I expected Fay Bainbridge Park to be just a list item on my larger things to do in Bainbridge roundup, but after spending a half day at this park, I decided it deserved an article all its very own. It’s just that good. From its beautiful beach to its awesome playground to camping sites, here’s why you should consider spending some time at Fay Bainbridge Park.

What You Need to Know:

• Fay Bainbridge Park is located at 15446 Sunrise Drive, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110.
• The park is about an hour from Seattle, including about 35 minutes on a ferry. It’s also about an hour from Tacoma coming via Highway 3 and Highway 305.
• The park is 17 acres and has 1,420 feet of shoreline.
• You can camp in traditional campsites, RV sites, and cabins at this park.
• There is no day-use fee.

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All About the Beach

We came to this park first and foremost because of the beach. The beach is not massive, but at 1,420 feet, it’s long enough to spend some time exploring and digging in the sand. Traveling with a toddler means beaches are just about the best thing ever. We came armed with a shovel and a bucket and spent at least an hour wandering along the sand.

The beach is not a wide-open stretch of sand, but instead has a stretch of driftwood before you get to the shore. Younger kids will need help navigating the driftwood, but will likely love exploring all the nooks and crannies along the way (especially if you put a quarter in said nooks and crannies here and there and tell them its treasure so they’re motivated to look for more. Tell them you’ll hold their treasure while they look, then rehide it. Endless fun.)

The beach is also covered in seashells – giant clam shells and oyster shells especially.

Alternately, if you don’t have kids with you, look for some of the Adirondack chairs along the shore where you can kick back and enjoy the view. On clear days, you can see Mt. Rainier and Mt. Baker from here. You can just barely see the top of some Seattle buildings and some of the cranes at Harbor Island in the distance. Keep an eye out for wildlife as well. You might spot seals, all kinds of seabirds, and more just standing on shore and looking outward.

Play at the Playground

Let it be known that the playground is not huge, but it is awesome. It’s in the shape of a pirate ship, so what could be better? If your child is too young to climb on the ship or just not so inclined, then never fear. Surrounding the ship is a giant sandbox with nice, clean sand in it, even when we visited in the middle of a very rainy February. Bring along a shovel and bucket.

Camp Overnight

Fay Bainbridge Park also has a campground. There are 14 tent sites, 26 RV sites, and 3 cabins all for pretty reasonable prices. There is no dump station for RVs. Reservations can only be made online and most of the spots can be reserved (the accessible site and hiker/biker/kayaker sites can’t be reserved). The RV sites all have electricity and water hookups and most accommodate RVs up to 30 feet with a couple that can go up to 40 feet.

The cabins were added just in the past few years and are adorable. They’re located in a wooded area up on the hill leading down to the beach and each had a place to park cars and a grill outside. They were also located a little bit away from the tent campground, if you prefer your camping situation a little on the quieter side.

There’s a small camping host hut that was not open when we visited in off season, but likely is open more during the later spring and summer peak season. When it’s open, you can buy firewood here.

There are two bathrooms onsite as well. One of them had coin-op showers. I won’t say they were luxurious showers, but having a shower at a campsite is a big boon in my opinion.

Enjoy a Picnic

If you want to bring along a picnic or have an event at this park, it’s also a great spot for events. There were picnic tables galore, several of which had grills. We sat an enjoyed a picnic lunch in one of the shelters that even had a fireplace (not lit while we were there on a sunny February afternoon, though, but I imagine if you book this space, you can light a fire in it).

All and all, Fay Bainbridge Park is a stellar place to spend half a day, a whole day, or even stay overnight. Fay Bainbridge Park is located at 15446 Sunrise Drive, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110.

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