For many, Washington's beauty is rooted in its grandiose mountains and misty green forests. But there's so much more to love beyond these well-known sights! You can easily travel from border to border in Washington and never feel the doldrums of repetitive sights, but we often forget there's a whole other world just off the coast: Washington's islands. Around 700 of them, actually!

Bainbridge Island may only be a 30-minute ferry ride across the Puget Sound from Seattle, but this island town and its neighborhood communities boast an incredible ecosystem unique from any other island in the state. Here, forests and wetlands blend seamlessly to create a beautiful, harmonious sanctuary for wildlife and native plants.

The town itself is lush, artistic, and undeniably charming, with smaller neighborhood communities each showcasing their own personality. Just a quick stroll through Winslow will take you to galleries, street art exhibits, and museums galore, while Fletcher Bay and North Bainbridge show off some seriously stunning farms and wineries. But whatever corner of Bainbridge Island you explore, the natural beauty even in the heart of town is on a whole other level, and wonderfully infused into every corner of the city and into every aspect of daily life.

Whether you're a gardening aficionado or sporting a set of black thumbs, you can't help but be taken aback by the sheer beauty of a lush botanical garden. Especially here in Washington, where everything is a little extra magical! But true to its vibrant cultural arts scene, Bainbridge Island is THE place to go for a quiet garden outing. The town is home to numerous parks and natural areas that are not only stunning but are worth visiting in every season.

Bloedel Reserve is one of the most treasured places to visit in Bainbridge and has been named as one of the top gardens in the U.S. for decades. Approximately 150 acres of beautifully manicured and lovingly tended gardens, trails, and ponds meander through the reserve, ranging from the quiet and reflective Japanese Garden to the dreamy Rhododendron Den to the Pollinator Meadow. Every corner feels straight out of a dream!

Sakai Park, which sits in the rolling hills in the center of the island, is a whimsical spot for all ages to visit. It's full of wide open spaces, picnic areas, and playgrounds ... plus a few surprises as well.

Intermingled with Bainbridge's many parks and gardens, you'll find some contemplative areas as well, including the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial. This historical landmark remembers and pays tribute to the thousands of Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their homes and interred in camps off the island during WWII. There's a self-guided walking tour here that is both beautiful and touching.

The 240-acre Grand Forest is an absolute dream for those who prefer to put a little mileage under their boots as they enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Over seven miles of year-round trails crisscross under the forest's towering canopy and through multiple sections of the forest, including a few pretty creek crossings as well.

And you can't forget Gazzam Lake! This 13-acre nature reserve doesn't boast as many trails as Grand Forest, but the backbone of this gorgeous area is Gazzam Lake itself, which offers pretty wetland views and stunning sunsets.

And yet, there are still plenty more areas to explore in town and around the island! If you have kiddos in tow, Battle Point Park is a fun spot for a weekend picnic, or head to IslandWood for a more immersive experience. Manitou Beach Park, Lynwood Center Park, and numerous others all offer a little something different, plus gorgeous waterfront views everywhere you turn.

Washington solves the age-old question of mountains or ocean. The answer is both. Plus, desert canyons, towering cascades, coastal islands, and everything in between! From its urban jungles to its quiet, small towns, every corner of the Evergreen State has personality in spades, and Bainbridge Island just happens to have a little extra beauty to go along with it!

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Need something to do with the family? Hunt for five giant trolls around the Seattle area. Thomas Dambo’s giant trolls are awake and ready to be discovered.

The giant troll project

The Bainbridge Island troll was the first in a series of five gigantic trolls Dambo has built for the Seattle area. The other trolls are in West Seattle, Issaquah, Vashon Island, and Ballard.

The public art installations are free to visit … if you can find them. Dambo’s thing is building giant wooden trolls, and hiding them in nature for people to discover. The secrecy is part of the game, but we’re here to give you a couple hints.

Bainbridge’s troll (and clues to find her)

The Bainbridge troll, named Pia the Peacekeeper, is Dambo’s 121st troll. Go to Trollmap.com for a world map with the approximate locations of each troll.

