By Alan K. Lee
One of the first indications that Poulsbo might be a little different from the typical Pacific Northwest community is that the “Welcome to Poulsbo” sign you see when entering the town is in Norwegian. You’re also greeted by a twelve-foot-tall statue of a Viking at the intersection of Lindvig Way and Viking Avenue. There’s a reason Poulsbo is also known as Little Norway.
Poulsbo was founded in the 1880s by Jorgen Eliason, a native of Fordefjord, Norway. Scandinavian immigrants were drawn to the area because Puget Sound and the nearby Olympic Mountains reminded them of the mountains and fjords of their homeland. When the residents requested that a post office be located there, they suggested the name Paulsbo (“Paul’s Place”), but officials in Washington, DC misspelled the name, so Paulsbo officially become Poulsbo. But the pronunciation remains Paulsbo.
Until World War II Norwegian was widely spoken by residents. English became the predominant language only after Poulsbo’s population tripled during WWII, primarily due to an influx of workers from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in nearby Bremerton. But the Scandinavian heritage of the town remains evident in the oldtown area along the waterfront. By far the largest building in the downtown area is the Sons of Norway Hall. Each May Poulsbo is also home to Viking Fest, a celebration of Norwegian culture.
Poulsbo is located at the head of Liberty Bay on Puget Sound. For much of its history the primary means of travel to and from Poulsbo was by boat, and the town’s connection to the sea remains strong. The town has an excellent little harbor and there are three marinas in the area.
The historic downtown area has a bit of a tourist-centric vibe, but it’s genuine enough that it doesn’t come off as a Disney-like version of Scandinavia-in-America. There are a few gift stores downtown, but they largely avoid the tacky, made in China junk that you find in so many places. No t-shirt emporiums here. There are numerous galleries, though, some with really outstanding works of art, and Poulsbo has a thriving arts community. A number of the downtown buildings feature murals by local artists. There are art walks every Saturday evening in the summer, and the Poulsbo Arts Festival is held every August.
Liberty Bay Waterfront Park is a nice place to relax and watch the activity in the harbor or just people watch. There are plenty of park benches and a covered gazebo to hang out in when it rains. There’s a boardwalk at the north end of the park that leads along the waterfront to American Legion Park. There are also two city parks north of the downtown area, Poulsbo Fish Park and Nelson Park, that are within walking distance.
There is, of course, no shortage of places to eat and drink in the downtown area. If craft beer is what you’re looking for, you have three breweries to choose from: Valholl Brewing, a block off the main drag on 3rd Street, Western Red Brewing on Jensen Way, and Slippery Pig Brewery across the parking area from Waterfront Park. All offer a variety locally brewed beer. Valholl Brewing is popular with the locals, has an unpretentious vibe with kid and dog friendly indoor and outdoor seating and a friendly staff. No food there, but a nice place to enjoy a pint with friends, both of the two legged and four-legged variety. Western Red Brewing has a spacious indoor seating area, twenty beers on tap, and offers bar snacks, frankfurters, bratwurst, smoked salmon, and smoked cheese appetizers. Slippery Pig Brewery is another kid friendly venue (piglet friendly in their terminology). They have eight beers on tap year-round, with eight more seasonally rotating selections. They also offer a more extensive food menu than the others. You might also want to check out The Brass Kraken Pub across the street from Slippery Pig.
If eats are what you’re after, check out The Loft, next to The Brass Kraken, Casa Luna on Front Street, Sogno di Vino, next door to Casa Luna, for Italian, or the Green Light Diner, in the same block. Pizza can be found at Poulsbo Woodfired Pizza, across from Waterfront Park, and at Westside Pizza on Jensen Way. Tizley’s Europub on Front Street offers German food and has live music on Wednesday nights. Burrata Bistro and Paella Bar, next door to each other on the north end of downtown, serve northern Italian cuisine and Spanish tapas and paella, respectively. You can find handcrafted pastries, donuts, and breads at Sluys Poulsbo Bakery. Finish off your meal with some chocolates at Boehm’s Chocolates or ice cream at Mora Iced Creamery.
Western Washington University operates the Sea Discovery Center, a small aquarium at the south end of downtown. Unfortunately, I have yet to visit Poulsbo when it has been open (it’s currently open only on Friday and Saturday from 11am-4pm), but it gets good reviews and looks like a place kids of all ages would enjoy.
My first visit to Poulsbo was short, but I enjoyed it immensely. I connected with the town immediately, partly due to my Scandinavian heritage, but also because it’s just a cool little town. I felt at home there. I’ve since been back a couple of times, and I’m sure I will visit again in the future. Poulsbo is definitely worth a visit. And you might want to check out a couple of my other favorite Puget Sound destinations, Gig Harbor and Port Townsend.
For more information, check out the Visit Poulsbo website, or the individual business websites linked above.
Originally posted October 3, 2018. Most recently updated March 29, 2023.
All photos © Alan K. Lee