Getting to Seabeck
If you’re coming to Seabeck from out of state, you have many options for driving and taking the ferry, and they’re all scenic. These options can be confusing, however, especially if you’ve never been on our ferries before, so please ask any Haiku Northwest member for advice if the following information does not answer your questions. The options listed here are arranged by the length of time each option takes from SeaTac airport and from British Columbia. From Oregon, no ferries are required and you have one main driving option. Visit MapQuest or Google Maps for directions to Seabeck. See also the Washington State Ferries route map (Seabeck is not marked on their map, but is located just to the west of Silverdale, a little below the middle of the map). And to know where to go once you get to Seabeck, please view the Seabeck Conference Center map (check in with us in the lobby at the Historic Inn on Thursday afternoon, or join us at the Pines building after that).
If you come to Seattle by train, you would arrive at the King Street Station in Seattle. From there you could catch Sound Transit’s light rail to SeaTac airport and then take the airport shuttle. For shuttle details, including prices, contact www.kitsapairporter.com (phone 360-876-1737 or 800-562-7948). If you can get a ferry as a walk-on passenger from Seattle to Bainbridge Island, Kitsap Transit offers bus service from Bainbridge to Silverdale (near Seabeck), and we could possibly arrange to have someone pick you up in Silverdale, or you could use Uber or Lyft services from there (but not recommended from Seattle, because of the distance).
The Seabeck Conference Center is located at 13395 Seabeck Highway NW, in Seabeck, Washington (see a Bing map, Google map, or MapQuest map). Also see directions on the Seabeck Conference Center directions page. You can also read more about Seabeck at the Visit Kitsap Peninsula website.
Options for Getting to Seabeck from SeaTac Airport in Seattle
Choose one of the following four options (distances from the Amtrak train station in Seattle are similar):
1. Drive south from Seattle to Tacoma, then north over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. From SeaTac Airport to Seabeck, this route is 69 miles, and takes about one hour and 15 minutes (no bridge toll charge in this direction, but there is a toll in the reverse direction). This is the cheapest option, but you miss out on the experience of taking one of our wonderful ferries.
2. Take the Southworth/Fauntleroy ferry to Colby Bay. This route is about 47 miles, and takes about one hour and 25 minutes, plus time to wait for the ferry. Shortest and most direct ferry trip.
3. Take the Seattle ferry to Bainbridge Island. This route is about 53 miles, and takes about one hour and 55 minutes, plus time to wait for the ferry. Opportunity to explore Bainbridge Island and the historic Scandinavian town of Poulsbo on your trip.
4. Take the Seattle ferry to Bremerton. This route is about 48 miles, and takes about two hours and 10 minutes, plus time to wait for the ferry. This route has the longest ferry ride, which you might enjoy.
For the ferries, it’s good to be about 20 to 30 minutes early, or earlier at rush-hour times (reservations are not available on these routes). Depending on the schedule of each ferry, and when you can get to the ferry terminal, it may be quicker overall for you to take a longer ferry. With good weather, any of these routes will provide attractive views of Mt. Rainier, the Cascade and Olympic Mountains, and Puget Sound waterways. See the Washington State Ferries website for schedules and rates. In summer, printed ferry schedules have in recent years included a ferry haiku contest winner chosen by cojudge Michael Dylan Welch, but these are not available when our retreat takes place in the fall.
Options for Getting to Seabeck from British Columbia
If you’re coming to Seabeck from British Columbia, the trip provides numerous scenic options by car. Choose one of the following options from either Victoria or Vancouver:
From Victoria:
1. Take the ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles, Washington. This route is about 98 miles, and takes about three hours and 20 minutes, plus time to wait for the ferry. See the Black Ball Ferry website for schedules and rates (reservation required). Most direct option, but the ferry runs only twice a day.
2. Take the ferry from Sidney to Anacortes. From Victoria, this route is about 148 miles, and takes about six hours and 10 minutes, plus ferry wait times. NOTE: This ferry route is currently suspended and is not scheduled to continue again until spring 2030. This route also includes a second ferry from Whidbey Island to Port Townsend. Ferry reservations required for both ferry routes. See the Washington State Ferries website for schedules and rates.
3. Take the ferry from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen, then drive to Seabeck, taking one additional ferry, from Edmonds to Kingston. From Victoria this route is about 205 miles, and takes about seven hours and 16 minutes. Visit the BC Ferries website for schedules and rates (reservations recommended).
Depending on ferry schedules, and when you plan to arrive at Seabeck, you might find that the shortest/quickest route is not necessarily the best for your needs. For example, the Tsawwassen and Kingston ferries run much more frequently, so they might be more convenient for you. Another possibility, from Victoria, is to take the Victoria Clipper passenger ferry, which runs from the Victoria Harbour to Pier 69 in Seattle. At certain times of the year (usually mid-September to mid-May), this ferry service is limited to once per day. Once you reach Seattle, too, you would still have the challenge of getting to a shuttle, such as the Kitsap Airporter, but see above (the paragraph that starts with “If you come to Seattle by train”) for various options, and feel free to ask us for travel suggestions.
From Vancouver:
1. Take the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston (no reservations possible). This route is about 160 miles, and takes about three hours and 35 minutes, plus time to wait for the ferry. See the Washington State Ferries website for schedules and rates. Most direct and shortest route.
2. Take the ferry from Whidbey Island to Port Townsend (reservation required). This route is about 168 miles, and takes about three hours and 50 minutes, plus time to wait for the ferry. See the Washington State Ferries website for schedules and rates. Opportunity to explore Whidbey Island and Port Townsend on your trip. This ferry is subject to occasional cancelled sailings due to tides.
3. Drive through Tacoma, and avoid the ferries. This route is about 217 miles, and takes about three hours and 50 minutes. Takes the same amount of time as the ferry to Port Townsend, but will not give you any worries about getting onto the ferry, and would actually be quicker if you factor in wait time for the ferry.
Again, please ask any Haiku Northwest member for travel advice. While our ferries can be a challenge to figure out the first time, they are a unique cultural and scenic opportunity that we encourage you to experience. See you at Seabeck!
Campus Map
When you arrive at Seabeck, cross the wooden bridge over the lagoon and park in front of the Historic Inn, where our registration and check-in starts on Thursday afternoon, with dinner in the adjacent dining hall at 6:00 p.m. After that, look for us in the Pines meeting room. Welcome!