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For BHS graduate, Senior Paint Night is the well-loved tradition of recognizing the graduation rite of passage with—what else—the graduate’s name and class year in white paint on pavement. Most incidents are harmless enough, kept to side streets and driveways. The senior “artists” (and their trusty lookouts) usually travel in groups, painting […]

“Eat fresh & local” might as well be Bainbridge Island’s official slogan. Island residents crowd the Farmers’ Market, stock up with CSAs and consume omelets made with eggs laid that morning, often in their own backyard by a chicken they’ve known since it was hatched. So it only made sense that Town […]

In March 2014, the Bloedel Reserve of Bainbridge Island was nominated as one of the best 20 public gardens in USA Today’s Best North American Public Garden competition. All nominees for the Best Public Garden competition were chosen by renowned expert/author/lecturer Cindy Brockway. All 20 nominees are listed below.

Every islander has seen it as they contemplate stopping or going at the roundabout. Its name is The Rainbringer, and it seems to be working (although that isn’t much of a surprise around here). The 13-foot cedar totem statue was carved by Indianola artist Craig Jacobrown in 1990 and was the first […]

Many factors go into the ferry loading and unloading. Normally, an initial group of cars gets directed to the front center area of the boat, what is called the “tunnel.” After cars reach the first set of stairwells, sides are filled up, starting with the lower level and finishing with the top […]

Take a drive along waterfront Manitou Beach Drive and you’ll likely notice an unusual flying machine resting in Linda Costello’s front yard. Entitled “Striding Gerromorpha,” after the water-striding insect, the sculpture was created out of metal, cedar, bike parts and wire by artist Patrick Farrell in 2004, and donated to a Bainbridge arts auction where […]

This summer you may have noticed the appearance of a large frog population leaping around the island. That’s because the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association officially launched Frogs on the Rock, a fundraiser and community art project highlighting local artists. “We chose frogs because they hit home as an iconic community symbol on […]

New Bainbridge residents should brace themselves for a deluge of visitors curious about the fabulous life on an island in the Pacific Northwest. Once you’ve hit the high spots of the island, where do you take them? We have a few suggestions for great day trips from Bainbridge Island to the rest of Kitsap County […]

Bainbridge Island has high quality medical personnel and services from Virginia Mason and Harrison Medical Center on the island, as well as many independent practitioners, chiropractors, naturopaths, physical therapists, acupuncturists and more. Even though there is not a hospital, we do have urgent care services and primary and specialty care available. In the Fall of […]

Bainbridge Island’s award-winning schools attract many families. Some may not even have school-aged children yet when they relocate here. So in between feedings and nap times, what do those youngest of islanders do to have a good time here? For a small community, Bainbridge has an extraordinary amount of program selections for toddlers and preschool-aged […]

With the rising popularity of electric vehicles, Prius drivers have started to feel like they’re cruising in a Hummer. Since 2012, downtown Winslow has had two electric vehicle (EV) Blink charging stations. One, hosted by the City of Bainbridge Island, is located in front of Bon Bon Confections and Blackbird Bakery. The […]

Sitting in traffic behind a stopped school bus is much less mundane when you glance up and spot a green dinosaur revealing a toothy grin. His name is Dino and he has flair. To celebrate summer he wears a sombrero. In the fall, he shows his school spirit by donning a Spartan […]

Island home buyers almost always ask, “What’s it like to commute to Seattle on the ferry?“ The actual boat ride time is 35 minutes which you can spend reading or working in the “quiet room” (WiFi is available) or socializing with your commuter buddies (yes, we call them that!) in the galley area. To the […]

Bainbridge Island’s shoreline runs for 53 miles in total and has approximately 1,800 parcels of land abutting the water’s edge. 500 additional properties fall within what’s considered under state law as the “shoreline jurisdiction,” close to the water but not directly adjacent to it. Of those 1,800 waterfront parcels, about 1,600 hold a development of […]

Bainbridge Island is known for its charming, small town life (as compared to its big brother, Seattle) and the island’s downtown Winslow area where day-trippers usually visit. But scattered throughout the island are many neighborhoods, each with its own look and feel, pro’s and con’s (which is a “pro” and which a “con” depends on […]

Bainbridge is chock full of trails and paths to enjoy! From trails going in and out of the downtown area to entirely forested or beach walks, it’s so hard to choose a favorite. If you nudged us a little, we’d confess we’re pretty enamored with the latest addition to our trail system, the Hilltop property. […]

Tucked in the northeast corner of Bainbridge Island, Fay Bainbridge Park (15446 Sunrise Drive) has 17 gorgeous parkland acres for the public to enjoy. The beach holds an imposing collection of large, sea-scrubbed driftwood. The smaller pieces of wood provide fabulous materials for fort building — a perfect base for gazing out at the views […]

The Bainbridge Island Library neon Open signs are getting rave reviews. Now, instead of having to drive up to the front door to check hours, people can simply drive by. According to Lois Reitz, board member of Friends of the Library, cutbacks in library hours caused some confusion. Better signage has been […]

