Manchester is located on the waterfront directly across from Blake Island and is accessible via the highway or the Southworth Ferry, which is just a couple of miles to the south. The community is blessed with stunning views of the Puget Sound, Mount Rainier and the Seattle skyline, plus a great deal of ship traffic that travels along the coast. The Port of Manchester maintains public docks where boaters can tie-up. The beach area is a popular destination for families. Lodging accommodations are the Comfort Inn on the Bay in downtown Port Orchard, a few B&Bs and camping and RV parking at Manchester State Park. Read our blog for more information.
Manchester State Park was constructed at the turn of the 20th century as a U.S. Coast Artillery harbor defense installation for the protection of Bremerton. During World War II, the property was converted to a Navy fuel supply depot and a Navy fire-fighting station.
A former torpedo warehouse, built in 1901, was later an officers club and now is a picnic shelter and popular wedding venue. The small concrete building east of the torpedo warehouse was originally used as a mining casement and later for coal storage. A gun battery also remains from the park's early days. All three of these structures are on the register of National Historical Monuments. The park offers RV hookups.
Manchester is a charming community in the south Kitsap Peninsula area with a couple of restaurants, a regional library and a lovely waterfront park operated by the Port of Manchester. It's a great place to stop for a picnic, launch a boat or kayak, or play on the beach. If you're cycling, it's along the stunning waterfront route from the Southworth Ferry all the way to Port Orchard.
Manchester is a featured stop on the Kitsap Peninsula National Water Trails, offering advanced paddlers a route to Blake Island.