The lively city of Bremerton is in Kitsap County, Washington.
Named after the city founder William Bremer, it is the largest city in the Kitsap peninsula and the home of the largest ferry terminal among the four Washington state terminals.
Bremerton is a beautiful waterfront city with fantastic weather, bustling businesses, and rich culture.
There are plenty of free and fun attractions here in Bremerton for you and your family to enjoy, like parks, museums, galleries, and more!
Here’s a list of free things to do in Bremerton, Washington.
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Start your trip to Bremerton with its most popular attraction, the Harborside Fountain Park.
The Harborside Fountain Park is a beautiful 2.2-acre waterside city park and plaza.
It’s right at the harbor, just behind the Puget Sound Naval Museum at 251 1st Street.
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It offers fabulous scenery and beautiful landscaping near the harbor, with five large wading pools and fountains that resemble submarines surfacing.
The landscape complements the Puget Sound Naval Museum behind it.
This is the perfect spot to sit, relax, eat lunch or kill time while waiting for the ferry on the benches and tables surrounding the fountains.
The Harborside Fountain Park is one of the parks you must visit for the beautiful views and ambiance on a slow and sunny day.
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Bremerton has a ton of exciting attractions and places; the Bremerton Bug and Reptile Museum is a prime example.
The Bremerton Bug Museum is located at 118 Charleston Beach Road West, beside the Puget Shipyard.
The museum offers a kid-friendly experience, showcasing live and preserved bugs and reptiles.
The kids will have a fantastic learning experience being up close and personal with the well-put collection of insects, lizards, and snakes.
Expect a large variety of reptiles and insects, including snakes, turtles, bearded dragons, butterflies, tarantulas, and other creepy crawlies!
Visit their favorite residents, Blooper, the two-foot blue-tongued skink, and Myrtle, the soft-shelled turtle.
There are lots of things kids can do here, and coloring book pages kids can take home.
Visit the Bremerton Bug Museum, as it’s free and a unique place to foster your child’s passion and love for nature.
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After you’ve visited the Harborside Fountain Park, stop by the Puget Sound Navy Museum.
The Puget Sound Navy Museum is a fantastic naval museum here in Bremerton.
It’s found at 251 1st Street, just behind the Harborside Fountain Park.
It’s one of ten official navy museums funded and operated by the U.S. Navy under the Naval History & Heritage Command.
Established in 1954 as a non-profit named Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Museum, the Museum was reopened on August 25, 2007.
It was renamed the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Museum, becoming an official U.S. Navy Museum in 2008.
Starting with only 600 items, the collection has grown to a sizeable group with more than 18,000 objects.
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The museum offers a fantastic look at the rich naval history of the region showcased through well-put exhibits and sections.
It exposes visitors to the daily environment and lives aboard navy ships.
A whole section is devoted to aircraft carriers, namely the USS John C. Stennis.
The Puget Sound Navy Museum is handicap-accessible and is not only a place to visit to discover rich history.
There’s also a research library, a museum store, and a family discovery area.
This place is a place to visit here in Bremerton, and the best thing about it is that admissions are free.
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The Manette Bridge is an iconic truss bridge here in Bremerton.
This steel bridge spans the Port Washington Narrows and connects downtown Bremerton to the community of Manette.
Before the truss bridge was constructed in 1930, travelers needed to go by ferry to reach Manette and vice versa, making the bridge a crucial addition for both communities.
In 2010, the historic bridge was deemed functionally obsolete and dangerous.
The construction of the new replacement bridge finished in November 2011.
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The new bridge has wider lanes and two sidewalks that help pedestrians cross.
There are also boathouse restaurants and similar establishments on both ends of the bridge, hugging the waters.
This is a fantastic spot to catch a spectacular sunset by the waters.
At night, the Manette Bridge is lit up by a row of tiny lights, a wonderful sight at a certain angle.
The Louis Mentor Boardwalk is right on the Bremerton Waterfront.
Found at 243 2nd Street, the 0.72-acre stretch of boardwalk downtown alongside the beautiful waterfront is a bustling area filled with quaint eateries and small businesses.
It’s named after the late Mayor Louis Mentor, who pushed for the construction of the beautiful waterside boardwalk many enjoy today.
It’s a fantastic place to walk among the boats and see the aquatic wildlife and the passing ferries.
Expect adorable seals, jellyfish, and seagulls, among other Bremerton wildlife.
There are also events, such as the Blackberry festival in September, so check the city’s official website if you want to join.
There are also sculptures and historical markers found along the walk.
If you want to experience the liveliness of Bremerton, visit the Louis Mentor Boardwalk.
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The Kiwanis Park is a charming city park in Bremerton.
Found at 1701 5th Street in Bremerton, it’s a vast 3.58-acre park right smack in the middle of the beautiful and quiet residential area.
This park is a favorite community spot and park for events and has a bit of everything for everyone to enjoy.
There are large grassy areas and soccer fields where you can watch talented athletes have a match.
The kids can also enjoy their time at the playground with the sandy ground and age-appropriate play areas.
There’s also a vast, unique slide up atop a big hill here in Kiwanis Park where the kids can run up and slide down.
Meanwhile, you can relax on the many benches and picnic shelters.
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The Illahee State Park is a historic state park in Bremerton.
“Illahee” means earth or country.
It is a fitting name for this massive 82-acre state park with so much history and things you can do on your own or with friends and family.
Established in 1934 when Kitsap County gave acres to the state, the park is home to the oldest Pacific Yews that have stood for about 400 years.
Here you can do a plethora of outdoor activities right next to nature.
Go fishing and even go crabbing and shellfishing.
Otherwise, you can swim, dive, or water ski in the warm waters during the summertime.
