Major city · United States
KingstonKingston, Washington
Give Kingston one night as a ferry-and-bed stop on the way to the Olympic Peninsula — or a half-day if you are already on the Kitsap Peninsula.
Kingston is a small Puget Sound town (population about 1,600) at the north end of the Kitsap Peninsula, reached by a 30-minute Washington State Ferries crossing from Edmonds. The ferry is the reason most travellers pass through; the town itself is a compact waterfront with a marina, a few cafés and a Saturday market in summer. It works as a first or last night on an Olympic Peninsula loop, not as a multi-day base.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- USD
- Best months
- May–Oct; July–August is warmest but the busiest for ferry queues
- avoid November–February (wet, grey, some seasonal businesses closed)
- Airports
- SEA · PAE
- Nights
- 1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
- United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
- United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
- United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Kingston911 ▾
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Kingston, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the US dollar (USD, $).United States-wide
- SIM or eSIMAT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.United States-wide
- Tap waterTap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.United States-wide
- TippingSit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.United States-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 120 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.United States-wide
- SafetyKingston is a low-crime small town and feels safe day and night.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations.United States-wide
- Emergency numbers911 police, fire, ambulance
- Sundays & holidaysFederal holidays close offices, banks and post offices; national parks stay open.United States-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportSEA Seattle–Tacoma International (About 1 h 15 min–1 h 45 min by road to Edmonds or Kingston, depending on traffic…
- Getting aroundDowntown Kingston is small enough to walk from the ferry to the marina, parks and cafés.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Coffee$4–6
- Sit-down mealCasual dinner, per person$20–35
- Street or quick mealBreakfast or crêpe$10–18
- BeerDraught beer at a brewery$7–9
- Budget bedHostel or budget motel bed, a night, per personUS$45
- Mid-range bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomUS$180
- High-end bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomUS$320
A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$140 · High US$260
Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- SEA Seattle–Tacoma International (About 1 h 15 min–1 h 45 min by road to Edmonds or Kingston, depending on traffic; the Dungeness Line bus connects SeaTac to Kingston via the ferry (check current times).) · PAE Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field) (Smaller Seattle-area airport north of Edmonds; check which airlines currently serve it.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
Feb
Avoid
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
Mar
not flagged
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
Apr
not flagged
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
May
Best
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Jun
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Jul
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Aug
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Sep
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Oct
Best
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
Nov
Avoid
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
Dec
Avoid
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
Best: May–Oct. Avoid: Nov–Feb. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)), coolest Jan (2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C) low), wettest Nov (18 rain days), driest Jul (5). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Kingston: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
17 rd
Feb
9°C (48°F)48°F (9°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
14 rd
Mar
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
16 rd
Apr
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
13 rd
May
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
10 rd
Jun
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
8 rd
Jul
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
5 rd
Aug
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
5 rd
Sep
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
8 rd
Oct
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
14 rd
Nov
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
18 rd
Dec
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
18 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Downtown Kingston is small enough to walk from the ferry to the marina, parks and cafés. Kitsap Transit runs local buses (full fare $2, part of the ORCA regional system) and the Kingston Ride shuttle links downtown, the ferry terminal and The Point Casino; service is limited, so check times before relying on it. A car makes the peninsula and Olympic National Park far easier.
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Hansville and Point No Point
goDoor to door: About 40 min
Drive about 20–25 min north on SR 104 and local roads
Lighthouse and a beach that is a designated birding area on the Pacific Flyway; best at low tide.
Poulsbo
goDoor to door: 30–40 min
Kitsap Transit route 307 to North Viking, or about 20 min by car
Waterfront town with bakeries and a Nordic heritage; a good rainy-day stop.
Bainbridge Island
goDoor to door: About 40 min
Drive via SR 305 and the Agate Pass Bridge, about 30 min
Winery, gardens and a walkable town centre near the Seattle ferry.
Port Gamble
goDoor to door: About 15 min
Drive east on SR 104, about 10 min
Small historic mill town on the way to the Hood Canal Bridge; a short stop, not a day.
