Port Townsend Travel Guide

  The Railroad Line is now a Bike Path
by glabah
 
  • The Railroad Line is now a Bike Path
      The Railroad Line is now a Bike Path
    by glabah
  •   Port Townsend
    by rmdw
  • Hundreds of deer roam freely in the town
      Hundreds of deer roam freely in the town
    by rmdw
  • Your hosts, Nina & Greg
      Your hosts, Nina & Greg
    by rmdw
  • one of PT's amazing downtown buildings
      one of PT's amazing downtown buildings
    by richiecdisc
 

Explore Port Townsend

Things to Do  

By land or by sea

By land or by sea, Port Townsend

 goodfish Says:  Port Townsend has lots of great parks for beachcombing, biking, hiking, picnicking or just having a morning latte along the waterfront. This tiny pocket garden (Water and Adams Street) is right downtown and has picnic tables, gravel paths, flowerbeds and a nice view of the... 

Shop, eat, drink, repeat.

Shop, eat, drink, repeat., Port Townsend

 goodfish Says:  Water Street, which is sort of Port Townsend's Main Street, has lots of shops, galleries, restaurants and a few pubs: great place to fritter away a few hours (and a few $$). The heaviest concentration is the area east of the ferry docks and includes Washington St. (parallel... 

The Architecture

The Architecture, Port Townsend

 goodfish Says:  A walk around Port Townsend's fascinating Victorian architecture is a must. The heaviest concentration is in the old downtown area around Water and Washington streets, and on the high bluff overlooking the harbor: a square roughly defined by Harrison, Tyler, Clay and... 

Walking the Waterfront

Walking the Waterfront, Port Townsend

 goodfish Says:  The waterfront is a wonderful place explore and there are various pedestrian routes along the shoreline that include parks, marinas, beach access and viewpoints. See the link for where to get walking, biking, bus and driving maps of Port Townsend. 

Over the Sound

Over the Sound, Port Townsend

 goodfish Says:  When you're exploring the Victorian houses on top of the bluff (or what they appropriately call "Uptown") there are several points along Jefferson Street with nice panoramas of downtown and the sound. Try the one at the old Fire Bell Tower on Jefferson and Tyler streets for... 

Old shop on main street (N.D. Hill Building)

Old shop on main street (N.D. Hill Building), Port Townsend

 egonwegh Says:  An old shop building. Everything about the building seems just right, the colour [perhaps I should say 'color' ;-)] of the stones, the arches, the windows and curtains, the glass panel above the door, and even the trash bins on both sides of the entrance. From richiecdisc's... 

Fort Worden State Park

Fort Worden State Park, Port Townsend

 glabah Says:  NOTE: As of July 1, 2011, a day use fee has been implemented at many Washington State parks. This fee is $10 per day, or a $30 fee for a year pass. There is a $5 fee in addition to the annual pass fee if purchased at one of the many resellers. Please see my Discover Pass tip... 

Point Wilson Light

Point Wilson Light, Port Townsend

 grandmaR Says:  After dinner, I went out on the veranda and took pictures of a lighthouse I saw which I later identified as Point WilsonThis active lighthouse with an octagonal brick tower with lantern and gallery, rising from 1-story brick fog signal building was build in 1914. The... 

PORT HUDSON BEACH

PORT HUDSON BEACH, Port Townsend

 mtncorg Says:  Just north of the small Port Hudson, one finds a rocky beach that expands and contracts with the tides. Watch the constant flow of maritime traffic moving in and out of the Puget Sound. Look across to the cliffs of Whidbey Island, the old buildings of Fort Casey with their... 

Hotels  

Bishop Victorian Hotel

 101 Opinions

Palace Hotel

 2 Reviews and 131 Opinions  I did not stay at this hotel, though the location and building were interesting. It is located in... 

Restaurants  

Fins (officially Fins Coastal Cuisine): Facing the Water, Not Necessarily Seafood

Fins (officially Fins Coastal Cuisine): Facing the Water, Not Necessarily Seafood, Port Townsend

 glabah Says:  While the emblem of Fins is a fish, the fact is that there is a lot here that isn't sea food. While expensive for Port Townsend, Fins has a fine view out the window, and very good food that makes it reasonably worth while to eat here at least once.This is not a suit and tie... 

Jordini's Subs: Sub Sandwhiches to Go or Stay

Jordini's Subs: Sub Sandwhiches to Go or Stay, Port Townsend

 glabah Says:  Jordini's tries to be a lot of different things, including meet the needs of those who want a quick take-out sandwhich for lunch, plus a place where people can go and linger for a longer time over their food. There is a small balcony overlooking the water.It is very easy for... 

Nightlife  

Rose Theatre: Downtown Movie Theatre w/ Culture Connection

Rose Theatre: Downtown Movie Theatre w/ Culture Connection, Port Townsend

 glabah Says:  This little theatre is tucked behind a larger building, and the entrance is from Taylor Street. While you will find a few general purpose movies happening here, you will also find a few special events. For example, this year on certain nights they are showing the live... 

