Bainbridge Island – Troll Treasures & Wine Wonders

Bainbridge Island’s unusual mix of wine, public art, and a sobering memorial gives this tour more range than a winery shuttle. In about three hours, you visit the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial and two wineries, with a small-group guide handling the island driving.

I like the contrast between the quiet memorial visit and the relaxed winery stops, and I like that tastings are included in the $299 price. The group is capped at 11, which leaves more room for questions than a large coach tour.

The main drawback is the start point: you meet on Bainbridge Island, and neither Seattle pickup nor Washington State Ferry boarding fees are included. The tour also has a strict no-refund cancellation policy, except when poor weather forces the operator to cancel.

• Three distinct stops: Allow 30 minutes at the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial and an hour at each of two wineries.
• Two winery tastings are included: Eagle Harbor Wine Co. and Fletcher Bay Winery are the scheduled tasting-room stops.
• A small group keeps the day personal: The maximum is 11 participants, with a local guide and an air-conditioned, heated vehicle.
• Pia the Peacekeeper Troll is part of the experience: The tour includes Thomas Dambo’s Bainbridge Island troll.
• The meeting point is on Bainbridge: Start and finish at 500 Winslow Way E, not in Seattle.
• Check the food details before booking: A salmon dish appears as a sample menu item, but a meal is not listed among the included features.

Wine, a memorial, and a wooden troll

This outing is not just a string of tasting rooms. Its appeal is the shift in mood: a stop for reflection at the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, time with a large public-art troll, then wine tastings at two Bainbridge Island wineries. If you want an afternoon that gives you more than one reason to cross to the island, that mix is the point.

The tour is offered by Tour Bainbridge and lasts about three hours. You travel in a luxury vehicle with air conditioning and heat, and the group is limited to 11. That small cap matters: you are not following a crowd through each stop, and there is more chance to ask your guide about the island and the wines.

Guides Mark and Paul have been named in past accounts of the tour, but you should not count on a particular guide. What you can expect is a local Bainbridge guide and a driver, so you can focus on the stops rather than finding your way between them.

A thoughtful first stop at the Exclusion Memorial

The first stop is the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, with about 30 minutes set aside. The memorial honors the Japanese American community affected by wartime exclusion and offers a quiet counterpoint to the more leisurely wine stops that follow. It is a place to pause and reflect, not simply a photo stop.

That half hour gives you a chance to take in the memorial and its meaning without turning the visit into a rushed detour. The tour includes admission, and the guide can add context. The value of that context is clear in the way one guide’s knowledge of the subject was singled out as a major part of the visit.

This stop may be the most emotionally weighty part of the afternoon. If you are booking mainly for wine, make room for it. The memorial gives the tour a stronger sense of place, but it asks for a different kind of attention than the tasting rooms do.

Pia the Peacekeeper and Bainbridge’s public art

The tour also includes Pia the Peacekeeper Troll, a work by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. The supplied details do not give a separate time allocation for this stop, so treat it as part of the route rather than assuming there will be a long visit.

The troll adds a playful note to a day that also deals with difficult history. That change in tone is part of the appeal: Bainbridge is not presented only through its wineries. If public art is your kind of travel stop, Pia gives you a distinctive island sight to look out for.

The tour details do not specify exactly where the troll stop falls in relation to the memorial and wineries. If you want to know how much time is set aside for it, ask Tour Bainbridge before you book.

Two wineries, with an hour at each

The scheduled wine stops are Eagle Harbor Wine Co. Tasting Room and Fletcher Bay Winery. You have an hour at each, and the tasting fees are included in the tour price. That leaves time to sample wine without needing to drive between venues or work out a designated driver.

The tour describes the tastings as generous, though it does not specify the number of pours or the wines served. You can expect tasting-room visits, not a detailed promise of a particular flight or a behind-the-scenes production tour. The tour highlights a chance to learn about winemaking, but the precise format and access may vary.

If you enjoy talking through what is in your glass, a small group and local guide are useful advantages. In past accounts, guides Mark and Paul were praised for their warmth and wine sense. Those names are a helpful clue about the style of the experience, not a guarantee of who will lead your outing.

One past account describes visiting three wineries and buying wine at all of them, while the scheduled route gives two winery stops. Plan around the two listed wineries, and confirm directly with the operator if a third stop is important to you. The same account mentioned joining two wine clubs, so there may be chances to buy bottles or ask about membership, but purchases are not included in the tour price.

