What's better than an adventure to the Puget Sound? An adventure to the Puget Sound with your loyal pup and pop! I can't take the credit for this Airbnb find, as my Dad is the one who stumbled upon it. But now you can see where I get it from!
We had four days to explore. Three nights in Lakebay, Washington on the Kitsap Peninsula in the Puget Sound.
Day one we hit the road with one pit stop in mind: Franklin Falls. A great way to break up the drive (about five and a half hours from Spokane to the Airbnb), stretch our legs and entertain a very bored puppy.
If you haven't hiked this short little hike conveniently situated off I-90 you need to. The quick two-mile loop is great for the whole family with an abundance of nature to explore along the way. We were lucky to have the trail practically to ourselves on a Friday afternoon, sharing the falls with only one other family once we arrived.
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After the hike, it was on to the Airbnb. We hit the Auburn exit at 5 o'clock on a Friday. Not recommended. But we made it to the cabin just before sunset to get a quick glimpse of what the weekend had in store for us. The space was full of whimsy. Gnomes poked their heads out of trees along the trails winding through the eleven acres of property. A teepee, treehouse and swing were tucked into the woods just waiting to be found. A glamping shed with bunk beds and working bathroom, main cabin and outdoor kitchen begged for our attention. Inside, sliding windows opened on both sides of the cabin to turn it into an outdoor space. It was perfect as the rain storms came in. Smelling and listening to the rain with the cabin open to the elements was therapeutic, to say the least.
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The cabin sits on the tip of the Key Peninsula in Lakebay. Surrounded on three sides by ocean and one side by Penrose State Park. Beaches on two sides with mossy woods surrounding the rest. Harbor seals greeted us daily from a wood dock that found its way out to sea and we were able to see a pair of transient Orcas as they made their way past the cabin through the sound. Pure magic.
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Penrose State Park was just an added bonus to our trip. More beaches, trails, a campground and plenty of wildlife awaited us there. It was a perfect place to get a run in (that soft ground was a Godsend to my aching knees and hips) and was a welcome spot for my pup to run free and explore.
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Oh and did I mention my bestie from college came to play?!
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On our final day we sadly said goodbye to the Ebb Tide and started the journey home. We were on a mission to find some clam chowder though, so Point Defiance Park seemed like the perfect pit stop. We wandered the trails and gardens, strolled along the promenade to Owen Beach and wrapped up our vacation with the most delicious bread bowl of chowder at Anthony's while watching the ferry's come and go from the nearby terminal.
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Then, just like that, it was over. Dad was dropping me off on my front step and the pup and I were left to dream of our next adventure. A week later and my heart is still full. I'm one lucky girl.
xoxo,
SJ
Book the Ebb Tide HERE.