The neighborhood
of Ballard, known for
the Scandinavians that first settled
there, still retains its Nordic flavor and its ties to the water. This charming, modest
community sits just north
of Freemont and west of Phinney Ridge.
Bordered to the south by Salmon Bay
and to the west by
Puget Sound, Ballard boasts
a number of water-related attractions.
In Ballard’s southeast corner is Fisherman’s Terminal, a bustling marina
filled with commercial fishing boats.
Following west, along the canal, you’ll
come to the Chittenden Locks—a “water
elevator” that connects the freshwater to the saltwater
below. You can watch the 42-foot walls
swing open as small pleasure boats and
large commercial vessels enter. When the
gates close, the regatta rises
or drops up to 26 feet. You can walk
across the locks and down to the fish
ladder, where you can watch through the
large under-water windows as the salmon
swim upstream to spawn. On the banks of
the locks, you can stroll through lovely
botanical gardens.
Heading further west, to the sea you’ll
find Shilshole Bay Marina where hundreds
of sailboats gently bob in the water.
Just north
of the marina is
Golden
Gardens Park, where visitors enjoy the sandy beach and the beautiful sunsets.
Behind the beach, a road zigzags
eastward. It rises high above, to Sunset
Hill, a section of Ballard which
features breathtaking views of Puget Sound.
Continuing south, you pass the
Nordic Heritage Museum which chronicles the community’s
history.
From 1890 to 1906, Ballard was a city in
its own right, bustling with sawmills
and fishing fleets. The city founders
built the attractive brick buildings
that line Ballard Ave and are
now preserved as a historic
district. . New and hip businesses open
up regularly. Today, Ballard Avenue and
Market Street
are home to eclectic boutiques,
galleries, restaurants, pubs and a newly
restored movie theater.
Most Ballard residents are distant from
the main traffic on Highway 99 and I5,
but they can easily reach downtown Seattle via a quick drive on 15th Ave.
As
Seattle
housing prices boomed, this once-working-class area has become an even more attractive place to live.
