treaties with area tribes to acquire their lands. The Suquamish people ceded most of their land to the United States and logging came into the area in full force. The area's once impassable thick forests gave way to farms, towns and industry, as lumber was shipped off to areas such as San Francisco or burned as fuel for the growing fleet of boats.

Today, the area has grown in international influence with economic powerhouses such as Boeing, Starbucks and Microsoft whose global reach is far beyond Washington State borders. Seattle is the largest cosmopolitan city, with millions of people, and the region's cultural influence is profound, with many artistic and cultural endeavors reaching an international audience. Yet, though all of this growth and change, the people of the region are still tied to Puget Sound not only for transportation and a source of food, but as the symbolic center of their area's culture.

Boundaries

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Despite common belief and contrary to widespread usage there is some debate on the exact boundaries of the area we call Puget Sound. For the sake of clarity we are using the boundaries established by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) which draws the northern border along the Canadian border and Strait of Georgia. In 2009, the area that contains the Strait of Juan De Fuca, all of Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia was named the Salish Sea, in honor of the Indigenous people of the region (referred to as 'First Nations' people by Canadians).

Talk

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The Pacific Northwest accent spoken in the Puget Sound region is considered very similar to the General American standard accent (native to the Midwest), popularized in the 20th century by radio, TV and movies. People in the area generally have little to no problem understanding different accents of the English language. The Pacific Northwest attracts tourists from around the world, and it is common to hear many foreign languages being spoken in public in major tourist areas.

There are ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the Seattle area where many languages are spoken, including a large International District where many Asian languages are spoken. Washington is the thirteenth most populated state for example, but by comparison has the fourth highest Asian population. Seattle's 98118 zip code centered around the Columbia City neighborhood in South Seattle is considered the most ethnically diverse zip code in the country by the US Census bureau with 59 different languages regularly being spoken.

Chinook Jargon was a pidgin or trade language established among indigenous inhabitants of the region. After contact with Europeans, French, English, and Cree words entered the language, and "eventually Chinook became the lingua franca for as many as 250,000 people along the Pacific Slope from Alaska to Oregon." Chinook Jargon reached its height of usage in the 19th century though remained common in resource and wilderness areas, particularly but not exclusively by Native Americans and Canadian First Nations people, well into the 20th century. Chinook Jargon was still in use in Seattle until roughly the eve of World War II, making Seattle the last city where the language was widely used. Today its influence is felt mostly in place names and a handful of localized slang terms. Pronunciation of some of these terms is difficult and often separates the visitor from the local including Alki, Seattle, Kitsap, Yakima, Duwamish and Lummi.

Get in

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By plane

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sea plane leaving San Juan Islands
  • 1 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA IATA), universally nicknamed "Sea-Tac", is in the city's southern suburbs. Domestically it's a major hub for Northwest and West Coast destinations with direct flights to most major cities in the U.S., and internationally it handles frequent trans-Pacific routes, as well as direct flights to Canada, Mexico, the major European airports and Dubai in the Middle East. The airport is about a 25-minute drive from downtown Seattle when there isn't heavy traffic, much longer during rush hour. All information about the airport, including any means of ground transportation, is covered in a separate article.
  • Bellingham International Airport (BLI IATA) has scheduled flights to Seattle, Las Vegas, and Honolulu, through Horizon Air and Alaska Airlines. Allegiant Air has service to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Palm Springs (seasonal), Phoenix, and San Diego. San Juan Airlines has commuter flights to the island towns of Eastsound, Friday Harbor, Lopez, and Roche Harbor, and to Vancouver, Canada. This is the only airport close to Seattle to which Allegiant Airlines offer service.
  • 2 Boeing Field/King County International Airport (BFI IATA) Most of its traffic are with Boeing test flights, general aviation, VIP flights and commercial cargo flights. There are limited commercial passenger services with Kenmore Air and JetSuite X from its small passenger terminal at 7277 Perimeter Rd S
  • 3 Paine Field (PAE IATA), also known as Snohomish County Airport), Everett (about 8.5 miles (13.7 km) south of Everett). It is still the location for Boeing's 747 and 777 manufacturing and test flights. As of 2019 a small passenger terminal opened to the public for commercial traffic. It is served only by Alaska Airlines, but other airlines may follow suit in time as the terminal and demand expands. The terminal, ranked one of the best regional airports in the world, has a rather cozy design with fireplaces and nice chairs and sofas, and waiter service from the restaurants available throughout the terminal (all two gates of it). Paine Field (Q838219) on Wikidata Paine Field on Wikipedia 
  • 4 Sea Planes (LKE  IATA) are another popular way to travel around Puget Sound with several airlines based out of Seattle including Kenmore Air serving areas all around Puget Sound and Canada and Harbour Air to Vancouver's Coal Harbour. Kenmore Air offers shuttle transfer from SeaTac to their terminal on the shores of Lake Union and King County International Airport (Boeing Field).

