When cruising Puget Sound, getting away from civilization is easy, yet major cities — Olympia, Tacoma, Seattle, Everett, and Bellingham — and their amenities are always close by. Views toward Mt. Rainier, the 14,410-foot snow-capped volcano, dominate many vistas. Islands and peninsulas tend to be tree-covered or pastoral. Calmer waters are found in the south — good for year-round cruising — and the meteorological convergent zone in the north can cause weather and sea conditions to change. Marine parks, museums, many marinas, and cozy anchorages mean you’ll always have something fun to see and do while boating in Puget Sound.
Top Destinations
South Puget Sound
Olympia • Case Inlet • Carr Inlet • Tacoma Narrows
Central Puget Sound
Gig Harbor • Tacoma • Vashon Island • Seattle • Bremerton • Poulsbo • Bainbridge Island
North Puget Sound
Kingston • Admiralty Inlet • Port Ludlow • Port Townsend • Edmonds • Everett • Langley •Saratoga Passage • Coupeville
Skagit Bay to Bellingham Bay
Oak Harbor • La Conner • Deception Pass • Anacortes • Bellingham
Lummi Bay to Point Roberts
Semiahmoo Bay • Blaine • Point Roberts
Plan Out Your Trip
Puget Sound is fully covered in the latest Waggoner Cruising Guide. It provides all you need about marinas, anchorages, passages, and attractions. Plan your day’s route with the guide’s detailed planning maps. Get your copy of the Waggoner Cruising Guide book!
Plus, there’s more to help you plan a great cruise through Puget Sound. Read on…
NMTA Promotes Recreational Boating
Did you know that the Seattle Boat Show is produced by the Northwest Marine Trade Association (NMTA), founded in 1947? NMTA serves as the eyes and ears of the marine industry for boatyards, marinas, boat dealers, and other marine-related businesses. In addition to...
WA State History Museum, Temporary Closure
The Washington State History Museum in Tacoma, Washington is closing temporarily to install a new permanent exhibit called ‘This is Native Land.’ The museum will be closed from January 13 through February 14, 2025, and is planned to reopen on February 15, with...
What’s In a Name? – Mackaye Harbor
Our theme for the 2025 edition of the Waggoner Cruising Guide delves into the history and background of how some of our boating destinations, inlets, and bays received their name. The history of Mackaye Harbor is just one example of the many fascinating accounts...
Historic Cama Beach Cabins Close Permanently
After much discussion and input from the community of Camano Island, the Commission of Cultural Resources voted in October 2024 to permanently close the historic cabins at Cama Beach. Restrooms in the lower area of the park, the park office, and the store along with...
Electric Ferries – The Latest Trend
Berlin, Germany. Berliners can now travel from the city’s eastern center to Oberschoneweide in just 10 minutes via the Spree waterway thanks to the new P-12 shuttle electric ferry line. The electric hydrofoil catamaran connects the East Side Gallery, near Ostbahnhof,...
Cleanup at Eagle Harbor Superfund Site
The EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) has announced several new phases of cleanup for the Wyckoff Superfund Site to be completed by the end of 2024, followed by the perimeter wall replacement slated to begin sometime in 2025. Work in September 2024 included...
Improvements at Historic Coupeville Wharf
The historic wharf building at Coupeville on Whidbey Island is a beloved maritime icon on Whidbey Island. The wharf and pier, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has received some recent improvements. In the Beginning. The Coupeville wharf was built in...
The Vikings Have Returned
It is generally agreed that Leif Erikson, the Norse explorer, was the first European to have set foot on North American soil along with his crew nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus. The Vikings’ early expeditions to North America were well documented and are...
Historic Nordland Store Reopens May 25, 2024
North Puget Sound’s historic Nordland General Store is hosting a Grand Re-opening on Saturday, May 25th, with a ribbon cutting celebration at 9am and live music at 11:30am. The store will be officially open for business at 9am. The store has been the heart and soul of...
Open House at SR3 Marine Center – April 20
Have you ever wondered what’s in those modular units behind the fence at Des Moines Marina? SR3, the non-profit organization dedicated to rehabilitating injured marine animals, has invited the public to an Open House on April 20 from 10 am to 2 pm for a tour of their...
Derelict Aquatic Structures to Be Removed
Thanks to the passage of Washington State House Bill 1378 and Senate Bill 5433, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will soon begin the removal of derelict aquatic structures along Washington’s waterways that pose environmental and safety hazards. The new...
Department of Ecology – Bellingham Bay Cleanup
The Washington Dept. of Ecology is managing 12 sites in the Bellingham Bay area, all on or near the waterfront. Two cleanup sites have been completed and the other 10 sites are on the way to completion. The Port of Bellingham and the City of Bellingham, along with...
Washington State Parks Closes 35 Mooring Buoys
Washington State Parks maintains 259 mooring buoys at 40 parks across Puget Sound, Hood Canal, Kitsap Co., Olympic Peninsula, and the San Juans. Saltwater takes its toll on buoy anchoring systems, which eventually causes these systems to corrode and break. Washington...
New Innovative Vessel for Local Search & Rescue
The Skagit Bay Search and Rescue Team is proud of the important work they do and are looking forward to the addition of a new boat. The vessel will be made from HDPE, high density polyethylene. This plastic material has been used around the world for workboats for...
Gig Harbor’s Historic Shenandoah Seiner
The restored, 1925 fish boat, the Shenandoah, will soon be available for public viewing at the Gig Harbor History Museum, the vessel is now housed in the fully-enclosed Maritime Heritage Gallery. The 65-foot Shenandoah was built at the Skansie Shipyard in Gig Harbor,...