Home is where you park it -- or so say the bumper stickers on many RVs we see on the road. But that adage is extra meaningful when we pull into Port Townsend, the historic village that draws tourists and prospective residents in big numbers.

On a recent visit, we revisited some of our old faves and found a few new gems. Here are the highlights:

Fort Worden Historical State Park: It hardly seems like two years ago when we were camp-hosting at the Commanding Officers Quarters museum at this expansive park. During that quality time, we were introduced to the Upper Forest Campground, and it has become our favorite place to stay -- not the more popular Beach Campground.

Why? Because it’s protected from the steady winds that often blow and offers easy access to our go-to after dinner bike ride – up to the batteries on Artillery Hill, where views take in the gorgeous Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The Upper Forest Campground is also a quick ride into the charming downtown area of Port Townsend and over to Leslie’s favorite farmstand. On this Olympic Peninsula getaway, we found our new favorite campside, No. 65, which enjoys a little extra afternoon sun.

While staying there, be sure and check out the exercise class offerings at the Madrona MindBody Institute. Grab a coffee and a snack at Reveille and tune into the local community radio station, KPTZ-FM, which calls this expansive campus home. Also good to know, the arts-driven Centrum sponsors various music events throughout the year.

Townie time: On this trip, we decided to try out Point Hudson Marina and RV Park downtown. Though the space is basically a parking lot, the view and the surroundings are absolutely stunning as Whidbey Island ferries glide past and sea birds flock along the shore. “Johnny, will you please bring me the binoculars and the bird guidebook?” Leslie’s an aspiring bird-watcher who just can’t seem to fully get on board because… yes, you guessed it. We forgot those binocs again!

From this beautiful perch, we had a blast doing a deep dive into town. Starting with an outstanding breakfast at Hudson Point Cafe – Leslie loved the crab cakes and eggs, while John couldn’t finish the massive breakfast burrito – we took a ride along the water and into the forest on the Olympic Discovery Trail, a bike path that goes all the way to Port Angeles.

Then there was a little bit of thrifting at Goodwill, followed by more retailing at the adorable Aldrich’s Grocery, galleries, boutiques and kitchen shops along the historic main street, and a bowl of outstanding chowder at Hillbottom Pie.

We couldn’t help but feel nostalgic pining for our extended stay in the area back in 2022, a month highlighted by a memorable birthday celebration for our pal, Dan Webster. The Instagram video of a very special surprise guest got more than 2 million views!

We’re excited to report that we’ll be back on deck at Fort Worden next fall, y’all. Please come visit us in October 2025. Yup, we love some advance planning.

And speaking of looking forward: It’s just about time to start booking for spring. We’ve already secured a sweet spot at one of our favorite state parks in Tucson and are currently contemplating how we head back home to the Pacific Northwest from there. Should we wait until it gets warm enough to explore Colorado? Or head east with New Orleans on our GPS? These considerations fuel some interesting conversations, complete with maps and calendars and plenty of personal opinions.

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