- Kingston, the “Little City by the Sea”, is the northern gateway to the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington state. A rip-roaring lumber town 100 years ago, it’s quieter now as the constant whine of the sawmill has given way to the occasional blast of a horn for the 30-minute ferry ride from Edmonds across the Puget Sound. For those coming from the Seattle area, the ferry ride is a highlight of the drive to Olympic National Park.