Port Ludlow - John J MacDonald Photography

Port Ludlow, “A Village in the Woods by the Bay”, was a logging and sawmill community in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Port Ludlow became the site of a resort, marina and several planned communities in the late 20th century. Home to around 3,000 people, including Lori and me, it is also home to a vast array of wildlife including deer, raccoon, possum, bobcat, bear and cougar, all of which have visited our yard. Deer frequently walk onto our back deck to get apples higher up in our trees. And birds too numerous to mention. Our house is surrounded by tall trees, cedar, fir, pine and aspen. We literally live in the woods. Lori and I moved here from the Palm Springs area almost three years ago and haven’t looked back since.

Our village is situated in the northwest corner of the Olympic Peninsula on Port Ludlow Bay, an inlet off Puget Sound, and just south of Port Townsend (see my Port Townsend blog https://jmacdphoto.com/port-townsend-waterfront/). “Downtown“ is a gas station with a mini mart post office, medical clinic, a couple restaurants and several small businesses. “Uptown” (across the street and uphill) has a church and several businesses. The marina area has, yes, the Marina but also the Resort, Yacht Club, Beach Club and condos, many of which are vacation rentals. There are also incredible views of the Olympic Mountains from the marina. Port Ludlow is on the edge of the Olympic Rain Shadow, a phenomenon that spares us from much of the rain northwest Washington is known for. This means we can enjoy the 30+ miles of hiking trails in the village without getting as wet.

Here are a few photos of our Village in the Woods by the Bay.