Home Previews & Reviews Last Minute Summer Getaways: P.S. Don’t Miss the Point!

Last Minute Summer Getaways: P.S. Don’t Miss the Point!

Overlooking one of the most scenic, 360°, sweeping views in all of Puget Sound, stands the official home of the U.S. Lighthouse Society [uslhs.org] which is a good thing because it happens to be one of the most easily overlooked points on the Northwest’s “must see” travel map.

Appropriately called “Point No Point,” what could otherwise be called the “Cape of Good Sound,” is within easy reach of ferry lanes and highways (Rte. 304 from Kingston; Rte. 305 from Bainbridge Island or Port Townsend), and comes with oceanic air conditioning to whisk away the smoke from the late Summer of ‘18 fires.

“Point No Point” could well be the best kept secret on the Olympic Peninsula. Since the site is tucked out of sight, behind a sleepy Hansville, Wa., neighborhood, road signs are easy to miss. You may want to consult your smartphone GPS, if you can get a signal.

The Point is also the site where a historic treaty was formed between the United States and the S’Klallam, Chimakum, and Skokomish tribes. Under the terms of the treaty, the original inhabitants of northern Kitsap Peninsula and Olympic Peninsula agreed to cede ownership of their land in exchange for small reservations along Hood Canal and a payment from the federal government.

Today, this coastal attraction is a mariner’s gateway to all that is Puget Sound. The Point offers trails for hiking, a sandy beach for sunning, wading or casting a fly fishing rod, and even two rental cottages, one a part of the historic lighthouse itself.  But Point No Point may be best known among naturalists as one of the largest birdwatching locations of any site in Washington.

The Point is recognized for its water-related species — gulls, cormorants, loons, terns, jaegers, ducks, grebes, mergansers, scoters, brant, and alcids.  The marsh attracts a variety of passerines, particularly in migration, and Point No Point has produced many notable rarities. 

And Don’t Miss The Point: The Point Hotel and Casino

An ideal getaway is to combine this scenic, natural beauty with superb local cuisine, upscale resort lodging, and entertaining night life including the best of the local music scene’s rock, or a roll of the casino dice, table game play or slots. The Point Casino and Hotel is just a seabird’s glide path from Point No Point and the resort’s new accommodations (now in their second year) are impressive.

The contemporary hotel design offers numerous resort amenities, including 24-hour room and bar service, a cultural museum and an impressive sculpture garden of native Northwest totems carved by local artists. The hotel lobby also features exquisite carvings.

Rooms are richly appointed and include walk-in showers with multiple rainfall and body spray heads. Virtual tours of the hotel rooms and suites are available online.

The Market Fresh Cafe and buffet are especially noteworthy as is the Little Boston fine dining bistro menu. A weekly Seafood Feast reminds visitors just how close the venue is to Northwest waters where oysters, mussels, salmon and other seafood delicacies are harvested. 

The best of “eat, play and sleep,” in a native Northwest coastal habitat may be the most appropriate slogan for Point No Point and The Point Casino and Hotel, or, if you will, “Keep Calm and Ferry On!” [24×7]

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