A fun and family-friendly activity to do in Seattle, WA...The Ballard Locks!! And, it's FREE! It's a popular spot to watch boats pass between the saltwater of Puget Sound and the freshwater of the Lake Union/Lake Washington, using a system of chambers to raise or lower them. The locks help boats move between the higher freshwater lakes and the lower Puget Sound, adjusting the water levels to let them pass smoothly. Watching the water levels rise and fall to guide boats through is very cool to watch! There's a Fish Ladder with a subterranean viewing area that allows you to watch salmon and sometimes seals and sea lions as they migrate upstream. Best viewing times mid-June to September. Unfortunately, we were there too early but I saw a sea lion. Lots of green trees and beautiful botanical gardens. There's a small marina. There's paid self parking. I would definitely want to come back! read more

See all

One of my favorite historical spots in Ballard. There are boats being lifted in the locks, sometimes kayaks, sometimes tugboats, gardens, walking trails and more. Be sure and visit the fish ladder in season when the fish are jumping. Off season, check out the harbor seals bobbing around. The gift shop and small museum is worth a visit too. There are picnic spots, benches, and a blue heron rookery along the waterway. read more

See all

Quite a unique park in the Ballard neighborhood. There is sort of underwater aquarium like that you can see the water, and there is a park with garden that you can enjoys the flowers and plans, there is also a water walkway that you can enjoys the walks with a great water view. Also there is water channel that transfer boat from upper to lower or vice versa of the river...tiny version of Panama Canal like. Quite interesting to watch the process. read more

See all

I find the locks so incredibly fascinating. You can do a self-guided tour, but doing the daily free tour at 2 PM is so much better. It's led by a park ranger and is really informative. You won't learn al this stuff walking around on your own. The fish ladder viewing room is the most crowded and can get super loud. But when you do manage to squeeze your way around all of the unsupervised screaming children, it's awesome to see the salmon so up close. Again, the whole thing is just a fascinating process. There's much else to see and do besides just the locks and ladder. The whole place is just beautiful grounds. Great for walking around on a nice day. There's also events and whatnot that happen on the grounds here. Parking can be difficult. But there is hourly parking nearby. Just bring some patience and drive slowly through the parking areas. All in all, we had a fantastic visit here. Even the teens enjoyed it. And it's officially on my list as a place I want to go back to and spend more time. read more

See all

Amazing to see how the salmon jump across these ladders. A truly remarkable sight that you witness only in certain parts of the world! Parking is little limited so you need to have some patience circling the lot. read more

See all

pretty cool history tidbits scattered around the vicinity. I liked to learn about the diff types of fish and also the relation to all of this with the U.S. army corps of engineers. How neat! Really chilly here. That is why my rating not as high. Also, the Ballard locks were a bit lackluster unless u read about the history. The coolest thing here was the underground aquarium area, but even then, it was so grody and dirty :( wish that I could say better things, but eh...glad I saw it! The water was so cool to watch! Very loud, indeed read more

See all

I had seen videos of the Locks on social media and felt very meh about it, but my hubby wanted to go and I'm happy I did. The videos didn't compare to how cool this place is in person. The Locks is massive and with a cool system for boats to travel through. The water and scenery are pretty. Walking over to the other side there's also an underground salmon room with observation windows. You can see the mature salmon swim inland and the baby salmon swim out to the ocean. A very cool area to spend an hour or two wandering around the botanical gardens, the Locks, salmon viewing, or walking along the water. read more

This is pretty interesting to watch the locks fill up and lower with water. It's like a mini Panama Canal. We even saw a couple of seals in the salt water too. And it's free! The fish ladder only had a couple of small fish in it when we were there. There is a paid parking lot at the entrance. The grounds are beautiful and flowers were in bloom at this time. A wedding party was there having their pictures taken too. read more

See all

Please do yourself a favor and visit the Locks! There is so much to delight your senses anytime of year: boats, gardens, fishies, outdoor music, museum and more. read more

Hiram M Chittenden Locks - Interesting architectural features abound - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

Went on Sunday afternoon in March...not busy at all. Lots of free parking and pet friendly. An engineering feat and fascinating to watch the locks work. There are also beautiful gardens and a fish ladder ...though we didn't see any fish when we visited. Although you can see how powerful the water was rushing down and the challenge the salmon and fish face. Plenty of restrooms too! read more

