Weekend in Port Townsend, WA
 

We live in Seattle, and I was thinking of getting away for the weekend with the kids (almost 7 and 3) to Port Townsend. Recommendations of places to stay? Kid-friendly places to eat? Any can't-miss sights? Mostly looking for a change of scene.

Also, best way to get there? If the choice were to go on Friday evening and return Saturday evening vs, going on Saturday and returning on Sunday, which would you choose?

Most places in Port Townsend will require 2 night stays on the weekend. This forces you to do Friday and Saturday stay.

The best way is to drive yourself--its a walkable city by staying some place in the city. Its mostly shops you can walk around and see and you are right on the water. There are some boat tours you can take from there.

I haven't been there in a few years --I cant comment on the restaurants.

When coming back I suggest using the Kingston or Bainbridge island ferries to go across. You could do Port townsend ferry to Coupeville but then you need to take another ferry Clinton-Mulkateo and the Port Townsend ferry on weekends will require reservation because its a smaller ferry to use.

No, you could just drive up to Deception Pass and over to I-5 on SR 20; cheaper and potentially faster than heading back to Mukilteo. In fact, since you're able to book the Whidbey - PT ferry, it doesn't need to be the crap shoot that you'd have using either the Bainbridge or Edmonds boats.

It's a little further to drive, but the Dockside Grill in Sequim has extraordinary food.