Our Trip to Poulsbo, WA
Last Fall the three of us decided to take an impromptu weekend trip to the cute little town of Poulsbo, WA. We were happy to be able to book a last-minute hotel stay at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott. We boarded the Edmonds/Kingston Ferry on Friday afternoon, and enjoyed a pleasant, scenic 33-minute trip to Kingston. Danny, in particular, loves ferry rides—as I’m sure many kids do. From Kingston, it was a 20-minute drive to our hotel.
Due to our food allergies/sensitivities, we brought some easy, microwavable dinners from home (kept cold in a mini-cooler), which we ate in our hotel room. We spent the evening settling into our hotel, swimming in the indoor pool, and watching HGTV, of course.
The next morning, we enjoyed a decent free breakfast in hotel dining room. Jer and I ate some oatmeal and sausage, while Danny had some yogurt and gluten + dairy-free pastry that we brought him from home. Shortly after checkout we drove a mere 8 minutes to downtown Poulsbo. Our first stop was the marina right in downtown, where we saw a gorgeous lion’s mane jellyfish hiding under a boat! (see below). Next we walked to Viking Brew Coffee, where Jer and I enjoyed some oat milk lattes and Danno got a vanilla coconut milk steamer. We spent a little time introverting (e.g. looking through magazines, coloring, etc.…) and playing Jenga. Afterwards, the boys had some fun with the adorable telephone booth right in front of the coffee shop (see below).
Next, we walked a mere 5 minutes to the SEA Discovery Center, with aquarium exhibits that highlight life from the waters of Liberty Bay, local lakes, and the greater Puget Sound! What’s even better is that it’s also free to get in! They do have a suggested donation of $2 per person if you are able. We learned that SEA has special programs throughout the year including exhibitions, lectures, film screenings, book discussions and more! You can follow them on Facebook to learn more. We probably spent at least an hour there, just touching the various star fish and slimy sea creatures! If your kiddos are into sensory activities, they will absolutely love this place!
It was then time for some lunch, prior to embarking upon our journey home. Since we had already checked out of our hotel, we stopped at the Poulsbo Central Market to grab some to-go allergen-free lunches for all of us. Central Market lists all of their ingredients in both their hot and salad bar—which we SO appreciate! The wait at the Kingston Ferry terminal was surprisingly short (30 minutes max). Once we boarded, we enjoyed our lunches while enjoying the gorgeous views of the Sound. We then went up to the deck to get some fresh air and snap a few more photos for memory (see below). All in all, we would say this is a great, low-stress trip for families on a budget who want a change of scenery and a little adventure. We highly recommend!
Vee
