EXPLORE: Illahee State Park | Bremerton
3540 NE Sylvan Way, Bremerton, WA 98310
Why we love it
75 acres of perfect park and 1785 feet of saltwater shoreline, Illahee (ill-uh-hee!) State Park is a local favorite for diving, beach combing, hiking, boating and waterfront adventures.
It’s an evergreen forest that crashes into the Salish Sea. We love walking the looooong dock that juts out into Port Orchard Bay, facing Bainbridge Island and clamoring over the enormous sun bleached drift wood logs that rest in the sand. We love the option to camp or pull up the RV.
Camping and scuba diving and birding and beach combing and fishing, crabbing…for either a night away for an epic staycation or a quick escape for a just few hours Kitsap Peninsula residents and visitors have been coming to Illahee for generations.
Minutes from Manette
Between Bainbridge and Bremerton is a park that appeals to everyone. Arrive by water or land; the former will find you moored to a long dock waiting on the shores of Port Orchard Bay just north of East Bremerton. When the sun is shining, the water is a brilliant turquoise stirred into a rich navy and on days like that, you’ll be glad you brought the kayak or just slip your shoes off and dangle your feet in.
Area SCUBA divers especially love Illahee for its ease of entry (drive right up and park next to the shore), its facilities, that include showers and the 300 foot dock that makes getting into the water (almost) effortless. Visibility can be great and there’s an abundance of sea-life including starfish, crab, sea snails, geoduck, and many species of fish. Dive on in!
In addition to the shell-strewn beach and the 300 foot dock that can tend to steal the show, there is also a gorgeous half mile of hiking trails that is all kinds of ferns and moss and evergreens. When you’re sick of the beach, retreat to the trees and watch the sun filter through the pine needles.
Kids of all ages squat and turn over rocks, watching the crabs scuttle every which way. Picking through the seaweed and seashells to discover some tide washed treasure. These are the waterfront adventures that never get old. It’s a joy to watch a family play on the beach and Illahee is a great beach for it snap some cute pics for insta and bring a towel and a change of britches for the young one!
“Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world”
Not pictured here are the shelters, picnic tables, RV spaces, campsites, restroom, volleyball courts, lawns and parking lot that make this park such a well rounded favorite for generations. Please come share Illahee State Park with your friends, family or spend some quality time alone in one of Kitsap County’s most beloved parks!
More ways to Thrive on the Kitsap Peninsula
The Kitsap Peninsula is a very pet friendly place to travel, adventure and explore. Here’s our list of 20 dog friendly trails and off-leash parks to have fun with your pup!