By train

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Amtrak has three train services that serve the Puget Sound area. Cities served are Seattle, Tukwila, Tacoma, Olympia, Edmonds, and Everett: see the "Get in" sections of those cities for more details.

For more information about travelling by train in the United States see Rail travel in the United States.

By car

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I-5 is the main freeway running north-south; going north to Vancouver and south to Portland and California. I-90 goes east from Seattle to Spokane, Chicago and ultimately Boston. Other east-west routes include US-2 over Stevens Pass from Everett and SR-410 from Tacoma (closed in winter).

By bus

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  • BellAir Airporter, (company office & bus garage) 1416 Whitehorn St, Ferndale, ☏ +1 360-380-8880, toll-free: +1-866-235-5247. 11 round-trips daily to Sea-Tac from Blaine, Birch Bay, Lynden, Ferndale, Bellingham, Burlington, Stanwood and Marysville along the I-5 corridor. They offer a second route from Burlington to the Anacortes/San Juan Ferry Terminal via La Conner and Anacortes. Passengers coming typically transfer in Burlington from the I-5 Corridor route to continue westward to the Anacortes/San Juan Ferry Terminal. 
  • Greyhound, Flixbus, toll-free: +1-800-231-2222. Runs along the I-5 corridor between Seattle and Vancouver, BC (via Everett, Mt Vernon & Bellingham) on one route and to Sacramento (via Tacoma, Olympia, Centralia & Kelso, Portland) on the other. They also run along I-90 across eastern Washington between Seattle and Spokane. Some Flixbus routes are operated by MTR Western between Seattle and Eugene while Wenatchee Shuttle operates the Flixbus from SeaTac to Wenatchee. Flixbus uses Greyhoound stops and station in addition to their separate stops. Prices varies depending on travel from which departure point to which destination point. Greyhound Lines (Q755309) on Wikidata Greyhound Lines on Wikipedia 
  • Quick Shuttle, toll-free: +1-800-665-2122. Runs between Seattle and Vancouver, BC. Stops in Downtown Seattle (outside the Best Western at 200 Taylor Ave N) and SeaTac Airport (at the main terminal near south end of baggage claim, outside door 00, bays 11-16). Fares from Vancouver to Downtown Seattle are $36 one-way, $65 round-trip; from Vancouver to SeaTac, fares are $49 one-way, $87 round-trip. Vancouver to Downtown Seattle: $36 one-way, $65 round-trip; Vancouver to SeaTac airport: $49 one-way, $87 round-trip. 

See By bus under Get in in the Seattle, Bellevue and Olympia articles and By shuttle bus under Ground Transportation in the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport article for an extended list of bus and shuttle companies connecting travelers into the Puget Sound region from the airport, from around the state and from the nearby cities of Vancouver and Portland. See By bus under Get around in below for a list of bus companies serving the Puget Sound Region.

By ferry

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Washington State Ferry leaving Vashon Island

By cruise ship

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Cruise ships to Seattle may be docked at one of two terminals in the Port of Seattle[dead link].

