Port Angeles seems like a small seaside town of 20,000, but its streets can get busy. As the gateway to Olympic National Park, the city draws about 3 million tourists per year, and its waterfront downtown fills with visitors in the summer high season. Those who live here year-round might have been tourists at some point, too, but now they can experience this natural setting year-round. “Roughly half of people have moved here from other places, while the other half are local families that have been here for four or five generations,” says Brody Broker, founder of the Brody Broker Team and a real estate agent since 2005. “Because people come from all diverse backgrounds, they have the friendliness of a small town without the close-mindedness typically associated. It’s more cosmopolitan than other places on the Olympic Peninsula.”
The Port Angeles Wharf is a popular spot to shop and delight in ice cream during the summer,
On the West End Trail people enjoy sitting and watching the ships anchored in Port Angeles.
Driving into Port Angeles offers views of the water and ornate welcome signs.
Walk the Stairway to harbor stairs to get views of the city in Port Angeles WA.
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Walking among giants at Olympic National Park
Nature is the biggest draw for tourists and locals alike. “Port Angeles has the most exceptional natural setting in Washington state, between the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca,” Broker says. “Olympic National Park is one of the best national parks, and I've been to most of them. There’s no better spot for getting away from everything. There are days I can go backcountry hiking and not see another soul.” This park covers nearly a million acres of temperate rainforests and rocky beaches. The namesake Olympic Mountains, though, are the most noticeable aspect of the landscape. Mount Olympus and other peaks tower above 7,500 feet, and they’re usually topped with snow from September to July. Hurricane Ridge, a segment of the Olympics, gets roughly 30 feet of powder per year, and it’s one of the most popular skiing and snowboarding destinations in the region. While these mountainous activities are just south of Port Angeles, the Strait of Juan de Fuca has waterside views in the north. The Olympic Discovery Trail follows the shoreline for about 135 miles, starting in Port Townsend and ending at the Pacific Ocean. Ediz Hook, a hook-shaped outcropping with rocky beaches, connects to the trail; the hook also has the oldest U.S. Coast Guard Air Station on the Pacific Coast, built in 1938. For more fishing and boating areas, lakes Sutherland and Crescent are about 15 miles south of town.
From the sea to Hurricane Ridge where you can ski in Port Angeles WA.
Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park
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Antique shopping and farmers market downtown
Downtown Port Angeles is a walkable waterfront district on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. With brick sidewalks and colorful storefronts, it’s often where tourists go after a day at Olympic National Park. But with the highest concentration of businesses in town, it’s also where locals have their favorite spots. Front and First streets hold most of the district's antique shops, American restaurants and trendy gastropubs. The Port Angeles Wharf, a local landmark and indoor mall, is just north around Railroad Avenue, and it has everything from ice cream to indigenous art. The Feiro Marine Life Center and the Port Angeles Pier are next door, and the town’s namesake port is west up the coast.
Odessy Bookshop has been serving the Port Angeles community since 1971 in Port Angeles WA.
The streets of downtown Port Angeles have much to offer.
If you're looking to go fishing, then look no further in Port Angeles WA.
Port Angeles is a very walkable city.
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Port Angeles Maritime Festival and other events
Downtown Port Angeles hosts many of the city’s events, popular with both locals and tourists. Port Angeles Maritime Festival brings water sports and big boats in June, and the Juan de Fuca Festival has vendors and concerts on Memorial Day weekend. The Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival celebrates the Dungeness crab with a chowder cookoff, a crab-grabbing derby and other maritime activities. Held in the woods near Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, the Wintertide Festival of Lights has a lantern walk and artisan market in December. The Port Angeles Farmers Market hosts local farmers every Saturday on Lincoln and Front streets.
Craftsman homes near downtown, ranch-style homes near Olympic National Park
Port Angeles is known for its historic Craftsman homes. Built between the early 1900s and late 1930s, these properties have usually been renovated over the years, and they cluster near downtown. Ranch-style homes have more acreage, newer construction and bigger price tags, and they’re toward the town’s southern hills. The overall median sale price is $465,000, roughly $250,000 lower than Port Townsend’s median.
70's style ranch homes can be found in the hills of Port Angeles WA.
Seagulls swarm above this Port Angeles craftsmen home in Port Angeles WA.
Colorful turn of the century homes line the streets of Port Angeles WA.
Quaint little cottages are the norm in Port Angeles WA.
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Short drives to Port Angeles Schools
Port Angeles School District gets a C-plus from Niche and serves roughly 3,500 students across its 10 schools. These schools are close together because of the city’s small size; the farthest distance between campuses is about 4 miles. Port Angeles High receives a B and has an award-winning music program that includes a choir, marching band, orchestra and more.
Lincoln Colts are the mascot for Lincoln High School in Port Angeles WA.
Lincoln High School is a smaller school in Port Angeles WA.
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Olympic Rain Shadow and Port Angeles crime levels
Port Angeles is in the Olympic Rain Shadow, a region with less rain and more sun than other parts of Western Washington. For instance, it has 10 fewer inches of annual rainfall and 40 more sunny days than Seattle. Spring brings mixed stretches of sun and rain, and summers are usually clear with some wind and fog. Fall is cool and rainier, while winter has more storms and colder temperatures.
In 2023, Port Angeles’ violent crime rates were significantly higher than state and national averages, and they increased about 13% from January to December. Property crime rates increased by 8% over the same time period. They were overall lower than state averages but higher than national ones.
Walkability, U.S. Highway 101 and Washington ferries
At roughly 15 square miles, Port Angeles is highly walkable and bikeable. The city incorporates sidewalks and bike lanes near downtown, and the Discovery Trail grants access to other parts of the Olympic Peninsula. Still, most people drive around the wider region of Western Washington. U.S. Highway 101 is the only land route into the city, so it can often clog with traffic. That’s especially true in summer when many tourists visit Olympic National Park. Tacoma is about 100 miles south on this route, and Olympia is another 20 miles farther. The 80-mile trip to Seattle is more involved; it requires a car ferry through either Bainbridge Island or Whidbey Island and the 101 the rest of the way. The only direct ferry to Port Angeles is from Vancouver, British Columbia. William R. Fairchild International Airport is on the city’s west side and has nonstop flights to Seattle.
A mural is displayed on a building near the West End Trail in Port Angeles WA.
Black Ball Ferry Line offers car ferrying to Victoria and BC Canada in Port Angeles.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
