Camping on Bainbridge Island
Public camping on Bainbridge is Fay Bainbridge Park — 17 acres and 1,420 feet of saltwater beach on the northeast shore. Tents, RVs, and five cabins. Cascades and shipping lanes on a clear day. Not a walk from the ferry. Not a drop-in in July.
Reserve through the Park District. This page is how camping fits a ferry trip. The park itself — day-use beach, picnic, tides — is the Fay Bainbridge Park listing.
At a glance
Address
15446 Sunrise Drive, northeast shore. About 15 minutes from Winslow.
Book
biparks.org campground. Summer and fall fill. Most drop-ins do not get a site.
Rates
Tent $25 / night. RV $45. Cabins $105, two-night minimum. Confirm on the Park District site.
Check-in
Tents and RVs 2:30 p.m., out at 1 p.m. Cabins 3 p.m., out at 11 a.m.
Stay limit
10 nights in any 30-day stretch. Max eight people per tent or cabin site.
Wheels
Plan on a car. BI Ride is not a promise to this gate. No tourist bus from the dock.
The last boat does not come with a vacant campsite.
Book before you sail. Unreserved tent sites 41–44 can go first-come at the park the day of — that is not a plan for a Friday in August.
How to book
Reservations: online, in person, or by phone. Campsite finder and reserve on the Park District site. Credit and debit work online. Calling or paying in person by card adds a $10 convenience fee.
Office hours they publish: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday–Friday, (206) 842-0501, or [email protected]. ADA RV site 17 is phone or on-site only. Cancellations eight or more days ahead, minus $10; no refund after that. The eight days include the arrival day.
We do not take camping reservations. Neither does the ferry.
Tents, RVs, cabins
Tent sites have water nearby and restrooms. RV sites have water and electricity. Five cabins, two-night minimum, no trailers or RVs in cabin sites. Restrooms include showers. Camp hosts are on site in season (they aim for about May 1).
Sleeping in a vehicle is only allowed in RV sites and campsites 39 and 40 — nowhere else in the park. One vehicle is included with a tent or cabin; extra cars park in general lots for a fee.
The beach is the reason people stay. Tide changes it completely. Check tides before you promise kids a wide sandbar. Shellfish harvest is prohibited here to protect eelgrass. No beach fires.
Ferry and the drive
From the Seattle–Winslow boat: stay on Hwy 305 about five miles to the brown park sign, right on Day Road NE, then left on Sunrise Drive NE for 1.7 miles. The entrance is on the right. From Poulsbo you cross Agate Pass and turn left on Day Road instead.
Day-use is dawn to dusk. Overnight guests are the exception after dark. Guests of campers count as day-use and leave at dusk.
Gear argues for a car. A determined person with a backpack can try Kitsap Transit plus a taxi. Coolers, kids, and a wet tent in the morning are why people drive on. No car reservations on this ferry. Schedule and holding-lot cameras. How you got to the dock: getting here.
Fires, pets, quiet hours
- Quiet hours 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Generators 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., RV sites only.
- Fires in rings only, flame under two feet. No driftwood collecting. Firewood may be free in the park; if not, buy it — kiosks list vendors.
- Fireworks are illegal on Bainbridge, including in parks.
- Pets leashed, eight feet max, picked up after. Allowed in cabins. Not in restrooms unless they are service dogs.
- Minors cannot rent or occupy a site overnight without an adult staying the whole visit.
- No drones — bald eagles nest here.
- No smoking in cabins, restrooms, or picnic shelters.
Full rule sheet lives on the Park District campground page. They will expel people who ignore it, without a refund.
If you are not camping
Day-use Fay is still one of the best beaches on the island. Picnic, restrooms (winter water can close them), Cascades, Mount Rainier or Baker on a clear day. It is a destination, not a twenty-minute look. Nature day with one stop: nature itinerary.
Other beds: hotels and inns. Do not show up at 10 p.m. hoping the camp host has a surprise tent pad.
The Explore Bainbridge app
Live ferry so you are not guessing the morning boat. Free. explorebainbridge.com.
FAQ
Where can I camp on Bainbridge Island?
Fay Bainbridge Park on the northeast shore is the public campground: tents, RVs with water and electricity, and five cabins. It is a Park District campground, not a walk from the ferry. Reserve at biparks.org. Summer and fall fill. Most drop-ins do not get a site.
How much does Fay Bainbridge camping cost?
Park District rates at last check: tent sites $25 a night, RV sites $45, cabins $105 with a two-night minimum. Confirm on biparks.org before you book. Phone and in-person card payments add a $10 convenience fee.
Do I need a car to camp at Fay?
Plan on one. Fay is about 15 minutes from Winslow. There is no tourist bus from the dock. BI Ride is not a promise to this gate. Kitsap Transit and a taxi can work if you travel light; gear and coolers argue for a car.
Can I have a fire on the beach?
No. Beach fires are prohibited. Fires are only in campsite and cabin fire rings, or picnic-shelter fireplaces, and the flame must stay under two feet. Do not gather driftwood. Fireworks are illegal on the island.
Are dogs allowed?
Leashed, no more than eight feet, picked up after. Pets are allowed in cabins. They are not allowed in restroom buildings unless they are service dogs.