Beyond the City — 35 MIN FERRY · HALF DAY
Bainbridge Island
The lowest-effort, highest-reward trip in the region: walk onto a ferry downtown, spend 35 minutes on deck with the skyline and the Olympics trading places, and step off into a walkable waterfront town.
✓ Field-checked July 2026
The Plan
Walk on at Colman Dock
Pier 52, downtown. No reservation needed for walk-ons — tap an ORCA card or buy at the terminal, then head straight for the bow deck.
The crossing
Skyline behind, Olympics ahead, occasionally a porpoise escort. Cold on deck year-round; that's what the coffee is for.
Winslow Way
The main street starts five minutes from the dock: Eagle Harbor Book Co. for browsing, Blackbird Bakery for the pastry case, galleries and tasting rooms in between. The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art at the top of the street is free and excellent.
Mora Iced Creamery, then the shoreline
Island-made ice cream, then the Waterfront Trail loop past the harbor before catching a boat back.
Sail home at golden hour
The eastbound evening crossing, with the sun low behind you and the skyline lighting up ahead, is the single best free show in Seattle tourism.
Need to know
- Walk on. Vehicle queues can run hours on summer weekends; foot passengers stroll aboard until minutes before sailing.
- Fares are collected westbound only — the return ride is 'free.'
- Check the WSDOT ferries schedule the morning of; sailings occasionally cancel for crewing.
- Garden people: Bloedel Reserve, a 150-acre landscape masterpiece, is 15 minutes north by bus or taxi — book timed entry ahead.
- Driving instead of walking on? Poulsbo — the self-styled 'Little Norway,' with a fjord-side main street of bakeries and Nordic gift shops — is 20 minutes north and pairs naturally with a Bainbridge afternoon.
Common questions
Do you need a car on Bainbridge Island?
No — Winslow, the main town, is entirely walkable from the ferry terminal. A car only matters if you're heading further out, like to Bloedel Reserve or Poulsbo.
How much does the Bainbridge Island ferry cost?
About $10 round trip for a walk-on passenger, and fares are only collected westbound — the return crossing is effectively free.
How long is the ferry ride to Bainbridge Island?
35 minutes from Colman Dock at Pier 52 downtown, with the skyline behind you and the Olympic Mountains ahead — arguably the best part of the trip.