LB’S NOTE: People keep asking why Gwen the Beautiful and I moved all the way up to the Northwestern Tip of the United States after so many years in L.A. Mainly, it’s because both of the following articles are true:
Full of Wander: Small-town bliss in Port Townsend
by Clara Yardley
You and I both know that city life can be tiring. Whether you were raised in a big city or are a small-town transplant who came to Seattle for college, we all get annoyed with certain aspects of city life: incessant traffic, tiny but outrageously priced apartments, the lack of familiar faces in the grocery store.
For me, the light pollution in cities is another downfall. Even on the rare, clear days, you can’t really see the stars in Seattle.
One thing that I do really appreciate about Seattle, however, is how it is relatively easy to get out of the city. Sure, you have urban sprawl for about an hour toward the north, south, and east, but west of Seattle is an entirely different story. You can hop on a ferry and within two hours be in the type of small town where you can’t avoid seeing familiar faces at the grocery store.
Port Townsend is just a couple of hours northwest of Seattle, has all the charms of a small town, and is surrounded by amazing scenery and recreation.
There are a couple of ways to get to Port Townsend from Seattle. All of them require a car, so rope in a friend who can double as a chauffeur. You can take one of two routes: the Edmonds to Kingston ferry or the Seattle to Bainbridge Ferry. They have comparable amounts of car time, and are priced the same — $12.05 for a car and driver and $8.50 for each additional adult — so base your decision off northbound (Edmonds) or southbound (Seattle) traffic reports. As per any day trip, try to get an early start.
If you get into town in time for a late breakfast — or lunch or maybe even dinner, for that matter — check out Better Living through Coffee. Yes, it’s really called that; and yes, coffee really can lead to a better life. This place is amazing. Some other great food options are Khu Larb Thai and Howell’s Sandwich Co….
And here’s another perspective:
Port Townsend ‘Most Boring’ Town In Washington: Report
by Travis Loose
PORT TOWNSEND, WA – Without offering much in the way of an explanation, BestLifeOnline.com last week identified Jefferson County’s Port Townsend as the “most boring town” in Washington State.
Reportedly using data on “the highest median ages, the fewest number of things to do, and the lowest population density,” BestLifeOnline.com editors selected the most boring towns in all 50 states. However, BestLifeOnline.com — a men’s lifestyle and entertainment publication — only offered basic statistics on Port Townsend to justify its assertion.
Noting Port Townsend’s population of 9,315 residents, BestLifeOnline.com suggested the city’s meager offering of only eight “entertainment spots” and 74 hotels and restaurants are what makes it such a lackluster place in the Pacific Northwest.
Conversely, the city of Port Townsend’s tourism website, EnjoyPT.com, refers to the city as “one of the coolest small towns in America.”
“With its maritime heritage, artist spirit, and a touch of urban chic, Port Townsend is an easily accessible base camp to the Olympic Peninsula and beyond,” the website asserts. “Whether on land or sea; indoors or outdoors — Port Townsend has activities for every taste.”
Likewise, the website referenced a 2010 National Geographic blurb that called Port Townsend “one of the most sophisticated places west of Seattle,” thanks in large part to its “Victorian architecture, art galleries, and wine bars,” the author noted.
The variance in entirely subjective opinions has been nothing short of comical to Port Townsend Mayor Deborah Stinson, who on Wednesday called Patch to discuss the city’s latest claim to fame….
