A pickleball weekend on Bainbridge Island
Come from Seattle. This is an overnight with pickleball, not a walk around downtown. Sleep in Lynwood, the village on the south end of the island. Drive to the public pickleball courts at Battle Point Park. Eat. You need a car, or rides you have already booked.
This page is not the live photo of the courts. That camera answers “is anyone playing right now.” Battle Point is the park itself. How pickleball started here in 1965 is a different story: how pickleball got started. Hours, indoor courts, and the club are on pickleball on Bainbridge Island. This page is where to sleep, when to play, and when to catch the boat home.
Looking for things to do on Bainbridge Island or a day trip from Seattle? Start on the visitor guide. This page is a pickleball weekend with a hotel, not the full visitor guide.
How long you have
On weekdays the club runs morning open play. May through September, Monday and Wednesday are the easy mornings: paddle in the rack, two games, then off. Tuesday and Thursday are rated 3.0 and up. Friday you register by 8 a.m. October through April, a group of four uses a whiteboard. A Saturday overnight is first come, first served. Look at the camera before you drive to the west side of the island. The by-day rules are on that page. Confirm them on the club’s open-play page.
| Time on the island | Do this | Skip |
|---|---|---|
| One night | Check in, play a real session, eat dinner, sleep, take a boat home the next day with time to spare. | Bloedel Reserve plus bagels in Rolling Bay plus a last boat you might miss. |
| Two days | Play pickleball in one stretch. Use the other stretch for Bloedel Reserve or bagels in Rolling Bay. Not both between games. | Treating the inn as a place to dump bags while you drive the whole island. |
| Weekday morning | May–September: Monday and Wednesday, paddle in the rack, two games to 11, then off. Tuesday and Thursday are 3.0 and up. Friday, register by 8 a.m. October–April: four names on the whiteboard. Know the kitchen (the no-volley zone at the net) before you walk on. | Assuming Saturday uses the weekday morning hours. |
| No car | BI Ride, Kitsap Transit’s cheap shuttle, can take you to Pleasant Beach for the inn. The courts still need a booked taxi, Uber, or Lyft each way. | Walking from the ferry to Battle Point. You cannot. |
The stay
The Inn at Pleasant Beach is at 4699 NE Woodson Lane, in Lynwood. Fireplaces, balconies, restaurants you can walk to. Book it because you want to stay in that village, not because you missed the last boat. Other hotels: places to stay.
Coffee in the village: The Marketplace at Pleasant Beach at 4738 Lynwood Center Road NE. Listed hours have been 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Saturday. Confirm before you plan brunch around it. Saturday morning backup is Briny Bagels in Rolling Bay: Friday through Sunday, 7 a.m. until 2 or until they sell out. Closed Monday through Thursday. Go early.
The courts
The Founders Courts are the public pickleball courts inside Battle Point Park at 11299 Arrow Point Drive NE, on the west side of the island. First come, first served. About twelve minutes from downtown Winslow, longer from Lynwood. Not a walk from the ferry. Restrooms are in the park.
Look at the camera, then drive. The camera page has the by-day rules for a first visit: paddle rack, whiteboard, and which morning does not list a skill rating. Know how to serve and how the kitchen works before you step onto a busy court. The park page has the rest of Battle Point: playground, disc golf, summer concerts. Do not turn this weekend into a playground day unless that was already the plan.
Eat
The restaurants on this plan are in Winslow, downtown, not next to the courts. After you play, you drive.
- Proper Fish at 112 Madison Ave N. Fish and chips. The listing tip is to share a plate. Check hours. Many restaurants are closed Monday and Tuesday.
- Sweetwater Tavern at 150 Madrone Lane N, one block off Winslow Way. Sit down for a beer. Confirm they are open that night.
- Stay in the village: Treehouse Cafe is a walk from the inn. Pizza. No reservation. Call the office for a large group.
Only if you planned it
Bloedel Reserve is the famous garden. Timed ticket. About two hours on the grounds. North end of the island. Not on the way from the courts to the inn. Buy the ticket first. Skip a session of pickleball if you add it. Do not squeeze the garden in between games and the last boat.
Bagels in Rolling Bay are the other extra. Same rule: pick one extra, not a loop of the whole island.
Getting home
Checking out of the inn is not a reason to gamble the last ferry.
If you are a foot passenger back to Seattle that day, be in the terminal earlier than you think. Live times are in the app. Check the schedule that morning. If you are staying another night, you do not need that boat.
Skip
- Walking off the ferry with no ride to the courts. Battle Point is not downtown.
- Bloedel, bagels, Winslow dinner, and a tight last boat around one session of pickleball.
- Walking onto a busy court if you do not know the no-volley zone at the net.
- Using this page to see who is playing right now. That is the camera.
FAQ
Do I need a car for a pickleball weekend?
Yes, or rides you already booked. The Inn at Pleasant Beach is in Lynwood, the village on the south end. The public pickleball courts are at Battle Point Park on the west side. Neither is a walk from the ferry. BI Ride, Kitsap Transit’s cheap shuttle, can get you to the inn. The courts still need a taxi, Uber, or Lyft.
When can a visitor just show up and play?
Weekday mornings are when locals run open play: you put your paddle in line and join the next game. Weekend play is first come, first served. Confirm hours on the club site. Look at the live court camera before you drive to the west side.
Is this the page with the court camera?
No. The live photo of the courts is on Is Anyone Playing Pickleball. Battle Point Park is how to visit the park. This page is where to sleep, when to play, where to eat, and when to catch the boat home.
Can I add Bloedel the same weekend?
Yes if you already have a timed ticket and you skip a session of pickleball. Bloedel Reserve is the famous garden. Two hours on the grounds, north end of the island, not on the way from the courts to the inn. Do not squeeze the garden in between games and a last boat you might miss.
Where do I eat if the Marketplace is closed Saturday?
Briny Bagels in Rolling Bay is Friday through Sunday, 7 a.m. until 2 or until they sell out. Go early. Dinner is Proper Fish or Sweetwater in downtown Winslow, or Treehouse next to the inn. Confirm hours. Many restaurants are closed Monday and Tuesday.
On the phone
This same plan is in our free phone app, Explore Bainbridge. Download it on the ferry. Open the Itineraries tab and tap Pickleball Getaway.
The app shows a map of each stop. This page is the plan: the order, the car, and what to skip so you do not miss the boat to Seattle.
iPhone and Android. No account. explorebainbridge.com.
