If ever there was a beautiful, must-visit American town, this gem on the Pacific Coast of Washington has to be it.
Located at the northeastern tip of the Olympic Peninsula on the Puget Sound in Washington, Port Townsend experiences a temperate climate year-round and is best known for its Victorian architecture and coastal landscape.
The town’s popularity is not all about its charming looks either — there are so many things to do in Port Townsend, especially if you love getting outside!
Port Townsend is one of our favorite small towns to visit in all seasons, especially with kids or as a multi-generational vacation spot. It’s charming and laid-back, with constant breezes blowing off the sea and the friendliest people you’ll ever meet.
At-a-Glance: Port Townsend WA
Want to skip to the good part? Here’s a bite-sized snapshot of everything you need to know to plan your trip to Port Townsend, WA:
- When to Go: Summer for camping and water-based activities. Spring and fall for fewer crowds, and September for North America’s largest wooden boat festival.
- Where to Stay: We love staying right downtown at the Palace Hotel on Water Street.
- How to get here: If you fly into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and rent a car, it’s a two-hour drive to Port Townsend.
- How to Get Around: Port Townsend is a walkable town, and we have stayed downtown without a car. Driving makes it much easier to explore the outskirts and other spots on the Olympic Peninsula.
- Top 3 Highlights: Whale watching on the Puget Sound was a bucket list item for me. I also love hiking around Fort Worden and strolling past the beautiful Victorian homes and historic buildings in Uptown.
The Best Things to Do in Port Townsend, Washington
Ready to fall in love with the cutest Victorian town on the planet?
Pack a rain jacket and join us for some of the best things to do in Port Townsend.
You’re going to love this place!
Have a Relaxing Picnic at Chetzemoka Park
No matter where we go, we love to explore parks and trails, beaches, and campgrounds. Port Townsend has so many beautiful natural areas!
Chetzemoka Park is a small waterfront park within walking distance from both uptown and downtown Port Townsend. There are botanical secrets At Chetzemoka Park that are just waiting to be discovered.
Pack a lunch and stroll through the expansive gardens of donated tropical flowers and the colorful rose promenade. You are also likely to spot deer browsing on the park’s lush grass.
Take the short trail that leads to a small rocky beach and watch the tide go in or out. You’ll likely run into dog walkers, bird watchers, and people scanning the sound for whales.
There are a few bench swings to relax on and plenty of picnic tables, too. Call me old-fashioned, but an afternoon picnic overlooking Puget Sound is also one of the most romantic things to do in Port Townsend—and it’s totally free!
Plan a Full Day and Night Adventure at Fort Worden State Park
For Port Townsend camping and hiking that’s close to downtown, you really can’t beat Fort Worden State Park. Fort Worden is a great destination for hikers, swimmers, anglers, and nature lovers. You could visit every day for a week and not tread on the same trail twice!
Camping at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend
At Fort Worden, you can park your RV or pitch your tent very close to downtown Port Townsend, making for an affordable outdoor getaway on the water.
There are two distinct camping areas in Fort Worden State Park. The Beach Campground is the most popular (for obvious reasons), but the beach sites are quite exposed, offering little shade or privacy.
The Beach Campground is best for RVs as your rig provides protection from the elements and a bit of privacy. These beautiful campsites have awesome views of the water, and they’re within close walking distance of the Point Wilson Lighthouse and the Marine Science Center.
If you are looking for a more sheltered campsite, consider the Upper Forest Campground, which provides both shade and privacy. It is located in the southwest corner of Fort Worden, near the Chinese Gardens Lake.
Fort Worden campgrounds are open year-round, and if winter camping isn’t your thing, there is dedicated lodging inside the park as well. You can make your reservation online on the Washington State Parks website.
Insider tip: Port Townsend camping at Fort Worden State Park can be really busy in the summer. Reservations are a must in July, August, and September. You can probably get away with not making reservations during the rest of the year.
Explore the Abandoned Fort Worden Military Bunkers
When our kids were younger, one of their favorite things to do in Port Townsend was to explore the turn-of-the-century bunkers in Fort Worden State Park.
