It only takes a 30-minute ferry ride and short walk to get to the heart of Bainbridge Island, the downtown area of Winslow, whose streets are lined with shops and eateries. Though you can easily spend a day wandering this quirky hamlet’s thriving arts scene (and wine tasting rooms) on foot, you’ll want to bring your car to explore a little farther afield. Here is your island checklist.

Stop for culture. Winslow pulls out all the stops for its monthly First Friday Art Walk (November 1). Wander along Winslow Way while enjoying art installations at shops, galleries, restaurants and the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA). This month, BIMA features Seattle artist Jessixa Bagley’s illustrations, fine art and installation work in her new show, Worlds in Pictures; and Jite Agbro’s Deserving, a two-story exhibition of mixed-media collage silhouettes by the Nigerian-American artist and Seattle native. Check out the Meet the Artist series on November 9 and November 23 to hear artists discuss their processes and the meanings behind their art.

“Under The Mind” by Jite Agbro, on display this month at Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. Courtesy of Bainbridge Island Museum of Art

Smell the roses. Explore 150 acres of native and exotic flora while strolling through the Bloedel Reserve, a botanical garden featuring 14 different natural and human-made landscapes. It’s also a prime spot for appreciating the vibrancy of fall foliage, thanks to a thoughtful collection of deciduous trees.

Get fueled. Bay Hay & Feed is a feed store, nursery, market and coffee shop (called Rolling Bay Café); sip your latte while wandering through the abundant nursery plants.

The coffee shop at Bay Hay & Feed. Courtesy of Bay Hay & Feed.

Locals love B.I. Fish Co. for dining on the catch of the day, either grilled or pan-roasted in fresh tacos topped with pickled cabbage and special sauce, or poke style with rice and mixed greens. If you’re after a more traditional approach, i.e., British-style fish and chips, head straight to Proper Fish, just off Winslow Way. It was opened last May by the original owners of Seattle’s beloved Nosh food truck.

Fish and chips at Proper Fish. Courtesy of Proper Fish.

Staying for dinner allows you to experience a roving meal between chef Brendan McGill’s empire of excellent Bainbridge restaurants: antipasti at Bruciato, dinner at Hitchcock and drinks at Bar Hitchcock.