On Puget Sound with Private Beach - The Alteros

If you want to be on the beach and in a large traditional Northwest home this is your place. It is clean and well lit with lots of windows. There are decks on every floor and on both sides of the building so you get morning and afternoon sun.

But the best part is by far the beach. Just walk the short flat path and you find yourself on a gravelly beach with wonderful West facing views. There is an old covered beach sitting area where you can sit down with a good book and watch the tides come in and out.

The bay is shallow and, unlike many salt water locations, the water gets warm enough to swim in. In fact, the owners do it for hours. Or bring your boat. You can actually beach it right up by the sitting area at high tide.

Inside, the home is immaculately decorated with all the modern convinces. There are three bedrooms and two baths and the home sleeps up to 12. The kitchen is modern with all features and fully stocked with pots, pans, dinner ware and anything else you need.

There is a ton to do in Gig Harbor, like exploring the many Art Galleries, Boutiques and fine restaurants, or taking a harbor tour. Nearby Allyn boasts a PGA golf course at Lakeland Village, and Kayak and boat rentals are available in Allyn or Belfair, both about seven miles from the home. Port Orchard, just 15 minutes away, is a Mecca for those interested in antiques and treasure hunting. The downtown waterfront offers shopping, museums, entertainment, galleries and dining, with ferry access from Bremerton and Seattle

This location is like being in the Garden of Eden with mature fir, cedar trees, a terraced garden full of native plants and even a vibrant waterfall, and all of it just minutes from all the fun you could imagine.

One of Washington State's most scenic areas. Gig Harbor and the Key Peninsula are recreational paradises located almost dead center in the Puget Sound area. With a maritime and timber history there is a rich heritage and a vibrant thriving community. Residents and visitors alike enjoy the incredible scenery, galleries, upscale shops, waterfront restaurants, festivals, gorgeous gardens, recreational offerings and distinctive architecture.

The discovery of this "excellent little bay" by Captain Charles Wilkes in 1841 found a protected harbor with abundant fishing, lumber, rich soil surrounding and unsurpassed beauty. Wilkes was not the first to realize this treasure. Native Americans had long had a seasonal camp at the head of the harbor to reap the rewards of the salmon migration.

Surrounded by water Gig Harbor slumbered for many years as a self-sustained community with little access to the outside communities. But in 1940 with the opening of the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge (a.k.a "Galloping Gertie") the community passed into a new era that is still today changing and growing.