As an architect who values walkable cities, I really appreciated Ballard and felt it deserved its own neighborhood guide. I did a month-long home exchange in July, which gave me the luxury of exploring Ballard slowly. After four weeks of daily dog walks, trying as many breweries as possible, walking parts of the Burke-Gillman Trail, and even an architectural walking tour of Historic Ballard, this is my list of the best things to do and see in Ballard, Seattle.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through Ballard in a way that makes sense on foot: starting with the historic core, then moving out toward the Locks, Golden Gardens, viewpoints, breweries, the farmers market, and seasonal events.
The Map – Ballard, Seattle
Steal my Seattle map and make sure to check out the Ballard layer, which includes everything mentioned in this guide.
Ballard Neighborhood History
Ballard started developing in the late 1800s along Salmon Bay and became its own city in 1890. Sawmills and shingle mills were built along Salmon Bay and drew in laborers. The neighborhood drew in immigrants from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, perhaps because the waterways were similar to Nordic fjords. These early immigrants shaped the early maritime culture of the neighborhood.
In 1907, Ballard was annexed by Seattle and became an official Seattle neighborhood. Nowadays, there are still a lot of industrial buildings along Salmon Bay, and it is actually a missing link along the Burke-Gilman trail.
The eastern part of Ballard is more industrial and is now the brewery district. In the historic core of Ballard along Ballard Avenue, many of the original brick commercial buildings still stand. To celebrate the neighborhood’s Nordic roots, there is even a Nordic Museum near the Ballard Locks.
Ballard Historic District and Ballard Avenue
The main commercial area of Ballard is along Ballard Avenue, and the stretch between NW Market Street and NW Dock Place is recognized as the Ballard Avenue Landmark District. Most of the storefronts are the original commercial brick buildings from the 1890s – 1940s and still maintain their historic charm. Many of the buildings feature plaques that show historic photos. There are quite a few buildings that have damage from past earthquakes, and some of the original decorative brick parapets have been lost. It is fun to walk along Ballard Avenue and compare the historic photos to what is standing today.
If you want a more in-depth tour of the historic buildings along Ballard Avenue, I recommend taking the walking tour with the Seattle Architecture Foundation. I joined the tour of the historic Ballard Landmark District and enjoyed being walked through history.
Some of my favorite highlights were hearing the story of the relocation of a wood house that is now home to the Italian restaurant San Fermo. I loved having ghost murals, missing brick parapets, and even commentary on new developments in the neighborhood pointed out. The Seattle Architecture Foundation also has other tours throughout Seattle if you are interested in tours run by architects and other architecture enthusiasts.
Another notable building nearby is the Ballard Library. This library was completed in 2005 by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and gives a nod to the Scandinavian heritage with a sweeping green roof on heavy timbers.
Related Post: Seattle Architecture Guide: An Architect’s Favorite Buildings and Places
Where to Eat in the Ballard Historic District
The historic part of NW Ballard Avenue is full of shops and restaurants. I tried many during my month-long stay in the neighborhood. Two of my favorite restaurants were Gracias for the Mexican food and strong margaritas, and Stoneburner for the wood-fired pizza and cocktails. Many restaurants along Ballard Ave have outdoor patios, and I found many dog-friendly options to dine with Pepper. I also saved many other options that I loved within Ballard on my free Seattle map.
Where to Stay in Ballard
There are two hotels in the Ballard Historic District, putting you right in the middle of the walkable core.
The Ballard Inn was originally the American-Scandinavian Bank and was renovated into a hotel in the 1920s. If you’ve spent much time on my website, you know I love an adaptive reuse hotel in a walkable downtown.
Hotel Ballard is nearby and is one of the few newer buildings that was constructed within the historic core.
If you want to be right in the middle of the historic core of Ballard and walkable to the farmer’s market and plenty of restaurants and bars, either of these hotels are a perfect location for exploring Ballard.
Ballard Locks
If you are visiting Ballard, you’ve likely heard of the Ballard Locks. Salmon Bay connects the saltwater Puget Sound to adjacent freshwater Lake Union and Lake Washington beyond. The Ballard Locks were engineered in 1917 and still operate today to maintain the water levels in the freshwater lakes and allow boats to move between water levels. There is a pedestrian bridge you can walk across to admire the locks and even watch the water levels change as boats pass through.
