24-Hours in Port Townsend, WA  (Best Things to Do!)

Planning a trip to Port Townsend? I honestly think this charming waterfront town is one of Washington‘s best-kept secrets. And I’m sharing all the best things to do in Port Townsend!

Sitting on the northeastern tip of the Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend is only about a two-hour drive from Seattle (plus the option to take the ferry), but it feels worlds away from the city’s fast pace. Instead of skyscrapers and traffic, you’ll find beautifully preserved Victorian buildings, independent bookstores, locally owned restaurants and waterfront walking paths.

This one-day itinerary includes all of my favorite stops, from incredible local restaurants to scenic coastal walks, along with a few hidden gems I almost missed.

A Little Bit About Port Townsend

Back in the late 1800s, Port Townsend was expected to become the “New York of the West,” and investors poured money into elegant hotels, brick storefronts, and grand Victorian homes, believing the railroad would transform it into one of the West Coast’s biggest cities. Instead, the railroad went to Seattle, and Port Townsend’s growth came to a sudden stop. While that was a devastating blow at the time, it left behind one of the country’s best-preserved historic downtowns. Today, Port Townsend is one of only three officially designated Victorian Seaports in the United States, and strolling its streets feels like stepping into another era.

How to Spend the Day in Port Townsend

Get breakfast at Bishop Block Bottle Shop 

Every great day trip deserves an equally great breakfast, and Bishop Block Bottle Shop is exactly where I’d start. Located inside The Bishop Hotel, this cozy café is where the locals stop in for their morning coffee while visitors linger over house-baked pastries, fresh breakfast bites, and espresso made with Victrola Coffee.

PS: I can totally vouch for their green juice with kale, spinach, cucumber, and green apple—healthy and doesn’t taste like you’re eating lettuce!

One fun bonus is that once breakfast is over, the café transforms into a wine bottle shop, which feels like a very Port Townsend kind of thing to do.

---

Explore Fort Worden 

If you only have time for one major attraction in Port Townsend, make it Fort Worden Historical State Park. Perched above Admiralty Inlet where Puget Sound meets the Strait of Juan de Fuca, this former military fort covers more than 400 acres of beaches, forests, coastal bluffs, and historic buildings. Even if military history isn’t usually your thing, don’t skip it. I came for the scenery, and it completely exceeded my expectations. Between the waterfront views, driftwood-covered beaches, towering evergreens, and old concrete bunkers tucked into the hillsides, it feels more like an outdoor adventure than a history lesson

There are plenty of places worth stopping as you explore, including the Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum, Alexander’s Castle, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, Port Wilson Lighthouse, and Battery Kinzie, where you can walk through the old gun batteries and imagine what life was like when the fort was active. Before you leave, head over to North Beach County Park, better known as Glass Beach. While sea glass is harder to find these days, it’s still one of the prettiest stretches of shoreline in the area and a wonderful place to take a walk while watching ferries cross the water. 

---

Pop into Aldrich’s Market 

You probably don’t have “visit a grocery store” on your Port Townsend bucket list, but trust me on this one. Aldrich’s Market has been a local institution since 1895, and it’s so much more than a place to pick up groceries. Part gourmet market, part deli, part coffee shop, and part community gathering place, it’s where locals come for everything from fresh produce and artisan cheeses to sushi, flowers, wine, and specialty pantry items. 

---

Grab lunch at Green Crow Tacos 

By lunchtime, head over to Green Crow Tacos, a casual counter-service restaurant that serves some of the best tacos I’ve ever had. Everything is made with fresh, thoughtfully sourced ingredients, many of them local and organic, and the menu is full of creative flavor combinations that go well beyond your standard taco shop. Since choosing just one sounded impossible, we ordered several to share, including the chicken taco with guacamole, cashew macha, cabbage, and apple celery pico, plus the pork birria taco served with crunchy pepitas, pickled vegetables, and a rich mustard-spiced broth that was gloriously messy in the best possible way.

The biggest surprise, though, was the sweet potato taco. I’ll admit I almost skipped it, but it ended up being my favorite bite of the entire meal. Filled with roasted sweet potato, black beans, chimichurri, and cheese, it somehow managed to be hearty, comforting, and packed with flavor all at the same time.

---

Shop & Stroll Through the Victorian downtown

After lunch, spend a few hours wandering Port Townsend’s historic downtown because this is where the town completely won me over. Designated a National Historic Landmark, the waterfront is lined with beautifully preserved Victorian buildings that now house independent bookstores, art galleries, boutiques, and cafés. 

One of my favorite parts wasn’t checking off specific shops, but simply wandering until something caught my eye. I loved browsing Conservatory Coastal Home for coastal-inspired décor and gifts, and if you’re a book lover, don’t miss Imprint Bookstore, one of the best independent bookstores in Washington. Just remember that many of the shops close around 5:00 p.m., so plan your afternoon accordingly. 

Before moving on, stop into Vintage by Port Townsend Vineyards for a wine flight. If you happen to catch live music on the patio, don’t be in a hurry to leave.

---

Explore Uptown

While most visitors stay near the waterfront, I highly recommend heading up the hill to Port Townsend’s historic Uptown neighborhood. This quieter part of town is home to some of the most beautiful Victorian homes in Washington, and it’s worth slowing down for a leisurely walk instead of simply driving through. Two of the standouts are the Starrett House, with its ornate architecture and distinctive tower, and the Rothschild House, one of the state’s oldest preserved family homes. 

As you wander the neighborhood, you’ll also pass the handsome Jefferson County Courthouse before reaching Bell Tower Park. The historic Fire Bell Tower only takes a few minutes to visit, but the sweeping views over Port Townsend Bay make it one of my favorite quick stops.

---

Have dinner at Finistére

If you only make one dinner reservation in Port Townsend, let it be Finistère. And yes, I’m intentionally using the word reservation because this is one of the most popular restaurants in town and tables fill up quickly. Located in Uptown, Finistère celebrates the incredible farms, seafood, and artisan producers of the Olympic Peninsula with a menu that changes seasonally. 

We started with house-made sourdough and whipped butter, followed by roasted maitake mushrooms with balsamic reduction and crispy sage, plus a fresh asparagus and arugula salad topped with hazelnuts and parmesan. Then came the bolognese, which was honestly one of the best pasta dishes I’ve ever eaten. Rich, comforting, and perfectly balanced, it was the kind of meal that makes everyone at the table stop talking for a few minutes. Pair your dinner with a local wine and enjoy a long, relaxed evening. 

---

Overnight at Palace Hotel Port Townsend

Rather than rushing back to Seattle, I highly recommend spending the night in Port Townsend, and the Palace Hotel is full of the kind of character you simply can’t recreate. Built in 1889, this beautifully restored boutique hotel sits right in the heart of the historic downtown, making it easy to walk to restaurants, shops, and the waterfront. The building has lived many lives over the years, including a memorable chapter as a brothel during the 1920s, and today each of its 19 uniquely decorated rooms is named after one of the women who once lived there.

We stayed in the Sara Room, complete with soaring ceilings, oversized windows, and antique furnishings that perfectly matched the hotel’s historic charm. Just know that, as with many historic buildings, there’s no elevator, but for me, that was a small tradeoff for staying somewhere with so much personality. If the Palace Hotel isn’t the right fit, Port Townsend also has plenty of charming inns, bed-and-breakfasts, and waterfront hotels to choose from. See other recommended hotels in Port Townsend.

---

---

Save this Post to Pinterest