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Sign UpBainbridge Island, located just a short ferry ride from Seattle, is known for its natural beauty, quaint shops and eateries, and spectacular views of Puget Sound.
Spend the day wandering through charming downtown Winslow, where local boutiques, cafés, and art galleries line the streets. Explore scenic trails, sip your way through local wineries, or relax along the island’s peaceful shoreline before catching the ferry back with postcard-worthy sunset views of Seattle.
Getting to Bainbridge Island by ferry is half the fun! You'll feel like you're on a mini cruise as you stroll around the decks and admire the view of the downtown skyline, the sea, and Mt. Rainier. While you can drive onto the ferry, it's also easy enough to walk on and navigate the island without a car.
Bainbridge is very easy to navigate by car, but there are great alternative modes of transportation. If you're interested in biking, check out Bike Barn Rentals near the ferry terminal, which offers rentals of e-bikes, hybrids, and performance road bikes. There are many popular biking trails and smooth routes around the island.
You can also check out the Bi-Ride, which operates on two routes, beginning at the ferry terminal, and costs only $2! The North Loop bus takes you through downtown Winslow, the Bloedel Reserve - a 150-acre wildlife sanctuary and antique estate with a Japanese Garden, a rhododendron glen, and a vast garden with native plants and famous Northwest evergreens. Another stop is at Fay Bainbridge Park, a 17-acre park with camping, boating, fishing facilities, and a great view of Seattle and Puget Sound. The last stop is the Rolling Bay Neighborhood Service Center, which features a nursery, gift shop, bakery, and coffee shop.
The South Loop brings you past Coppertop, a distillery, brewery, winery, and café, followed by Bainbridge Gardens nursery and garden center, the Grand Forest, and Battle Point Park, which offers picnic areas, a playground, and a running track. Additional stops include the Island Center, Pleasant Beach Village, Fort Ward Park, and the Bainbridge Island Japanese Memorial.
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Top sights on Bainbridge Island include: Bloedel Reserve, the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, The Grand Forest, and exploring the shops, wineries, distilleries, and restaurants of Winslow, the downtown area of the city of Bainbridge Island.
Yes. You can either take the long route; a 2-hour beautiful scenic drive, or the short route by ferry from the Seattle waterfront. You can either drive your vehicle on the ferry, or park in a lot and walk onto the ferry. Once you get there, you'll see that Bainbridge is so small that don’t really need a car to get around and enjoy it all.
To get from Seattle to Bainbridge Island, you can take a Washington State Ferry from downtown Seattle. You can find the schedule for ferry trips at the WSDOT.com website. Once there, you can rent a bike or stroll through the parks, visit the quaint shops, and pick a place for cup of coffee and a bite to eat.
The ferry ride from Colman Dock (Pier 52) in Seattle to Bainbridge Island typically takes about 35 minutes. The ferry departure schedule can be found here.
You can easily spend 4 to 6 hours exploring Bainbridge Island so be sure to arrive early-ish via the ferry to maximize your time, wear comfortable shoes, and focus your visit around the ferry terminal + Winslow Way area for maximum ease.
Yes — Bainbridge Island is absolutely worth visiting on a day-trip from Seattle. It’s close, relaxing, and offers enough variety to make a full-day outing feel meaningful. For many, the trip itself (the ferry ride) is part of the fun. Aim for an early departure so you make the most of your time on the island. The return time matters. If you do have a car, or plan to explore remote parts of the island, factor in extra driving. But you don’t need a car just for a worthwhile day trip.
“Mount Rainier National Park is one of the best day trips from Seattle, located about 2 hours away. Top highlights include Paradise, Skyline Trail, and Myrtle Falls.” Plan a day trip to paradise at Mount Rainier National Park.
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