Port Townsend is the peninsula's prettiest town, a Victorian seaport with brick storefronts, old hotels, boatyards, and views across Admiralty Inlet. It once expected to become a major port; the boom faded, leaving a handsome historic core.
Today it mixes maritime trades, artsy shops, bookstores, and good coffee. It is an excellent first or last stop on a peninsula loop, especially if you are arriving by ferry from Whidbey Island.