The holiday season is fast approaching and, for lots of families, this means visitors.

So, what do you do with those visitors?

Show them around the area, that’s what. And how do you know which places to show them? Try reading books that recommend sites and tell you facts about these places.

Here are some suggestions.

“The Great Adventures for Kitsap Peninsula,” is a book written with children in mind. It has wonderful descriptions of places we would all enjoy. It tells of places to fly kites such as Pendergast Regional Park in Bremerton. This book also tells about lighthouses, like the one at Point No Point. There’s information about a hidden beach at the Foulweather Bluff Preserve, in Hansville.

Other fun and interesting activities include Whaling Days Celebration and the Blackberry Festival. There’s important information like where the pumpkin farms are located, and where to find the Touch-a-Truck events. It’s a lovely handbook full of suggestions for day trips and more. It is available on Amazon.com.

Two more books that might be of interest to long-time residents of the Kitsap Peninsula, those new to our area and visitors, too, are “Images of America — Silverdale” and “Images of America — Port Orchard.”

They begin with a general history of the area that is followed with photographs and detailed descriptions. These are also available on Amazon.com.

Have you discovered Seabeck yet?

This is a lovely community located on the Hood Canal. Fred Just wrote a book called “Seabeck, and the Surrounding Area.” In his book, he tells that the local cemetery discloses much of its history and its story. A visit is a nice day trip and takes you through lots of beautiful scenery on the way. This book is available on Amazon.com and at Kitsap Publishing.

And one more book on my list of interesting stories about our area is “People of North Kitsap Peninsula.” This book is divided into sections to make it easier to search for specific information.

Some of the sections tell about the neighborhoods, like Port Gamble, Point No Point, Eglon, Hansville, Skunk Bay, Foulweather Bluff, Twin Spits, Cliffside, Driftwood Key and Shore Woods. There is a handy index in the back of the book for locating specific places. This book was compiled by the Hansville Historical Society and copies can be obtained from Lois Lee. You can contact her through any board member of the Hansville Community Center.

Now for a suggested book gift: “In The Words of Olympic Peninsula Authors,” is an anthology of short stories, essays and poems by Peninsula authors who are awarding-winning, published, or newly recognized for their talent. Contributors are Jan Thatcher Adams, Craig Andrews-Yogi and Taoist Adept, Judith R. Duncan, Jon Eekhoff, Heidi Hansen, Dianne L. Knox, Ruth Marcus, Linda B. Myers, Elizabeth K. Pratt and Charlie Sheldon. This book is available on Amazon.com, or locally at Eagle Harbor Books and Liberty Bay Books.

Quote for today: “You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough.” Mae West

— Donna Lee Anderson is an author and writing teacher, and writes Bookends for Kitsap Weekly. You can email her at welltoldtales@aol.com.