The bunkers are widespread throughout the park, but our favorites are nestled into the bluffs overlooking the Straits of San Juan de Fuca and the Puget Sound.
Take heed because these abandoned bunkers are massive, unsupervised concrete structures without any of the safety precautions or oversight you might expect in a historical landmark. Obviously, that’s what makes them so much fun to explore!
The bunkers are filled with unlit tunnels and chambers, rail-less stairways, vertical ladders, and the sense that once entered, these “catacombs” (as our kids coined them) could become labyrinths without escape. They are a treat for adventurous or imaginative souls and would make a great setting for the next big horror flick.
The Fort Worden bunkers are one of the best kid-friendly things to do in Port Townsend, provided your kids are older and aren’t afraid of heights and dark tunnels!
Visit the Point Wilson Lighthouse
Point Wilson Lighthouse is located right at the entrance to the Puget Sound at Admiralty Inlet at the tip of Fort Worden State Park.
It is a vital navigational aid for ships coming and going in the area. The original lighthouse was built in 1879 and sat atop the lightkeeper’s house.
The current lighthouse and fog signal building were both constructed in 1913. It is one of 19 U.S. lighthouses still standing along the Puget Sound.
Point Wilson Lighthouse is not an official part of Fort Worden State Park, but the park provides easy access to the lighthouse grounds. It can be reached by walking along Fort Worden Beach or the park’s north shore.
Tours are offered on Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. from May through September.
Visit the Port Townsend Marine Science Center
Looking for more things to do in Port Townsend with kids? The beloved science center in Fort Worden State Park makes a great stop on a rainy afternoon or any time if you have kids who love the ocean.
The Marine Science Center opened in 1982 and provides hands-on explorations to teach kids and adults about the Salish Sea with touch tanks, aquariums, and even a hydrophone to listen to offshore whales.
The center is also home to one of only six fully articulated orca whale skeletons in the United States. The Marine Science Center is open on the weekends during the winter months and every day but Tuesday during the summer.
Explore Downtown Port Townsend
Located on the very tip of the Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend is a perfect combination of Victorian-era cottages, sprawling gardens, and a bustling downtown.
You will find dozens of boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants in the downtown area. There are so many cool stores to explore, and everything is just a stone’s throw from the waterfront.
I won’t go into detail about all the cool places downtown because the best way to explore those is to put on your walking shoes and start exploring for yourself!
Insider tip: If you book a room at a downtown hotel, you can explore on foot. There are plenty of things to do in Port Townsend without having to get in your car.
Our Favorite Port Townsend Restaurants in the Downtown Area
We’ve done a lot of eating in Port Townsend, and our favorite restaurants change every time we visit.
The following list includes some of our very first favorites, as well as new loves from recent visits.
Finistère: Based on our unscientific survey, 8 out of 10 locals think Finistère is the best place to go for a celebratory dinner.
During our last visit, we finally got around to trying this swanky little spot in uptown Port Townsend, and we agree that it’s swoon-worthy.
Waterfront Pizza: Located on Water Street in the center of town, this is not your ordinary pizza joint. Unique flavor combinations and fresh ingredients come together to create otherworldly pies that we can’t get enough of.
The lines are long, but believe me, the pizza is well worth the wait. We recommend ordering at the takeout window and eating outside near the water.
Khu Larb Thai. Superb, authentic Thai food can be yours without leaving the shores of the US. The Olympic Peninsula’s first Thai Restaurant has been wowing foodies for over 25 years. No matter what you order, you’ll be delighted with the food, the service, and the ambiance.
We discovered another Thai restaurant during our last visit: Banana Leaf Thai Bistro, which is pretty awesome. Our suggestion. If you want an elegant Thai meal, go with Khu Larb. For more casual fare or outdoor seating, check out Banana Leaf.
Elevated Ice Cream. Swiss Orange Chocolate, Blind Love, and Marionberry were our favorite flavors, but there are dozens and dozens to choose from. They’re all original, all homemade, and all delicious. No matter how full your belly is from all that Thai food and pizza, do not skip the ice cream!
