Playing In Port Townsend
Live life like a vacation
Port Townsend is the playground of the North West. When Sailing, Hiking, Kayaking, Sight Seeing, Historic Buildings, Dining, and Bicycling are all right at your doorstep, why would you bother living anywhere else?
Our vision is to make sure you enjoy the area everyday.
Maritime Culture
Port Townsend’s maritime culture is woven into nearly every corner of the town, from its working waterfront to its windswept beaches where locals launch kayaks and cast crab pots at dawn. Each fall, the celebrated Wooden Boat Festival fills the harbor with classic vessels and salty stories, drawing sailors from around the world to admire craftsmanship and swap tales. Out on the water, whale-watching boats trace the migration routes of orcas and humpbacks, while sailboats glide past Point Wilson in the afternoon breeze. Fishing and crabbing remain beloved traditions, whether from the docks, small skiffs, or out in Admiralty Inlet, and the town’s long, walkable shoreline keeps residents constantly connected to the sea that defines daily life.
Adventure
In Port Townsend, the outdoor lifestyle is less a hobby and more a rhythm everyone seems to slip into. Long, easy walks on the beach, often with the Olympics glowing in the distance, blend into afternoons spent kayaking along the shoreline, weaving past kelp beds and rocky coves. Trails in and around town invite hikers and bird watchers into quiet forests and along bluff-top paths, where eagles, herons, and songbirds are constant companions. Biking is a favorite way to get around, whether it’s cruising through Victorian neighborhoods, following the Larry Scott Trail, or riding out to nearby vistas. Anchoring it all are state parks like Fort Worden, where miles of sandy beaches, bunkers, grassy parade grounds, and wooded hillsides make it feel like the town’s giant shared backyard, perfect for picnics, sunsets, and spontaneous adventures outside.
Art
Port Townsend’s art and artisan scene hums with creativity, spilling out from studios and historic storefronts into the streets during the monthly Art Walk, when galleries stay open late and the whole downtown becomes a roaming reception. Dozens of galleries and co-op spaces showcase everything from fine art and photography to ceramics, textiles, and jewelry, while Northwind Art and other organizations offer classes and exhibits that keep both emerging and established artists busy year-round. Woodcraft runs especially deep here: the Woodworkers Festival and the renowned wooden boat school nearby draw makers who treat hulls, spars, and hand-carved details as functional sculpture, blurring the line between maritime tradition and fine art. Whether you’re stepping into a bright gallery on Water Street, wandering a makers’ market, or peeking into a working studio in an old industrial building, Port Townsend feels like a town where nearly everyone is making something—and happy to talk about it.
Downtown
Downtown Port Townsend feels like a compact little world where you can wander everywhere on foot and never run out of things to taste or do. Within a few blocks you’ll find cozy cafés serving seriously good coffee, bakeries with warm pastries in the window, and an easy mix of casual eateries and sit-down restaurants, many of them featuring fresh, local seafood pulled from nearby waters. Wineries and tasting rooms are tucked into historic brick buildings, perfect for an afternoon glass of something local before strolling to the waterfront or catching live music. The town’s much-loved food co-op keeps everyone stocked with local produce and specialty items, while the free bus transportation makes it simple to hop between downtown, the parks, and outlying neighborhoods without needing a car.
Throughout the year, downtown streets turn into a stage for festivals and parades that celebrate everything from wooden boats to quirky local traditions, drawing both visitors and neighbors out to mingle. On any given day, you might see kids licking ice cream cones on the sidewalk, shoppers ducking in and out of bookstores and galleries, cyclists rolling by on their way to the trail, and buskers playing on a corner as the ferries come and go. With the water on one side, Victorian architecture on the other, and so many walkable options for food, drink, and entertainment, downtown Port Townsend has an easygoing, lived-in charm that makes it feel like home even on your first visit.