Bainbridge Island
Bainbridge Island is a totally different world. Its amazing charm, natural beauty, rural character and central location in the Puget Sound make it a great place to explore for a day, a week or a lifetime! Backed by Mount Rainier to the southeast, the Olympic Mountains to the west and surrounded by Puget Sound waters, Bainbridge offers abundant recreational opportunities and picture-perfect views.
It’s only a 2 hour boat ride from Seattle depending on travel time through Ballard Locks. It’s awesome to watch the Seattle skyline drift away as you head out towards Bainbridge on board your own private yacht charter. There are a variety of parks, trailheads, fascinating historical sites, and dozens of attractions to discover for tourists.
Things to do and see in Bainbridge Island
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Beautiful Parks: Located northeast of Bainbridge, Fay Bainbridge Park is a marine camping park with 1,420 feet of saltwater shoreline. If you visit this park on a beautiful clear day, you will be able to see Mount Rainier and Mount Baker. This Park has a new campground with 15 tent sites, two sheltered picnic tables and 10-12 unsheltered picnic tables. The next park that should be on your visit list is Fort Ward Park. It is a 37-acre marine park with 4,300 feet of saltwater shoreline. It also boasts dense forest and a rocky beach along the Puget Sound. There is also an underwater park for scuba divers, boat launch area and historic structures for your viewing pleasure. If you want to truly connect with nature, then visit Bloedel Reserve. It boasts Northwest woodlands and gardens that allow you to interact with nature in a deeply personal way. It features natural and landscaped lakes, a rock and sand Zen garden, a moss garden, rhododendron garden and many French Chateau-style homes. Pritchard Park is a 50-acre complex on Bainbridge Island, where you will find forested trails, Japanese American Internment Memorial, and various bird species. Other parks and reserves that you can visit during your charter vacation include Gazzam Lake Preserve, The Grand Forest, Islandwood, and Battle Point Park.
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Best Beaches: Bainbridge beaches are invigorating and somewhat life-restoring. Crystal clear waters, long vistas, and soothing waves will make you feel connected to nature. Lyte beach is a sandy/gravel public beach that offers views of Rich Passage, Mt. Rainer and sea lions. From swimming, paddle boarding, kite flying to sun bathing, Lyte Beach offers it all! Rockaway Beach Park is a 0.5-acre public waterfront beach park which is an excellent place for diving enthusiasts. There is abundance of marine life, picnic tables for visitors and provides for amazing views. Fay Bainbridge Park also has a beach that is filled with sea-scrubbed driftwood. This beach is a perfect base for gazing out at the views of Mount Baker and the Cascade Mountains. Schel-Chelb Estuary has a beach with sandflats during low tide. You can combine this beach site with a walk or bike along Crystal Springs Drives. Point White Pier is not exactly a beach but a great spot for fishing, crabbing, or just gazing at the water. Hawley Cove Park has a beach that is considered one of the best beaches on the island for collecting sand dollars.
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Tourist Attractions: From cultural attractions to historical sites, explore this list of local attractions on Bainbridge Island. Bainbridge Island Historical Museum focuses on local Bainbridge Island history, and exhibits cover its ship-building and lumber heritage as well as Japanese population during World War II. Kids Discovery Museum offers local and visiting kids a fun place to play and explore. Historic Lynwood Theatre is a historic theatre of the island where you can watch foreign films, documentaries, indie films, classics and silent films. Bainbridge Gardens features sculptured trees, fountains and ponds. Rich Passage is a tidal strait in Puget Sound separating Bainbridge Island from the Manchester area of Kitsap Peninsula. Manchester Park is a 111-acre camping park located on Rich Passage in Puget Sound with 3400 feet of saltwater shoreline. You can enjoy camping and hiking here. Gazzam Lake Nature Preserve is a freshwater wetland that boasts many species of birds and animals making it a perfect place for day hiking and nature watching. Visit Bainbridge's Farmer's Market if you are looking for some fresh vegetables, chocolate truffles, sustainable seafoods and meat, local arts and crafts, and gift items. Other local attractions of Bainbridge include Old Mill Park, Eagledale Park, Rolling Bay Winery, Suquamish Park, Pomeroy Park, Parade Grounds, Strawberry Hill Park, Red Pine Park, Miller Bay, Manzanita Bay, and more.
