Bainbridge Island sits in the Puget Sound, east of the Kitsap Peninsula. It is a 35-minute ferry ride from Seattle. Bainbridge Island is a beautiful blend of nature and culture. The island has lots of hills, which are quite popular with bikers. The city’s leadership has focused on maintaining green spaces.
Bainbridge Island has many options for exploring nature. One of the more popular destinations is the Bloedel Reserve, which is an internationally renowned public garden and forest reserve. The island also has beautiful parks, including Fay Bainbridge Park and Fort Ward State Park.
Bainbridge Island has a rich history that dates back to its discovery in the late 1700s. The island played a major (controversial) role in World War II as it was one of the first sites for enforcement of executive order 9066, which uprooted Japanese Americans. A great site to visit to learn more is the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial. For a hidden gem, stop by the tiny Bainbridge Island Historical Museum.
Many visitors enjoy seeing the museums, galleries, and boutiques. The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art is a small museum with an eclectic mix of art and free admission.
Bainbridge Island has seven wineries, a brewery (Bainbridge Brewing), and a distillery (Bainbridge Organic Distillery).
Bainbridge Island is very rainy in the winter. The average precipitation in December is 10 inches. Daily high temps are in the mid-30s throughout winter. One good reason to visit in the winter is for the Chilly Hilly annual bike ride, which kicks of the Pacific northwest biking season in February.
Early spring is still cold and rainy. The activity picks up in May as the weather is much better.
Summer is the busy season as it is relatively dry. Daily high temps are in the mid-70s. The weather is perfect for exploring nature.
Like much of the Puget Sound cities, fall begins beautifully but ends very dreary. September is dry and warm. November averages high temps around 50 degrees and nine inches of rain.