If you are thinking about moving to Gig Harbor, no listing presentation, photo gallery, or market report will tell you what a weekend here will. This is the tour we give buyers who fly in to scout the town: where to stay, where to eat, what to do, and the stops that show you how life here actually feels. Two days, one harbor, and a much better sense of whether this is home.
Everything below is within about 20 minutes of downtown, and the whole route is built around the waterfront, because that is where Gig Harbor sells itself. Good ole small town vibes- we love it.
MOST IMPORTANT 🙂: Our office, 5356 Olympic Drive — stop in to say hi and pick up Inside Gig Harbor, Paige Schulte's exclusive coffee table book. We hope we get to hop in the car and do a Gig Harbor drive around with you to show you the neighborhoods that fit your new home adventure
Where to Stay
Gig Harbor has no big resort hotel, and that is part of the charm. Book early in summer; the small inns and short-term rentals fill up fast.
Waterfront Inn, 9017 N. Harborview Drive
The splurge, and our first pick for buyers who want to wake up on the water. A boutique bayfront guesthouse on Harborview Drive with kayaks on site and the Harbor History Museum a short walk away. Book direct and ask for a harbor-view room.
The Maritime Inn, 3212 Harborview Drive
Upscale, right across from Skansie Brothers Park in the heart of downtown. You step out the door onto the waterfront walk, the shops, and the restaurants. Best if you want to be in the middle of everything.
The Inn at Gig Harbor, 3211 56th St. NW
The reliable all-rounder. A 64-room Craftsman-style inn about 10 minutes from the waterfront, with a complimentary hot breakfast and a quiet, residential setting. A good pick for families or anyone who wants a full-service hotel. (253) 858-1111.
Best Western Wesley Inn & Suites, 6575 Kimball Drive
A solid family pick with a pool and spa, close to downtown. Also worth knowing: vacation rentals on Airbnb and VRBO are plentiful here, from waterfront cottages to homes in the woods, and the Gig Harbor Marina even rents a guest house and overnight yacht suites for a true only-in-Gig-Harbor stay.
Day 1: Arrive, Eat on the Water, Walk the Harbor
Morning/Afternoon: Arrive and head straight downtown. Start at Skansie Brothers Park, 3211 Harborview Dr. — the 2.59-acre waterfront park in the heart of downtown, home to the historic Skansie Brothers House and Netshed (open summer weekends), a covered pavilion, the Fishermen's Memorial, and a summer splash pad. In summer, the Waterfront Farmers Market sets up here on Thursday afternoons; in December, this is where the town tree lighting happens. It is the town's front yard, and the best first hour you can spend here. From the park, walk the waterfront along Harborview Drive: working boats, the marina, galleries, and boutiques, all at walking pace. Pop into the Harbor History Museum if you want the story behind what you are looking at.
Lunch
NetShed No. 9, 3313 Harborview Drive.
A comfortable cafe with a patio and water views, serving breakfast and lunch with a creative Northwest bent. It is the easy, no-wrong-answer lunch for a first day.
If you would rather picnic, The Midway (3118 Harborview Dr.) is a bakery, deli, and market in the heart of downtown — grab sandwiches and pastries and eat them on the waterfront. Seating indoors is also charming and the best for people watching.
Afternoon favorite stop:
Harbornest, 3311 Harborview Drive, open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., (253) 509-2245.
A hand-curated boutique right on the waterfront with home decor, furniture, clothing, and accessories — the kind of shop that tells you a lot about a town's taste. It started when its founder realized Gig Harbor needed a local shop for exactly this. Worth a stop even if you buy nothing.
Get on the water
This is the part buyers remember. Gig Harbor looks completely different from the harbor, and you have three great ways to see it. Book a ride with Gig Harbor Gondola (operating out of Gig Harbor Marina & Boatyard, 3117 Harborview Dr., (253) 432-0052), the Pacific Northwest's only Venetian gondola operation: all rides are private, up to six people, one hour for a half-harbor tour or 90 minutes for the full harbor, and you can bring food and drinks aboard. It is a two-boat operation with limited times, so book as early as you can. If you would rather paddle yourself, rent a SUP or kayak from Lee's SUP (8829 N. Harborview Dr., (253) 209-1431) — walk-ins only, beginner friendly, lifejackets and paddles included, and the harbor is calm enough for first-timers. Or, in season, rent an electric Duffy boat from Gig Harbor Boat Rentals (8205 Dorotich St., (253) 358-3491): no boating experience needed, the driver just needs to be 25 or older with a license, and the boats stay inside the harbor, which is exactly where you want to be.
