I've never been to the locks on the weekend so I'm not sure how crowded they get, but during a weekday this place is great. I love to go down and watch the boats and the birds. Its got a great... More

I've never been to the locks on the weekend so I'm not sure how crowded they get, but during a weekday this place is great. I love to go down and watch the boats and the birds. Its got a great calm feeling about it. The surrounding area is pretty and well maintained, good for a walk on a sunny afternoon. Seeing the locks in action always takes me back to middle school science class and I enjoy that everytime. Check it out! Pros: Relaxing, free
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I recently went there with my parents and we enjoyed watching the locks open/close, fill/empty and see the seagulls in action, eating. Be prepared for the stench when you walk over from the locks to... More

I recently went there with my parents and we enjoyed watching the locks open/close, fill/empty and see the seagulls in action, eating. Be prepared for the stench when you walk over from the locks to the salmon ladder. We did see salmon in one ladder, but never saw one switch from one ladder to the next. The free visitor's center has a small amount of interesting exhibits (the hands-on ones all seemed broken), a small gift shop, and a short film.They offer free, guided tours, but we did not take one. If you park on the Ballard side of the locks you have to walk partially through the Botanical Gardens/park to get to the locks. The park was not crowded and it would be a good spot to have a picnic. Pros: lots of different things to see (locks, ladder, park, visitor's center) Cons: not easy for people who have a hard time walking far.
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I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical before I went...it just sounded like some dumb locks that salmon jump...but it is worth the trip. It is a lot more interesting than what I thought. The... More

I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical before I went...it just sounded like some dumb locks that salmon jump...but it is worth the trip. It is a lot more interesting than what I thought. The visiting center is nice...and the area is beautiful. It's definately worth the trip..especially if you are a tourist. Pros: Great tourist spot, better than expected
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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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This is one of the best hidden secrets in Seattle, especially when the salmon are running at the end of the summer. You can see all of the salmon in the in the viewing windows trying to move their... More

This is one of the best hidden secrets in Seattle, especially when the salmon are running at the end of the summer. You can see all of the salmon in the in the viewing windows trying to move their way up the ladder. A few times I have seen sea lions waiting for the fish at the bottom of the ladders. I even saw a kingfisher plucking minnows for dinner. The garden on the way in is beautiful and a great place for a picnic!
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This is definitely on my to do list when guests are in town. There is a fish ladder where you can see salmon jumping up through the locks, and you can often spot seals in the water. It is also... More

This is definitely on my to do list when guests are in town. There is a fish ladder where you can see salmon jumping up through the locks, and you can often spot seals in the water. It is also fascinating to see how the locks work.
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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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to visit once or twice...just to say you've been. You can watch the salmon climb up the ladders, and watch the boats go through the locks which transfers them from the salt water to the fresh... More

to visit once or twice...just to say you've been. You can watch the salmon climb up the ladders, and watch the boats go through the locks which transfers them from the salt water to the fresh water, and vice versa. While interesting the first or second time, it gets boring after that.
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