"Bainbridge Island is changing, like every other town on the periphery of a metropolitan area. Unlike a lot of other fringe towns, Bainbridge Island can display its living history on the waterfront instead of as an afterthought of dusty old photographs and maps in the library or town hall." - "Seattle Times" editorial, Nov. 12, 2005
Bainbridge Island is the place to which most Seattleites at some point in their lives have dreamed of retiring. It's a place of magical vistas, dozens of quaint, idyllic coves and sweeping shorelines. And it sits off of Seattle's coastline like a stunning but vexing reminder to harried city workers who don't live on Bainbridge of just how perfect and ritzy Northwest living can be. Those city stiffs who do live here -- and they account for about 60 percent of Bainbridge residents -- brave the ferry lines to Seattle regularly. Rain or snow, summer sun or record tempest, islanders spend at least 70 minutes a day commuting. And unlike with suburban travel, getting a late start doesn't mean you can sneak into the commuter lane when no one's looking; it means you wait for another ferry. And sometimes, you wait some more. But it also means that as a 21st-century Bainbridge resident you are privy to some of the best ferry services in the state. The days of the hardy yellow-slickered islander stepping off the ferry in pouring rain are thankfully a part of the past. Today's common attire of the ferry foot soldier is a Tesla Model S, Nissan Leaf or the ever-convenient sharing economy Zipcar. With Bainbridge property among the priciest in Washington, that exclusive address is evidence that in the islands of the Northwest, it is possible to live remotely, play hard, and have it all.
Be a Tourist First