Dinner
Brix 25, 3315 Harborview Drive, (253) 858-6626
This is the dinner reservation in Gig Harbor: a small, intimate room, seasonal Northwest cuisine, a wine list drawn only from Washington and Oregon, and an open kitchen. Reservations are recommended. One planning note: Brix 25 serves dinner Thursday through Sunday, 4 to 8 p.m. only.
If your 48 hours fall Monday through Wednesday, go to Morso (9014 Peacock Hill Ave., (253) 530-3463) for seasonal dishes and wine in a cozy room, or Morso in the Finholm Marketplace for tapas, the best smash burger and great vibes, with views of the marina and Mount Rainier. For a casual family night, Millville Pizza Co. (3409 Harborview Dr., (253) 514-8626, open daily 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.) does wood-fired pizzas named after fishing boats, plus calzones, salads, and a solid wine and beer list. If Millville is too crowded for your family- pop over to uptown for Fondis, kids meals come with a scoop of ice cream.
Evening
Walk it off along the harbor after dinner. If you want a nightcap, 7 Seas Brewing's Gig Harbor Taproom (2905 Harborview Dr., (253) 514-8129, open daily 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.) is family friendly at all times, welcomes pets outside, and has Millville Pizza Co.'s mobile oven, The Galley, in the parking lot. Gig Harbor at dusk, with the boats and the lights on the water, is the town's best closing argument.
Day 2: Breakfast, Parks, and the Local Loop
Breakfast
Devoted Kiss Cafe, 8809 N. Harborview Dr., Suite 203, (253) 851-0055, open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, breakfast served all day
Our pick for the best breakfast in town: scratch-made everything, a deck on the harbor, and regulars' favorites that include the Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, Biscuits & Gravy, and Banana Bread French Toast. Get there early on weekends — the best stuff goes first. If pastries are more your speed, Susanne's Bakery (3411 Harborview Dr., (253) 853-6220). It has been baking in the historic Millville District since 1997 — pastries, cakes, breads, sandwiches, and salads. Note it is closed Mondays and Tuesdays (open Wednesday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
Morning outdoors
Sehmel Homestead Park, 10123 78th Ave. NW, open 7 a.m. to dusk. A 98-acre PenMet park northwest of downtown with about four miles of trails through meadow, wetlands, and forest, plus a Boundless Playground, sports fields, an amphitheater, and demonstration gardens. The best family-friendly trail walk in town, and a good read on how Gig Harbor does parks. (Day 1 already covered Skansie Brothers Park downtown, so this is your woods-and-meadows morning.)
If beach time beats trails, cross the Fox Island bridge to Bella Bella Beach — officially the Tacoma DeMolay Sandspit, 53 Bella Bella Dr. on Fox Island, an 8.7-acre PenMet park on the island's northwest tip, open 7 a.m. to dusk. It is a sandy, walkable beach with Rainier views, wooded trails, and tide-pool starfish at low tide, and locals have hunted for the roundest rock there in a summer competition since 1951. It is a nature preserve, so treat it gently: park only in designated areas and leave driftwood and natural items where you find them.
If you have kids with you — or the weather turns — Java & Clay Cafe, 3210 Harborview Dr., (253) 851-3277, is the perfect indoor activity. It is a walk-in pottery-painting studio and coffeehouse right on the harbor: pick a piece, paint it at a long wooden table while the cafe serves your latte to the table, and they glaze and fire it for you (pieces are ready in about six days, and they ship). No reservations needed, no studio fees, pottery from $18, and all ages welcome — kids stay busy painting or playing with the toy bin. Check hours before you go, as they vary by source.
Ocean5 is amazing, check their hours though during the week though, they open after school hours. Pen Met also opened the Community Recreation Center- it is fabulous, mini-golf outside, soccer fields, and indoor soccer, track and court sports, a fantastic addition to our community.
Late morning, the Uptown loop — the three stops that show you everyday Gig Harbor, not just postcard Gig Harbor:
Metropolitan Market (Met Market) — 5010 Point Fosdick Dr., (253) 858-4842, open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
This is where locals actually shop: a superb deli and prepared foods, local produce, and a wine and cheese selection worth a detour on its own. Stock the rental here and you will eat well all weekend.
