Monday, October 20, 2008

Northwest Travels -- Port Townsend

Two years ago when we were putting our house on the market in the Seattle area, the realtor informed us that we needed to get out of there for at least three days so she could work her magic. Real estate was so hot at the time (THOSE were the days!) that you really needed to vacate your house for a few days because the showings literally took place from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. at night. Since we were leaving the Northwest permanently, we decided to take a trip back to the Port Townsend area. Port Townsend has always been one of our favorite day trips in the summer and fall. It's a lovely old Northwest seaport built right on the water (Strait of Juan de Fuca). The downtown area is beautiful with tree and flower-lined streets, historic buildings, good restaurants, cool shops, and great views of the water. And getting there involves a ferry ride (unless you want to drive the long way around), so that makes the trip even better! Port Townsend's a very artsy community with galleries, yearly boat, music, and film festivals, historic home tours, etc... It's a place where there's something going on almost all the time! Here's a YouTube video (not mine) from the Wooden Boat Festival that'll give you a taste of Port Townsend.



Seattle skyline from our departing ferry.


The old Palace Hotel on the main downtown street.

Craig and Saby out for a stroll.

Big trees and flower beds.

Boats in the marina.

Port Townsend Lighthouse.


The Port Townsend Washington State ferry to Whidbey Island.

Cool fountain in the downtown area.

Craig and the other woman!

Another marina shot!

Unfortunately (actually fortunately), our trip was cut short when we got three offers right off the bat. But I'm so glad we got the chance to spend a night and take one last look at one of our favorite haunts in the Northwest!

By the way, if you're ever in the Port Townsend area at dinner time, our favorite restaurant is the Ajax Cafe in Port Hadlock. It's a little drive from Port Townsend, but it's a really cool cafe in an old general store down on the water. And the food is outstanding! All kinds of fresh seafood fixed in very inventive dishes! Yum!



Ajax Cafe Halibut!


2 comments:

Ann said...

Beautiful! The Northwest is the one section of the country I really haven't been in--someday!

Life's a Beach! said...

Ann, I miss it in the summer, but I don't think I'd ever want to live there again full time. (Constant grey skies and rain were depressing for me.) But there were so many beautiful trips we could take that were just a few hours away. Mountains, beaches, etc... We felt like we were on vacation the first few years we lived there.