Located a short 35 minute ferry ride from Seattle is charming Bainbridge Island, Washington. In 1841, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Charles Wilkes visited the Island while surveying the Northwest. Lt. Wilkes named the Island after Commodore William Bainbridge, commander of the frigate Constitution in the War of 1812. The island is part of the Kitsap Peninsula, & is known for its lively artistic community & successful youth sports teams (the island was represented in the Little League World Series in 2001 & the high school currently boasts the state championship lacrosse team). Just over 23,000 people call Bainbridge Island home.
We visited Bainbridge Island on a typical Seattle day: overcast, with heavy fog & a light drizzle. The ferry terminal in Seattle was easy to navigate, even during morning rush hour, & tickets for the ferry ride over to Bainbridge could be purchased from an automated kiosk. You can plan your trip ahead of timing using this handy trip planner. We had the ferry largely to ourselves, since most passengers were headed into Seattle for work, not out to the island.
(C) Christina Saull – All Rights Reserved
As we sailed across the Puget Sound, the fog slowly started to lift a little, & we were able to see the beautiful properties that line the Bainbridge Island coast. Dotted with patches of autumn foliage (we visited in late October), these beautiful, large homes had long, winding staircases which lead down to the water.
Once we docked on the island, cars & trucks of all types & sizes disembarked. As “ferry newbies,” it was amazing to see everything from semi-trucks to oil tanker trucks to a UPS truck drive right off the ferry. The ferry station is located on the outskirts of town, but only about a five minute walk away from Winslow Way, the “Main Street” of the Island. You can grab a map from the ferry station, follow the crowds, or just wander on your own.
Winslow Way is truly a Main Street from years gone by. Complete with a barbershop, the local Chamber of Commerce, a local bank, & several restaurants, it’s a lovely place to take your time to walk down. Make sure & pop into The Traveler, a fantastic store full of luggage, travel accessories, guidebooks & travel narratives. Also along Winslow Way during our visit: a variety of beautiful fall colors.
While there were many lunch places marked on our map, we decided to wander a little further & discovered the Harbour Public House. Situated right along the island’s main harbor, we enjoyed picturesque views & really good fish & chips. An added bonus? We were the only visitors in the entire place.
One of the highlights of our little excursion was the ferry ride back to Seattle, which offered amazing views of the Seattle skyline. On a clear day, I’m told you can also get a good look at Mt. Rainer.
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