The Garden Room — 5010-B Point Fosdick Dr. NW, (253) 514-6033, Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m
A home and garden decor shop serving Gig Harbor since 2010, full of European designs, one-of-a-kind pieces, and local artisan work. If you are picturing your new house furnished, start here.
Purpose Boutique — Harbor Plaza on Point Fosdick Dr., (253) 313-0070, Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
A Kitsap-based boutique that opened in Gig Harbor in fall 2026, with a giving model that directs a percentage of sales to nonprofits fighting sex trafficking and supporting families in crisis. Fashion with a mission, and a favorite with locals.
Lunch
Green House in Uptown Gig Harbor
The diners' top pick in town, with seasonal menus built on local produce and seafood, from a kitchen led by chef Erik Smith. It works for lunch or dinner and is the most family-friendly of the top-tier rooms.
For a classic waterfront alternative, Tides Tavern (2925 Harborview Dr.) is the old-school harbor bar on its own dock — fish and chips, burgers, and cold beer. Note it is 21 and over. And for the easiest family lunch of all, Millville Pizza Co. (3409 Harborview Dr., open daily 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.) never misses.
Afternoon
Drive Canterwood. Canterwood Golf & Country Club (12606 54th Ave. NW, (253) 851-1845) is the private club at the heart of Gig Harbor's best-known golf community — an 18-hole Robert Muir Graves course ranked among the top 10 in Washington, plus tennis, pickleball, fitness, swimming, and dining. Golf and dining are reserved for members and their invited guests, so think of this stop as a neighborhood tour, not a tee time: drive the community, see the course, and picture the lifestyle. If you want to actually play while you are in town, Gig Harbor Golf Club is the public course nearby. The club also books tournaments, outings, and events for non-members.
If you need an easy spot to work while you are in town, pop into Stowaway Labs, 8809 N. Harborview Dr., Suite 101 — Gig Harbor's coworking space and community hub, right on the water. Drop in for $12 an hour (two-hour minimum), Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and you get gigabit Wi-Fi, coffee and snacks, printing, and desks with ultrawide monitors — indoors, or outside perched over the water. The views are amazing, and for a buyer who works remotely, an afternoon here tells you something important about how this town would actually work for you.
Before you leave, stop into our office at 5356 Olympic Drive to say hi — and grab one of our exclusive coffee table books, Inside Gig Harbor, written by Paige Schulte. It is the best souvenir of the weekend, and the best preview of the life you just spent 48 hours trying on.
Then
One more harbor walk, one more coffee downtown, and a last look at the neighborhoods you toured. Then tell us what you loved — that is how we narrow the search.
Favorite Stops, All in One Place
Skansie Brothers Park, 3211 Harborview Dr. — the town's waterfront front yard; farmers market Thursdays in summer, tree lighting in December.
Bella Bella Beach (Tacoma DeMolay Sandspit), 53 Bella Bella Dr., Fox Island — sandy beach, Rainier views, tide-pool starfish; nature preserve, park only in designated areas.
Metropolitan Market, 5010 Point Fosdick Dr. — stock the rental like a local.
Harbornest, 3311 Harborview Dr. — waterfront boutique, daily 9 to 6.
Purpose Boutique, Harbor Plaza, Point Fosdick Dr. — fashion with a giving mission.
The Garden Room, 5010-B Point Fosdick Dr. NW — home and garden inspiration since 2010.
Sehmel Homestead Park, 10123 78th Ave. NW — 98 acres, four miles of trails.
Canterwood Golf & Country Club, 12606 54th Ave. NW — private club; members and invited guests for golf and dining.
Susanne's Bakery, 3411 Harborview Dr. — baking since 1997; closed Mon–Tue.
Millville Pizza Co., 3409 Harborview Dr. — wood-fired pizza, daily 11 to 8.
The Midway, 3118 Harborview Dr. — bakery, deli, and market; perfect picnic provisions.
Tides Tavern, 2925 Harborview Dr. — harbor bar on its own dock; 21 and over.
7 Seas Brewing, Gig Harbor Taproom, 2905 Harborview Dr. — family friendly, pets welcome outside, Millville food truck on site.
Green House, Uptown Gig Harbor — diners' top pick; seasonal local menus.
Java & Clay Cafe, 3210 Harborview Dr. — walk-in pottery painting and coffee; great with kids or in the rain.
Gig Harbor Gondola, Gig Harbor Marina & Boatyard, 3117 Harborview Dr. — the PNW's only Venetian gondola; private rides, book early.
