Washington State Ferries

A very romantic ride to a very romantic place. Bring your honey there for a wonderful time. You can’t miss. Also check out Doc’s Bar and Grill when you’re there. You can’t lose.

If someone tells you to ride the big marina Ferris wheel for the best view of Seattle– they’re wrong. The best view of Seattle and the Sound is always from a ferry! For a quick 25 minutes on way you can spend a couple hours exploring Bainbridge Island’s restaurants, ale houses, and marinas, and the view (day or night) on the ferry back will be fantastic. Most WSDOT ferries also serve wine and draft beer, so you can have a glass and unwind early…
Plus… The cost is barely over $ 8.00 per person, walking on, round trip! That big wheel on the waterfront is typically $ 13.00 for 10 – 15 minutes. You want the best view? This is the best deal.

A state with a difficult geography when it comes to water, Washington, is given it’s due. The Washington State Ferries take people from place to place as commuters because the islands are sprinkled around. Their bottom lets people drive their cars on to it and just sit in their car the whole ride. Plenty of food, information and power outlets are available. Prices reflect its use for commuting.
It was a great pleasure to go to Bainbridge Island from Seattle. The power outlets may be bound to your navigation skills in finding them. Plenty of restrooms are onboard. The views are beautiful at times. Prices for onboard food are usually moderate but the minimum rises with chips at a dollar seventy five for a small bag. The information is in copious amounts of pamphlets. Commuters are free to roam all over ship, and have possibilities in both floors and whether inside or outside.
She will please you.

I’ve ridden the ferry from downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island a couple of times while on vacation. It is a great and inexpensive way to catch some great views, at $ 8.10 for and adult and about $ 4 for a child. If you for some reason have a car, you may actually find it a greater value and less of a pain to take your car on the ferry than to find parking in downtown Seattle (there’s no parking at the terminal). We took our car on once and thought the loading process was very streamlined (plus our kid got a real kick out of it). These boats, while old and large, are quite comfortable and spacious inside, unlike some commuter ferries in other states. You *can* buy beer and food, but unlike other commuter ferries I’ve used, you have to consume them in the café area (no enjoying that brew from the comfort of your seat).

Giving this place high marks. I was very impressed with it all. Great design in that you literally run into where you purchase your tickets.
There are plenty of signs leading you at every step. The ferry we took (to Bainbridge Island) left right on time.
The station is clean and the staff is efficient.
For somewhat nervous unsure travelers, no worries… it’s an easy maneuver kinda place.
The trip to Bainbridge is so worth the ride, enjoy!

After riding the ferry for the past 6 months as a walk on, it has grown on me as my favorite transportation. They still have kinks in the system (see below), but as a walk on I don’t worry about any delays or issues with the ferry. It’s normally on time and gets you there on time. It can be rocky during storms and the fog can be scary because you can’t see a foot in front of you. However, the views are beautiful. There’s coffee and snacks on the ferry. The bathrooms have outlets if you need to curl your hair in the morning. There is also kiosk with brochures about Washington if you are a visitor or want to explore the area. The ferry can be cold so bring a jacket. It is very busy during mornings and evenings with commuters during the week. I have heard that some cars don’t make the ferry during rush hour because the ferry does fill up fast.
PREVIOUS REVIEW (Still True): This location does not have Orca reload options– but Kitsap does. The ferry is a great way transportation option, but they make different rules for different locations. This is very disappointing that one ferry terminal would have different services.

This was a great experience and day trip while visiting Seattle. The ferry is $ 8/​person both ways. We took the complementary shuttle to the casino on the island, which was great. We spent couple hours there and then headed back to the downtown area. We walked around to all the little shops and even did some wine tasting. Taking the 4:30 ferry back was a great idea because we got to see the Seattle skyline in the dark and all light up! Amazing views! Would definitely recommend.

The ferries are fun to ride! They serve beer on them. All the staff is friendly. It would be a great improvement if you could take your drinks outside the small food area.

Looking for things to do in Seattle? The Washington State Ferries offer some great options. Popular with commuters, other locals and tourists they run all over the area. The two I have ridden the most are the shorter Bainbridge Island and the longer Bremerton which takes you to close to the Naval base. Note: I have only ridden the car ferries, usually without a car.
I have only taken their lines to close by ports. The ride is fun with great views. The upper deck is mostly open air where you get the best views also they have. The lower passenger deck is enclosed and warmer. This lower passanger deck is where the food concession is. Bellow the passenger decks are the vehicle decks.
The ferries are not luxurious by any means, but they are clean and fun. Their is usually plenty of seating. I spend most of my time on the top deck. Were I can see the views best, Then watch the landing.
It is a fun way to spend some time and see a bit more of the area!

Pretty impressed by this. 8 bucks get u to and from the island. You can buy food and drinks on board (even vegan food although not the best food to be honest). But the views are great and the boat is big enough that I had zero spells of sea sickness. Would definitely do this again

Cheap and convenient!
My husband and I took a ferry to Bainbridge during our visit to Seattle. It was a great way to see the city skyline from the water and enjoy a slower side to the area in comparison to the city. Bainbridge was beautiful and offered plenty of shops and restaurants to peruse through. You can also rent a bike or walk down to the beach.
The ferry was cheap and they run pretty regularly. Roughly every hour or so. Return for walk on passengers comes at no additional charge. You can sit completely inside, outside along either side, or technically outside but under an overhead cover and see through walls shielding you on either side of the boat.
There are refreshments available for an additional price. You can get some pretty decent pictures (selfies if you choose) of the skyline which is awesome!