Upstage Bistro and Entertainment: Assorted Evening Live Music

Upstage Bistro and Entertainment: Assorted Evening Live Music, Port Townsend

 glabah Says:  I never ate at this restaurant, and I never set foot in the door. However, I did manage to walk past it several times, and they have a full set of events listed at the top of the staircase that drops down to the next level of the city. It looks like it might be an... 

Transportation  

PT is Best Experienced OUTSIDE Your Car

PT is Best Experienced OUTSIDE Your Car, Port Townsend

 glabah Says:  You will find the standard strip malls and drive-though restaurants approaching downtown Port Townsend. These establishments are the same as anywhere, but they are not what you came to Port Townsend to see.Once you arrive in the downtown core, you will experience best what... 

connected by land & sea

connected by land & sea, Port Townsend

 richiecdisc Says:  Port Townsend is a small town and you can walk around to any of its sights. It's a very green town and bikes are popular. Port Townsend is located on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State about 50 miles and 90 minutes from Port Angeles, the gateway city of Olympic... 

Shopping  

Pacific Traditions Gallery: Native Artwork from Coastal First Peoples

Pacific Traditions Gallery: Native Artwork from Coastal First Peoples, Port Townsend

 glabah Says:  You will find a fair number art galleries and craft stores in Port Townsend, and at least three of these include "Native" artwork, but this is the place to find true local traditional art work made by coastal "First Nations" tribes of the Pacific Northwest coast.The gallery... 

Warnings and Dangers  

Fort Worden has Few Hand Rails, Falls Easy & Fatal

Fort Worden has Few Hand Rails, Falls Easy & Fatal, Port Townsend

 glabah Says:  You must be careful when exploring the areas around Fort Worden's old fortifications. When these were built in the 1890s, the fall protection for military personell were minimal, and few upgrades happened over the years until their closure in the 1950s.Note, for example, the... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Fort Worden: Ruins of the Past Fortress

Fort Worden: Ruins of the Past Fortress, Port Townsend

 glabah Says:  Be Very Careful when Exploring Fort Worden as the abandoned gun battery structures are old, haven't been maintained in working order since the 1950s, and have few hand rails and can therefore be hazards. A fall from any of these structures will likely be fatal as the bottom... 

Coast Artillery Museum (Fort Worden)

Coast Artillery Museum (Fort Worden), Port Townsend

 glabah Says:  This is one of the several museums I was unable to explore yet on my travels to Fort Worden. It preserves some of the remaining military hardware from the old fortifications dating from the state park's former use as the protective cover for Port Townsend and the entrance to... 

Favorites  

Before Port Townsend was an Attraction

Before Port Townsend was an Attraction, Port Townsend

 glabah Says:   My First Visit to Port Townsend was during the early 1980s as a teen with my mother, and at that time none of the chain hotels on the southwest side of town had been built yet. While the Port Townsend of today has a lot of nice old preserved buildings, the place in that... 

Comments

 
Explore Deeper into Port Townsend
WOODEN BOATS
Things to Do
Manresa Castle
Hotels
Jefferson Transit: ecomonical way around region
Transportation
Bird Watching in Port Townsend
Things to Do
Northwest Maritime Center and Its Viewpoints
Things to Do
Aladdin Inn Port Townsend
Hotels
Fort Worden Beaches
Off The Beaten Path
Fort Worden Cemetary
Off The Beaten Path
Jefferson County Historical Society Museum
Things to Do
Tides Inn
Hotels
Rothschild Houe Museum (1868)
Things to Do
Commanding Officer's Quarters Museum (Fort Worden)
Things to Do
Free Park and Ride Lot, Downtown Southwestern Edge
Transportation
The Commander's Beach House
Hotels
Larry Scott Memorial Trail: Bike, Hike, Horseback
Things to Do
Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park
Off The Beaten Path
Point Wilson Lighthouse (Fort Worden State Park)
Things to Do
The Washington Hotel
Hotels
Memory's Vault (Fort Worden State Park)
Off The Beaten Path
North Beach Park
Off The Beaten Path
Chinese Gardens
Off The Beaten Path
Huber's Inn Port Townsend
Hotels
Centrum: Various Arts Events, Some Public
Things to Do
Port Townsend Marine Science Center
Things to Do
Elevated Ice Cream (including candy store): 1 + 1 = 1 Wonderful Sugar Delight
Restaurants
Annapurna Inn Massage and Retreat Center
Hotels
Waterfront Pizza: Makes the Whole southeast end Smell of Pizza
Restaurants
Better Living Through Coffee: Probably Some Good Coffee Here
Restaurants
Rotary Park
Off The Beaten Path
Baker House Bed & Breakfast
Hotels
El Serape Mexican Restaurant: Award Winning Mexican Food in Downtown Core
Restaurants
Map of Port Townsend