Port Townsend

Port Townsend, a Victorian seaport on Water Street in Jefferson County, Washington, lies about 45 miles (72 km) northwest of Seattle across Puget Sound and takes roughly 2 to 2.5 hours to reach including a ferry. The usual route is the Seattle-Bainbridge ferry or the Edmonds-Kingston ferry, followed by a drive on WA-104 and WA-19, about an hour from Kingston. A vehicle and driver costs roughly $20 to $30 on the Edmonds-Kingston sailing, which runs about every 50 to 60 minutes. Visitors without a car can ride the ferry as walk-on passengers and connect with Kitsap Transit and Jefferson Transit buses via Bainbridge and Poulsbo, though schedules are limited and the trip requires a full day. The town is known for its well-preserved 19th-century brick buildings along Water Street, with bookshops, galleries, cafes and seafood restaurants, and for the uptown district of Victorian houses on the bluff. Fort Worden State Park, a former military installation about 2 miles north, offers beaches, bunkers, the Point Wilson Lighthouse and the Northwest Maritime Center sits on the downtown waterfront, with wooden-boat exhibits and harbour views. A suggested day starts with an early ferry and breakfast in Poulsbo, a late-morning arrival to wander Water Street, lunch of local oysters or fish and chips on the waterfront, an afternoon at Fort Worden, and a departure around 4 pm to catch the return ferry in good time. The best months are May to October, with dry weather and events such as the Wooden Boat Festival in September; winter is quiet and many shops keep reduced hours. Visitors can find tourist information at enjoypt.com. Because ferry queues build on summer weekends, travelling midweek and arriving at the terminal early makes the journey smoother. Warm layers are useful, as the wind off the water can be brisk even in summer.