I really love taking the ferry to Bainbridge. It is much faster than driving and you get some of the very best views of Seattle from the ferry terminal. Pricing is always better to walk on, since you only have to pay leaving Seattle, not coming back. Street parking around Pike Place is $ 2.50 an hour and then it’s a short walk along the waterfront to get to the ferry terminal.
My last car (Mercedes SUV) never liked the ferry ride and the alarm would go off every time I left it to go upstairs. Not sure why.
I would have given it a 5-​star rating however there is a $ 5 minimum at the restaurant on board and most items are in the $ 3.50−4.50 range, meaning you will have to spend closer to $ 10. I find this annoying.

When we visit Seattle we have to find a way to ride the Ferry. We chose to take the Bainbridge Ferry over to the island and have lunch and just walk around and enjoy the area. For only $ 8 you get to ride on a very clean and well run boat and enjoy the beautiful views from the water of Seattle. There are a number of Ferries that go to various places especially to the outer islands. There are also ones that you can drive a car on and then drive off with ease. A must fun activity.

The ferry ride from downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island was my favorite part of our vacation to Seattle — and it only cost $ 8! $ 8 will buy you a round-​trip ticket, a comfortable boat ride, and magnificent views of the Seattle skyline.
The dock is easy to get to, whether your on foot, by bus, by taxi, etc. Ferries come and go frequently, unless you’re going at an odd time of the day.
I rode a ferry in Toronto last summer, and the Seattle ferry is far superior. There is a nearly unlimited amount of space, with lots of room on the deck to sidle up to the railings to take some stellar photos of the scenery. I didn’t have to throw any elbows or booty bump anyone out of the way. We stood most of the ride, which I think was 20 – 30 minutes, but time passes quickly with so much to look at.
If sitting still and missing all of the beauty is more your speed, or sea sickness has you concerned, there are plenty of seats available inside; and you can barely feel any movement.
We rode the ferry to Bainbridge Island due to it’s popularity and the likelihood we could find something to do. We decided to eat lunch on the island and walk around, by the time we were done, it was time to get on a return ferry.
The ride alone is worthwhile even if you don’t have a destination in mind.

Take the bus here and you’ve got an easy ride around the sound to whichever island you want. Bainbridge Island is the closest spot at only 35 minute ferry ride. The other islands are there but will of course take longer. At $ 8 for a trip, its definitely worth it. While you’re on the ferry, go grab a cup of Ivar’s while you’re at it! Easy to get on and find a seat or even go outside to catch the Seattle skyline on the way back to port!

$ 8 for a round trip ride. Pretty much hourly ferries and it’s roughly a 15 minute ride. Not a bad wait. Traveled on a Saturday afternoon. Not a bad wait either way. I brought my 85lb dog with me and had no issues. Just make sure your pup can handle crowds or you’ll slow everyone down.
I didn’t see a need to bring the car. Some people will pay for parking on the Seattle side only to be rushed with their timing while out on an island. Others will pay to bring their car only to also pay for overpriced parking. If you can handle a couple miles of walking, it’s not bad at all. If you need to take breaks, just stop for a wine tasting. It’s not far from the terminal at all. Enjoy!

You probably know this place, even if you’ve never been here. Dr. Seuss even wrote about it once. Sort of.
He called it «The Waiting Place.»
Waiting for a boat to go or a bus to come,
or a taxi to go or the limo to come,
or the rain to fall or a phone to ring,
or the water to flow,
or waiting around for a Yes or No,
or wondering why the ferry is slow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for a sandwich to eat,
or waiting for a burrito to bite,
or waiting around on a Friday night,
or waiting, perhaps, for their mom or dad,
or wi-​fi to connect, for their ‘Breaking Bad,‘
or a bathroom that’s clean, while doing the Dance,
or a boat they missed, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

It couldn’t be any easier to get on the ferry. The only downfall is the construction on the street before you turn in. But it’s extremely quick, you pay for your ticket, follow the signs to where your destination is & you wait to board the ferry.
The ferry itself is great! Cleaner than what I had expected (especially for the bathrooms) & plenty of space to get a good view of Seattle. We went on a Sunday so it was pretty jam packed, but it didn’t feel crowded when we were moving around.
Price seems a little high to ride, on the way over they charged me for my car & my passenger (which was my 6 year old) & it ended up costing me over $ 20 one way, but it was worth it. What a gorgeous day & a fun time in Bainbridge (until we had to wait to get back on the ferry to come home…).
Entrance/​exit is so close to I-​5 & downtown Seattle, there’s so much you can do in the area too.

Eight buckaroos for a round trip to Bainbridge island? Who can beat that! Buying a ticket is a breeze and there is lots of open space on the ferry, with no shortage of seats. Feels like you’re taking a cruise. The ferry is clean, no litter, not even seagull poop. Some great photo opportunities along the ride.
Boarding takes a bit of time, between a couple hundred people and cars, so show up 15 minutes before the ferry leaves.

This was one of my most favorite things I did when I visited Seattle. No need to make reservations, we showed up 30min before the next ferry was scheduled to leave with no problem to get tickets. All the other ferries charge $ 25+ each person, this was $ 8 each. Very affordable, it takes you to Bainbridge and back, no need to get off the ferry which was nice. I recommend this if you are being a tourist for the day. Good experience.
$ 8 each
So much space to sit outdoor or indoor
Full bar
No line