What the $299 price covers

At $299 per person, this is a premium-priced three-hour outing. The fee includes the winery tastings, local guide, heated and air-conditioned vehicle, admission to the memorial, and the troll experience. The combination of tastings and transport makes the price easier to assess than a tasting-only visit, especially if you value having someone else handle the driving on the island.

The small group is another part of the value. With no more than 11 participants, the tour is set up for a more personal pace than a large bus excursion. You also get a guide to connect the stops, rather than needing to plan transport and timing between them yourself.

But not every cost is covered. The tour does not include pickup in Seattle or Washington State Ferry boarding fees. You need to get yourself to the Bainbridge meeting point, at 500 Winslow Way E, and account for the ferry separately if you are coming from Seattle.

A sample menu lists Northwest seared salmon with blackberry aioli and pecans, served with roasted asparagus and green beans. However, the tour’s included features do not list a meal. Do not assume that dinner or lunch is part of the $299; check with the operator if the salmon dish affects your plans.

Getting to the Bainbridge meeting point

The tour starts at 1:45 pm and ends back at the same Bainbridge address. The location is not a Seattle pickup point, so plan your own trip to the island and allow enough time to reach 500 Winslow Way E before the start. Ferry boarding fees are excluded.

A past account enjoyed the ferry ride and wished for more time to explore the island’s shops and restaurants. That is worth bearing in mind: this tour uses a compact afternoon schedule, so it is better suited to a focused visit than to a full day of browsing. If you want extra time on Bainbridge, plan it separately rather than expecting the guided portion to leave a long free window.

The tour itself lasts about three hours. Its duration is useful if you have limited time, but it also means each stop has a defined slot. You get 30 minutes at the memorial and an hour at each winery, with the remaining time used for the rest of the route, including Pia the troll.

Who will get the most from this outing

I would recommend this tour if you want wine tastings without driving, enjoy small-group outings, and like having a cultural stop alongside winery visits. The memorial is especially important if you want the afternoon to include some local history and reflection, not only tasting-room time.

It also suits a birthday outing or a shared afternoon with friends. One past account describes the tour as a birthday surprise and says the wine led to bottle purchases and wine-club memberships. That is a good reminder to leave room in your budget if you tend to bring home bottles, since wine purchases are not included.

If you are a serious wine enthusiast looking for a long, technical winery tour, check what the behind-the-scenes element involves before booking. The tour promises insight into winemaking, but the details do not say whether you will enter production areas or how much time is devoted to that. If your main goal is to explore Bainbridge’s shops and restaurants, the tour’s three-hour schedule may feel too structured.

The tour is offered in English, uses mobile tickets, and allows service animals. Most participants can take part, according to the activity details. These are useful practical points, but they do not answer every individual access question, so contact the provider if you have a specific need.

Weather and cancellation: know the terms

The experience requires good weather. If poor weather causes the operator to cancel, you will be offered a different date or a full refund. If you cancel or request a change yourself, the experience is non-refundable and cannot be amended.

That policy makes it wise to book only when your plans are firm. The weather provision protects you if the operator cancels, but it does not give you flexibility for a change of schedule or a change of mind.

Should you book the Bainbridge wine tour?

Book it if you want a guided afternoon with two included wine tastings, transport around the island, a meaningful memorial stop, and a visit connected to Pia the Peacekeeper Troll. The small group and local guide are real advantages, and the mix gives the outing more character than a tasting-room run alone.

Think twice if you need Seattle pickup, want a meal included, or prefer a flexible day with plenty of time for independent exploring. Before paying, confirm the salmon meal question and ask how the winemaking insight is handled. Most important, budget separately for the ferry and get yourself to the Bainbridge meeting point.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts about three hours.

What time does the tour start?

The start time is 1:45 pm.

Where does the tour begin and end?

It begins at 500 Winslow Way E, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110, and ends back at the same meeting point.

Is Seattle pickup included?

No. Seattle pickup locations are not included.

Are Washington State Ferry boarding fees included?

No. Ferry boarding fees are not included.

Which wineries are on the scheduled route?

The scheduled stops are Eagle Harbor Wine Co. Tasting Room and Fletcher Bay Winery.

Are wine tastings included in the price?

Yes. The tour includes alcoholic beverages for the tastings.

How many people can join the tour?

The tour is capped at a maximum of 11 participants.

What happens if poor weather cancels the tour?

You will be offered a different date or a full refund if poor weather causes the experience to be canceled.