UPDATED OFTEN! Now that the school year is over, parents in Kitsap County are looking for ways to keep the kids busy and out of trouble—besides letting them play video games all day. So here’s a list of ideas and local activities to keep your family sane all summer long.
Science & Museums
Kids Discovery Museum (Bainbridge Island)
KiDiMu sparks children’s curiosity through play and experiential learning. KiDiMu is a home to a variety of hands-on installations that encourage sensory exploration and interactive play for the whole family. Price Range: $7-8.
SEA Discovery Center & Aquarium (Poulsbo) – FREE
The SEA Discovery Center is dedicated to inspiring a deeper sense of understanding and stewardship of the marine environment. The aquarium features local marine life from the Puget Sound and includes a tide pool where visitors can interact with sea creatures. FREE.
Bug Museum (Bremerton) – FREE
The Bug Museum and Reptile Room have LIVE insects and reptiles from around the world. FREE.
U.S. Naval Undersea Museum (Keyport) – FREE
If you’re interested in learning more about the Navy’s undersea operations, technology, combat, research, and salvage, you’ve come to the right place! Come for a visit or take a look around our website to see how exceptional people and cutting edge technology create an incredibly capable undersea force. FREE.
Puget Sound Navy Museum (Keyport) – FREE
Visitors can explore the naval history of the region and experience life as a sailor through exhibits about the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, the USS John C. Stennis, Special Operations Submarines, and much more. FREE.
Indoor Play
Ahoy Kitsap Playland (Bremerton)
Ahoy Kitsap Playland is the region’s premier indoor playground for kids 0-12 featuring a 3 story playground, a toddler area and a jump zone. Price Range: $6-11.
Ocean5 (Gig Harbor)
Ocean5 is your year-round destination to hang out, play and connect! There’s something for everyone. Check out 10 pin and Duckpin bowling on 22 lanes, a two-story Laser Challenge arena, high energy Arcade Game Room and full-service restaurant.
Bainbridge Island Aquatic Center (Bainbridge Island)
This aquatic center is an excellent option for birthday parties, swim lessons for youth & adults, youth swim team, adult swim team, lap swimming, leisure swimming and a variety of innovative aquatic fitness classes that cater to all ability levels.
Imagination Station Enrichment Center (Port Orchard)
Featuring preschool classes, summer camps and birthday parties.
Chuck E. Cheese (Silverdale)
Arcade games, interactive games, in-store show entertainment, and pizza.
Open Play Gymnastics (Bainbridge Island)
Located in the Transmitter Building at Battle Point Park. Ages 6 months to 5 years. Price Range: $6.
Bremerton Ice Center
Public Ice Center offers Public Skating, Youth and Adult Hockey, Figure Skating, Learn to Skate, Birthday Parties and Private Parties.
All Star Lanes & Casino
The center includes an expansive arcade, 40 bowling lanes, a casino with poker room and other Vegas-style table games, a full service diner, Ozzie’s Place bar & bistro, and a drive-thru espresso stand.
Outdoor Fun
Battle Point Park (Bainbridge Island)
This park is amazing. It features a huge open space with two ponds, jogging trail, two soccer fields, three softball fields, horse area, a picnic shelter, two tennis courts, play areas, two basketball courts shared with a roller hockey court, a large children’s play structure (castle), garden plots, and disc golf course. The Transmitter Building is used for gymnastics classes and camps.
Point No Point Beach & Lighthouse (Hansville)
This is arguably the best sandy beach in North Kitsap. It’s a perfect activity for warm summer days. You can watch the cruise ships departing on weekends, fly kites, look for seals and orcas, hunt for seashells, build sandcastles, and enjoy the mountain views and seaplanes.
Clear Creek Trail (Silverdale)
Located on the beautiful Kitsap Peninsula, Clear Creek Trail is almost 8 miles from Silverdale Waterfront Park on Dyes Inlet north to Trigger Avenue. It follows Clear Creek as it meanders through riparian areas, wetlands, and remnant forests.
Silverdale Waterfront Park (Silverdale)
This great park features beach access, playground, restrooms, gazebo, picnic shelter picnic area with restrooms, and a kayak rental center.
Fay Bainbridge Park & Campground (Bainbridge)
Fay Bainbridge Park is a 17-acre marine camping park with 1,420 feet of saltwater shoreline on the northeast corner of Bainbridge Island. The park offers sweeping views of Puget Sound, the Cascade Mountains and features sandy beaches. On clear days, Mount Rainier and Mount Baker are visible from a sandy beach.
Harborside Fountain Park (Bremerton)
This 2.2-acre waterside plaza features the Naval Museum, a fountain that the kids can play in on a hot summer day, tables, benches & restrooms, with nearby shops and restaurants.
