Welcome to Bainbridge Island

A 35-minute ferry from downtown Seattle. Walkable Winslow, Bloedel Reserve, beaches, a troll, and the courts where pickleball was invented. Written by people who live here.

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Pickleball was invented
on Bainbridge Island
in 1965.

A summer afternoon, a badminton court, a wiffle ball, and some plywood paddles at the Pritchard place. Six decades later the public courts at Battle Point are the pilgrimage, and the camera tells you if a game is on before you drive over.

Everything pickleball, one page
Live · Founders Courts Live photo of the courtsOpen play Mon–Fri 9–noon · tap to see who’s there
An Island Evening Surprise Week 41

Photo of the Week

An Island Evening Surprise

A soft rainbow appeared over the water during a six-week visit from Austin, with a Washington State ferry gliding through the view. Even without Mount Rainier, the familiar ferry crossing made the Bainbridge shoreline feel especially memorable.

Photo by Kirsten Robinett

Trivia of the Week

Our beloved Frog Rock has been watching traffic at Madison and Phelps for decades. What year did he first turn green?

  1. 1955
  2. 1963
  3. 1971
  4. 1984

Pick one. We’ll show you if you got it right.

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