Washington Babies
aglenn
member
Bellevue/Redmond to Bainbridge Island w/2 year old
aglenn
member
Hi, ladies! My office is having a holiday party at the boss's house on Bainbridge Island. It's on a Saturday afternoon/evening and we were told to bring the kids. The problem is that my husband will be out of town that day and I will be 29 weeks pregnant...is it a really stupid idea to try to wrangle a very active toddler in a holiday dress to and from Bainbridge Island by myself? How long would it take to get there from the Eastside?
I keep going back and forth on whether or not I want to go. Thanks!
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Re: Bellevue/Redmond to Bainbridge Island w/2 year old
I've lived on Bainbridge Island since moving to the area in June/July and commute regularly to South Lake Union and to Bellevue a few times a month.
If you decide to drive, it'll probably take about 1.5 hours and cost you about $30 (round trip, kids under 6 are free) to go back and forth on the ferry with a car BUT you're not stuck in the car for much of that time. The ferry ride is ~35 minutes, you probably want to be there 10-15 minutes early to give yourself time to pay and make it on the boat, and most houses on Bainbridge Island are less than 10-15 minutes from the ferry terminal.
Most kids I've seen on the ferry love it because you can get out of your car and walk around with them. In fact if you're more than a few minutes early you can get out of your car at the boarding area and check out the things to see at the harbor before driving onto the boat. On board, kids can watch the other boats, the sea gulls, the water, etc. and you can be actively entertaining your daughter. There's also a small snack bar. There's indoor and outdoor seating on two levels above the car decks and most kids like wandering in and out and up and down a few times before ended up in front of a window (or running up and down the walkways
) for the rest of the crossing.
So...it would add considerably to the time you'd spend at the party, but might be an interesting activity for your daughter just getting there and with plenty of opportunity to run around.
I usually take transit instead of driving, though this is only an option if the party is within walking distance of the ferry. It would save you ~$20 but you'd need to take an express bus to/from Bellevue (or Redmond) and walk the 3 blocks between Pioneer Square station and the terminal, then walk to the party on the other side. It doesn't take much more time, but it is more walking. If you were thinking of going this route, I can give you more info.
Let me know if you have any other questions!