Better Living Through Coffee is the best small-town coffee shop I’ve ever been to and a strong contender for my favorite coffee shop of all time. It has a lot going for it. The location is in the heart of downtown Port Townsend and right on the waterfront, so you can drink your coffee and watch the boats go by.
Pourhouse. Got a hankering for a cold brew with a waterfront view? Head to Pourhouse on the beach. They’ve got 12 beers on tap and more than 200 varieties in cans/bottles.
Stroll Uptown Port Townsend and Check out the Historic Victorian Houses
The Victorian homes of Port Townsend were built uptown starting in the 1880s when the town was a contender for hosting the main railroad terminus for the Pacific Northwest.
While Seattle was eventually chosen as the railroad hub, Port Townsend was left with dozens of fabulous homes that survive to this day.
The Victorian homes are primarily located uptown, and while most are private residences, you can stroll the streets and view the homes from the outside.
For lovely photos and an overview of many of the Victorian homes in Port Townsend, check out Dave’s Victorian House site. It’s a great resource.
Go Whale Watching from the Port Townsend Marina
Whale watching for orcas has been on my bucket list for a long time, so I was excited to embark on a whale-watching tour in the Puget Sound last September.
We set sail one early morning with the Puget Sound Express, which has been offering nature tours and whale-watching excursions in the Salish Sea for more than 40 years.
We spent the whole day on the water, stopping in Friday Harbor for lunch.
On our trip, we saw lots of wildlife, including many Southern Resident orcas, a tufted puffin, and seals and sea lions. I will never forget it! This full-day excursion was a splurge for us, but whale sightings were guaranteed, and it was an amazing experience.
Read Next: Go Whale Watching on the Puget Sound in Washington
Where to Stay in Port Townsend, WA
There are many options for your Port Townsend lodging, depending on how much you want to spend (of course) and where you want to be.
The downtown area has some lovely hotels that are within walking distance of everything. Uptown Port Townsend is more residential and quiet, with a few nice vacation rentals that would be perfect for families.
We have stayed in vacation rentals in the past, but short-term rental restrictions are in place to ease the housing crisis for locals who are being priced out of the market.
Here are a few of the places we’ve stayed at in Port Townsend that we can recommend:
The Palace Hotel – Downtown Port Townsend
The best way to enjoy all the fantastic things to do in Port Townsend is to stay right downtown. You really can’t beat the locally owned Palace Hotel. This charming downtown hotel features antiques in all the rooms, and the views of the water from several rooms are incomparable!
Many are dog-friendly, and some even have full kitchens.
We love that the Palace Hotel is within walking distance of the downtown shops, restaurants, and coffee shops, and parking is free.
During our most recent visit, we stayed on the third floor in a room with a kitchen so that we could cook some of our meals. I’ll admit that walking up three flights of stairs multiple times a day was a workout, especially the day after we hiked Mount Storm King.
As long as you don’t mind doing the stairs, the Palace Hotel is delightful, and you really can’t beat the location!
The Swan Hotel – Downtown Hotel Near the Water
You can’t beat the location of the Swan Hotel, which features a fitness center, shared lounge, garden, and free WiFi throughout the property. The spot we stayed in last included a beautiful private patio with a garden view.
Amenities include a small workstation/desk, a flat-screen TV, a bathroom, and an electric tea kettle. Some rooms have a kitchenette with a fridge, oven, and microwave.
From the Swan Hotel, you are just a stone’s throw from the marina and within easy walking distance of shops and restaurants.
What are your favorite things to do in Port Townsend, WA? We’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below!
Want to learn more about this beautiful part of the world? Here are a few more of our favorite PNW posts:
- Olympic National Park: The Sol Duc Valley
- Camping and Hiking in North Cascades National Park
- A Walk Through the Quinault Rainforest
- Marymere Falls in Olympic National Park
- Hike Mount Storm King in Olympic National Park
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Tara Schatz is a freelance writer and travel blogger with a passion for outdoor adventures. She is the co-author of AMC’s Best Day Hikes in Vermont and currently blogs at Back Road Ramblers and Vermont Explored, where she shares travel tips, adventure destinations, and vacation ideas for the wanderer in everyone.