sequim or port townsend?

Old Jul 25th, 2015, 05:13 AM
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sequim or port townsend?

We are spending a few nights between Seattle to ONP in August (family with 2 teens)- planning to do a whale watch cruise, either from Port Angeles or Port Townsend.

Any advise about which to choose? If PA, we would stay in Sequim. I hear PT might be a better place to overnight. Don't have a sense which half-day whale cruise would be better, and which town would be nicer for a 2-night stay.

Would appreciate input on these 2 towns, recommended places to stay, and on the different whale watch tours from each. I imagine the lavender in Sequim won't be in bloom..?
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Old Jul 25th, 2015, 06:29 AM
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In all likelihood you'll be chasing the same whales; it's not as if each whale watching service has its own private pod. If it was me I'd go on timing and cost, frankly. You could wait until you're in the area then phone the companies to find out who has a shorter sail to the pod's current location, etc.

Port Townsend is a picturesque town with more lodging options than Sequim (which is pronounced "Skwim" by the way.) However PT is roughly an hour's drive from Port Angeles, so not a super convenient location from which to visit Olympic NP. But if you have "a few nights," then you could easily stay a night or two in PT before moving on to other areas. Port Townsend does have the advantage of a ferry to Whidbey Island, with its own attractions like the cute towns of Langley and Coupeville, Fort Casey State Park with its lighthouse and cool gun batteries, and the must-see Deception Pass, the channel between Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands where the water roars through at tide change. So PT can be a good base for a couple of days if your time allows.

Sequim is pleasant enough town, noted for its retirement living due to its location in the Olympic Mountains' rain shadow, hence warmer and drier than in other parts of the region. Plenty of golf around, and a bad place for school construction bond votes.

I suspect the lavender is all done; everything was a month early this year because of the dry winter and warm/hot spring/summer.
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Old Jul 25th, 2015, 07:50 AM
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Port Townsend is a nice place to explore. If you really want a unique experience and you decide to stay in Sequim, try to stay at the Red Caboose Hotel. It is a unique experience to sleep in a caboose (there a bunch of different decorated them cabooses! we had the circus caboose in 2012) and the owners made us the most unbelievable multi-course breakfast in the dining car. It was a great experience. http://www.redcaboosegetaway.com/
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Old Jul 25th, 2015, 08:22 AM
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If the choice is between Sequim and Port Townsend, Sequim has better lodging options. However, we prefer to stay in Port Angeles at the Red Lion Inn in a room with balcony overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca and we like to have meals at LD's Woodfire Grill, Sabai Thai, and Next Door Gastropub.

Port Angeles is also a much more convenient base for visiting Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, Marymere Falls, Sol Duc Hot Springs and other attractions in the Olympic National Park.

HTtY
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Old Jul 25th, 2015, 08:26 AM
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Clarification: Comparing Port Townsend to Sequim, PT has better lodging options if you want to stay in a Victorian B&B, and Sequim has better options if you want to stay in a national brand motel such as Holiday Inn Express.

HTtY
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Old Jul 25th, 2015, 10:04 AM
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Thanks for all of the information. Based on another thread I am checking out Morgan Hill Cabins in Port Townsend, which look lovely. I get the sense that there is more exploring to do in PT than in Sequim with 2 teens, though I don't think we'll be hitting any festivals or live music in mid-August.
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