Bremerton
cautionDoor to door: About 1 h
Drive via SR 3, about 35–45 min
Naval museum and a Seattle fast ferry; do it as its own half-day.
Port Townsend
goDoor to door: About 1 h
Jefferson Transit route 14 from the ferry terminal, or drive via SR 104 and SR 19
Victorian seaport with good food; bus runs less often than the Poulsbo option.
Olympic National Park
overnightDoor to door: 1.5–2.5 h to the park entrances
Drive west on SR 104 over the Hood Canal Bridge, then US 101
Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep in Port Angeles or Forks.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Downtown Kingston / waterfront
Walkable to the ferry terminal, marina and cafés; the obvious choice for one night without a car.
Highway 104 corridor
Motels and the casino hotel a short drive from the terminal; better if you arrive late by car.
Port Gamble and Poulsbo
15–30 min away by car; more rooms and restaurants if Kingston is full or you want a longer stay.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- $70–110 excl. bed
- Mid
- $120–200 excl. bed
- High
- $220+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Motel or inn double room1 × 1 night × US$180 | US$180 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$140 | US$280 |
| Edmonds–Kingston ferry, car and driver, one way1 × US$27 | US$27 |
| Additional adult passenger or walk-on from Edmonds, one way2 × US$11 | US$23 |
| Kitsap Transit local fare2 × US$2 | US$4 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20 | US$40 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | US$55 |
| Trip total≈ US$305 per person per day, bed included | US$609 |
2026 estimate in US dollars; ferry fares and car costs excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee | $4–6 |
| Breakfast or crêpe | $10–18 |
| Burger and fries | $15–22 |
| Draught beer at a brewery | $7–9 |
| Casual dinner, per person | $20–35 |
| Kitsap Transit local fare | $2 |
| Marina guest slip | $1 per foot per day |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Vehicle ferry lines back up for hours on summer weekends — arrive early or walk on.
- Ferry fares are one-way for vehicles and round-trip for passengers; walk-ons pay from Edmonds but ride free from Kingston.
- Local buses are infrequent and some routes stop in the early evening; do not plan a late arrival around them.
- Winter is wet and windy, and some seasonal businesses and market stalls close.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 911
Pocket card
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KingstonKingston, Washington
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
To this address, pleaseTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Embassy
No embassies in Kingston; consulates are in Seattle. US travellers: your own country's services are in Seattle or Washington, DC.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Edmonds → Kingston ferry, car and driver: about $27 one way
- Edmonds → Kingston ferry, walk-on adult: about $11.35 one way; free from Kingston
- Kitsap Transit local bus: $2, ORCA network
Say or show
- Where is the ferry terminal? — Where is the ferry terminal?
- One ticket, please — One ticket, please
- How long is the wait? — How long is the wait?
- Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
- Is this seat taken? — Is this seat taken?
- Thank you — Thank you
Ferry fares and schedules change by season and sailing time — confirm on the Washington State Ferries site before you drive.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Kingston. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: May–Oct; July–August is warmest but the busiest for ferry queues · avoid November–February (wet, grey, some seasonal businesses closed) · month by month →
- 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 7 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Ferry-day contract: Edmonds and Kingston sailing times, walk-on versus vehicle cutoff, and a fallback plan when the line is two hours long.
- Walking cluster for downtown Kingston with the marina, Mike Wallace Park, the farmers market and the library, plus rain anchors.
- Place pages for the ferry terminal, Port of Kingston Marina, Arness Roadside Park and Carpenter Lake with verified access notes.
- Winter and storm fixtures so the page can go green when the market and seasonal services are closed.
Sources
- officialKingston Chamber of Commerce
- officialWashington State Ferries — Kingston terminal
- officialPort of Kingston Marina
- officialKitsap Transit
- officialKitsap County Parks
- secondaryWikivoyage: Kingston (Washington), revision 5276328 (CC BY-SA 4.0)