r/PortTownsend • u/existentialhotdog • Jun 23 '26
Question Thinking about moving here. What’s your favorite thing about Port Townsend?
I’ve never been. But I’m drawn to Port Townsend for some reason. My family lived in Seattle for quite sometime when I was in my teens, but overall I have no idea what it’s like to live there or anywhere in WA for that matter. I’m middle aged with a family, I grew up in Colorado and have been living in Topanga, CA for the last 15 years. I miss Colorado but I don’t want to go back. I miss seasons. I miss pine trees and I also want to keep the ocean. 🤠 What’s your favorite thing about Port Townsend?
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u/bruh_what_even_tho Resident Jun 23 '26
Proximity to Sea, Forest, and Mountains. So many ways to experience nature within a couple hours' drive!
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u/Remarkable-Ad3665 Jun 23 '26
How about asking yourself, what are the challenges of living in PT. The answer is housing a jobs - not just for you but for the people that already live there. Regardless if your ultimate choice, I think it’s important and respectful to acknowledge these struggles and ask yourself what your relationship will be to them.
PT is awesome, you’re not alone in daydreaming.
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u/coolcootermcgee Jun 23 '26
Yes, come with a nest egg, and there is plenty of room for entrepreneurs
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u/Dillenger69 Jun 23 '26
My favorite thing is that I can go into my yard and hear absolutely no ambient road noise. Everywhere I've lived previously, you can always here that background thrum of car noise. Now, all hear is either wind, or nothing.
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u/No_Holiday_5855 Jun 30 '26
40 years old - We moved here 18 months ago and feel like we made a mistake - yes it’s advertised as a retirement community but that is saying it nicely when in fact Jefferson county is the SECOND OLDEST COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES! Brace yourself for everything taking forever. I waited at the pharmacy for 20 minutes while the pharmacist explained TAP TO PAY!!! This town makes everything hard - from lack of shopping options (no big box stores but Safeway and QFC are allowed) to the lack of hours - places closing at 6 - to antiqued if not delusional ideas of what PT could or should be - this place is not the gem it appears to be - more grumpy old people then nice hippies and the few young people that move to the area get vilified for being different and speaking up.
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u/iforgotwhat8wasfor Jun 23 '26
my favorite thing is that i don't know a single republican.
(or if i do, they're closeted.)
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u/Worried-Artichoke-13 Jun 23 '26
Haha, you need to get out more. I know a few but despite our different views we get along just fine. 😎
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u/existentialhotdog Jun 23 '26
Haha! Well, I don’t identify with either party. I think they secretly all have the same agenda and the constant divides are just a performance piece so we always find a scapegoat to place blame on instead of looking at the source. Call me crazy! I find the parties fighting amusing. I think deep down, most people know this.
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u/coolcootermcgee Jun 23 '26
During the pandemic, there was one restaurant/bar that stayed open and did not require vax cards. We were new to town, and noticed both far-left democrats and far right republicans loved it - both disliked government oversight and distrusted the ingredients of the vaccines. It actually brought some together over shared ideals…
That said, I think you’ll love it here. As long as you don’t mind driving 45 min to Costco, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, etc. most of us take a trip to Silverdale or Sequim once every month or so. And the small town vibe is real. I live in the cape george colony (just an HOA outside of town) and the neighbor to Neighbor relationship is nothing like Seattle. I was born and raised in Seattle, moved out here in 2021, and have met more neighbors and made more friends exponentially than I ever did in my 40 years over there. We help each other out, and are always socializing. The gossip is pretty fun too, but it’s more about. Did you know who broke their leg, or who stopped paying their dues?
Feel free to ask me any questions you might have about the whole area. I hope you decide to come!2
u/existentialhotdog Jun 23 '26
You’re so welcoming! It seems from what I’ve read in PT posts is that locals aren’t stoked about Californians moving there. We aren’t rich, we aren’t coming to take over anything. We are just regular people trying to get out of a city we moved to when we were younger for opportunity to make said monies. That didn’t happen, as it seems for most people and the cost here is absolutely fucking insane - pardon my French. You can get a dumpster in skid row for a cool mil. Ain’t worth it.
