We'll be in Port Townsend the week of the 4th of July and are wondering if there are any fun holiday events/fireworks in the area at that time of year. Also, any other good recommendations of things to do or places to eat? There will be four adults and two kids (4 and 7). Thanks!

Any relation to Peter?

We were there for 3 days last summer. It is a relaxing place. I enjoyed renting kayaks and tooling around the harbor for an hour or so. They are two-person kayaks so you could have 1 adult and 1 kid in each.

There are several good places to eat, but I don't recall the names. Just walk up and down the main strip and you'll have plenty to choose from.

Also, take a drive up to Hurricane Ridge. Views are spectacular. Allow 1/2 day for the round trip.

Be sure to walk along the beach at Fort Worden (right Fort name?). anyway, it's the only one in town so you'll find it. Also the Khu Larb Thai is "the" place for Thai food. Really very nice. Definitely take the ferry to Whidbey Island and try to find a place to rent bikes as they have great bike paths on the island. Plenty of places to eat there too.

Back in Port Townsend, maybe just the adults would enjoy eating dinner "uptown" (literally the street above the old street on the hill) in PT proper at the nice restaurant by the Uptown grocery - can't remember the name but it was a nice treat. Also be sure to eat down on the water for breakfast at The Landfall Cafe. Watch the sea otters play and catch fish just out front.

Go hiking at one of the parks close by. Collect pretty rocks smoothed by the water.

Lots of nature and great seafood.

Staci, Fort Worden is celebrating its centennial this year, and one of the four weeklong festivals (Centennial Days) is during the week you'll be there. Here's a link with a tentative list of events at Fort Worden:

http://www.olympus.net/ftworden/fw2002/centennialdays.html

Hope this helps.