See all

I'm glad to see that they have made many updates to the fish ladder, including touchscreen displays to help identify the types of salmon currently migrating. There were so many signs and informational displays, including one that flanked a fish counter (someone who visually counts the migrating fish to determine how healthy the population is) to show that scientific research is actively being conducted. It's a great way for kids and adults to see that science can be accessible. Just right outside the fish ladder were several pinnipeds hoping for an easy meal- one of them got quite a substantial fish. The locks themselves were busy with boat and human traffic, and yet there were several staff members taking the time to field questions from interested bystanders. I could easily spend hours here. read more

See all

This property is amazingly charming. And is Adjacent to a botanical garden, which has great walking area. there is a visitor center, which has a short movie that tells you all about the history of the locks their creation what they've done for the community of SEATTLE and the environment. This is a wonder, full adventure for the whole family. read more

It was a beautiful sunny day to visit Hiram Chittenden Locks, or Ballard Locks. This turns out to be the "Busiest locking system in the Nation." [From the internet] The Hiram M. Crittenden Locks (locally known as the Ballard Locks) is a waterway system that connects the saltwater of the Puget Sound to the fresh water of the Ship Canal, which sits about 20 feet above sea level. Boats enter the Locks, the gates close, and the water rises or falls to the level of the destination waterway." Watching boats pass through the Locks, the tour, watching the salmon swimming and jumping, seeing salmon in the fish ladder, and just spending a day to enjoy the weather was very pleasant! read more

See all

This was definitely worth seeing as a tourist. I did not know much about history of the locks, nor knew much about how they worked, and I came away feeling like I learned something cool. The visit was free aside from us paying a small parking meter fee. They have a small garden called the Carl English Jr. Garden right next to the entrance to the locks, as well as a small gift shop with exhibits on the 2nd floor. The locks themselves were fascinating to watch. There is a walking bridge to get to the other side where you can go downstairs and view the fish, though at the time we went, we only saw one little fish. read more

See all

Really cool place to see the boats going through the locks as well as the fish ladder, nice grounds as well

What an amazing place to just watch what happens for like hours. Closing bridges, opening bridges, water going in and out, water rising and going down, how the boat people know the people running the locks. How there is a person on each side manually telling the boater what to do, when to go etc. How the boats are all lined up in a specific order from large to small. If you have little time, focus on the smaller lock. But the large one is quite interesting how the line the boats up. Truly a piece of scientific entertainment. read more

Late August we took a hike and ended up at the Ballard Locks. My son lives close by so he has been here many times but said this was the first time he saw the salmon in the underwater exhibit. It you wanted to be educated, there are lots of signs and things to do. We just wanted to stroll and walk around. Out in the water, we saw a ?sea otter popping its head up here and there. Very pleasant place to spend some time. read more

See all

This is a unique attraction that is advertised as touristy, but in reality I think it does not receive that many visitors. My friends from Seattle informed me it is not that popular. I like that it is free to visit. I didn't get to see the ship locks in action, which is probably the coolest part of visiting the locks. I saw the boats lining up, and I wasn't sure if they would open the locks at a scheduled time, or if there had to be a minimum number of boats for them to open the locks. There wasn't really any signage about it, but there were signs about other facts. The visitor center is really small, but it has good educational information and a short film. There is a botanical garden you can walk through, which is really nice but also kind of random. I sadly did not see any salmon in the Fish Ladder except for one lost fish swimming on its own as I believe was not salmon season. I was so excited to see the fish. This definitely seems like a big highlight of the locks, so I'll be back to see the fish when the time is right. read more

See all

Welcome to the Ballard locks!! This is one of the busiest locks in the country and you can tell when you're here - lots of traffic going in and out of the bay, thankfully they can load a bunch of smaller boats in at one time! This place is very, very popular with the locals and tourists so if you're coming on the weekend expect it to be very busy, especially if the weather is good. Also be warned that a lot of parents bring their giant strollers with no regards for other people so be prepared to be stuck behind slow moving people frequently (parents, please stop doing this. Seriously). Great place to walk and get some fresh air. One side has the garden and the other has a little park and the fish ladder. The ladder is very nicely built up and comes complete with stadium seating so you can watch the salmon do their thing. If you're interested in boating this is also a good place to find other enthusiasts. The employees are friendly and it's easy to find people on their boat waiting in the locks that are happy to chat during the transition. read more