As It Turns Out, where you sit on the ferry says a lot about you. For instance, are you social or solitary? Do you like to play card games or gossip? For Dawna Munson, her ferry friends are like family. They gather midsection, near the bow of the boat. “It’s the place […]

Many people ask how Bainbridge compares to Mercer Island, another island close to Seattle. Here’s some 2010 census information: Mercer Island Population: 22,699 Size: 6.2 square miles Median Household Income: $121,948 Population Change from 2000 to 2010: +663 Number of Occupied Housing Units: 9,109 Public Schools – 3 elementary, 1 middle, 1 high school, 1 […]

If you’ve glanced at our pages, you’ve seen that Bainbridge Island is a unique place to live. For newcomers considering Bainbridge, many ask where else did islanders look before choosing Bainbridge. What other desirable residential areas are in Puget Sound? Here are a few, nearby locations: Mercer Island This island sits in Lake Washington with […]

Bainbridge Island has attracted many talented individuals in a variety of fields. Beyond the island’s well-known population of artists and authors, other local individuals and businesses have been receiving much acclaim lately: Brendan McGill, owner of Hitchcock Restaurant, a haven for European-inspired Northwest cuisine, recently won Food & Wine’s People’s Choice Winner Best New Chef […]

For $1,000,000, a home buyer on Bainbridge Island could expect to find an approximately 3000-square-foot (or larger) home with 3 bedrooms and 3 baths. Many will also offer a spectacular waterfront location with shoreline frontage or a beautiful water view. In that price range, a buyer will find newer constructions as well as thoughtfully remodeled […]

Bainbridge Island is one of the largest islands in Puget Sound, approximately eight miles due west of Seattle and comprises 28 square miles and 53 miles of coastline. Bainbridge’s magnificent shoreline includes both open and sheltered shores and offers a diverse terrain of bluffs, spits, estuaries, streams, tidal flats, and rocky outcroppings. All of the […]

When you live on an idyllic island in the Pacific Northwest, you can expect lots of visitors. Even the ferry ride is a tourist attraction, given the stunning view of Mount Rainier from the port side of the boat. Still, the beautiful crossing is just the start.  What to do on Bainbridge Island? Start with […]

When you live on an island, it’s bound to happen. On November 29, 2012, two weeks before she was expected, Melissa and Joe McRitchie’s baby girl Lucy was born aboard the ferry Tacoma. Perhaps you’ve heard the rumor that anyone born on a Washington State Ferry has a free pass for life. Not so, says […]

As Island landmarks go, Frog Rock is as iconic as any. Just about every islander has heard of—if not walked, driven or cycled by—this stony amphibian, but not everyone knows the story behind the legendary rock at the three-way intersection of Phelps, Spargur, and Madison. According to a 2004 Kitsap Sun article, […]

Bainbridge Islanders love their home, and they join together to take action and protect this precious resource. Here is just a sample of this passion: Bainbridge Island Land Trust – a nonprofit organization devoted to protecting and preserving the island’s natural landscape by acquiring interests in land having  significant conservation value, such as scenic vistas, […]

You’ll find that in general Bainbridge prices are more competitive compared to Seattle’s similar Eastside neighborhoods (e.g., Bellevue, Mercer Island, etc.). For example, the average island waterfront home price equaled $349 per square foot, as compared to $656 per square foot for comparable Eastside properties. Better prices and better lifestyle! According to Zillow, the typical home value […]

While businesses may come and go, there’s one island icon that is a model of longevity, celebrating 76 years in continuous operation in the same location. Now known as the Historic Lynwood Theatre, the single-screen movie house in Lynwood Center has been flickering films across its screen since 1936, when it opened as Bainbridge Island’s […]

Most people who move to Bainbridge Island don’t come here to live off the grid, reading by lantern light before a wood-burning stove. But every winter, thousands of residents are plunged into darkness when the power goes out. Again. Each year Puget Sound Energy (PSE) logs about 300 power outages on Bainbridge […]

Cars slow down whenever Senji Kanaeda walks down Madison Avenue. Wearing a vibrant saffron robe, he bangs lightly on a small hand drum, chanting in a smooth tenor. “Na-mu-myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo.” He repeats the mantra, which expresses devotion to the mystery of life. As a Buddhist monk, Kanaeda walks for peace wherever he goes—whether […]

In Fairy Tales, three is a magic number—three little pigs, three blind mice, three bowls of porridge. Over on High School Road, Chris Whited is building fairy tale house No. 3, and it’s a charmer. Inspired by a quirky building with a high-pitched roof he once saw in Cannon Beach, Chris built […]

Pickle-Ball—a sport played around the world—was invented on a rainy Bainbridge Island summer day in 1965. Despite the name, the game has nothing to do with dill or gherkins. The Pritchard family was entertaining at their Pleasant Beach cabin. The kids were stuck inside, getting on the adults’ nerves. Joel Pritchard (who […]

Bainbridge Island was a peninsula until Captain Charles Wilkes arrived in 1841. No, Wilkes didn’t excavate Agate Pass. Instead, during the first U.S. Navy exploration of the Pacific Northwest, he discovered that the landmass was surrounded by water. This discovery contradicted the previous determination by British Captain George Vancouver that our little […]