A Day Trip to Bremerton Without a Car

The Seattle waterfront is currently under construction chaos, but that’s more of a problem for drivers than pedestrians—lucky you! Climb the stairs to Colman Dock and pick up an adult roundtrip ticket ($9.85) from the self-service kiosk or a ticketing counter. Try to get to the terminal at least 15 minutes beforehand to be safe. If you miss the ferry, it’ll be at least two hours before the next one. But chilling in the terminal ain’t too bad. 

The Washington State Department of Transportation recently dropped many millions of dollars to update the terminal, and it’s a cush place to wait and read a book. When the time comes to board, scan your ticket, then mosey onto the ferry. You can chill in the galley or sit at a table by the window where you can solve puzzles to pass the hour-long journey. Depending on the weather, I’d recommend standing outside on the back deck and looking at Seattle shrinking from view. It’s cinematic!

Within a half-mile radius, there are not one but three museums near the Bremerton Ferry Terminal. There’s the Kitsap History Museum, about a 10-minute walk from the terminal. Housed inside the former Seattle First National Bank office, the (free!) museum’s permanent exhibitions are dedicated to relaying the history and culture of Kitsap County via archival objects from Bremerton 100 years ago. It’s only open Thursday through Saturday, so make your plans accordingly. 

The two other museums are dedicated to Bremerton’s military history: the USS Turner Joy Museum Ship and the Puget Sound Navy Museum. The former is a museum on a literal Forrest Sherman Destroyer, launched in 1959 and decommissioned in 1982. Since 1992, visitors have been able to explore the ins and outs of the ship and learn about its history in the Pacific and what daily life looked like for soldiers living on the barge. In the winter, it’s only open Wednesday through Sunday, and tours take around two hours. Dress warm and wear sturdy shoes! At the Puget Sound Navy Museum, located inside the shipyard’s former administrative building, you can check out the naval history of the Pacific Northwest region and learn a bit more about the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton. 

In addition to having a wealth of museums, Bremerton is also home to two movie theaters near the ferry. The first is Seefilm Cinemas, a multiplex about a 12-minute walk from the terminal. They show first-run blockbuster movies and other special occasion showings, so if you want to add a fresh zeal to catching the latest Marvel flick, this is the place to do it. You should also note that employee-owned speakeasy Remedy is just across the street from Seefilm. Pop in for a cocktail before! 

The other cinema located in Bremerton is the historic Roxy Theatre. Located next to Axe & Arrow and the Kitsap History Museum, the Roxy originally opened in 1941 and has pretty red velvet seats and an old-timey feel. In addition to first-run films, they also screen cult classics and host live events. Have fun!