Need a fun, free activity for the kids on a sunny day? I highly recommend the Ballard Locks! My kids love to watch the boats going through the locks and the water rising and falling to accomodate... More

Need a fun, free activity for the kids on a sunny day? I highly recommend the Ballard Locks! My kids love to watch the boats going through the locks and the water rising and falling to accomodate them. I think it's pretty neat too. Be sure to explore the park on one side and the salmon ladder on the other. (Now is a great time to see the salmon running.) There is an observation window under the water, so you can watch the salmon leaping upsteam from below - pretty cool!
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My wife and I headed into the weekend with every intention of weeding our overgrown garden, scrubbing the front porch and tackling 17 other long-overdue house projects. But after a long gray... More

My wife and I headed into the weekend with every intention of weeding our overgrown garden, scrubbing the front porch and tackling 17 other long-overdue house projects. But after a long gray winter, our best intentions were no match for the perfect 70-degree days. Instead, we packed a picnic and took our son on his firts-ever visit to the Ballard Locks. As other reviewers have noted, the Locks offer something for everyone: fascinating engineering (the locks themselves), natural wonders (the fish ladder), public open space (beautiful uncrowded parks on both sides), and (best of all) terrific people-watching. And if you run out of steam on the locks themselves, you're less than a mile from Ballard's lively commercial core, and the beaches and views of Golden Gardens lie just a few miles in the other direction. Best of all, the Burke-Gilman trail offers easy and safe cycling access to the whole shebang from anywhere in North Seattle. Next time you're wondering what to do on a sunny weekend, jump on your bike or pile the kids into the car and head west toward Ballard and the locks -- you can't go wrong.
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The locks are really cool. It's fascinating to watch boats go in and out of them. They are really active so it's likely you'll see boats going through. They have a windowed area so you can watch... More

The locks are really cool. It's fascinating to watch boats go in and out of them. They are really active so it's likely you'll see boats going through. They have a windowed area so you can watch the salmon going through the fish ladder to get over the dam. When it's nice out, the locks can be quite a draw so be prepared for crowds.
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This is a huge place! Tons of water and salmon when it's the season. there are two sides in which you can view the boats as they pass by. I was there a few weeks ago and they actually emptied... More

This is a huge place! Tons of water and salmon when it's the season. there are two sides in which you can view the boats as they pass by. I was there a few weeks ago and they actually emptied the place as they were cleaning out the barnacles that accumulated over time. It's up and running again and is a great place for pictures with the family.
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The Ballard Locks is best visited on sunny summer days when not a cloud dares to sully the spotless blue sky that seems to last forever. The Ballard Locks has two parts--one side (the side with... More

The Ballard Locks is best visited on sunny summer days when not a cloud dares to sully the spotless blue sky that seems to last forever. The Ballard Locks has two parts--one side (the side with the fish ladder) is on the Magnolia Side. The side with the park is on the Ballard Side, and both sides are connected by the locks, which you can walk across via foot bridges. The locks themselves are very interesting and it's amazing how they can fit such large ships (like the Alaskan Crab ships) into such tiny spaces. Stand and watch as the boats rise or lower with the water level. The fish ladders are also interesting and allows people to see many types of salmon throughout their growth cycle. free admission and parking on both sides.
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Every time I visit my daughter & son-in-law in Seattle, I beg them to take me to the Ballard Locks. It's just a wonderful way to spend a beautiful day in Seattle. There are two sides, one side... More

Every time I visit my daughter & son-in-law in Seattle, I beg them to take me to the Ballard Locks. It's just a wonderful way to spend a beautiful day in Seattle. There are two sides, one side has a huge park in it, and the other side has the fish ladder. They're connected via a little walk way that you walk across (the actual locks) and during the summertime when there's alot of boat traffic, you can see the rangers lining the boats up in the locks and the water raises (or lowers) so that they can get from one side to the other. And not just small recreational boats either. HUGE Alaskan Crab boats can fit in those little lock things as well. I love the fish ladder but always go during the wrong time of year and can never see the HUGE salmon, just the little babies.
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THe Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (also known as the Ballard Locks) is situated half in Ballard, half in Magnolia, and is connected via the locks which have walkways connecting the two sides. The... More

THe Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (also known as the Ballard Locks) is situated half in Ballard, half in Magnolia, and is connected via the locks which have walkways connecting the two sides. The fish ladder is on the Magnolia side, and the large parkgrounds are on the Ballard side. Go when the fish are running which is generally between June and September. You'll see salmon so big they just make your mouth water (that is, if you're a fan of Salmon, which I am not). If you're lucky, you can see some otters or sea lions outside of the locks grabbing their share of tasty swimming salmon. You'll also see the salmon outside the locks as they try to get in and out. This is a very large and beautiful park and the best part is THE ENTIRE THING IS FREE!!! How many great things like this are free of charge? Not many, that's for sure! If you go during the summer, parking can be tight on the Ballard Side. Cross the ballard bridge, go into Magnolia, follow some windy roads and park on the Magnolia side. Traffic is much lighter and the parking is actually closer to the action than on the Ballard Side. Bring your camera, pack a lunch, and spend one of the few sunny SEattle days out in the open watching fish do things that they've been doing for millions of years
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I love going to the locks. I could spend hours watching the fish jump up the fish ladder, the boats go through the locks, and walking around the beautifully maintained lawns. It's not just the kind... More

I love going to the locks. I could spend hours watching the fish jump up the fish ladder, the boats go through the locks, and walking around the beautifully maintained lawns. It's not just the kind of place you go when you have visitors in town and are taking them to tourist spots - it's a place to hang out, take a picnic, get out of the busy pace of life and just watch as the boats and fish pass through.
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The Ballard Locks is a public space that has many things to offer. As a park, it is a well kept green space with lush lawns and interesting plantings. Bring a picnic and let your kids burn off... More

The Ballard Locks is a public space that has many things to offer. As a park, it is a well kept green space with lush lawns and interesting plantings. Bring a picnic and let your kids burn off some energy rolling or running down the terraced grass that slopes down to the level of the locks. The fish ladder can also be an interesting side trip, especially when the largest fish are making their way back upstream in late summer and early fall. The most important attraction at the Ballard Locks, of course, are the locks themselves - engineering marvels that transport an endless parade of boats to and from the inner lakes to the sound. You'll see some large boats, some small boats, some boats that have difficulty negotiating the procedures in the locks and it all adds up to ever-changing entertainment.
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Wow, I was totally surprised last year when we visited the locks with the neighbor kids. I expected to see the fish ladders, which were awesome, but I was blown away by the surrounding park. There... More

Wow, I was totally surprised last year when we visited the locks with the neighbor kids. I expected to see the fish ladders, which were awesome, but I was blown away by the surrounding park. There were beautifully landscaped gardens all around the locks and the walk there and back was great. The trip is better on a sunny day, but is fun no matter what. Take an afternoon there, just make sure the salmon are making their runs.
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