Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE Washington State Ferries
(
&
800/84-FERRY
or 888/
808-7977 within Washington, or 206/464-6400; www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries)
operates a ferry service between Seattle's Pier 52 Colman Dock ferry terminal
and Bainbridge Island. The trip takes 35 minutes and costs $9.50 ($12 mid-May
to mid-Oct) for a car and driver one-way, $5.40 for adult car passengers or walk-
ons, $2.70 for seniors, and $4.40 for children ages 5 to 18; free for children
4 and under. Car passengers and walk-ons only pay fares on westbound ferries.
VISITOR INFORMATION
For more information on Bainbridge Island,
contact the
Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce,
590 Winslow Way E.,
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 (
&
206/842-3700;
www.bainbridgechamber.
com).
EXPLORING BAINBRIDGE ISLAND
Just up the hill from the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal is the island's main
shopping district, where you'll find interesting shops and restaurants. If you'd like
to sample some local wines, drop in at the
Bainbridge Island Vineyards and
Winery,
682 Wash. 305 (
&
206/842-9463;
www.wineryloop.com), which is
located half a mile up the hill from the ferry landing and specializes in European-
style white wines made from estate-grown grapes. These wines are quite good and
are only available here and at a few select restaurants. The winery is open
Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5pm.
There are two state parks on Bainbridge Island. Down at the south end of the
island, you'll find
Fort Ward State Park
(
&
206/842-4041
) on the quiet shore
of Rich Passage. The park offers picnicking and good bird-watching. Up at the
northern tip of the island, you'll find
Fay Bainbridge State Park
(
&
206/
842-3931
), which offers camping and great views across the sound to the Seat-
tle skyline. This park will give you a good idea of why people are willing to pay
a premium to live on this island. Admission to either park is $5.
Garden enthusiasts will want to call ahead and make a reservation to visit the
Bloedel Reserve
, 7571 NE Dolphin Dr. (
&
206/842-7631
), which is 6 miles
north of the ferry terminal off Wash. 305 (turn right on Agate Point Rd.). The
expansive and elegant grounds are the ideal place for a quiet stroll amid plants
from around the world. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for seniors and chil-
dren ages 5 to 12. The gardens are open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am
to 4pm (last reservations are for 2pm). Also well worth a visit is
Bainbridge
Gardens,
9415 Miller Rd. NE (
&
206/842-5888;
www.bainbridgegardens.
com), which is on the west side of the island. These gardens, which today are
primarily a plant nursery for garden-crazed Bainbridge Islanders, are also the site
of gardens started in 1908 by Zenhichi Harui when he emigrated from Japan.
The gardens were abandoned in the 1940s when Harui and his family were
forced to leave the island. Today little remains of the original gardens, but the
grounds are still quite beautiful.
Between mid-June and Labor Day weekend, if you'd like to do a little pad-
dling in a sea kayak or canoe, turn left as you get off the ferry and head to Water-
front Park, where you'll find
Bainbridge Island Boat Rentals
(
&
206/842-
9229
), which rents sea kayaks ($20-$30 for 2 hr.) and canoes ($25 for 2 hr.).
With its water views and winding country roads, Bainbridge is a favorite of
bicyclists. You can rent from
B. I. Cycle Shop,
162 Bjune Dr. SE (
&
206/842-
6413;
www.b-i-cycle.com), which is located a block off Winslow Way near the
corner of Madison Avenue (in downtown Bainbridge Island/Winslow just a few
