Any Seattle/Bainbridge commuters posting here? We’re vacationing on the Kitsap Peninsula in a couple of weeks, and plan to take the Bainbridge Ferry to cross the Sound.
I consulted the WSDOT website, and got directions on how to come at the ferries from the south. Once I’m fairly in town, they have me driving north on 519, then turning left on Yesler Way, then driving into the terminal.
However when I drop street view guy from Google maps right at that last crucial step, it doesn’t look like you can drive straight along Yesler across Alaskan Way and right up into the terminal. Granted, the dates of the street view images are all over the place, construction has been going on, and probably now everything is straightened out, but I’m nervous.
I ride those ferries several times a week. The Seattle terminal is a mess, due to construction. But, there’s an easy way. Just head west on Madison Street until you hit the water. Turn Left, go about 2 blocks and you hit the ferry entrance. The other easy way is from the North, just go down the waterfront on Alaska Way.
Beware, this is a very popular ferry with commuters. Anything between 3 and 6 pm is going to be crowded. PM me if you want more info.
ETA: You can go down Yesler, but there is a sign that says “right turn only” that prohibits you from getting on the ferry. Many people do it anyway.
It seems like if you’re coming up from the south along 1st Ave (FYI, I don’t think 519 is ever signed as 519) the easiest thing to do would be instead of going all the way to Yesler, take a soft left onto Railroad street right after the football stadium and then get on Alaskan Way there. Then you can turn left into the ferry terminal.
Procrustus has good advice. I just took this ferry today from the I-90 express lanes that hit 5th Avenue, and got caught in the maze of closures and one way streets while attempting a naive Westerly route. Still made it in time.
The ferries are very impressive, especially coming back in the evening. Even packed with commuters and cars their turnaround time for unloading and loading was impressive to watch.
We’re staying in a vacation home on the Hood Canal, just north of the submarine base. We plan to visit Olympic National Park, Poulsbo, Port Townsend and whatever else seems interesting.
Procrustus’s advice seems most sound to me. We’ll be traveling on a Saturday, so I’m not too worried about traffic in downtown Seattle.
Consider Port Gamble (lunch The General Store and then wandering around), Point No Point Lighthouse, the naval undersea museum, the beach at Kitsap Memorial park, and if you’re up for a tad of a drive, the oyster beach at Dosewallips State Park at low tide. Bring your wellies.
Bainbridge Island has a couple Zagat-rated restaurants, if you’re into that. I love Hitchcock.
Say hey to my family, who all abandoned me to move out there. But really, Poulsbo? It wasn’t the slightest bit interesting any time I’ve been there (home of older brother and now mom, who used to live on the Hood Canal). And 30 years ago Port Townsend was still cute, in a “town that time forgot” way, but time remembered and now it’s just touristy. Might as well stay home. Plenty of pricey restaurants near home, too.
Heh. We’ve been to Poulsbo and we like it. But that’s because (1) we’re old, and (2) I’m Norwegian. Oh, and (3) last time we were there, we saw Bill Gates and his family at a low-key, touristy restaurant.
This is a sort of unspoken scouting trip for small towns to retire to.
As long as you’re in the area, swing by Sequim. Everyone retires there for a reason.
And you pretty much always need to be worried about traffic in downtown Seattle. It tends to be worse during evening rush hour, but it can get bad at any time for no particular reason at all.