  • 5 Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal at Pier 66, 2225 Alaskan Way S, near the middle of Seattle downtown's waterfront, serves as home port for Norwegian Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises. Has bus, taxi and shuttle connections for transfer of passengers and luggage. For travelers with connecting flights, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is less than 15 mi (24 km) away.
  • 6 Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91, 2001 W Garfield St, at the north end of Seattle's downtown waterfront, serves as home port to Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises.

By boat

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It is not coincidence that so many cities in this region are located on the water. Early settlers found the thick regional forests too impenetrable to navigate by land so waterways became the Pacific Northwests early highway system.

However when arriving from Canada there are only a handful of ports including Roche Harbor, Friday Harbor, Anacortes and Bellingham that are official U.S. ports-of-entry and can process boaters through customs. The Cardinal Rule is touch land at customs dock before any other stops, fines for not doing so can be up to $5000. Besides a passport for everyone on board, you will need your boat's license number and User Fee Decal number.

Customs enforces USDA guidelines for what foods are acceptable to bring into the country and these guidelines are constantly changing so it is best to check in with them before arriving. Boaters are responsible for knowing the prohibited foods and can be fined for not declaring them.

The Puget Sound region offers a wide variety of guest marinas throughout the area. Check city listings for specific marina information.

  • The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has the largest state-managed mooring system in the United States. The commission manages more than 40 marine parks in Puget Sound that together provide more than 8.500 feet (2.591 m) of public moorage space.

Get around

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By ferry

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Car alarm?

Nothing separates the tourist from the local on the ferry system more than car alarms. Please make sure yours is off if you leave your car to enjoy the view from the deck. Most car alarms detect movement and will be activated by the movement of the ferry and you will be asked to return to your car.

Washington State Ferries is the largest system of ferries in the country and they are the key to successfully navigating Puget Sound. Many ferry destinations are not islands without a bridge, but peninsulas where going by land would involve a very long detour. The most extreme example of this is the Port Townsend -- Keystone route on State Hwy 20. Only five and a half miles (9 km) via the ferry, becomes a whopping 217 miles (354 km) traveling by car!

Washington State Ferry routes cross Puget Sound including several islands including Bainbridge, Vashon, Whidbey and the San Juan Islands. There are also some county-run ferries to smaller destinations such as to Anderson Island and Guemes Island.

By car

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Outside the main cities public transportation is scarce and is not of much use for extensive sightseeing, so renting or arriving by car is advisable. Although distances can be long, most roads are paved and well-maintained. Be aware of distances between gas stations and plan accordingly when traveling in rural areas. Most ferries accept vehicles and utilizing them is key to navigating the area.

By train

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  • Sounder operates commuter trains from Seattle King Street Station to Lakewood via Tukwila, Kent, Auburn, Sumner, Puyallup, Tacoma Dome, South Tacoma and Lakewood to the south and north to Everett via Edmonds and Mukilteo on two separate routes. Schedules are limited to weekday rush hours and Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners home game days.
  • Amtrak Cascades regionally they serve Bellingham, Mt Vernon, Stanwood, Everett, Edmonds, Seattle King Street Station, Tukwila, Tacoma and Lacey (nearest to Olympia). They operate 2x daily going north from Seattle to Vancouver and 4x daily south towards Portland on two separate routes. Check schedules. The Amtrak Coast Starlight runs the same route with the same stops (except Tukwila) as the Cascades between Seattle and Lacey. In Tacoma the Amtrak station and the Sounder stations are in two different places.

By bus

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Regional transit systems tend to be organized by county however they are often interconnected to cover larger areas and some are coordinated with Washington State Ferries, with each other (for one to arrive within minutes of the next one leaving) and have many coordinated pickups at Seatac airport. Not the fastest way to travel but efficient and cheap for the budget traveler and are the only way available in the (more rural) areas west of the Puget Sound. See the below:

Along West Side of Puget Sound With the exception of the Dungeness Line, the county operated transit systems are the only way around the Olympic Peninsula without a car on the west side of the sound. Schedules are less frequent on rural routes then local services within the cities/towns.