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Dining and Shopping: Bainbridge has a wide variety of cuisines and restaurants to choose from. Whether you want to taste fine Northwest cuisine, Mexican food, Italian food and pastas, or Thai cuisine, you will find everything here. Some of the popular restaurants to dine at include Doc's Marina Grill, Pegasus Coffee, Bainbridge Thai Cuisine, Treehouse Cafe, Mona Elisa, Cafe Nola, Four Swallows, Big Star Diner, Casa Rojas, Shima Garden Sushi, Simon Chinese Cuisine, Bainbridge Bakers, Westside Pizza and more. Bainbridge Island is home to a range of one-of-a-kind shops, boutiques, and retail stores. The main shopping area is located just five minutes walking distance from the ferry terminal in Winslow, and other shopping centers are located in Lynwood Center, Island Center and Rolling Bay. Some of the famous shopping destinations include Cotton And Cashmere, Covet Boutique, Gilbert Thomes Jewelry, Hattie Rose, Millstream, Pelindaba Lavender, Bainbridge Arts & Crafts, Bainbridge Diamond & Jewelry, Cake Womens Clothing, Salt House Mercantile, and Sash Mercantile to name a few.
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Adventurous Activities: Bainbridge Island is a peaceful and calm destination with quiet harbors and homes along the rocky shoreline and the densely forested hills. This diverse community, rich in natural beauty, is ready for you to explore. For hikers and nature lovers alike, Bainbridge has so many hiking trails to explore such as Grand Forest Park Trail, Gazzam Lake Park Trail, Grand Forest Park Trail, Pritchard Park trail, and Rockaway Beach trail. Diving is another great activity to try while in Bainbridge. Norrander’s Reef is located on the SE end of Bainbridge Island where you can expect to see small fish and rock formations. Rockway Beach also offers access to two major rock reef/wall complexes. Edmonds Underwater Park is the best dive site near Bainbridge where you will find gator-sized lingcod, cabezon and forests of white and orange plumose anemones. The Puget Sound waters surrounding Bainbridge is a unique area to fish for salmon, lingcod, and halibut. You can’t help but to see amazing views of Cascade and Olympic Mountains along with marine animals such as dall and harbour porpoise, orca and grey whales during your fishing charter. There are 365 lakes in close proximity to Bainbridge mainland, such as Gazzam Lake, Green Lake, Bitter Lake, Haller Lake, Kitsap Lake, Beaver Dam Lake and more, where anglers can try their fishing skills. Get out on the water and try out kayaking on the pristine waters of Puget Sound. You will get to see the amazing scenery and wildlife of Bainbridge island during your kayaking excursion. Other activities to try your hands at include canoing, boating, swimming, and golfing.
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Day Trips: Bainbridge Island's lovely beach parks and charming gardens have often won it the acclaim of being one of the Pacific Northwest's beautiful destinations. Once you are done with the mainland and its attractions, take a day trip to other nearby destinations such as Seattle, Port Townsend, Whidbey Island, Desolation Sound, San Juan Islands, Blake Island, and Camano Island.
With the charming beauty, rural character, and plenty of things to do and see, Bainbridge Island is a haven for people from all over the world. Whether you are planning a day trip to Bainbridge or a weekend vacation, Pacific Northwest Yacht Charters will accommodate all your charter needs. From adventurous activities to the discovery of beautiful parks, we have a range of luxury yachts to match your vacation needs. Click here to see our fleet of luxury yachts or contact us to discuss your charter itinerary with our expert consultant for your next vacation in Bainbridge Island.
