Day Trip to Port Townsend From Seattle

If you love an amalgamation of art, history, and nature, I have a treat for you. Hello, my lovely readers! I’m back with another day trip recommendation from Seattle to a beautiful hidden gem nestled in the Quimper Peninsula of north Washington, Port Townsend.

We visited Port Townsend in January 2023 from Seattle using public transit. It was one of the longest and farthest we made using public transit and was a fun experience. 

I’ll share more details about the route and timings in the blog post. You can also check out my video, where I share details about my entire day and some interesting spots we visited in the city.

Why should we visit Port Townsend?

Port Townsend is known for its scenic beauty, maritime history, well-preserved Victorian architecture, and vibrant arts scene. The city also hosts two popular events, the Wooden Boat Festival, and the Port Townsend Film Festival, attracting several thousand visitors to this port town annually.

The city earned its nickname Key City because of its location at the entrance of Puget Sound, making it a “key port” for maritime trade and transportation in the region.

Reaching Port Townsend using Public Transit

As I mentioned earlier, it was our longest journey by public transit so far and was very time-sensitive. There are no direct ferries from Seattle to Port Townsend. Therefore, we had to hop on multiple buses to reach this place.

We first took a fast ferry from Pier 50 Seattle to Kingston Ferry Terminal. Next, we boarded the Kitsap Transit Bus Route 307 to Viking Transit Center. Lastly, we took the Jefferson Transit Authority Bus Route 7 to Haines Place Park and Ride in Port Townsend.

On the way back, we took the Strait Shot, a.k.a Clallam Transit Route 123, from Discovery Bay Stop next to Fat Smitty’s Restaurant (US 101), which dropped us straight to Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal.

Pro Tip: You can also take the Strait Shot to Gateway Transit Center, the closest transit hub to Olympic National Park. It is the only national park in Washington connected by public transit, so make the most of it! 🤩

If you’re in or around Whidbey Island, take the Port Townsend Ferry from Coupeville instead. The ferry route remains busy, especially on the weekends, and takes about 30 minutes to reach Port Townsend. Hence, we recommend reserving your tickets through the Washington State Ferries website.

Best time to visit Port Townsend

Port Townsend is a beautiful coastal town blessed with good weather. The winters can be rainy with very little snowfall. But the summer months are warm and pleasant, making it the best time to visit the city. There are plenty of beaches and waterfront areas great for a swim. However, the water can be a bit chilly due to its location.

Things to do in Port Townsend

Our journey from Seattle was smooth and scenic. The bus stopped at the Hood Canal due to some temporary roadblock that allowed us to observe the wildlife closely while they were hunting for breakfast and take in the tranquil view of the canal.

In this section, I’ll share a list of all the places we covered during our trip in chronological order and a few additional spots you can cover on your trip.

Chetzemoka Park

Our first stop in Port Townsend was a captivating park named after Chief Chetzemoka of the S’Klallam Tribe, established in 1904. Chetzemoka Park features lush gardens, expansive lawns, and a variety of mature trees. It was the perfect blend of natural beauty and recreational options, spanning over 5.1 acres and offering stunning views of Admiralty Inlet and the Cascade Mountains. 

It was the perfect spot to rest after our 2-hour journey from Seattle. The calm waters of the Admiralty Inlet and the chilly breeze felt good.

If you’re traveling with kids, this is a great picnic spot. The park has a big playground, plenty of swings, a boat launch area, and picnic tables to keep everyone busy.

Reaching here: Bus 11A or 11B from Haines Place Park and Ride

Fort Worden Historical State Park

Next, we headed to Fort Worden Historical State Park, a military fort established in the late 19th century spanning over 434 acres. There is no public transit connectivity between Chetzemoka Park and Fort Worden State Park, so we walked to the park. It was a pleasant 25-minute walk through the neighborhood, and we saw several mule deers casually hanging out in the backyards and several birds.

Fort Worden is a captivating spot known for its rich history and natural beauty. This military fort was built as part of a strategic location at the entrance of the Puget Sound along with two other forts, Fort Flagler and Fort Casey, creating a “Triangle of Fire” to block any invasion attempt by sea.

We explored the well-preserved historic buildings, from gun emplacements to bunkers used during WWII. We also explored the two-mile scenic coastline to the Point Wilson Lighthouse, which offered us a breathtaking view of the sound and its wildlife.

I found Fort Worden to be very versatile. It’s a great spot for wildlife watching, such as gray whales, orcas, and birds. You can camp by the beach, and it’s also good for stargazing due to low light pollution. Additionally, you can reach by public transit, so you don’t have to worry about walking or carrying a heavy load for a long time.

We were unable to visit two spots in the state park, the Puget Sound Coast Artillery Museum and Port Townsend Marine Science Center, as both were closed the day we visited. The museum has a good collection of coastal artillery exhibits, whereas the Marine Science Center offers a depth into the marine life of Puget Sound. If you are interested in any of these or both, plan your trip based on the hours of operation.

Museum Timing: Thur to Sun, 11 AM to 4 PM
PTMSC Aquarium Timing: Thur to Mon, 12 to 5 PM
PTMSC Museum Timing: Sat & Sun, 11 AM to 4 PM
Reaching here: Bus route 3 from Haines Place Park and Ride

Reveille Café

For lunch, we stopped by Reveille Cafe, located in the center of the Fort Worden Commons campus. We ordered a Reveille Ruben sandwich, which contained thinly sliced corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, house-made thousand island dressing on crusty artisan rye bread, and a bowl of Clam Chowder. The food was freshly made and delicious, a perfect spot to refuel your energy after all that walk.

Historic Downtown

We boarded bus route 2 and headed downtown. The bus dropped us at Haller Fountain, a prominent landmark in the city. Some locals believe the fountain resembles the Roman goddess of love, Venus, while some call it Galatea, a sea nymph from Greek mythology.

We walked on the famous Water Street, exploring the historic Victorian-era buildings. We spotted several notable buildings that are more than 130 years old, including the Hastings Building (the most picturesque building), the Palace Hotel, and the Cannery.

The historic downtown is also a hub of several art shops and antique stores. We checked out a few that were open at that time and found some incredible artwork to take home. Here is a list of stores we recommend stopping by: 

• Abracadabra – gifts, toys and treats
• What’s Cookin’ – beautiful kitchen wares, cookbooks, and utensils. A little warning to people obsessed with beautiful kitchen wares, you might not want to come out of the store (I was dragged out by Abhi, true story!). 
• Mara’s Gallery – wide collection of art by local artists. 

Reaching here: Bus route 2 from Fort Worden & 11A from Haines Place Park and Ride

Old Ferry Dock

We ended our day at the Old Ferry Dock, watching a gorgeous sunset while sipping cream soda from PT Soda Fountain & Diner.

Reaching here: Walk or Bus route 11A from Haines Place Park and Ride

Fat Smitty’s

We missed our last bus to Kingston, so we had to take an alternative route. We took bus route 8 to Discovery Bay stop next to Fat Smitty’s Restaurant on the US 101 highway. 

It was the last bus, and the stop was at a very dark spot. The restaurant owner was kind enough to guide us to turn on the torch light so the driver wouldn’t miss us. And that’s how we concluded our day trip to Port Townsend. 

Our trip was nothing short of fun, and I would highly recommend visiting this town, especially in summer or during festivals like Thing Festivals and Rhody Festival.