  • Dungeness Line (operated by Greyhound Connect), ☏ +1 360 417-0700. The Dungeness Line, operated by Olympic Bus Lines provides two trips daily between Port Angeles, Sequim, Port Townsend, Discovery Bay, and Kingston, to and from Edmonds, downtown Seattle, and Seattle Tacoma International Airport. It is a privately operated bus between Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula. $28 to $49 OW depending on how far you're going. 
  • Clallam Transit. Buses in Port Angeles (Rt #20-24), Joyce (#10), Forks (Rt#14 - 17), Neah Bay (Rt#16), La Push (#15) and Sequim (Rt#30-52) in Clallam County. Connects to Jefferson Transit in Sequim and Forks. The "Strait Shot" bus (Rt #123) runs 3x daily (M-F) and twice on Saturdays from Port Angeles to Winslow in Bainbridge Island where passengers transfer continue to Seattle by ferry. $1.00 or $0.50 reduced fare for Medicare card holders and qualified seniors, disabled, youth and low income riders. 
  • Jefferson Transit, ☏ +1 360 385-4777, toll-free: +1-800-371-0497. Local buses in Port Townsend and to Sequim, Quilcene, Port Ludlow, Brinnon & Poulsbo, as well as the "West End" from Forks to Amanda Park along US Hwy 101 through Jefferson County. $1.50 or $1.00 reduced fare for Medicare card holders and qualified seniors, disabled, youth and low income riders.. 
  • Kitsap Transit. Buses in Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Poulsbo, Kingston, Suquamish, Silverdale,and Port Orchard in Kitsap County. Limited service to Purdy just over the Kitsap/Pierce County line. They also operate the passenger only catamarman ferries across Puget Sound from Bremerton and Kingston to downtown Seattle. $2.00 or $1.00 reduced fare for Medicare card holders and qualified seniors, disabled, youth and low income riders paying with an ORCA card.. 
  • Mason Transit, 790 E Johns Prairie Rd, Shelton, WA 98584, ☏ +1 360 532-2770. Local buses in Shelton and to Belfaire, Bremerton and Brinon Connects to Intercity Transit and Grays Harbor Transit in Olympia (Rt #6); to Kitsap Transit in Bermerton (Rt #3) and to Jefferson Transit in Brinnon (Rt #1). $1.50 or $1.00 reduced fare for Medicare card holders and qualified seniors, disabled, youth and low income riders traveling across the county line otherwise it's a free ride for all within Mason County.. 

Along East Side of Puget Sound The eastside is more populated and therefore, offer more frequent schedules on more routes. If you're trying to get from Olympia to Port Townsend, Bremerton or Widbey Island it would be quicker to get a series of buses up into Seattle and taking the ferry across than the buses along the west side of the Sound.

