Port Townsend

Port Townsend is the Olympic Peninsula's best preserved historic town: a Victorian seaport on the northeast tip of the peninsula, where more than 70 buildings from the 1880s and 1890s still line the streets. In those years, investors expected the town to become the major port of Puget Sound, and they built grand brick and stone commercial blocks along Water Street and fine Victorian homes on the bluff above. When the railroad ended up elsewhere, the boom collapsed, and the town was frozen in time. Today it is a National Historic Landmark District with a lively arts scene, working boatyards, a busy marina and an easy-going, creative atmosphere that draws weekend visitors from Seattle.

The town has two levels. The lower, Water Street area along the harbor contains the old commercial buildings, now home to bookshops, galleries, restaurants, cafes and seasonal farmers markets. The upper town, on the bluff, has the grand Victorian houses, many now bed and breakfasts, and the Jefferson County Courthouse with its clock tower. A walk uphill takes you past the Rothschild House, a preserved 1868 home open as a museum, and gardens such as Chetzemoka Park.

The waterfront is a big part of the identity. Port Townsend is a center for wooden boat building and restoration, and the Northwest Maritime Center on the harbor hosts classes, sailing programs and the annual Wooden Boat Festival in September, one of the most popular events of its kind in the country. Even outside the festival, you can wander the docks, watch boatbuilders and join a sailing excursion in season. A Washington State Ferries route from the Port Townsend terminal crosses to Coupeville on Whidbey Island.

Food and drink are strong points. The town has a good number of independent restaurants serving local seafood, oysters and produce, and craft breweries, distilleries and cideries are within a short walk. Bookstores, antique shops and galleries are good for browsing, and live music venues keep evenings lively. Staying at one of the historic hotels or inns completes the experience, though the best rooms book early for festival weekends and summer.

Getting there takes some planning. From Seattle, drive or take a ferry across Puget Sound to Kingston or Bainbridge and continue by road, a trip of roughly two to three hours, or use the Whidbey Island route via the Coupeville ferry. From Port Angeles it is about an hour. The town is compact and walkable, with parking on the edges. Spring and autumn are quieter and have mild weather, while summer is busy and sunny, and winter is gray but cozy.

A good first-day plan begins with coffee on Water Street, followed by a stroll through the bookshops and galleries and a walk up the stairs to the bluff for views of the harbor and Mount Baker on clear days. Lunch can be oysters or fish and chips on the waterfront, with the afternoon given to Fort Worden's beaches and bunkers.

Dinner in one of the historic buildings caps the day. On a second day, join a sailing trip, rent a bike for the nearby trail, or cross to Whidbey Island by ferry. Allow extra time for ferries and summer traffic when you leave.