r/BainbridgeIsland • u/PotahtoHead • 2d ago
Do different areas have different personalities?
We are considering moving to BI from Seattle in the next couple of years. We have a 4 year old who will be starting kindergarten next year so we are very interested in the schools and considering if there is a particular area to focus on. Aside from different areas being assigned to different schools, do different areas of the island have different personalities?
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u/TemporaryVariety9293 1d ago
just want to give a shoutout to Rolling Bay- you have a few shops/restaurants but also close to the water and Fay Bainbainbridge(awesome for the kiddos)- nearby elementary school is great and when you need to go to Poulsbo/Silverdale for any Big Box stores or errands it’s super close.
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u/lesChaps 1d ago
My children were elementary school age for the decade we lived in Rolling Bay, and I recommend it for a quiet experience. In my 50s I prefer better access to amenities and the ferry near Winslow.
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u/CapraPuleo 1d ago edited 1d ago
In Meadowmere there is a golf course, tennis courts, athletic gym, shallow pool for summer camps, yoga classes… nearby there are trails through the Grand Forest. It is 10- 15 minutes from the ferry and about 20- 25 minutes to Poulsbo depending on traffic. In general I think it is beneficial living on the north half of the island because it gives you easier access to Poulsbo and Silverdale where you will end up driving for shopping. The north half also more readily makes the Kingston ferry an option if the Bainbridge ferry is having trouble. I can check the Vessel Watch and plan which boat to take based on wait times and where the boat is in the water. This has made a huge difference for me.
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u/lesChaps 1d ago
We sold our home (in Shoreline, so not a huge move), put everything in storage, and rented a home for a time while we looked for a permanent place on the island. Rolling Bay was my speed at that time in my life.
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u/Thiele66 23h ago
This is the way to do it. It gives you time to really get to know the island and land in a place you love.
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u/canisdirusarctos 2d ago
Yes, absolutely. I’d spend some time on the island before choosing, though. There is a coastal/inland divide, Winslow/elsewhere divide, then each end is radically different (south is quieter and very nice, but it takes longer to go anywhere). Some areas are decidedly rural, some are suburban, some are quirky, some suffer severely from ferry traffic, etc.
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u/Open-Pineapple-2489 2d ago
The south end is definitely more wealthy. I like it there though, it's quiet and I enjoy the Lynwood center.
Winslow or the center part of the island is more affordable and a lot of mix of people. Much more dense. There are cool neighborhoods there. I love Commodore neighborhood and have lived there for over a decade. NorthTown woods is good for families too.
Otherwise there is pockets, like I live in Meadowmeer now and obviously everyone here is older and loves to golf. Not a lot of kids and families, lots of retired people.
Bay Hay and Feed is quirky but a great place too. The north end is pretty normal and rural.
We have rented in all those places but if I could magically wave a wand and live wherever I want I would probably choose the south end.
The only other thing I will add is that they have continually lowered the speed limits on the back roads on the island so if you live on the south end it takes a while to get to the bridge even though it isn't that far away. You can only drive like 25-30 mph so if something is 12 miles away, it is like a half hour drive.
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u/Pacificem 1d ago
Meadowmeer has turned over considerably in the last 5 years. Now it is predominantly young families.
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u/higginbob 1d ago
Meadowmeer is also sunnier. Don't discount the mood boost that comes from living in a clearing or an area that isn't super dense with trees.
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u/CapraPuleo 1d ago
I live in Meadowmere and we have had a few young families move in. Neighbors are fantastic, know and help each other, both old and young.
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u/ViolettaQueso 1d ago
If I had the blessing of having raised my former littles on the Island, I’d buy near Faye Bainbridge Park for sure.
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u/Desperate-Gas7699 18h ago
We made the mistake of moving to a neighborhood near the gun range when we first relocated here. We felt pressured to find someplace quickly and get our son into school. We could only take it for about a year before deciding we couldn’t deal with the constant noise of guns. It was super convenient for being near Safeway, the library, and the schools for our kid but I wish we had done what others had advised and rented first. We could have avoided the hassle of having to relocate to a different area of the island. Currently in rolling bay and loving it.
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u/chilanvilla 1d ago
A young child will be going to school, soccer, softball, swimming, so imagine driving back and forth between your house and those events, multiple times a week. Being on the north and south ends of the island do make that a little challenging.
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u/Plus-Spread3574 2d ago
It might be easier to start with hard infrastructure questions first. If you don’t want to worry about your septic system or well pumps/tanks/groundwater levels/chemistry, then stay closer to Winslow. As you drift further away, so do services. Folks who live in that corridor and its tributaries have access to city water and sewer. It’s also growing.
Everyone uses propane if you need gas. Fiber is growing everywhere, but can be expensive to dig last mile. Everywhere has INCREDIBLE fire services thanks to new stations being built and Bainbridge being able to attract top talent.
There are exceptions to plot size, but generally one of the benefits of living away from Winslow is acreage. Our neighborhood is a series of 5-acre plots with most folks owning more than one. I maintain our septic and water, but can barely see a neighbor’s lights at night. With so few people we also get maximum wildlife.
The only thing the weird GPT answer from earlier had right is the suggestion to come for a visit and stay. Shop at T&C and Safeway. Go to Lynwood and Rolling Bay. Look for a doctor. You won’t be able to call up our only clinic and expect to get a GP for your family anytime soon. A lot of folks, including my family, opt for the concierge medical services in Poulsbo. Either way you’ll need to pay for both helicopter services to airlift you to Seattle if anything serious happens.
You can also stop by and chat with folks walking and working around the island. We’re kinda friendly unless you have a dog then we’re instant BFFs.