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Originally Posted On: https://uptowngigharbor.com/8-fun-things-to-do-in-gig-harbor/
Located only 50 miles southwest of Seattle, Gig Harbor is a breath of fresh air away from the bustle of the city. With its shops, restaurants, breweries, harbors, and a plethora of outdoor activities to partake in, we’re confident that Gig Harbor will charm you right back to visit again.
If you’re planning a trip to Gig Harbor, we have listed our top 8 fun things to do while you’re here. What can we say, we are a little biased 
Getting around Gig Harbor is fairly convenient: the Pierce Transit has a convenient bus service and classic trolly rides that can bring you straight to our shopping center – Uptown Gig Harbor. If you have electrical vehicles, there are EV charging stations available at the North Parking lot.
NOTE: Uptown Gig Harbor is an outdoor shopping center located in Gig Harbor. There are other plazas and places to shop in Gig Harbor, but only one Uptown. There has been some confusion in the past about which shops are part of Uptown and which aren’t. So to clear up any questions, we suggest our readers check out our Full Directory to view all of our Merchants.
Ok, now without further delay, here Top 8 Fun Things To Do In Gig Harbor:
1. Boutique Shopping
From national retailers to local favorites, Uptown Gig Harbor has over 35 merchants to shop. From buying jewelry to getting your nails done, and shopping for loungewear, dresses, or party-wear, Gig Harbor has your needs covered. Shop for clothing at Frankie, Bloom, and Marshalls; high-end eyewear at Eye Candy Optical; just to name a few.
Buying clothes or toys for your little ones or looking for the perfect gift for your partner can be done at any of the many boutiques available – like Paper Luxe and Little Luxe Baby.
As a harbor town, GH attracts a wide range of people, tastes, and styles. You can find even more retail selection at our neighbors, the Gig Harbor Waterfront. PLUS, across the street from us the highly-anticipated arrival of Metropolitan Market in Gig Harbor is set to open on October 7th.
2. Gig Harbor Film Festival.
Support indie films at the Gig Harbor Film Festival or catch a blockbuster both at the Galaxy Theatres at Uptown Gig Harbor.
Catch a movie at Galaxy theaters or IMAX or join us at the annual Gig Harbor film festival, where we bring you the latest movies for your leisure.
Ranked 45 out of 2,000 festivals worldwide by Freeway, we are proud to host this event annually with great love and hospitality for our attendees and visitors. Even though due to the current COVID situation, the event was regrettably postponed, we are excited to announce our comeback next year. So mark your calendars because you are not going to want to miss this one.
3. Summer Concert Series.
Join us for some memorable tunes at the summer music festival. Explore new music or listen to your favorite bands, including The Profits, The Michael Crain Band, My Guilty Pleasure, and many more. There’s no better way to spend the weekend than jamming out to your favorite tunes with your friends or family and connecting with people around you who have similar music tastes.
The summer concert series takes place in the summer from June-August at our outdoor Pavillion. We are already working to book summer 2022 – so be on the lookout for dates on our Facebook page.
4. Gig Harbor Beer Festival and Cider Swig.
The Gig Harbor Summer Swig Cider is a local favorite that draws together tourists and the Gig Harbor community. As the state’s second largest cider tasting festival, the fall installment set to happen on September 25th will be a Pick-Up edition.
Bring your friends along and get the ultimate summer experience with The Gig Harbor Beer Festival, offering the finest beer from award-winning Puget Sound brewers in Washington. We know you love your kids, but these events are adult-only and we’re sure you can use a night off once in a while.
5. Cruise the Narrows Classic Car Show.
For a more family-friendly festival, bring your kids to our annual Cruise The Narrows Car Show. This show includes vintage and special custom-made cars. Classic and one-of-a-kind cars show up at this festival as well.
6. Walk the town and enjoy the sights.
Bring your walking shoes when you come to visit us. This town is entirely walkable with paved sidewalks and lots to see along the way. Gig Harbor is adored for its picturesque harbor and maritime history. You can even join a Waterfront Walking Tour – a guided tour offered by the Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance. We recommend checking out their Facebook page to get more details and to ensure that tours are being offered when you plan to visit.
Even if you had nothing planned for your trip here and are going to wing it, we bet you’ll stumble up something to tickle your fancy. Here are just a few suggestions:
7. Eat. Eat. Then, eat again.
You can’t come to Gig Harbor and not indulge on the epicurean options presented to you. A stroll in our shopping center alone will have you making some tough dining decisions – Neapolitan pizza at Fondis? Bistro-style Mediterranean at Gerties? A classic burger at Green.House? Pad thai at Lele Thai Vietnamese?
We know. How can you choose? And these are just a few of the options we have at Uptown, and not counting the dozen of other restaurants along the water or throughout Gig Harbor.
Our advice: Come hungry.
8. Enjoy outdoor activities.
If you can’t resist the water, Sunrise Beach is one of the best places to visit. Renting a kayak or going for a boat ride can also take your mind off things as you enjoy the warm glow of a sunset. You can also go scuba diving here for the complete beach experience.
Gig Harbor Gondola is a unique experience here in town where you and up to 5 other people can enjoy a leisurely sight seeing cruise on the water.
For more information on outdoor activities in Gig Harbor, we recommend to check out StepOutside.org – a robust and up to date directory of camping, hiking, fishing, and other outdoor events not just in Gig Harbor, but across the US.
If you’re planning on visiting Gig Harbor this fall, you can catch a live Giant Pumpkin carving by Russ Leno on October 28th, 2021 from 10 am – 4:30 pm at our Pavillion. Or, come to our Trick or Treat even on Halloween Day.
Final thoughts on our list of things to do in Gig Harbor.
Is this all there is to do in Gig Harbor? Of course not! These are just a handful of fun things we would recommend to get started. You’ll find regardless of what you do and where you go in Gig Harbor, the locals here truly love where they live, work, and play. The pride and appreciation that our community carries about living in the South Sound is palpable – our customers frequently mention to us just how friendly our community is to tourists.
We want you to experience the vibrance and culture available in our little harbor town, so if you have any questions, comments, or feedback, let us know in the comment section below.