Port Townsend

A Victorian seaport at the entrance to Puget Sound, with well-preserved red-brick streets and bluff-top mansions, and Fort Worden's batteries and lighthouse overlooking the strait.

Port Townsend sits on the northeast tip of Washington's Olympic Peninsula, guarding the entrance to Puget Sound, about 60 km from Seattle as the crow flies. In the late 19th century it was a busy port of entry expected to become a railroad terminus, and merchants built many red-brick commercial buildings and Victorian mansions. The railroad never came, and the town slumbered for nearly a century — which is exactly why the old town survives intact. It's one of three Victorian seaports on the U.S. West Coast and today is known for its arts scene, wooden-boat culture and unhurried pace.

Where to go: Downtown, Water Street is lined with red-brick buildings, bookstores, galleries and waterfront restaurants, with the Northwest Maritime Center at its east end; climb the Taylor Street steps to Uptown to see Victorian mansions, the courthouse clock tower and the Rothschild House. North of town, Fort Worden State Park has gun batteries and bunkers, officers' row houses, beaches and the Point Wilson Lighthouse — worth half a day. Nearby, you can visit Fort Flagler on Marrowstone Island and the farms and cideries of the Chimacum Valley, or take the ferry to Whidbey Island.

Seasons: Jun–Sep is dry and sunny with long days, ideal for coastal activities; the Wooden Boat Festival in early September is the liveliest time; winters are rainy but quiet. Getting there: from Seattle, take a ferry to Kingston or Bainbridge Island and drive about an hour, or come via the Hood Canal Bridge; the ferry from Coupeville on Whidbey Island takes about 35 minutes. Downtown is walkable, but you'll need a car or bike to reach Fort Worden and the surrounding area. Plan on 1–2 days; state parks require a Discover Pass for parking.

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