Hi friends! Last week our family escaped for a little beginning-of-summer getaway to one of our favorite nearby towns, Port Townsend. If you haven’t visited, Port Townsend is a charming coastal town a couple of hours from Seattle by car and ferry—perfect for a quick trip or a relaxed weekend away.
We’ve returned to Port Townsend many times over the years and always enjoy its peaceful streets, historic buildings and waterfront views. In this post I’m sharing a collection of photos from several visits to give you a feel for what makes this town so special.
I love featuring favorite travel spots in my “out to see” series, so here’s a peek at why Port Townsend is one of our go-to coastal escapes.
From Port Townsend you can also catch a ferry to the San Juan Islands and visit Friday Harbor—another favorite spot of ours. It makes for a lovely day trip or an extended getaway.
Port Townsend has everything we love about a coastal retreat: quaint shops, picturesque beach houses, tasty restaurants and cozy places to stay.
I adore this fairytale-like house perched on a hill with water views.
And I can’t get over this cheerful blue house and the whale weathervane—so charming!
The next photos were taken inside one of my favorite shops, Conservatory Coastal Home, but there are many other spots to explore—bookstores, antiques, boutiques and unique gift shops fill the downtown area.
You’ll also find plenty of restaurants, ice cream shops and cozy cafés, plus community events like a farmer’s market—something delicious around every corner.
We often stopped at Velocity Coffee for lattes and pastries—it’s a great spot to relax and plan the day.
Strolling the streets provides countless opportunities to enjoy the water and watch sailboats glide by. The marina and beaches are easy to reach on foot.
There are activities for everyone—kayaking, seasonal whale watching and other outdoor adventures. Our kids recently joined a whale-watching tour and returned thrilled with what they saw.
The town feels like a true getaway—fresh sea air, peaceful streets and even deer wandering through neighborhoods on occasion.
Evenings can be delightful here—there’s a small movie theater, a jazz club and other cozy spots to spend the night enjoying local culture.
My husband and I stayed at the Palace Hotel, an affordable and quaint inn with a very convenient location. It’s a comfortable base for exploring downtown.
We haven’t stayed at the Swan Inn, but it looks so charming from the street and sits right across from a favorite coffee shop. They also offer dog-friendly rooms, which is a great option for travelers with pets.
On another trip we stayed at the Chevy Chase Beach Cabins. The sweet farmhouse cabin was ideal for our family and it’s even fenced for dogs. While it’s about a 15-minute drive to downtown, it offers a quiet, restorative setting near the water.
The main house at Chevy Chase is a private home and the adjacent building serves as the office—it’s a personable, homey atmosphere that we liked.
The cabins have a large private beach just a short walk away that our dogs absolutely loved. It was wonderful to watch them run free and play—perfect for a family that travels with pets and wants a safe place for them to roam.
The trail to the beach smelled amazing—so fresh and forested.
The scenery felt both breathtaking and peaceful, with plenty of spots to pause and take it all in.
The property even included a playground that our kids enjoyed—small details like that made the stay feel family-friendly and relaxed.
We left with many happy memories and a refreshed appreciation for this lovely coastal town.
Have you ever been to Port Townsend?
Happy weekend, friends! Excuse my random afternoon posting times this last week—just keeping you on your toes. I’ll be back soon with more from the best-of-the-best kitchen series and updates on the progress in our house.
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