See all

Such a cool place to visit! I went especially for the fish ladder to check out the salmon. They have lots of great information there about their lifecycle. It's also interesting to see the boats progress through the locks. read more

See all

This place is the coolest!!!!! You get to see salmon as they are passing through the area. It is just a really special and informative place. Seals and sea lions frequent the area. Swimming and splashing and being cute. I highly recommend if you are in Seattle. read more

See all

What a gem in Seattle! From the gardens and water views to the bridges and fish ladder, lots of cool things to see - all for free! Make sure to keep an eye out for seals! read more

See all

Such a cool, free activity! It's amazing how this works. Anyone can watch the reservoirs as they fill or release with water to allow the boats to pass through. We went on a Saturday and didn't have to wait long at all to see this in action. The salmon were not visible, though, end of December. Be prepared to wait a while if you view from the opposite side of the parking area, as you will get stuck until they open up the walkways again. read more

See all

It's so cool to see how they changed the water level up and down for vessels passing. There's a fish ladder beside, it's very informative for those who interested to know the life cycle of salmon. read more

See all

** Spring Flashback ** The Locks are a true spectacle of engineering that allow boats to move between the saltwater of Puget Sound and the freshwater of Salmon Bay. I found it fascinating how the water levels between the two bodies vary throughout the day depending on the tide. That's where the Locks come in handy! Each time a boat or ship needs to cross from the Puget Sound to Salmon Bay or vice versa, the Locks equalize the water levels so that the vessels can pass through with ease. During my visit, I spotted several family recreational boats going by and even an Alaskan fishing ship. Once you hear the ringing alarm, watch over the gates to see the Locks in action! Other than this being the main attraction, there's also a botanical garden, salmon run (with underground viewing area) and the potential to see some seals basking in the sun. Unfortunately, it seems that we didn't choose the best time of year to visit since there was not much blooming in the garden, no salmon at the salmon run and no seals. (Quick tip that the salmon migrate between the months of June - September) Nevertheless, I still had a great time exploring and enjoying the Seattle sun. For history buffs or those who would like to learn more about the Locks, enter the Visitor Center to browse the exhibits and artifacts on display. They even offer free guided tours! Just check their website for the schedule. There are a couple options for parking. If you arrive early enough or get lucky during the day, there's a relatively small lot of free parking on the south side near Commodore Park. We arrived around 10:00AM and snagged one of the last three spots. From there, it's a bit of a walk along the waterway to the Locks, but it's easy on a nice day and will save you a few bucks. Otherwise, there is metered parking on the north side near the Carl S. English Garden. This is apparently the busiest locking system in the nation, so it's worth seeing what it's all about! read more

See all

The Ballard Locks are one of my favorite pastimes. I love watching the sailboats and yachts pass through, complete with some minor bumps and occasional shouting. It's also fun to see seals and salmon--just be prepared to explain the food chain to your kids if a seal catches a salmon and birds swoop in to grab some leftovers! I often commute across the locks to get to Magnolia, and while there's some construction in the area right now, it's not too disruptive. It'll be nice when it's all finished and cleared up. There are plenty of lovely seating areas on both sides, making it a great spot to relax. Definitely a must-see attraction if you're visiting Ballard. read more

See all

Amazing time to watch the salmon migrate to spawn, great views of the ladders and underwater windows to watch all the action, lots of salmon at this time, Coho, Chinook, and Sockeye. Information and signage throughout, fun to see for adults and kids. Also fun to watch the boats going through the docks. Short walking distance to lots of restaurants and breweries too! August and September are the best times to see the salmon, come soon!! SYOY and Yelping on. read more

See all

The Locks experience the highest boat traffic in the U.S. You can also observe the fish ladder here. This site offers an educational opportunity to understand the functioning of the locks and the migration of salmon. You can learn about three types of salmon: Sockeye, Chinook, and Coho. According to the US Army Corps of Engineers, recommended salmon viewing times are as follows: - Sockeye: June to October (best in July) - Chinook: July to November (best in the last two weeks of August) - Coho: August to November (best in the last two weeks of September) I highly recommend visiting this place at least once. The visitor center provides a wealth of informational pamphlets. read more

