Port Townsend, Washington
Snuggled in the northeastern edge of the state’s Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend is a former Victorian seaport that still maintains much of its 19th-century charm thanks to its dedicated citizens.
A walk along Port Townsend’s downtown waterfront displays beautiful Victorian buildings, while venues and events like the Northwest Maritime Center and the Wooden Boat Festival pay tribute to the town’s marine culture.
For arts and culture mavens, Port Townsend is a must-see. The coastal town is home to a booming arts community, numerous art galleries, and cultural diversions like the Port Townsend Film Festival held every year since 1999.
30 thoughts on “The US’s 16 Most Beautiful Coastal Towns”
I grew up in Old Greenwich, CT with Tod’s Pt., now called Greenwich Pt. It’s about 64 acres of beautiful beaches, hiking trails, picnic areas & a lovely view of the New York City skyline. No place could be better.
Went there in the 1980’s. Too expensive!
Where is Charleston, SC on the list ?
Visited 17 years in a row…July 4th week is great!….found a great inn 4 miles south of town…great seafood, shops. As a veteran loved the July 4th parade. Go back every year.
I love Cape May and their lovely “Painted Ladies”. The Victorian homes are beautiful; so glad to see them preserved. The beach is wide and not as crowded as other NJ beaches. My favorite beach town. Enjoyed the most in off-season without crowds.
There are a lot more coastal places on the east coast that are so beautiful, and not mentioned. Kennebunkport, Maine. Hampton Beach, NH. Boston.
I absolutely agree with Sanibel and Carmel! I love both of these locations and I hope to visit each of them again.
This is not the list I would have created. You entirely miss all the charming MA costal towns with the exception of Edgartown. Not one town in CT and only 2 towns in ME. Looks to me like the author has spent very little time in New England.
Coastal towns are the most beautiful, and the most desired places to live—-BUT, in a few decades these coastal areas will be taken back into the seas, even the cliff places.
Been to Tybee Island. It is beautiful! I do plan to go back!
Breath taking, every one of them.
Cannon Beach, Beautiful and serene for me.
Where’s Cape Ann, MA?
Love this place!
Glad to see Washington (state) and Oregon represented. The Pacific Northwest in general is refreshing and beautiful. Not to mention it’s good to see positive info about our towns and cities with all the other kind of stuff going on. We need the positive so much now!
Enjoy seeing The Pacific Northwest, Oregon and Washington, represented.
Fabulous
half of these coastal towns are impressive. I know some other coastal that are more impressive BUT they are not in convenient locations and don’t get much traffic which is VERY nice
Can you give me a list of some of those places? I don’t like highly commercialized areas and something quieter sounds really refreshing. I DO LOVE the ocean!
Obvious East Coast bias. Only three places on the West Coast and only one in California? Surely they jest. From San Diego to Crescent City, the state’s 700 miles of coastline has many has many beautiful coastal villages and towns to visit. Carmel-by-the-Sea is beautiful, but so is Mendocino, for example, 100 miles north of San Francisco, in what is known as the Lost Coast.
This was a great feature. I have had the good fortune of having visited 8 of them. Iived 14 years in Boston. Had hoped to see Provincetown as one of them, as well as Nantucket.
IS like Carmel, Never been to Sea Brooke. But I like Westport!
Horse drawn site very interesting is this by the ocean do they offer scooters to ride if ones legs get tired
My wife and I went to Carmel for our honeymoon 42 years ago. It was one of the best and beautiful places we have ever been. I would highly recommend everyone to visit there at least once in their life, you will fall in love with Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Hi Lawrence! Carmel-by-the-Sea is one of OUR favorite places in the US, too. Thanks so much for sharing!
House on Whidbey Island WA. Been to Port Townsend, Seabrook WA and Cannon Beach in Oregon. All places. I would toss in #17 with Coupeville WA. Great charm, shops, restaurants and home to the famous Penn Cove mussels. An annual Musselfest is outstanding with clam chowder competitions.
Hey Michael. That sounds fantastic. Thanks for letting us know!
I am definitely a coastal person and loved all the beautiful photos. I am also a Northern CA person, and frequent the beautiful, rustic, coastal beaches here. Not as many tourists, but that’s the beauty. I would however visit Port Townsend! Thank you for sharing.
I would love to see more of Cape Cod Massachuettes. I grew up there. Every summer I was in Oaks Bluff or Martha’s Vineyard. Age 14 through 19. I’d love to take my husband there to see it.
Gina
I have the distinct please to live in Cape May, New Jersey… #1 on the list… after having lived in the Caribbean for 40+ years. It was the perfect “landing spot” though, after almost 14 years here, I am still not accustomed to the winters.