The Ballad locks is a beautiful little walk. I suggest taking some time to check out the local area. more

We have been on ships that went thru locks but had never seen them work off the ship. It was interesting to watch. Also the gardens as you enter are spectacular!! The day we were there Salmon were jumping everywhere. Also you can view the Salmon from the underwater windows at the fish ladder. Very interesting place. more

Came here based on TA reviews. Saw the boats waiting in the lock for the water to rise. The process takes a while but the water level fills fairly fast. The Salmon ladder is the true highlight of the visit. We could see Salmon jumping out of the water near the lock and the fish ladder. We went down to... more

The locks are an engineering feat, located adjacent to a beautiful botanical garden, adjacent to a fish ladder with underwater viewing windows. This is a great attraction. And it's free. more

WOW, were we impressed with this place. When we got there, it was in a beautiful area surrounded by botanical gardens. You can walk out and actually watch them raising the channel. It was amazing! Then we went across and went under ground and watched the salmon passing on the fish ladder. After you go to the Locks, you must... more

I learned of the Ballard Locks (aka the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks) from a fellow traveler while staying downtown. He, like me, had been staying in Seattle for weeks at a time, and we were both interested in learning from one another just exactly what surprises Seattle might be hiding from us. One that he raised was the Ballard Locks.... more

A little tough to find, but well worth the trip! Very educational to learn about the purpose of the Locks and depending on the time of your visit, the salmon ladder is awesome!! There is a volunteer explaining the entire process down at the ladder, and the walk through the arboritum is breathtaking. We have been twice and have been... more

I really enjoyed this and was lucky enough to catch a guided and free tour. Be sure to stop in the visitor center and watch the video and find out about the next tour. There is a beautiful garden, the locks, and the fish ladder. We even saw a harbor seal. more

Everyone visits Pike's Market and the Space Needle when going to Seattle, and you should...but sometimes you might want to do something a bit different, and perhaps even learn a thing or two. That's when you should go visit the Hiram Chittenden Locks. Even if you've been to a working lock before, this one is especially interesting because you get... more