For anyone like me who knew very little about ferries and made a pretty last-minute decision to…read moretake this one, fear not! It's easy to catch this one, at least speaking for the Bainbridge Island to Seattle way. Despite the last-minute decision, I was able to research enough to find a crowd calendar-style document on the Washington State Department of Transportation website advising about how frequently each departure is full or not. This gave me peace of mind that if I timed things well, the longest I'd have to wait is for the next departure time. Also, in scoping out directions to get on the ferry, I could see from Google Maps (satellite view) that there is a dedicated lane on the road/highway leading up to the ferry where cars can line up at peak times. There were also lots of signs in the area directing drivers towards the ferry, which I learned after going off my original route to seek out a bathroom beforehand (lol). So upon approaching the loading area for cars, there are booths to pay for passage, and the staff will direct you which lane to drive up and wait. Then when it's time to get on, follow the lanes and directions from other staff to pull up, and you're good! And free to explore the rest of the ferry. Unfortunately, the skies were not clear on the day we took the ferry, so I can't speak to any sights along the route, but maybe that just means I'll need to give it another go sometime :)

Purchased a pedestrian ticket which is $11.35 from Seattle to Bainbridge (pedestrian is free from…read moreBainbridge to Seattle). Everything was smooth regarding the purchase, boarding, ~30 minute ride, and dismissal to the island. Ferry for our return to Seattle arrived after to island several minutes after it was supposed to have departed. Wasn't a big deal as a pedestrian with a free schedule, but folks with a tight fit might want to allow a little more cushion in their planning. Driving a car on the ferry seemed like it would be a different animal as they were backed up in the parking lanes waiting to load on both ends. Not sure if they were all accommodated or had to wait for the next ferry, but I don't believe they take reservations for such things.

The ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge island was so fun! I am notoriously nauseated on boats and the…read moreferry was smooth! The views out the windows were fantastic, there's plenty of room, and we got to work on some community puzzles on the way home. True to form - just 35 minutes each way. $35 ish for 3 of us, round trip! Probably the most difficult thing was parking our car. Booked a spot in advance and it was a good 15 minute walk away. Now having been to Bainbridge, I'd probably bring the car so we could explore more on the other side.

The Seattle-Bainbridge Island route is one of several operated by the Washington State Ferries…read moresystem, which is the largest ferry network in the United States!!! And my first time experiencing anything like it. My friend Emma drove us on with her car, but you can walk or bike on. The ferry ride itself continues to be one of the most iconic travel experiences in the Seattle area. Seattle skyline, Mount Rainier, and the surrounding islands we were able to see so clearly on this beautiful hot day. The ferry's name comes from the word wenatch in the Yakama laguage, which means "river flowing from canyon". Such a wonderful experience so glad we had perfect weather and the best company to enjoy the day with.

Lisa in the cafeteria galley on the Anacortas to Orcas run was lovely, attentive, and so fun to…read moretalk to. A highlight of what can be a boring commute - thank you Lisa!

Lifelong Washington state resident who travels frequently on the Seattle:Bainbridge run and it is…read moreso sporadic-boats you plan on taking ate 15-30 minutes late, we tried catching a Seattle to Bainbridge ferry tonight that was due to leave at 9:40 and it still had not left Seattle at 10::40/it was over an HOUR late and they just dropped two runs, a 9 PM and a 9:40. If you plan on needing a reliable form of transportation sadly this is not it. Somehow WSF managed to make it work for the FIFA in Seattle but once that ended they sadly regressed to their old ways.

not my first ferry but the first driving s vehicle onto…read more It was cool Me my parents and my nieces and nephew took a random trip (thanks covey (nickname for covid) to seattle cuz pops wanted seafood so we drove from Utah to Washington got into the city checked into our hotel and then did the sightseeing thing at the needle greys anatomy Bruce Lee stuff like that but my favorite part was this boat ride You know, cars are like people so you don't want to be like shoulder to shoulder with some people cuz bubble but (not bubble butt. That's different) yeah this boat ride was fun for us We liked the views of the city fading off into the distance and the mountain that looks like the volcano that destroyed Pompeii. Didn't see any whales or wildlife maybe cuz humans chased em away with their stinky odor The vending machines were probably broken cuz we fed em so much People were nice and we all did a fantastic job at the social distance thing. I think Nobody went overboard and the view of the city pulling back up was dope af Mālō

Skip the Argosy Cruise And walk onto this cheaper alternative. Pack yourself a picnic and sit back…read moreand enjoy the views. The boat is a bit messy with lots of popcorn debris but nothing that really bothers you.

It was one of the options in our CityPass and it was an absolutely awesome decision to add in our…read moreSeattle itinerary. My husband and I had the best time in the ferry tour. The highlight was listening to Erin (hope I spelled her name right) who was our tour guide. She was hella funny!! It's almost as if we were in a comedic space yet it was so informative! Just 10/10, highly recommend that you include in your list when you're in the area! Thanks Argosy!

