Among Seattle's many popular and historic tourist destinations, the Ballard locks, also known as the Hiram M. Chittenden locks, are a fascinating point of interest to fit into any visit to the city, especially if it's your first time to Seattle. For those of us who grew up in locales noticeably devoid of all this wet stuff, let alone multiple bodies of it, the concept of having to craft a place to change the water level in order to safely transport boats from different elevations of water is something to wrap your head around and a novelty to witness in the flesh. I've actually visited the locks many, many moons ago during a youthful visit to Seattle under the guise of researching the University of Washington and an art school, though now I can't remember which of them it was, as there are so many throughout the city! Visiting the locks again with Antho in tow was a lot of fun, and while the salmon wasn't yet embarking upon their seasonal run in full yet, we got to witness some wildlife in the form of a couple happy seals making laps and several different species of birds. It was fall during our visit, but the sun was out in full force, illuminating our view along with warming our bones. These days, Seattle is buried under a blanket of snow that is growing higher as I write this. While snow isn't exactly unheard of in the region, it's certainly not common, especially not this much of it! Revisiting these photos is definitely giving me some nostalgia for those warm, sunny days strolling along the waterside, but summer will come soon enough, along with throngs of excited tourists to join you!
If it's your first visit to the locks, take your time and explore! You're well within walking distance to several landmarks worth exploring, from Commodore Park to Discovery Park across the water, there's plenty to do! On this particular visit, we opted to park at Discovery Park (it's free) and rented Lime Bikes to get around. Lime Bikes are super handy! You simply download an app, put in the requisite information and financial info, then you can scan the QR code on the back of the bike, unlock it and go! Some have electric assist to make your ride all the easier, which in a city with as many hills as Seattle can be a real lifesaver! Antho and I definitely had a lot of fun using them to explore, and we recommend it as a unique method of exploring a new city should you find them nearby!