You can also take the kids to the playground, where you can play softball, volleyball, or horseshoe.
Then, go camping on the ground or stay in your RV for a few days of fun surrounded by nature.
A large memorial also showcases two large naval guns to honor the park’s founder.
If you want outdoor activities and rich history, stay at the Illahee State Park for a few days!
The Albers Marcovina Vista Gardens is a fabulous botanic garden here in Bremerton.
Found at 123 East 31st Street, the Albers Marcovina Vista Gardens is no ordinary botanical garden.
This stunning 4.2-acre slope faces a waterfront view of the Port Washington Narrows, Phinney Bay, and the surrounding scenic hillsides.
It also has 15 different areas showcasing thousands of aesthetically arranged plants.
You will see the four seasons’ colors complemented by the beautiful landscape artistry scattered about the regions.
Expect plants and trees from around the world: bigleaf maple trees, mature madrones, rhododendrons, California Redwood, and more.
However, this gorgeous botanical garden isn’t just a sight to see.
It’s a fantastic learning experience to discover plant diversity, environmental stewardship, and best landscaping practices.
A horticulture library and meeting room is also perfect for research and learning opportunities such as programs and workshops.
Visit the Albers Marcovina Vista Gardens for a one-of-a-kind look at one of the most gorgeous places in Bremerton, all for free!
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Lions Park is a popular waterside park in Bremerton.
The park is at 251 Lebo Boulevard, on the north side of Bremerton.
This 17-acre park is a beautiful oasis, providing lots of opportunities for outdoor activities and many other things to do.
It was gifted to the city of Bremerton by Lion’s Club and was thus named accordingly.
The kids can play at the lovely playground and play structures, most notably the large Orca sculpture that children can climb on for a nice photo.
The Lion’s Park is on the water’s edge, and its charming beach gives lovely views and opportunities for a nice swim or boating from the boat ramp.
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The Dickerson Creek Waterfall Trail is a scenic trail in Bremerton.
This is a 3.7-km loop trail, generally easy to traverse, with beautiful views and well-kept nature.
However, what makes it worthwhile is the fantastic Dickerson Waterfall waiting at the end of the hike.
The trail goes into the private Ueland Tree Farm property but is open for public access due to the partnership of the owners and local officials.
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This is a popular place for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding as it is open year-round, so expect to see other people on your hike.
The Dickerson Falls are beautiful, strong, and loud, the perfect place to rest a little as you admire the view.
Visit the Dickerson Creek Water Fall Trail in Bremerton.
The Aurora Valentinetti Puppet Museum is a unique museum in Bremerton.
It’s located at 276 Street, on the floor above the Kitsap Historical Museum.
The museum exhibits a fantastic collection of masterful craftsmanship of generations of puppeteers and puppet artists.
These puppets highlight various cultures and eras, especially the legacy of the artists who have long passed.
You can walk through the museum and appreciate the diverse collection of puppets that rotate periodically.
The museum lovingly displays these puppets, which are also sometimes presented during shows.
Visit the Aurora Valentinetti Puppet Museum to see puppets from all around the world.
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The Evergreen Rotary Park is a beautiful city park in Bremerton.
This 10.31-acre popular community park found at 1500 Park Avenue is a fantastic spot in the city to relax and take photographs.
The park is right beside the river, with a beautiful beach, boat launch, and many green areas filled with vibrant trees, well-kept grass, and plants.
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There’s also a 911 memorial to visit, and if you’re in the summer season, check out the farmers market and festivities in the evening.
The paved sidewalk trails around the Evergreen Rotary Park give you access to amenities and a nice view of the area.
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The Collective Visions Gallery is a fabulous art gallery here in Bremerton.
It’s in the Soriano Professional Building at 331 Pacific Avenue, an artist-owned and operated gallery.
They showcase exhibits from about 20 talented local Puget Sound artists, lectures, concerts, and workshops, among other art-related events.
The gallery was initially established on November 1, 1994, as the Washington Avenue Art Gallery.
In 1996, it was moved to its current location and renamed the Collective Visions Gallery.
Here you’ll see various art crafted masterfully in different mediums: paintings, wood carvings, ceramics, photography, and digital arts.
Catch their gala art openings on their websites to view an exclusive look into one of their artists’ newest works.
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The Kitsap Historical Museum is a historically rich museum in Bremerton.
It’s found at 280 4th Street, with the Aurora Valentinetti Puppet Museum on the floor above it.
This fantastic museum housed in a historic 1950s art building showcases the history of Kitsap County.
The museum has a complete recreation of an early 1900s Main Street, interactive exhibits, and a rotating display at the back.
Discover exhibits and exciting details found throughout the Kitsap History Museum.
The Museum features new exhibits and special events throughout the year.
The Kitsap Historical Museum is a place to see, thanks to free admission.
The Port Orchard Waterfront Park is famous in Port Orchard, Washington, 14 minutes from Bremerton.
Located at 933 Bay Street in Port Orchard, this unique waterfront park features several community events and outdoor activities.
The park has public beach access, a covered performance area, a playground, and a large lawn.
There’s also a nice paved trail perfect for taking a walk, biking, rollerblading and more, as you feel the cool breeze and the crashing of the waves.
The kids can enjoy the modern playground, especially the giant spinning wheel play structure.
From amazing views of the inlet, local groups performing, and farmer’s markets, the Port Orchard Waterfront Park is the definition of a community gathering spot.
Bremerton’s unique location, beside a beautiful river, allows for fantastic views and cool areas, such as parks and waterside businesses.
It’s also home to many historically rich and diverse museums and galleries.
Even more surprising is that you can access most of these popular areas at no cost.
This list of free things to do in Bremerton, Washington, should help shape your itinerary for your next trip!
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