  • BellAir Airporter, (company office & bus garage) 1416 Whitehorn St, Ferndale, WA 98248, ☏ +1 360 380-8880, toll-free: +1-866-235-5247. 11 round-trips daily to Sea-Tac from Blaine, Birch Bay, Lynden, Ferndale, Bellingham, Burlington, Stanwood and Marysville along the I-5 corridor. They offer a second route from Burlington to the Anacortes/San Juan Ferry Terminal via La Conner and Anacortes. Passengers coming from Seattle and Sea-Tac transfer in Burlington from the I-5 Corridor route to continue westward to the Anacortes/San Juan Ferry Terminal. 
  • Greyhound, Flixbus, toll-free: +1-800-231-2222. Runs along the I-5 corridor between Vancouver BC, Bellingham, Mt Vernon, Everett, Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia. Quicker to get across longer distances such as from Olympia up to Bellingham than a series of county operated buses. Some of the Flixbus routes are operated by MTR Western (I-5 corridor between Seattle, Portland & Eugene) and Wenatchee Shuttle (to Wenatchee from SeaTac) as separate brands. Greyhound Connect also goes up to Port Angeles via Edmonds/Kingston Ferry as the Dungeness Line. Prices varies. 
  • Sound Transit, ☏ +1 206 553-3000, toll-free: +1-800-542-7876. The regional public transit operator which operates the Sounder Train, light rail (in Tacoma and in Seattle) and express bus services between cities in the three county Seattle metropolitan area such as Tacoma (586,590,592,594,595,574), Bellevue (532,550,554,556,560,565), Everett (510,512,513,532), Bothell (522), and other cities/municipalities surrounding Seattle. $2.75 within King County, $3.75 cross-county. 
  • Community Transit, ☏ +1 425 353-RIDE (7433), toll-free: +1-800-562-1375. Transit services in Snohomish County outside of Everett such as Arlington, Brier, Bothell, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Lake Stevens, Marysville, Monroe, Snohomish, Stanwood, etc and express services from various points in Snohomish County to downtown Seattle (400s) and the University of Washington (800s) in the mornings and up to Snohomish County in the afternoons. Local bus service within the city of Everett is provided by Everett Transit. $4 from Everett and south of Everett to Seattle, $5.25 from north of Everett to Seattle (one way); $2.00 within Snohomish County. 
  • Intercity Transit. Operates local buses in/around Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater in Thurston County and express buses up to Tacoma and Lakewood along I-5 (Rt #620). 
  • Island Transit, ☏ +1 360 678-7771, +1 360 387-7433. M-F 3:45AM-7:45PM; no service weekends & holidays. Operates local services up and down Whidbey Island and on around Camano Island as well as the Coupeville and Clinton Ferry Terminals; local services within Oak Harbor and intercounty services to Mt Vernon in Skagit County from Whidbey Island and Camano Island and Everett from Camano Island. 
  • King County Metro. Operates buses within Seattle and out to surrounding suburbs & cities of King County such as Auburn, Aurora Village, Bothell, Bellevue, Enumclaw, Federal Way, Kent, Kirkland, Issaquah, North Bend, Redmond, Renton, Sea-Tac, Shoreline, Vashon Island, Woodinville, etc. The rule of thumb is that the three digit line numbers are for service to/from outside the Seattle city limits. There are other routes that operate locally within the suburbs and between the suburban cities that do not come into Seattle at all. $2.75. (updated Oct 2018)
  • Pierce Transit, ☏ +1 253 581-8000. Local buses in Tacoma, Federal Way, Lakewood, Puyallup, Steilacoom and University Place. Limited service to the surrounding areas in Bonney Lake/Lake Tapps, Buckley, Gig Harbor, Roy Y, Spanaway/South Hill, Steilacoom and Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM). $2.50 or $1 reduced fare for Medicare card holders and qualified seniors, disabled, youth and low income riders paying with an ORCA card. 
  • Skagit Transit, Intermodal Station @ 105 E Kinkaid in Mt Vernon, ☏ +1 360 757-4433. Local buses in Mt Vernon, Burlington, Anacortes and other points in/around Skagit County. County Connector Service to Everett on 90x and Bellingham on 80x. $1 within the county or $2 day ticket; $2 for County Connector Service.. 
  • Whatcom Transit (WTA), ☏ +1 360 676-7433. Operates buses between Bellingham, Ferndale (Rt #27), Lynden (#26), Blaine (#75), Lummi Reservation (#50) and other places in/around Whatcom County. They also go to Mt Vernon on Rt #80x in neighboring Skagit County. They don't cross the international border or go into Point Roberts. (updated Dec 2018)

By light rail

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Light rail is growing rapidly in the area, but only one line is operating, from Angle Lake Station in Des Moines to University of Washington Station next to Husky Stadium, with stops at SeaTac Airport, South Seattle, Downtown Seattle, and Capitol Hill along the way. Construction is already underway to extend the light rail south from Angle Lake to Federal Way and north from University of Washington to Northgate. Plans and eventual construction are underway to further extend the light rail from Federal Way to Tacoma and from Northgate up to Everett via Lynnwood and from Seattle to the eastside all the way through 2040.