So cool to get up close and personal with the locks. We had an hour or two to kill so decided to stop by and check out what all the rage was about. So glad that we did. We got free parking in the south lot and first visited the underground fish ladder. Unfortunately there were no fish in April, but I'd love to come back to see them when in season. We then walked across the locks, watching as the gates opened and closed for a bunch of boats. We stopped at the visitors center to watch a movie, and then we walked around the pretty botanical garden. It was a blue sky day and we had a lot of fun. read more

Hiram M Chittenden Locks - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

I had never seen or been to an actual lock, so this was a totally new experience for me. Parking and entrance is free, but be aware it can get crowded. Amble over to the actual locks and take in the boats (of all sizes) waiting to go through, along with the seals looking for an easy target - as this is also used to help the salmon migrate from fresh to salt water (and vice-versa). If you're lucky, you'll get to see them jump over the lock steps! A viewing area is available where you can see the salmon swim and (hopefully) jump. Some days there are more salmon than others, so don't be disappointed if you only get to see a few while in that viewing area underground. This is why the seals hang out here, because for them it's literally like shooting fish in a barrel. The salmon are everywhere! A great spot, especially on a clear day. Hit this place up and be pleasantly surprised at the sights and how much you learn - along with the marvel of engineering displayed here. A real treat. read more

Really had no idea what to expect. If you are visiting the area and thinking of visiting. Go. If you are a local. Go often. Paid parking is available near the entrance and a bit along the road. As soon as your enter you are immediately in a garden. A 'Little Free Library' is available at the entrance where you can leave and/or take a book. Follow the path straight to the information center where there is a gift shop, rest rooms and a small informational hall on the 2nd level. Definitely worth a visit. Continue along the path to the lock. We arrived as two large vessels were moving through the locks and we had the opportunity to see the waters rise, the gates open, and the boats moving on. Quite a crowd. The fish ladders were not active during our visit but there appears to be a viewing window to see the salmon in season which sounds very interesting. There is a pathway along the canal on several levels to walk and enjoy the gardens as well as a small parking area on the far side of the canal. There is a good sized garden, public rest rooms and walking paths on the side of the canal where the info center is located. This is a lovely, well planned garden and a wedding party was on property have photos taken during our visit. With the canal, fish ladder and gardens on both sides of the canal, this is definitely a nice spot to stop and enjoy. read more

See all

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks is supposedly the biggest and most frequently used locks on the West Coast. It uses something called parallel dual-sized lock chambers for water conservation and preventive measures to reduce saltwater intrusion into Lake Washington which is fresh water. The Locks which itself a sight is in between a park once crossed and a nice garden which has preserved and tended trees and plants. Coming to the Locks is a popular tourist spot and I suppose for locals too, as on a particularly nice day it can be a very nice outing as there is not fee for anything. Perhaps for purchases from the visitor's center? Beyond this you're free to come and go. There are places to eat not too far outside of the park and it can be an ok place to picnic. One of the draws to 'The Locks' is the opportunity to watch migrating salmon through underwater glass windows. You may get a chance to see other wildlife such as seals and of course frequent animal residents like squirrels and seagulls. There is info in and around the park to learn about the importance and history of the locks which is also nice. So if you're in the area, bring yourself, the family, the dog to the 'Locks' for a day out. read more

See all

Free admission (paid parking outside though). We came when there was a big remodeling project so we didn't get to see any fish, but it was cool seeing the locks open and close for the boats to pass through. Great for a quick visit and I'm hoping to be back during the right season when we can see salmon! read more

If you're visiting Seattle (or even live in Seattle), definitely check this place out. It's a free attraction where you can see different types of salmon (depending on the season) as well as how they move boats from one side to the other. You can easily spend over an hour here, which we did. You can see the fish from above on the bridge but also from an underground path that has glass windows where you can see the salmon much closer. They also have information around and play videos about the history too. A fun activity was watching them raise and lower the water level to move the different boats and yachts. They do this so reduce the amount of saltwater that enters to the other side, which is fresh water. Even on a weekday afternoon, there were plenty of other people also standing around with us. If you're lucky, you might also spot a seal! We saw one swimming around the locks and chasing the salmon. read more

