If you can't find something culturally enriching do to in West Sound, you're just not trying. From classical music to improv comedy, stages from Port Orchard to Port Townsend -- and all Ports in between -- constantly offer high-quality entertainment. Bremerton's 1,000-seat Admiral Theatre might be the region's best source for an eclectic spectrum of entertainment options that run the gamut from classical music concerts to kids' Halloween parties. Live theater troupes thrive, as do art galleries, the Bremerton Symphony (along with its chorale and youth orchestra), the Bainbridge Orchestra, the Kitsap Opera and the Peninsula Dance Theatre.

Venture just a few minutes or a few miles from just about any location in Kitsap and you'll find either water with public access, public forest lands or mountains. It's little wonder then that Kitsap residents, and visitors, routinely list hiking, boating, fishing, cycling, kayaking and camping among their regular leisure activities. If you live or stay in Kitsap for any length of time, you'll find that Mother Nature keeps tugging you out the door. And it's nice to have so many choices for outdoor activities, because that means no one lake, no one beach, no one bay and no one trail is ever so crowded that the outdoor experience can't be enjoyed. Kitsap County has more than 300 miles of saltwater shoreline, five state parks (including one accessible only by boat), thousands of acres of state forest land and easy access to Olympic National Park, one of the last places in the continental United States to be fully explored.

Almost every West Sound community has at least one scheduled opportunity each year to put its best foot forward and celebrate. Our community festivals range from large and choreographed (Bremerton's Armed Forces Day Festival celebrates the city's military heritage with what is billed as the largest Armed Forces Day parade in the U.S.) to the unique and quaint (Crosby Days invites nearly everyone in that small community to march in a parade behind the local fire truck). Events like Poulsbo's Viking Fest draw thousands of visitors; others, like Shelton's Oyster Fest are fundraisers for a variety of local organizations. It's either the rainy season in West Sound, or it's the festival season. The community festivals start in mid-May and extent through mid-October, celebrating everything from whales to seagull calling, rhododendrons to fishing trawlers, gardens in bloom to lavender to salmon, the era of chivalry to the heritage of local tribes.

Kitsap has a variety of recreational opportunities for youth and adults. Four different parks districts spanning the county offer a variety of classes and recreational opportunities, there are five community pools and there are a host of commercial and non-for-profit gyms that offer fitness classes and exercise equipment. Adults can play softball, soccer, basketball, volleyball and other team sports in leagues sponsored by the park districts. Young people can play baseball, fastpitch softball, football, soccer, basketball, volleyball and other team sports under the auspices of Pee Wees, Little League, Babe Ruth League, American Legion, youth soccer clubs. Other opportunities include bowling, disc golf, gymnastics, hockey, rope climbing, roller skating, an indoor go-kart track and participating in an outrigger canoe club.

Farmers markets are increasing in popularity as more and more consumers are looking at the health and environmental benefits of buying organic, locally produced meats, vegetables and fruit. There are now nine regularly scheduled farmers markets operating in West Sound, most of them between mid- or late-April and early October. They provide an outlet for a growing number of small, organic farms in the area, as well as for vendors of a variety of crafts and for prepared food. It would be hard to visit one of our local farmers markets without finding something of interest, if only a good conversation with a producer or craftsperson.

There are a variety of eating options represented in Kitsap County's 425 restaurants, from extremely fine dining to takeout teriyaki storefronts. Chefs at local independent restaurants have become very inventive with Northwest ingredients, while at the same time many national chain restaurants have a presence in the area. And whether independent or chain, don't miss the opportunity for waterfront dining in nearly every West Sound community. No matter what's on the menu, it's always tastier when enjoyed on a deck overlooking the water on a sunny summer day.

Visitors to West Sound have a variety of lodging choices, and have seen that variety expand over the past few years with the additional of the resort hotel at the Suquamish Clearwater Casino, of the Hampton Inn at the convention center on the Bremerton waterfront, and of the renovation of the Alderbrook Resort & Spa on the shores of Hood Canal in Mason County. In all, Kitsap County has 1,345 hotel rooms, including nearly 600 in Bremerton and another 300 in Silverdale. In addition, there are a variety of other lodging choices, including more than 50 bed and breakfast establishments, and even the opportunity to rent a houseboat.

Going to the movies in and around Kitsap isn't just a matter of heading to the multiplex. Oh, there are big, multi-screen theaters showing the first-run fare, but there also are neighborhood theaters in Port Orchard, Bainbridge and Port Townsend that offer some late first-run movies, but specialize in independent and art-house fare. During the warmer months, both the three-screen Rodeo Drive-In south of Bremerton and the single-screen Wheel-In Motor Movie near Port Townsend offer cinema under the stars.