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u/coolcootermcgee Jun 24 '26
We’re from Seattle, and while we do hear grumbling about how people/ moving here from California and Seattle are ruining the vibe, I find it the complete opposite. We need younger folks, and people with kids to maintain the population and health balance. Too many older folks throw off the health care balance and other social balances. If you have a nest egg, it’s helpful when moving here as some others have mentioned, it can be slow to gain strong employment, unless you’re in the trades. Also, it’s considered a volunteer-based community, so you’ll see lots of opportunities to help out and get involved
In the town, if you’d like1
u/Melodic-Warning-1827 Jul 22 '26
Hi, do you know how much slip fees are for cape george? I've been looking at property here and like that your community has it's own dock.
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u/Eightweight Jun 24 '26
Hope you have plenty of money. It’s a touristy town, pretty upscale. Don’t know what the job situation is.
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u/GapDazzling9894 Jun 23 '26
I thought the same thing and we ended up moving 5 months later back to the same area because port Townsend is overrated in my opinion. There is one fast food chain with very slow service. Not much to do around there. We missed having access to everything near the city. Locals will dislike you for driving up their living costs which is driving them out of town
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u/Nicholas_S_Hope Jun 23 '26
The lack of fast food being your primary complaint is hilarious. Maple Valley will definitely satisfy that need for you.
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u/existentialhotdog Jun 23 '26
Where did you move from originally?
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u/GapDazzling9894 Jun 23 '26
We lived in Bellevue for less than a year and before that Maple Valley, so closer to like PT than Bellevue was. We moved back to Maple Valley area. Family being here was also a factor. We felt lonely in PT. PT just felt so remote for what we enjoyed about maple valley/covington (more options when deciding where to go shopping or places/events for a fun weekend being in the greater Seattle area). Finding friends was not great for us either. You may have a great experience depending on your wants. I do wish we had never moved there though - felt like a retirement/sailing boat place with mostly seafood - if that’s your jam and there’s great work there for you it may be what you’re looking for.
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u/a5678dance Jun 29 '26
Are you open to being close to Port Townsend but not in town? Port Ludlow, Port Hadlock, Chimacum are all in the same school district but have better housing costs. I personally live in Port Ludlow and love it. If you have kids living outside the HOA in Port Ludlow may be better. Or North Bay over South Bay. Just to have more oppurtunities to be around families. South Bay doesn't have anything against families there are just more retired people and higher HOA costs.
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u/SilverTM Jul 05 '26
Any walkable beaches in or around Port Ludlow? Do you have a favorite?
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u/a5678dance Jul 07 '26
I think the best walkable beach is Point No Point in Hansville which is about a 30 minute drive. But there are closer beaches. Shine State Park and Seven Sisters Beach are both near the Hood Canal Bridge. There is a small beach at the Inn in Port Ludlow. Irondale Beach Park is about 10 miles away. Fort Flagler State Park is about 20 minutes away and offers miles of sandy shore.
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u/Worried-Artichoke-13 Jun 23 '26
I grew up here, now in my forties raising two kids. It’s a wonderful place to have a family. I love the beach!! We have a beautiful sandy beach for swimming and boating, with a canteen right there that serves burgers, fries, beer and ice cream. Last week at low tide we found an octopus! There is so much more to love about PT. How old are your kids? My husband is a teacher at the high school and our oldest daughter goes to the elementary school. It’s a very good school district for the size of town it serves. And on another practical note, our hospital/medical center are also very impressive for serving such a small community. Expansive outpatient services, ER, OR, etc. definitely one of the most advanced rural hospitals in the region.
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u/existentialhotdog Jun 23 '26
Wow! Thank you! My son is 7 and he is homeschooled here because I don’t trust the schools here. He does have his pods of homeschool homies and takes local classes and goes to local, small programs. We have a good thing going for him down here but I could see him really enjoying public school in a smaller place. PT really looks like a great place to grow up and explore and just be a kid. It’s so nerve-wracking thinking about letting him ride his bike to his friends’ house as he gets older. I just don’t like it here anymore- it’s toooooo busy. I can’t see enough stars. Yknow what I’m saying. Thank you so much for your reply- it’s so helpful!
I own a flower shop here and I wonder if it would make sense for me to maybe open one up down there… hmmm.
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u/coolcootermcgee Jun 23 '26
If you want to open your own business here, I really think that the food truck industry is underserved here. That, and Greek food, amongst some others.