Northwest Golf Range (Mini-Golf) and Paintball Park
This 18 hole mini-golf course features a waterfall and logging theme. A family friendly, first timer paintball park is also located here.
Arts & Education
Summer Reading Challenge at the Library
All Kitsap Regional Library locations off this great program. Kids and adults who track their summer reading goals can win great swag along the way, including a fee book, and enter to win a grand prize. Read 10 or 100 hours to participate!
Note: Macaroni Kid has a great post about other summer reading programs, including the Tracyton Community Library, Bedtime Books at Bethany Lutheran Church (Port Orchard), Barnes & Noble at Kitsap Mall in Silverdale, Eagle Harbor Book Co. on Bainbridge Island. Check it out!
Special Activities:
- Kitsap Forest Theater day camps (Bremerton)
- Bricks 4 Kidz® LEGO® Camps (Silverdale & Bremerton)
- Kitsap Art School of the Arts (Silverdale)
Entertainment
Summer Concerts by the Bay
Macaroni Kid has posted a comprehensive guide to live music along the waterfront parks in Kitsap County, with options nearly every evening of the week from July through August.
Movie Theaters:
Look for free and $1 movie showings for kids throughout the summer. See website for details and special showing schedules.
- Bainbridge Cinemas (Bainbridge Island)
- Regal Cinemas Poulsbo 10 (Poulsbo)
- AMC Kitsap 8 (Silverdale)
- SEEfilm Bermerton Cinema (Bremerton)
Movies on the Lawn – Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort – FREE
On select Sundays in July and August, bring your own lawn chairs or blankets and purchase snacks and drinks. The lawn opens at 6pm, and the movies start at dusk. No outside food or drink is permitted. FREE.
Special Events
Bremerton Bridge Blast
June 29, 2019
This event features fireworks off the Manette Bridge, a carnival, and vendors at the Bremerton Boardwalk and Evergreen Park.
3rd of July Fireworks in Poulsbo
July 3, 2019
Independence Day starts a day early in Poulsbo! Come to Liberty Bay by car, boat, kayak, or seaplane for a fantastic display of fireworks over the water.
The Grand Old 4th of July (Bainbridge Island)
July 4, 2019
This community celebration includes entertainment from sunup to sundown. Experience the traditional pancake breakfast, street fair, foot races, classic car show, beer and wine garden, old-timers baseball game, pony rides, bouncy castles, putt putt golf, music, and a mile-long hometown parade beginning at 1pm.
Kingston 4th of July Celebration (Kingston)
July 4, 2019
The Kingston celebration features a Tiny Town for kids at the Village Green, live music at Mike Wallace Park, a traditional parade through the town, and a spectacular fireworks at dusk on the 4th.
Whaling Days Festival in Silverdale
July 26-28, 2019
Whaling Days is a 3-day family-friendly festival with a carnival, races, food and music, a parade, and fireworks in Silverdale, WA.
Kitsap County Fair & Stampede in Bremerton
August 21-25, 2019
Featuring a rodeo, stage and music shows, destruction derby, dance performances, 4-H competitions, animal exhibits, food trucks, and carnival rides.
National Park Service 103rd Birthday
August 25, 2019
Get free admission to state parks (no Discover Pass required).
Summer Camps
Summer Camp at the Y (Silverdale)
At YMCA Summer Day Camps, kids build friendships and learn new skills through adventure and exploration, all while discovering the Y’s values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. Registration for Summer Day Camp at YMCA Camp Lake Helena and Overnight Camp at YMCA Camp Seymour are now open.
Crista Camps – Island Lake Camp (Silverdale)
At Island Lake, we don’t care if you’re a self-proclaimed adrenaline junky or if you get a little woozy around heights; if you fancy yourself the adventurous type, Island Lake has the outdoor experience you’ve been searching for. From paintball to dirt bikes, a week at Island Lake is the adventure-seeker’s paradise.
Crista Camps – Miracle Ranch Camp (Port Orchard)
Miracle Ranch‘s western-themed property bring the thrills of the wild west right to you with a camp experience like no other! Our Horse Xtravaganza camps are perfect for campers who are horse wranglers at heart; but if you’d rather pass on saddling up, our traditional summer camps provide the archery, paintball, high ropes and waterfront fun you’ve come to expect.
Camp Indianola (Indianola)
Camp Indianola features numerous programs for all ages, with games, a giant swing, boating, archery, hammocks, great campfire activities, and plenty of opportunities to have fun and succeed under the supervision of our creative, caring staff.
Islandwood Summer Day Camps (Bainbridge Island)
Our Summer Day Camps on our Bainbridge Island campus boost children’s imaginations in a rich natural setting. Our instructors are experienced environmental educators with a passion for creating experiences that unlock curiosity and understanding about our environment and our world.
Church Camps: