30-minute Away but a World Apart
Pia the Peacemaker on Bainbridge Island
Bainbridge Island is only 30-minute ferry ride away from Seattle’s downtown waterfront, but I have to tell you, it feels like it’s a world apart from the the vibrant tech hub.
Whenever we have family or friends visit Seattle, and they have a packed schedule, I always recommend them to take one day and spend it on Bainbridge Island—the trip is quick and super accessible yet full of highlights and offers a completely different vibe.
Before our family moved to Seattle, the thought of island hopping by ferry boats on weekends sound exotic and unachievable. Lucky for us, Puget Sound is fed by numerous rivers and is connected to the Pacific Ocean via the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which makes day trip on surrounding islands quite common among Seattleites. The waterway is dotted with small towns, marine parks, and wildlife, including orcas, seals, and various seabirds. Bainbridge Island is the most accessible from Seattle amongst others, I have friends who live on this island and commute to Seattle everyday for work.
Some good eateries we recommend are Pegasus Coffee, Ba Sa, and pretty much anything that has a line in front of it—and trust me, there are a lot of popular spots. When we were in New York City in early July, Gabriel and I talked about how food on the west coast taste fresher and lighter comparing to other parts of the country—you will feel more of it when you are in a town like Bainbridge, the farm to table veggies and freshly caught shellfish alone will make you want to return.
As a family we love to hike and spend time in nature, so we went to the famous Bloedel Reserve. It is a renowned public garden and nature preserve that spans 150 acres of lush, diverse landscapes. It is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful and serene places in the Pacific Northwest. We have been a lot of public gardens all over the west coast and even in Hawaii, and we were pretty impressed. One pro tip, You do need to reserve timed ticket on their website in advance.
On our way back to the ferry terminal, we passed by a random beach with the most beautiful view of downtown Seattle. That’s the PNW life, even the most ordinary task such as catching a ferry home sometimes surprises you with the most extraordinary views.