We took the Harbor Cruise as part of our City Pass package, thinking it would be a good use of time…read moreand a fun way to see Seattle from a different perspective. We ended up really enjoying the tour and would highly recommend to visitors. This would especially be a great thing to add to your itinerary if you're only in the city for a short time, as you get to see a lot of landmarks in a short time. You also get to hear about the city's history and key industries. The ride overall is pretty smooth, and my husband, who gets motion sickness, was totally fine. The boat when docked can experience a little more motion, however, so your mileage may vary. We also found it easy to get seats with good views, and the guides were easy to hear anywhere on the boat. The crew were friendly and engaging, and Angelo and the other staff were very kind to us when my husband and I mentioned we were celebrating our anniversary.

Absolutely LOVED our orca watching experience with Puget Sound Express. It was a beautiful boat,…read morevery busy, and came with so many bells and whistles, including a delicious pie (buckle). We saw a lot of orcas, as well as a minke whale. Really phenomenal experience from top to bottom. Would strongly recommend!

Tony, our captain, was awesome- he had Leonardo DiCaprio vibes ! Kayla, the naturalist, was…read moreincredibly knowledgeable and equally awesome. If seeing killer whales is on your bucket list, prepare yourself: witnessing these magnificent creatures for the first time was absolutely magical and may bring you to tears as it did for me. Although it was rainy and the water was choppy, the boat handled it beautifully. The ride was fast and smooth, and no one got sick. I highly recommend bringing a poncho, wearing extra layers, and expecting your shoes to get wet if you plan to stay outside for a while. I stayed outside because this was one experience I was not going to miss! Highly recommend!

Captain Larry treated us to a 1x1/2 hour cruise around lake union and shared his expansive…read moreknowledge of the area and it's history. What a perfect way to celebrate my wife's 40th. We sailed off into the sunset. Check out the pics. Thanks Larry.

I took the beginner's course with Anna and Nick, who were both amazing captains and instructors…read more Anna relocated after several classes, which I understood at the start, and Nick picked up for the last of my classes. I got some great instruction from them both, with helpful quizzing on what I had learned, and opportunities to put learning into practice. Both instructors were such a joy to sail with and learn from. Nick's broad experience and passion for teaching really shine through! Additionally, Lake Union Charters is one of the very few places that could accommodate my schedule for sailing lessons. I am a breastfeeding mama, so I can only be away from my little one for a few hours at a time, and most schools do their beginner's courses over a weekend of 8hr days. I also felt that my 2 hour/class 6 class beginner package was the perfect spacing to allow knowledge, book learning, and the experience I was accumulating to really soak in. These guys are awesome!

10/10!!!! SO EXCITED I SAW GREY WHALES & ORCAS!!! (&ETC)…read more Based on the reviews we were a little scared to try this company BUT it turned out so amazing! I think people only leave bad reviews when they don't get what they exactly want! Anyway- the workers were so welcoming! The process was very easy from buying the tickets to the end! We got there just in time (not the 45 min ahead like it said) and it was perfect! (Maybe before we were the first boat of the day?) Once in the charter it didn't take long for us to leave. While they are taking us out towards where the whales are... They told us a bunch of stories a bunch of scientific facts and a bunch of tips and tricks! We also saw a bunch of sea life just heading out to the whale areas! (Seals, starfish, birds, fish, jellyfish , etc) The ride was smooth and beautiful- DEFINITELY COLD (even if it's 90F in Seattle)! But the views are beautiful- both of the sea and Seattle!! It didn't take very long to get to the areas but once we did everyone had the same goal - SPOT THE WHALES!!! It didn't take us too long because we got lucky! There was a lot of activity that day! We ended up seeing 6 different orcas and 1 grey whale!! Super fun start to our day and now I can say I saw whales(:

The price for the whale watch tour is $144. You depart from pier 69 in Seattle. You pretty much are…read morepaying for the boat ride and not the whales. It's a 4 hour tour but most of that time is spent getting to and from the destination where the whales are, which is damn near Canada. When you get to where the whales are the boat slows down and you can only see them from a distance. There's only like 1 or 2 whales and they only pop up for a quick second to breathe and when they go back in the water they don't pop up for another 15mins. The boat stays there for maybe 3 rounds of this. Then it's back to your seats and back to the pier. Dress warm and eat before you go or pack snacks! The food offered in the boat is overpriced! Definitely a tourist trap!

We took the ice cream cruise last weekend and had the best time. The crew members give a friendly…read morewelcome. Mike, the captain, gives great narration during the 45 minute excursion. We are Seattle area natives and still learned some new facts. He talked just enough but not the entire time which was perfect. There are upper and lower decks - you choose which one when you purchase your ticket. We did the upper deck and it was perfect for a gorgeous sunny day. The ice cream selection is great and it's reasonably priced. 100% recommend!

I did this with my family for my birthday and it was great. We did the Ice Cream Cruise and Captain…read moreMike was very informative and his crew was helpful and friendly. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to see the Seattle waterways.