Day trip to Bainbridge Island from Seattle ⛴️
Come spend the day with me at Bainbridge Island. I recently attended the Flock Fiber Festival in Seattle and learned that it was hosted by La Mercerie, a yarn shop based in Bainbridge. So I took a short day trip to the island to check it out along with a few other spots. If you’d prefer to watch the short trip recap, you can watch it below or check out my YouTube channel.
Mt Rainier from Fay Bainbridge Park
Bloedel Reserve
Getting to Bainbridge Island means starting at the new Seattle Ferry Terminal. This was recently constructed and fully opened in 2023. I hadn’t taken a ferry out of this terminal yet, so it was cool to check it out.
After arriving in Bainbridge, I drove straight to Fay Bainbridge Park. It was recommended for one of the best views of the mountains, including Mt Baker to the north and Mt Rainier to the south. It was a bit of a hazy day though, so I didn’t have a clear view of either, just their outlines. It was a peaceful walk through the beach, with calm waves and few people around.
From there, I headed west to the Bloedel Reserve. This is a 140 acre forest garden opened in 1988 to the public. Walking through it takes about 1.5-2 hours, going past various ponds, meadows, boardwalks, different flower paths such as orchids and rhododendrons, a Japanese garden, and of course, the residence itself. It’s a peaceful walk, full of birdsong and benches to sit and enjoy the surrounding nature. I definitely could’ve spent more time here, perhaps even walked through the trail again, but food was calling me.
I headed straight to the town center, dreaming of fish and chips. There were various highly rated restaurants on the island, but I had my sights on Proper Fish, known for its huge fish and chips basket and considered one of the best of Seattle. I couldn’t agree more. Not only was it delicious but also enough for dinner too!
After properly fueling up again, it was time to explore the town center. I spent the next 2 hours walking through the main street and popping into shops that caught my attention, such as Salt House Mercantile, Eagle Harbor Books, Bon Bon Candies, and of course, the reason I’d planned this trip, La Mercerie.
All the yarn at La Mercerie was beautiful! And they carry the entire line up and colors from Knitting for Olive, the first time I got to touch that yarn and understand the hype. I spent quite a bit of time here, just walking through and feeling different yarns and thinking of projects I’d like to try with the ones I liked. And then I did the same at The Lamb & Kid. While not in the heart of the town center, Lamb & Kid is a 5 minute walk along the main street. It was a stunning store. All the windows and natural light coming in helped call attention to all the beautiful yarn they carry, the majority being their own! I hung out for a while here too, feeling various yarns and daydreaming of all the projects I want to get to.
And then it was time to come home. The island is quite small, so less than 10 minutes later, I was at the ferry terminal in line for the next ferry bound for Seattle. On a good day, it’s always fun walking out to the main deck and snapping some photos of the gorgeous views around. Despite living in Seattle for so many years, that was my first visit to Bainbridge, and I can confidently say, I get the hype now. It’s a small island with a great town center and beautiful views everywhere you look. My entire day was calm and full of birds, and I can’t wait to go back again.