The Best Spots for a Day Trip to Bainbridge Island

If you live in or are visiting Seattle, but want a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, or are hoping to experience the unique Puget Sound island lifestyle, we highly recommend taking a day trip to Bainbridge Island.

Seattle is situated on the Puget Sound, an inlet of the Salish Sea, which is home to many islands: Vashon, San Juan, Orcas, Whidbey, and several others. The easiest island to get to is Bainbridge Island, with ferries leaving from downtown nearly every hour, which also makes it one of the more popular islands to visit (plan accordingly).

We left on an early Saturday morning, and headed straight to Pier 52 to board the Bainbridge Island Ferry. Learn from us and read the ferry schedule before departing your house or hotel; we ended up waiting in line for about an hour, because we had just missed the departing ferry. What amateurs…

Our spirits were not dampened for long. Ferry rides are quick and easy, and a great way to feel the cool ocean breeze and see the beautiful Puget Sound scenery. The view of downtown was breathtaking.

Stop 1: Cafe’ Hitchcock

As we do with every trip, our first stop was for some much needed caffeine and grub. Cafe’ Hitchcock (open in Google Maps) is located just 2 minutes away from the ferry station on Winslow Way and is a great location for brunch and lunch. The reuben was extremely delicious and boasted house-smoked pastrami; I would highly recommend it. And if cafe food isn't what you are craving, Winslow Way has several other food options, including where we ended up going for dinner. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Stop 2: Grab a cup at Pegasus Coffee

What a better way to wash down coffee and sandwiches than with more coffee. A short walk away is the renowned Pegasus Coffee (open in Google Maps), with its ivy shrouded storefront. Pegasus Coffee was founded on Bainbridge Island in the 1970’s and has been a staple in the community ever since. They have since expanded with a downtown Seattle location, but nothing can match the charm of the flagship store. The shop was packed with people trying to get their coffee fix, but luckily we were able to enjoy our lattes outside.

Stop 3: Stroll around Harbour Marina or Grand Forest

Now that we were properly dehydrated and charged up, we proceeded to walk around the Harbour Marina (open in Google Maps) to catch some drone footage and view the multitude of fishing vessels and yachts. And if boats aren’t up your alley, there are a few nature preserves and forests on Bainbridge as well. We drove up to the Grand Forest (open in Google Maps) and had a relaxing and easy hike around the forest trails (a great way to walk off the impending dinner and drinks).

Stop 4: Relax at Fay Bainbridge Park

However, above and beyond, our favorite place in Bainbridge for nature and views had to be Fay Bainbridge Park (open in Google Maps) in the north. The views of Rainier were insanely gorgeous. We were lucky to find some chairs on the beach and soak it in. The park also has a small campground that we hope to stay at sometime in the near future.

Stop 4: Dinner at Ba Sa

After we saw the sunset, we made our way back to Winslow Way for dinner. We would highly recommend trying to get a table at Ba Sa Restaurant (open in Google Maps) which is conveniently near Cafe’ Hitchcock. Know that there will be a line and get on the waitlist and kill some time at one of the other bars or shops. We decided to go to Bainbridge Island Alehouse (open in Google Maps) and were super happy that we did. The alehouse has a well-designed modern interior and a bunch of beers on tap. I really enjoyed their City Lies in Dust Hazy IPA, while Brenna had a flight. After leisurely sipping on our liquid bread, we made our way back to BASA. The food was stellar. We ordered far too much, but we love asian fusion so we just had to. We came there especially for the famous chicken buns, but after trying several of their other dishes, we would have to say the chicken buns were the most underwhelming. That being said, the meal as a whole was 5/5 and we will for sure plan to come back again next time.

Final Note:

Bainbridge Island has so much to offer that we couldn’t cover it all in one day. Bainbridge, as with the other neighboring islands, has something for everyone. The scenery, food, and overall vibe of the island life is something special. So if you are only in Seattle for a short stint, or even if you are a local just looking for a weekend away, Bainbridge Island is a great option. We will definitely be back again soon, hungry for more.

Bainbridge Island Checklist

  • Ferry from Pier 52

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