# Seattle/Bainbridge Ferry advice sought **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 6, 2015, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750 "2015-10-06T21:28:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/1 "2015-10-06T21:28:53Z")
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. Does anybody have first-hand knowledge? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/2 "2015-10-06T21:34:53Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/3 "2015-10-07T00:43:37Z")
Here’s a page that has the latest on what the traffic situation is as the construction moves forward (or doesn’t…): [http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Viaduct/Traffic/Ferry](http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Viaduct/Traffic/Ferry) 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. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/4 "2015-10-07T04:36:57Z")
**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. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/5 "2015-10-07T05:16:09Z")
(pleased that she now lives in a place sometimes mentioned on the Dope) Where-all are you headed on the Kitsap Peninsula? I can point you to some of the good spots 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/6 "2015-10-07T05:25:20Z")
You could come visit me in Silverdale. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/7 "2015-10-07T12:16:23Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/8 "2015-10-07T18:27:33Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > 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.** Still give yourself plenty of time. Traffic’s bad even on Saturdays due to the construction mess and with the waterfront/market being a touristy area. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/9 "2015-10-07T19:21:18Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > 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. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/10 "2015-10-07T20:01:14Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > **Procrustus** ’s advice seems most sound to me. I see what you did there. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/11 "2015-10-07T20:42:46Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > 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 _9th Avenue, stop at Vito’s Restaurant for the Italian food and then head down to_ the water. There I fixed your answer for you. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/12 "2015-10-07T21:08:52Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > 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. There is a [tapas](http://burratabistro-paellabar.com) resturant in Poulsbo that is first rate. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/13 "2015-10-09T02:59:59Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > 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. Poulsbo? I thought you said interesting. 😕 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. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/14 "2015-10-09T13:00:59Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/15 "2015-10-09T18:20:54Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seattle-bainbridge-ferry-advice-sought/733750/16 "2015-10-09T18:38:43Z")
If you check the traffic and it looks like it’s going to be snarled downtown, taking the Edmonds-Kingston ferry could also be an option.