See all

I'm so glad I added a visit to Ballard Locks to our vacation itinerary, while in Seattle. (September 2021) It really is a cool & free thing to do for all ages & just know that when visiting Hiram M. Chittenden Locks aka Ballard Locks, it is SO MUCH MORE than just seeing the boats going through the locks. Since sharing is caring, here is some helpful info on all that extra goodness. EXTRA GOODNESS: *Botanical Garden~The Carl S. English Gardens is a shared location w/ Ballard Locks & you have to walk through the gardens when making your way to the Ballard Locks. The grounds are very beautiful! Huge trees & flowers/plants surrounding you & there's also a grassy & lush open area, shaded by trees where you can sit, relax, & have a picnic, if you wanted to. This botanical garden for sure is the perfect photo backdrop. *Fish Ladder Viewing Room~This is a lower level viewing room where you can observe the migrating salmon swimming upstream. I really enjoyed seeing all the salmon so up close & personal. * Visitor Center~open to the public that has an interactive history presentation of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (located on the 2nd floor). Restrooms are also here. * Seals! Yep, super cute seals just swimming around the locks. Turns out that salmon "a' la mode" is one of their favorite dishes ;). *gift shop w/ inexpensive souvenirs for purchase *and of course, standing on the impressive observation platform/bridge overlooking the locks & boats. Lastly, there are a few benches located on the sides & we did have to pay for parking using the parking meter. Stay awesome Ballard Locks, till next time! ~Rebecca out read more

Hiram M Chittenden Locks - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Free and working engineering marvel, fish ladder, historical museum, and English garden, all in one quick stop. This overlooked tourist spot has a little something for everyone, though it's probably more apropos for history buffs and engineering gearheads. When fish are migrating up the fish ladder, this place should be really special. A ranger was on duty to talk about fish migration. Too bad midsummer isn't migration time. Plenty of parking on both sides of the lock/river. And operations wherein watercraft pass through the locks are frequent enough (many times daily) such that you might see the actual procedure on any given visit. Be aware that foot traffic (gangways on top of the locks) are closed when boats, barges, etc. are moved thru the locks and depending on the size of the watercraft, it can take some time (such that you won't be able to reach your car!). On site is a large English garden for strolling and a small gift shop (in the museum) for souvenirs. read more

I absolutely love Ballard Locks and have been here so many times! You'll love it here if you like history and bridges. It's such a cool place to walk, sit, and watch boats go through while you contemplate life. The view is great if you love to be by the water and you can even check out the salmon ladder. If you're not into that, they have a botanical garden that you can check out. There are multiple areas where you can set up a nice picnic blanket and just enjoy the afternoon/evening. If you're lucky, you will see seals or even a crane chilling by the water. Best part of it is all of this is free to check out! There is paid parking (free on Sundays) right outside of the Locks and I've never seen the lot full so it's pretty easy to get parking. read more

Hiram M Chittenden Locks - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Seattle, Washington

If you are looking for something free to do put this on your list. There is a big parking area at the front. The entrance to the park is beautiful. The walk to the locks is short. You can watch the boats going through the locks. It's quite fascinating. Afterwards head down to the underwater exhibit under the locks. There is educational videos and lots of underwater fish. The park has paved walkways so it was quite enjoyable going for a walk after we saw the locks. The main information building was closed when we were there. read more

Hiram M Chittenden Locks - All the salmon under the locks - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

One of THE coolest and best experiences I had in Seattle. What a great way to start off your day outdoors. The weather was beautiful and sunny and offered up some amazing views. I got to see a railroad bridge that doubled as a lift bridge, which was truly a sight to see. I was lucky enough to see it in action and was blown away. I have never seen anything like it as we don't have bridges like this in Colorado. I won't go into too much detail, but the technology and system that they use is next level. They have a system that separates fresh water from salt water and it was incredible to watch. Explaining it is nothing, you have to see it for yourself. Sadly, the fish ladder was closed for renovations and we couldn't go "below deck" to see any of the fish in the water. However, it just means that I have a reason to come back to the Ballard Locks! Also had the chance to talk with one of the people who works the Chittenden Locks and what a great guy. He was very informative and loved his job. Overall, a super cool experience and I would recommend visiting the locks if you're in Seattle. read more

See all

Love this spot! Here, you can see salmon swimming upstream, seals catching salmon, and possibly other wildlife, too. Parking is ample, and it's a nice place to unwind :) P.s. you can get decent fall foliage pics here, too! read more

Hiram M Chittenden Locks - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Seattle, Washington