Puget Sound with Mount Rainier in the distance
  • Blake Island State Park (in Puget Sound in the waters between Seattle and the Kitsap Peninsula). A popular island state park accessible only by boat that was the birthplace of Chief Seattle and still offers guests Native American style dinners and dancing. 
  • Deception Pass Bridge, a National Historic Monument since 1982, is actually two spans that link Whidbey Island near Oak Harbor to Fidalgo Island over Canoe Pass and Deception Pass. The bridge, one of the scenic wonders and destinations of the Pacific Northwest, was a Public Works Administration project built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Deception Pass State Park, has over 4,100 acres (17 km²) of forest, campsites, trails, and scenic vistas of the San Juan Islands, Victoria (British Columbia, Canada), Mount Baker, and Fidalgo Island.
  • Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve preserves and protects an unbroken historical record of Puget Sound exploration and settlement from the 19th century to the present. Historic farms, still under cultivation in the prairies of Whidbey Island, reveal land use patterns unchanged since settlers claimed the land in the 1850s.
  • Hood Canal. Despite its name, it is not a canal but an inland fjord that stretches for over 70 miles (110 km) separating the Kitsap Peninsula from the Olympic Peninsula. It is a prime destination in the area for outdoor recreation and nature viewing with sweeping views of the Olympic Mountains and lush forests. Near the southern end of the Kitsap Peninsula it hooks inward at an area known as the Great Bend. 

Kitsap Peninsula

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The Kitsap Peninsula is almost an island attached by a relatively small landmass near Belfair, its complex coastline dominates the Puget Sound area between Hood Canal and the Main Puget Sound Channel. It is home of several cities and towns and is accessible by the Tacoma Narrows Bridge near Tacoma and the floating Hood Canal Bridge giving access on the northern end to the Olympic Peninsula and to several ferry terminals giving access from Seattle and Edmunds.

Islands

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Other areas

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Beachcombing

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purple seastar found on Kitsap Peninsula beach

What Puget Sound beaches lack in white sand and warm water is more than made up for in the amazing scenery as the clear waters play against wild coastlines and snow peaked mountains scatter on the horizons. The areas many State Parks are an excellent place to start a beach combing adventure offering miles of beaches from the rugged to the sandy smooth. Small crabs, moon snails, sea stars and sand dollars are common sites and tide pools can offer hours of exploration.

Sea shells and driftwood are considered part of the natural environment and should not be removed, however the often rocky and wild shores are havens for creating and revealing beach glass and anything artificial found is fair game for removal. Be respectful of private property and gentle with sea creatures. Keep a wide distance away from nesting birds, seals and other shore animals and always put back anything removed from the shoreline.

Boating

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Puget Sound offers some of the best recreational boating in the world. Breath taking views of the snow capped Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges along with glimpses of Mount Rainier mingle with thick forests and clear bays and streams to create a humbling cacophony of natural sights. Carved by ancient glaciers, Puget Sounds intricate and complex waterways provide endless opportunities for exploration while the many harbor towns built on protective bays cater to boaters and provide a wide array of services, restaurants and shops. Harbor Seals, Otters, Sea Lions, Bald Eagles and Blue Herons are common sights while the occasional viewing of an Orca or Grey Whale is not out of the question.

Sailing

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The Puget Sound is a destination celebrated by sailors from around the world. The scenery around Puget Sound can be so amazing that it borders on the surreal and could only possibly be appreciated more from the deck of a boat under sail. From isolated moorages in such places as Blake Island State Park to historic harbor towns with fine restaurants, museums and shopping all accessible from convenient harbors.

Tacoma Yacht Club race

Visitors to the area will often be treated to the sight of a flotilla of sailboats on Puget Sound as local yacht clubs organize events that sometimes attract hundreds of sailors. These ‘races’ such as the Gig Harbor Yacht Club Islands Race are often informal events that are more of an opportunity for fraternization and attract many types of sailboats and many different skill levels of sailors.