Here’s what we can tell you: the Bainbridge troll sits in a park about a mile from the ferry terminal. There’s a tall pole with colorful birdhouses at the park entrance. Friends of the Bainbridge Troll also posted a few clues on its website. Nwtrolls.org also has a customized adventure app for each location. It’s an online scavenger hunt to send you on your own troll hunt.

“It’s a perfect way to engage all generations,” says Fidelma McGinn, president of the sponsoring company, Scan Design Foundation. “From grandparents to toddlers, everybody has a different reaction. But the ‘wow’ factor is independent of age.”

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About the giant troll project

The Pacific Northwest troll project, “Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King,” has been in the works for several years. It’s commissioned by the Scan Design Foundation, a cultural group that promotes American-Danish relations. Dambo and his wife came to scout sites in 2021, and then he returned to confirm the locations and concepts.

Dambo builds the trolls’ faces in his Copenhagen studio and the bodies on-site. The sculptures are made entirely of recycled materials and range from 15 to 20 feet tall. They’re meant to encourage us to get outside, inspire us to protect nature, and remind us that even garbage can become a resource.

Why giant trolls?

McGinn describes Dambo as “the Pied Piper of trolls.” Why trolls?

“He grew up with those stories and fairy tales as a kid. They’re very much steeped in the Nordic tradition of storytelling,” McGinn said. “If you’re not behaving as a kid, there’s a suggestion that the trolls can get you.”

Pia the Peacekeeper sits on the ground with her hands held out, playing with small human puppets. Note: You are the puppet. Go ahead and step into the troll’s grasp.

Who’s going to see the giant trolls? There’s no rush

As the crew cleaned up wood scraps and tools at the building site, a bicyclist paused his ride long enough to snap a photo. Families showed up with kids. A man with a walker and a rainbow outfit wheeled up for a photo op. The troll’s location is an open secret. The trolls will stay at each site for at least three years, up to 15 years (and open for discussion after 15 years).

Dambo’s wish for Seattleites is that troll-hunting will be a fun and positive experience.

“I hope they smile,” Dambo said. “I hope they’ll get some of the whimsy, fairytale in their life.”

Dambo started his cross-country tour in June 2023, traveling with his wife and their twin 1-year-old boys in an RV nicknamed the Trollercoaster. It was a 10-stop, 10-troll, road trip across the U.S., documented on his YouTube channel.

Our neighboring giant trolls and the team

A Portland troll — Dambo’s first PNW troll, named Ole-Bolle is located in the garden behind Nordia House and is made of reclaimed wood and old pallets. Ole-Bolle lifts the roof of a red cabin like a cookie jar to peek inside. Read more about the Portland troll.

Dambo travels with a crew of 10 from Denmark, and hordes of volunteers pitch in along the way. He’s staying in a borrowed house, driving a borrowed minivan. One volunteer is an artist from Arizona, another is a museum exhibit designer from San Francisco, and another is a long-time Dambo fan thrilled the artist is building a troll in her hometown.

Dawn Janow describes the troll construction as a “stone soup project.” The wood pallets were donated, and the troll’s hair is made of clippings from an apple orchard in Poulsbo. Her friend from yoga class brought lunch for everyone.

Officially, Janow is a member of the Bainbridge Island Park Board of Commissioners. Unofficially, she couldn’t resist helping out on the project.

“Why are we doing this?” Janow recalls someone asking at a meeting. “How about… joy!”

Trolling for happiness and joy

Dambo built his first troll nine years ago. It was a temporary installation, made for a music festival in Denmark. Another troll, in Puerto Rico, was swept away by Hurricane Maria. The idea of leaving wood sculptures sitting outside in the soggy PNW doesn’t bother him.

“It’s like your food,” Dambo says, gesturing to the volunteer who brought lunch for the crew. “Doesn’t last forever, but it makes people happy.”

Know before you go

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