Lee's SUP, 8829 N. Harborview Dr. — SUP and kayak rentals, walk-ins only, beginner friendly.
Gig Harbor Boat Rentals, 8205 Dorotich St. — electric Duffy boats in season; driver 25+ with license.
Stowaway Labs, 8809 N. Harborview Dr., Suite 101 — coworking on the water; drop in weekdays 9 to 5.
Our office, 5356 Olympic Drive — stop in to say hi and pick up Inside Gig Harbor, Paige Schulte's exclusive coffee table book. We hope we get to hop in the car and do a Gig Harbor drive around with you to show you the neighborhoods that fit your new home adventure
Good to Know Before You Go
Brix 25 is dinner Thursday through Sunday only. Plan your arrival days around it if it matters to you.
Canterwood is a private club. Golf and dining are for members and invited guests — the visit is a neighborhood tour, not a public round.
Susanne's Bakery is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Tides Tavern is 21 and over.
Gig Harbor Boat Rentals' Duffy boats are seasonal — the 2026 season has ended, so check 2027 dates before you plan around them.
The gondola is a one-boat operation with limited times. Book as early as you can.
Hours and menus change seasonally in a small town. Call ahead for the places that matter most to your trip, especially in winter.
Thinking about making Gig Harbor home? A weekend like this is the best first step. When you are ready to look at houses — waterfront, golf course, acreage, or downtown — we will build the tour around the neighborhoods you liked best.
Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Gig Harbor, WA
1. Where should I stay in Gig Harbor?
For a waterfront getaway, the Waterfront Inn and Maritime Inn are two excellent places to stay in Gig Harbor, Washington. The Waterfront Inn offers a boutique experience overlooking the harbor, while the Maritime Inn puts you within walking distance of downtown shops, restaurants, and Skansie Brothers Park. For families or visitors who prefer more traditional accommodations, the Inn at Gig Harbor and Best Western Wesley Inn & Suites are convenient alternatives.
2. What is the best breakfast in Gig Harbor?
Devoted Kiss Cafe is a local favorite for breakfast in Gig Harbor, known for its waterfront views, scratch-made dishes, and popular Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict and Banana Bread French Toast. For fresh pastries, coffee, and baked goods, Susanne's Bakery in the historic Millville District is another must-visit breakfast spot.
3. What is the best dinner in Gig Harbor?
Brix 25 is a standout choice for dinner in Gig Harbor, offering seasonal Pacific Northwest cuisine, regional wines, and an intimate dining atmosphere. For a more relaxed waterfront experience, Morso offers seasonal dishes and wine, while Millville Pizza Co. is a family-friendly favorite for wood-fired pizza. Check restaurant hours and make reservations when appropriate.
4. Is Canterwood Golf & Country Club open to the public?
No. Canterwood Golf & Country Club in Gig Harbor is a private membership club. Its golf course, dining facilities, and club amenities are generally reserved for members and their invited guests. However, prospective homebuyers can explore the surrounding Canterwood neighborhood to get a feel for the community's beautiful homes, wooded setting, and golf-course lifestyle.
5. Where is the best casual bite in Gig Harbor?
Gig Harbor has plenty of casual dining options. Millville Pizza Co. is a favorite for wood-fired pizza, while NetShed No. 9 offers breakfast and lunch with harbor views. The Midway is another excellent stop for sandwiches, pastries, and picnic provisions. For classic waterfront pub food, Tides Tavern is a longtime local favorite, although guests must be 21 or older.
6. How do I get out on the water in Gig Harbor?
Getting out on the water is one of the best things to do in Gig Harbor. Visitors can book a private ride with Gig Harbor Gondola, rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard from Lee's SUP, or explore the harbor aboard a seasonal electric Duffy boat from Gig Harbor Boat Rentals. These experiences offer a unique perspective of the waterfront, marina, and surrounding scenery. Check seasonal availability before planning your outing.
7. What are the must-see stops for a first visit to Gig Harbor?
First-time visitors to Gig Harbor should start at Skansie Brothers Park and stroll along the historic downtown waterfront. Explore local boutiques, visit the Harbor History Museum, enjoy a waterfront meal, and take a boat ride around the harbor. For a glimpse of everyday life beyond downtown, visit Sehmel Homestead Park, explore Uptown Gig Harbor, and drive through neighborhoods such as Canterwood. These stops offer a wonderful introduction to what makes Gig Harbor special for visitors and future residents alike.
