Gig Harbor is a wonderfully sheltered and tranquil harbor on the opposite side of the Puget Sound from Tacoma. We’ve spent many nights anchored there on Dirona, enjoying the lights reflecting into the still waters from the homes and businesses that ring the shore. And we always made a point to take the tender ashore for a meal at popular Tides Tavern.

We’d driven through Gig Harbor since returning to Seattle, but our last overnight stop there was on Dirona. For our return to Gig Harbor, we booked a room for Saturday night at the Waterfront Inn with a view to the harbor. The evening’s whispy fog and reflected lights brought back great memories of our past visits, as did lunch the next day at Tides Tavern.

Below are highlights from January 29th and 30th, 2024. Click any image for a larger view, or click the position to view the location on a map. And a map with our most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps.

1/29/2024

Waterfront Inn, Gig Harbor Position: 47°20.41’N, -122°35.27’W The Waterfront Inn at the head of Gig Harbor, where we’ll be spending Saturday night. Our room is leftmost on the bottom level.

Gig Harbor View Position: 47°20.42’N, -122°35.27’W Enjoying the view to Gig Harbor from the expansive deck at the Waterfront Inn.

The Harbor Position: 47°20.42’N, -122°35.29’W Our comfortable room at the Waterfront Inn, The Harbor, was well-equipped and had a great view to Gig Harbor.

Morso Bistro, Gig Harbor Position: 47°20.39’N, -122°35.37’W We had an excellent dinner at Morso Bistro, a few minutes walk from the Waterfront Inn in Gig Harbor.

Dusk Position: 47°20.39’N, -122°35.37’W Dusk in Gig Harbor, viewed from our table at Morso Bistro.

Terrace View Position: 47°20.42’N, -122°35.29’W The view from our terrace at the Waterfront Inn while we enjoy an evening drink outside after dinner. The weather is overcast and cool, and we enjoyed sitting outside to take in the scene. Gig Harbor is a wonderfully sheltered and tranquil harbor and this evening brought back great memories of the many times we’ve anchored there.

1/28/2024

Breakfast Position: 47°20.42’N, -122°35.29’W Breakfast on the terrace of our room at the Waterfront Inn in Gig Harbor. We’d not been here before and very much enjoyed our stay. The only negative is that the terraces are a little on the public side with no barriers between them.

Tides Tavern Position: 47°19.76’N, -122°34.70’W Lunch at Tides Tavern in Gig Harbor, a long-time favorite of ours when we visited the area by boat.

Baby Seal Position: 47°19.77’N, -122°34.70’W We watched as this young seal made several attempts and eventually succeeded at jumping onto the Tides Tavern dock. It was the star of the restaurant with a good crowd at the window. Pup season is the summer, and nursing pups remain with their mothers for less than two months before learning to survive on their own, as this seal likely is. The animal was pretty nervous the whole time there, and was constantly alert for danger, perhaps hoping to be among the half that actually survive their first year.

Click the travel log icon on the left to see these locations on a map. And a map of our most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps.