Port Townsend is No. 1 and Sequim is No. 8 in the state.

Both North Olympic Peninsula towns were recognized on a list of “Best Towns for Outdoor Activities” published by Niche, an online site that provides statistics and rankings of cities in the United States.

With close access to state and national parks and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Port Townsend is well known for its outdoor recreational opportunities.

Because of this, it won the top ranking in the state list published by Niche.

“I think it is great,” said Port Townsend Mayor David King.

“It does not surprise me at all. We have water on three sides and mountains at our back.”

Sequim’s placement in top ten “is a great honor,” said Sequim Mayor Candace Pratt.

There are 57 towns on the list, which can be seen online by accessing http://tinyurl.com/PDN-bestoutdoors.

The Best Towns for Outdoor Activities ranking provides an assessment of the quality of the environment and accessibility to designated outdoor spaces.

Niche says on its webiste that it takes into account key indicators of a location’s environment and surroundings, including air quality, local weather and access to natural amenities and outdoor recreation, in an attempt to holistically measure an area’s quality of and access to the outdoors.

A high ranking indicates a great town for outdoor recreation and outdoor enthusiasts, Niche said.

Access to the great outdoors is what has kept King living in the city for over 30-years, he said.

“I came up here for the second annual Wooden Boat Festival in 1978, and I stayed ever since.”

The ranking “is an acknowledgement of where we are and how we relate to our locality,” King continued.

“For me, this community has a sense of stewardship of our location, and I think that is why we attract a lot of people. It is what we are about. We have a thriving tourist economy.”

And people visit “for quality experiences as opposed to just swinging by for a T-shirt,” he added.

“I think people come here for a lot of different reasons and purposes and then find that the community itself is a good place” to explore new adventures.

“You come here for one thing and then get distracted by all the other things that are going,” he said.

“Certainly, that was my experience.”

Pratt said Sequim’s placement as the eighth best “shows good judgment.

“We have a lot going on in the area with the Olympic Discovery Trail, Olympic National Park, kayaking, wind sailing, hiking, biking, beach combing — there are so many things to do.”

Sequim is a tourist destination, she added.

“We have the lavender farms, a cute downtown for shopping, magnificent views, and how ‘bout the sunshine?”

Inclusion on the list may draw in more tourists, which would be good for the local economy, Pratt said.

“I hope it means we will get people who read the list, are interested to find out what Sequim really has going for it and come to see for themselves.

“We welcome all visitors.”

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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.