Two communities, each just ferry ride away from downtown—but they each feel like a whole other world.

Courtesy Bloedel Reserve

Bainbridge Island

Enjoy a relaxing ferry ride to visit this laid-back island with alluring eateries, wineries, boutiques, and parks.

Explore

You can drive, bike, or catch a bus to explore the quiet, pastoral side of the island, including serenely scenic Bloedel Reserve (7571 NE Dolphin Dr), which is especially lovely in the spring when its colorful gardens are abloom, and the moving Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial (4195 Eagle Harbor Dr NE), where signs and trails commemorate the tragic incarceration of nearly 300 island residents during World War II. Near the ferry terminal, you’ll find two excellent museums in the main village of Winslow, the touch-friendly Kids Discovery Museum (301 Ravine Ln NE) and the free Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (550 Winslow Way E).

Eat and Drink

Warm up on a cool day with wood-fired pizzas and a glass of local red wine at Bruciato (236 Winslow Way E), or refined Vietnamese cuisine at the trendy bistro Ba Sa (101 Winslow Way E). Head to the convivial Harbour Public House (231 Parfitt Way SW) for tasty gastropub fare and views of the water. Nearby Pegasus Coffee House (131 Parfitt Way SW) is a warmly inviting space with a fireplace and a nice selection of coffees and local beers. Sample island vino at the downtown tasting rooms of Eagle Harbor Wine Co (400 Winslow Way E) and Eleven Winery (287 Winslow Way E).

Shop

Indie retailers—including Salt House Mercantile (119 Winslow Way E), with its natural balms and body scrubs, and Danger (285 Winslow Way E), which carries mostly locally crafted art and furnishings—line the streets of charming Winslow. Pick up reading material for the ferry at Eagle Harbor Book Company (157 Winslow Way E) and outdoorsy apparel and hiking gear at Wildernest (310 Winslow Way E).

Courtesy the Boat Shed

Bremerton

Getting to this friendly Navy town entails a picturesque half-hour ferry ride from Seattle.

Explore

From the ferry terminal, it’s a short walk to salt-aired Harborside Fountain Park (251 First St), with its whale-inspired copper fountains and waterside benches. There are two excellent places to learn about Bremerton’s storied military heritage: the Puget Sound Navy Museum (251 First St) and the USS Turner Joy (300 Washington Beach Ave), a 1950s naval destroyer that served in the Vietnam War and now operates as a waterfront museum. A few blocks inland, kids enjoy seeing the colorful exhibits at the Valentinetti Puppet Museum (280 Fourth St), and the 1940s Roxy Theatre (270 Fourth St) presents movies and occasional live music shows.

Eat and Drink

Bremerton has a pair of notable food hubs: The Manette neighborhood lies across Port Washington Narrows and is home to nationally acclaimed Saboteur Bakery (2110 E 11th St), which dispenses ethereal sweet and savory pastries; and the Boat Shed (101 Shore Dr), a casual seafooder with a wall of windows overlooking the water. Closer to downtown museums, you can dine on wood-fired pizzas at Evergreen Pizza Co. (1223 McKenzie Ave) and enjoy a pint of beer and occasional live music at friendly Dog Days Brewing (260 Fourth St).

Shop

You’ll find interesting shops in Bremerton’s historic downtown, among them the Bremerton Mercantile (402 Pacific Ave), a modern general store stocked with whimsical gifts and artwork, and Collective Visions Gallery (331 Pacific Ave), which showcases works by nearly two dozen regional artists. On Saturdays year-round, the Bremerton Vintage Flea (816 Pacific Ave) draws bargain hunters for antiques and retro treasures.