3 Best Sights in Ballard, Seattle

Also known as "Ballard Locks," these are an important passage in the 8-mile Lake Washington Ship Canal that connects Puget Sound to freshwater Lake Washington. Every year, tens of thousands of vessels, from kayaks to yachts to commercial ships, pass through the two locks. The main reason for visiting here is to see them in operation, draining and refilling like giant bathtubs. The visitor center has displays and videos and offers free tours May through September at 2 pm on days when the center is open.

The adjacent 7-acre Carl S. English Botanical Gardens are a lovely place to picnic or just relax. Various musical performances, from jazz bands to chamber music, serenade visitors on summer weekends. And you can watch determined salmon climbing a 21-step fish ladder en route to their freshwater spawning grounds. (You won't be alone; look for seals in the water and herons in the trees, all hoping for a salmon meal.)

In Seattle’s extensive park system, Golden Gardens is one of two main beach destinations (along with Alki Beach in West Seattle). Chilly waters throughout the year make swimming more an act of bravery than a pleasure, but in summer people come here to play in the sand—strolling, sunbathing, picnicking, thumping volleyballs. The main attraction is the view west toward the Olympic mountain range, which draws crowds in the evening for the spectacular sunset. The park has drinking water, grills, picnic tables, firepits, a playground, restrooms, and a better-than-average snack shop. There’s also a wetland area with a short loop trail where you're likely to see turtles sunning themselves. There are two dedicated parking lots that fill up quickly on summer evenings and weekends.

Given Ballard’s long history as a home for Scandinavian immigrants, it’s fitting that this is the neighborhood’s one major museum. Inside the spacious, modern building, galleries are dedicated to Nordic history, culture, and the immigrant experience—you’ll see everything from ancient axes to futuristic fish-leather sneakers. Most exhibits have a broad scope, but the one dedicated to immigration focuses on Seattle, displaying hundreds of homey artifacts, most donated by Ballard residents. There’s also a gallery showing temporary exhibits, usually contemporary art with a Nordic theme, and out back a shady garden holds a century-old sauna and a reconstructed Viking ship.