Kingston is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Kitsap County, Washington, set on the eastern shore of the Kitsap Peninsula facing Puget Sound. Originally known as Appletree Cove, it is a small town of about 2,500 people whose identity is inseparable from the water. Kingston's ferry terminal is the western end of the Edmonds–Kingston route, a Washington State Ferries crossing that has connected the peninsula to the Seattle-area mainland for more than a century, with ferry service on the route dating to the early 1920s. The ferry has shaped Kingston's economy and character, making it a gateway community and a practical home base for people who work or study on the east side of Puget Sound. The village clusters around the terminal, the Village Green Community Center, and the Kingston Library, which together provide the civic heart of the town. Small shops and services serve both residents and the steady flow of ferry travelers passing through. Kingston is served by the North Kitsap School District, which operates schools across the northern peninsula, and the community hosts North Kitsap Options, a public K-8 school. Recreation is closely tied to the landscape: Mike Wallace Park offers shoreline views and community space, Heronswood Garden is a celebrated botanical destination, and North Kitsap Heritage Park provides forested trails. Eglon Beach and other shoreline spots extend access to the water. State Route 104 links Kingston to the rest of the Kitsap Peninsula, including nearby Poulsbo and the Hood Canal Bridge to the west. The combination of ferry access, waterfront living, and a small, community-centered atmosphere makes Kingston an appealing place for those who want a Puget Sound lifestyle with a direct connection to the greater Seattle area.