Sea kayaking

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Sea kayaking can be a rewarding way to explore the Puget Sounds miles of coastline allowing the paddler a closer and slower look at their surroundings and making Puget Sound a popular area to sea kayak. Both urban and rural areas offer their own rewards and many organized tours are available in different areas.

Kayak trails

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Organized trails offer overnight camping options and maps of appropriate travel lengths and scenic travel destinations. For thousands of years native Salish tribes navigated these waters in small, well designed wooden boats and many of these trails were developed along their same paths.

  • 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. People can boat to the campsites from many public and private launch sites or shoreline trailheads. 
  • Kitsap Peninsula National Water Trails. The National Parks Service named the this 'Trail of the Month' in December 2012. PDF copies of the water trails map are available (updated Jun 2017)
  • Key Peninsula Marine Trail. A 40-mile (64-km) marine trail with 14 legs between 15 points of interest during a paddling journey around the Key Peninsula 

Bird watching

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  • Go bird-watching and see some of the 300+ species of birds found in Puget Sound.

Scuba diving

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California Sea Lions

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 here[dead link]

  • 1 Sound Dive Center, 5000 Burwell Street, Bremerton, WA 98312, ☏ +1 360-373-6141. Established in 1972, this 6,000 ft² (560 m2) diving center offers a full range of diving gear and classes. 

The Pacific Northwest is a foodie’s dream come true. Talented chefs and entrepreneurs have taken advantage of the northwest’s incredible seafood, abundant locally sourced produce, award-winning wines, and a well developed beer brewing tradition to establish a regional cuisine that trumps just about any other area in America. The Puget Sound region offers top of the line restaurants squirreled away in almost every neighborhood Pacific north westerners have high expectations from their food.

The Pacific North West is perhaps best known for its salmon, but a large variety of other seafood is available in the area. Oftentimes seafood comes in short bursts with seasonal migrations such as the areas fall Salmon runs available for only short amounts of time so watch closely for seasonal specials in restaurants and markets.

Shellfish are the 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, mussels and oysters) but other specialties like Geoducks are sometimes available for the more adventurous.

The Dungeness Crab is a popular seafood prized for its sweet and tender flesh and high ratio of meat. Its common name comes from the port of Dungeness, Washington where the first commercial harvesting of the crab was done. The Dungeness Crab is a commercially important crab in the state of Washington's territorial waters and was the first shellfish harvested commercially in the area but other crab species are also common.

The areas mild climate, rich soil and abundant water resources have created a bountiful climate for the many varieties of fresh produce available across the region. Farmers markets are common in both urban and rural areas and a great way to experience local culture as well as experience local foods.

Drink

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Few, if any, American regions can challenge the Pacific North West's love of coffee. According to a group of industry market researchers, there were an amazing 1,640 coffee shops in the Puget Sound region in 2011, ranking it the most popular coffee region. It is not surprising that such coffee giants such as Starbucks have exported the Pacific Northwest's coffee culture around the globe.

Microbreweries and beer in general are a Northwest specialty, and the area has many to offer for beer enthusiasts. The larger brewers, like Redhook and Pyramid, distribute their products regionally or nationally like their coffee cousins, while other brews can only be found in local stores or bars (some notable brewers don't even bottle their product). Ask your servers for local beer recommendations and search out regional microbrews in stores. Hops are the key ingredient in beer making and Washington State's neaby Yakima Valley is by far the biggest exporter of hops in the US giving area brewers another edge in making the best beers. Vineyard in Willamette Valley

There are many great wineries spread across the Puget Sound region such as The Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, which is not only the oldest winery in the state but is the largest single producer of Riesling wine in the United States.

Stay safe

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Puget Sound is such a broad and varying region it is difficult to give specific safety advice. From large cities where common sense should prevail when dealing with valuables to remote forests where you should keep a watchful eye out for wildlife. Check various subregion and city articles for more specific information.

Go next

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This region travel guide to Puget Sound is an outline and may need more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. If there are Cities and Other destinations listed, they may not all be at usable status or there may not be a valid regional structure and a "Get in" section describing all of the typical ways to get here. Please plunge forward and help it grow!
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