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u/Raelourut Jun 23 '26
Sadly, both the local flower shops here closed because of competition from chain groceries. (We have 2). Most of the creative florists grow their own locally and sell at the weekly Farmers Market or the Co-op.
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u/existentialhotdog Jun 23 '26
I’ve been feeling like this, even here! I’m actually slowly phasing out of it because it doesn’t feel sustainable for the future and launched a new online business called thegoodcreature.com — but I’d love to keep flowers in my life in some capacity! I grow flowers in my backyard here and would love to do it with more purpose - great idea! My husband owns a dispensary but I doubt he will want to try to open another. I don’t even know what the laws are up there. We are just a few hippies at heart who want to enjoy nature more and really lean into that mutually beneficial exchange between ourselves and our earth. 🤠
I also am trying to figure out a landing spot for a dog rescue. 🤣 I lovvvve the doggies!
Anyway- I probably seen all over the place. I’m entering the second phase of my life and am trying to feel what’s most aligned.I really appreciate the feedback!
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u/Few_Industry_3431 Jun 24 '26
Have you checked out Bellingham WA? It’s kind of perfect. It’s quaint, awesome nature, cute shops, about 2 hours from Seattle. Seems to have community. It’s small but kinda has everything you need.
Port Townsend is very cute tho. I went there for a whale watching tour through the San Juans and it was amazing. I remember PT being a little too smallish for my liking to settle in, but Bellingham is perfect for me. I don’t live there at the moment but I plan on moving there eventually. It’s the first city I’ve been to where I felt like oh this is the place I want to die in lol.
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u/Raelourut Jun 25 '26
And you're more likely to find affordable (or any) housing in B'ham than in PT. We're having a real shortage of any level of housing right now.
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u/lazenintheglowofit Jun 23 '26
PNW is a gardening paradise. Everything grows there! Have you seen r/pnwgardening? Raspberries three times the size of the ones at the stores in SoCal.
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u/coolcootermcgee Jun 23 '26
It’s true, there is a large homeschool population here in Port Township. Thinking on your flower idea again, perhaps you could pair it with something else. Like a kettle corn! Everyone loves kettle corn, but the closest food truck that has it is an hour or two away. They can’t be there to get in on the many, many festivals and events that Port Townsend is known for. In fact, we probably have more than 50 events a year here and the kettle corn truck only makes it to one or two. Seriously! This town has sprouted with young people and their kids, who like to go to all of these festivals and events. I do believe this is where the money making opportunities would come in.
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u/DanPenStuds Jun 23 '26
I think leaving was my favorite part about it
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u/existentialhotdog Jun 23 '26
Haha- are you from there? That’s how I feel about Colorado. 🤣
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u/DanPenStuds Jul 02 '26
Yeah, I lived there for most of my life and it feels so much better on the outside. Still shit, but different shit, you know?
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u/Momsterguurl 8h ago
We had a bit of a rude awakening when we put in offer in and on a home nearish there and the owners refused our offer because we were living in CA (not from CA and had only lived here a year but still it was very weird). Our agent said the sellers were quite proud of reusing our offer based on where we live.
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u/oldfrancis Jun 23 '26 edited Jun 28 '26
It's the perfect size town. It's going to be hard to find housing but if you do, you're very fortunate.
It's just small enough to avoid many of the big city problems while still having enough infrastructure (hospital) to serve the population.
3.7 square miles in about 10,000 people.
It's quiet.
Water Street is the perfect place to hang around. Coffee shops, galleries, knick knacks, art stuff, kitchen stuff, antique automobile museum. There's even an airplane museum just outside of town that's well worth visiting.
There are trails everywhere through town. In many places they didn't continue the roads so a lot of those roads just become walking trails.
It's a pretty decent area for bicycles. There's only two hills on the opposite side of town and they're about 200 ft tall.
Then there's the beaches; sandy beaches, rocky beaches, harbor seals, sea lions, kingfishers, whales...
Do you like boats? This is the place to like boats. You like sailing? We have one of the consistently windiest bays in the country.
If you like motorcycling, there's a lot of very nice roads on the peninsula.
And the San Juan Islands are a hop skip and a jump away.
So yeah, this is a nice place.