Understand
Port Orchard's identity is anchored in its connections to the past, and its vision of the future. Originally a booming lumber town called Sidney, Port Orchard became Kitsap Countyâs first incorporated city in 1890. It wooed the county seat away from Port Madison on Bainbridge Island in 1893 and remains the center of county government. (http://www.kitsapgov.com/)
The city is located just south of Bremerton across the Sinclair Inlet. The passenger-only ferry, known as the "foot ferry," links the two cities.
Downtown Port Orchard offers a variety of shopping including antiques, gifts and crafts, and a variety of dining options, including seafood, Italian, gourmet hot dogs and hamburgers and of course, pizza.
Arriving by water, you'll find a large, destination public marina making Port Orchard a favored boating venue. Marina Park, with its boardwalk and covered gazebo, offers beach access and is the site of the summer outdoor Farmer's Market.
Port Orchard is also the most business-friendly city on the Kitsap Peninsula, offering the fastest permitting times in Kitsap County, and a government that "Gets It" about what it takes to run a successful business.
The City is also very family-friendly, with child-friendly parks and neighborhoods, as well as a low - and continuing to decline - crime rate.
