Port Townsend

A Victorian-era city with a restored waterfront historic district, Port Townsend is the most picturesque gateway to the Olympic Peninsula. You could easily spend a weekend exploring its art galleries, shops, and trendy restaurants.

Settled in 1851, and fondly dubbed the "City of Dreams," Port Townsend was laid out with two separate urban quarters: Watertown, on the waterfront, catered to sailors, while uptown, on the plateau above the bluffs, was where Watertown merchants and other permanent citizens lived and raised their families. Today the city has a strong community of writers, musicians, painters, and other artists, and the waterfront is where you'll find chic stores and seafood restaurants. Handsomely restored brick buildings from the 1888-90 railroad boom line the bay, and the crowd of impressive yachts beyond attest to the town's status as one of the state's premier sailing spots. At the east edge of town, the Point Hudson Maritime District is a beach-side educational area with historic walks, traditional wooden boatbuilding demonstrations, and historic exhibits.