Rather than trying to put our whole July vacation on the Kitsap Peninsula into one post, I decided to break it into major events! We have:

I: Campground & Cycling
II: Bloedel Reserve (Arboretum/Botanical Garden)
III: Elandan Gardens
IV: Hiking in Port Ludlow
V: Kayaking in the Hood Canal/Agate Passageway available

Camping

Camping on the Kitsap Peninsula is a captivating experience that allows you to immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of nature. Nestled in the picturesque state of Washington, this peninsula offers a haven for outdoor enthusiasts seeking an escape from the routine of everyday life. The Kitsap Memorial Campground, situated on the west side of Bainbridge Island, provides a delightful retreat surrounded by tall trees and shrubbery, offering a sense of privacy despite being a public campground. With its convenient location near the water, bathrooms, and beach access, it serves as the perfect base for exploring the region.

We stayed at the Kitsap Memorial Campground on the west side of Bainbridge Island. There is great access to beach if you’re up for some steep steps! This spot was the only place we could book on short notice. Although our spot was billed as very public (spot 19), it was surrounded by tall trees and shrubbery so it still felt very private. Best of all, it was close to water, close to the bathrooms, and close to the beach access! And, it was easy to go 15 minutes north to Port Gamble, 15 minutes south to Poulsbo, 15 minutes west to Port Ludlow, and 15 minutes east to Bainbridge Island (city, not the island!). Very centrally located so we could do whatever we wanted without driving for miles and miles. Grogu also accompanied us.

We were right next to the campground hosts. We learned a few things! Campground hosts at Washington state campgrounds work 28 hours per week (umm…sure…) and have 2 full days off per week. In theory, this works. However, not when there are coded locks on the bathroom and shower doors. If someone checks in on a host’s “day off”, they still need that code! And since we were right next to the host’s RV, guess whose door they came a-knocking at?! You guessed it! We were the assistant camp hosts. 🙂

We camp in a teardrop trailer that we got on the cheap from a person who built it from scratch in Texas. He moved to Oregon and had to put it in storage which was very pricey. Also, he wasn’t quite finished with it. And, he made a major error with the hatchback door. That was okay with us! We faux fixed the error and finished the interior.

While camping, we took a brief road cycling trip in Bainbridge Island (city of). They have a great trail for cyclists/walkers that goes from the top of the hill down to the ferry. Then you can ride the trails on the waterfront. However, they were very short. Kitsap Peninsula didn’t seem to have many other trails for road cycling. We don’t have mountain bikes! Or tires equipped for that. The hill was no joke, though.

For camping meals, I meal planned using Camping For Foodies website (along with our own recipes and ideas). It was great! I found easy but tasty gluten free meals–or gluten free adaptable. I really appreciate them. We picked up a couple bottles of wine in Port Gamble. I just grabbed one that appealed to my sense of humor: Cab Frank. Turns out, Cab Frank is from our hometown. We found it at Long Cellars and went and visited them when we returned because we enjoyed it!

For the first couple days, we were able to have campfires, so we made s’mores. Kind of. There are no GF graham crackers available in this area, so I ordered some from Amazon. They came all broken. So, we just kind of had somewhat-mores and we didn’t really want some more! The second night, we just sandwiched marshmallows between chocolate pieces and ditched the crackers.

When we were in Santa Barbara, we joined the arboretum there because that was the only way to gain entry. That gave us free access through the American Horticultural Society to access other gardens. I looked up ones we could visit, and the Bloedel Reserve was on the list! That will be a dedicated post coming soon!

Thanks for reading to the end! If you want to see all the photos, they’re over at Flickr linked below.

Peace,

Terri

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