ebgaber

We are traveling in early August with our 12& 15 year old and our mother who is, well, old enough to be my mother.
We can stay in more roomy, comfortable quarters in Port Ludlow, a 30 minute drive to Port Townsend, or we can stay in less private, less spacious but nice accomadations in Port Townsend.
Mother will go home after 2 days and we will head to the west side around Forks for 2 days. We will come back east for a day before going home.
Would it be better for everyone to be in Port Townsend when we are 5? (Is Gardyloo out there?)
Thanks for your opinions about the importance & desirability of being IN Port Townsend for this age-ranged family.

Gardyloo

Oh hell yes, I'm here. I have no life. (Just kidding, sweetums.)

Frankly I'd go for Port Ludlow, and just go into PT for walk-arounds. Also you can go the other way once and see Port Gamble on the Kitsap Peninsula, a very cute "company town" that has been tastefully restored.

Personal taste, but I find PT increasingly congested and way too taken with its Victorian schmaltz (which, while fine, is frankly not in the same league as other west coast mill towns.) Port Ludlow, as you probably know, is more a master-planned, condoy, golfy, yachty sort of place. For mom and kids, the additional space and modernity probably will better suit.

Besides, right after, you're going to Forks! Woo Hoo!

PamSF

well, there you have it. I had recommended Port Townsend because I do like it alot. I agree it is getting somewhat congested(we've always been there after Labor Day). I defer to Gardyloo here..best advice on the Pacific NW I know.

BTilke

If PT is so congested, why would it make more sense to drive into it rather than stay there? It seems that by doing the drive-in, you're spending more time dealing with the congestion than coming in, parking in the hotel's lot, and walking everywhere. Plus, it really is pleasant at night and early in the morning.
I've never found it too schmaltzy--when I worked there it was for a high tech company. There are some nonschmaltzy hotels there (like the Harborside) and Asian restaurants (i.e., Sentosa or Khu Larb), which also don't strike me as being schmaltzy. Ditto for shopping in places like the Earthenworks Art Gallery.
While Port Ludlow is nice, it feels "canned" to me, although not as bad as Kala Point. As they say, "there's no 'there' there."

sgirlie

Why on earth stay where you're gaurenteed a minimum hour's roundtrip drive just to get to where you want to go? Port Townsend is lovely, and really not overly touristy. Stay where you want to be. Check out Fort Worden, where you're at the beach, in your own private house, and plenty of room for the kids to play.