Port Hadlock-Irondale, WA

Set along the shores of Port Townsend Bay, Port Hadlock-Irondale offers a relaxed, down-to-earth lifestyle on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. Locals often group the waterfront neighborhoods of Port Hadlock and Irondale with neighboring Chimacum to form the Tri-Area, a close community bordered by quiet beaches and the fertile Chimacum Valley. It has a rich maritime and industrial heritage, visible today in local boatyards and waterfront parks like Irondale Beach, where residents walk dogs and comb the shoreline.

ATTRJoe Mabel / CC BY-SA 3.0

Living here means enjoying small-town peace while staying well connected to the rest of the peninsula. Local students attend Chimacum schools, and neighborhood shops cover everyday groceries and hardware needs. State Route 19 puts the restaurants, cultural events, and Victorian streets of Port Townsend about fifteen minutes to the north, while the Olympic Mountains and Hood Canal are an easy drive south for hiking, boating, and camping. It is a great spot for anyone looking for scenic coastal living without the crowds.