I walked across the bridge and even wandered a bit on the paths in Commodore Park on the Magnolia side of the water. On the Magnolia side, you can see the famous fish ladder for salmon migration. There is also an underwater viewing area you can go in. On the Ballard side, there is a visitor center and the Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden.
Dogs are allowed in the parks, gardens, and even on the bridge to admire the locks and outside near the salmon ladders. Dogs are not allowed in the indoor viewing area. I found it a great place to wander around outside with Pepper and was surprised that she seemed comfortable on the bridges and watching the boats. We even saw a salmon jump in the fish ladder and seals on the Puget Sound side of the locks.
Related Post: Dog-Friendly Things To Do In Seattle
Golden Gardens
Golden Gardens is a beach and park on the northwest side of Ballard. If you are coming from the neighborhood above, there are a series of wooded trails and stairs you can take to descend down to the beach. The beach at Golden Gardens is one of the few sandy beaches in Seattle. It is also the far northwest point of the Burke-Gilman Trail.
Dogs are allowed on paths at Golden Gardens but are not allowed on the sandy beach. I found out some “local rules” about the beach I wrote about in a guide about dog-friendly things to do in Seattle.
Walking Trails and Viewpoints
I spent a lot of time on dog walks through Ballard and found a few more highlights worth exploring that aren’t on the typical things to do in Ballard list.
Burke-Gilman Trail
The Burke-Gilman Trail is a 20-mile multi-use trail that runs along the water from Golden Gardens to Gas Works Park and winds up to Kenmore. I walked the trail from Golden Gardens down to the historic core of Ballard, and some sections between Ballard and Gas Works Park.
There is a missing link to the trail near the historic part of Ballard, which is apparently still in debate because local businesses do not want the trail running near industrial businesses that still operate along the water in Salmon Bay. I’m looking forward to following this to see how the trail develops over the years. A connected path is such a valuable community asset.
I recommend the section from Golden Gardens to the Ballard Locks. From the Ballard Locks, it is a short walk to the historic downtown core, and then a short walk to the Ballard Brewery District.
Check out the map of the full Burke-Gilman Trail:
NW 60th Street Viewpoint
If you decide to walk along the Burke-Gilman trail from Golden Gardens to the Ballard Locks, you will pass a small grassy area with benches. Make sure to stop at the NW 60th Street viewpoint and admire the view. There is a pin for this on my free Seattle Map.
Sunset Hill Park
If you are walking the Ballard neighborhood up above, there is a small park overlooking the Puget Sound worth a visit for a great view. Sunset Hill Park is just a small park with some grass and benches within the residential part of Ballard. If you are wandering through here, the view is worth the visit, but not an easy detour from the Burke-Gilman Trail.
Explore Ballard’s Breweries
The Ballard Brewery District is just east of historic Ballard. You can walk between the historic downtown area and the breweries. Things become much more industrial and spread out once you leave the downtown core, but it is still easy to walk between breweries since there are over a dozen within a one-mile radius.
I took many dogs walks (and some solo or girls walks) to the Ballard Brewery District during my month-long stay in Ballard and on a few previous trips. Almost every brewery was dog-friendly (with varying rules), and most have food on site or a food truck parked on the street. After visiting several breweries over the years, I found a few favorites on my last trip.
Bale Breaker & Yonder Cider Taproom was a perfect choice if you want a choice of both beer and ciders. I watched part of the World Cup Final game here and appreciated the TV’s, large outdoor patio, and great selection of ciders. They even had some seasonal slushies.
Reubens Ballard Brewery has a large outdoor patio with picnic tables and food onsite. I found this location perfect to bring Pepper.
Old Stove Brewing was another location with a large outdoor patio with picnic tables and food onsite. You get a glimpse into the brewery when you go inside to order beers. The line here did seem to get a little long at times.
Ballard Farmers Market
The Ballard Farmers Market is Seattle’s first year-round neighborhood farmers market and is a great way to explore the Ballard Historic District every Sunday. I went a few times, and there are so many local fruits and vegetables as well as food and drink vendors. I tried a life-changing corndog (seriously, that’s what it’s called) and was able to taste a few types of local ciders, kombucha, and even mead from a meadery on Whidbey Island.
If you are in Ballard on a Sunday, I highly recommend wandering through the Sunday Farmers Market.
Ballard Seafood Fest
The Ballard Seafood Fest happens on a weekend over the summer, and I was fortunate to be staying in Ballard for the event in July. It lasts a few days, and I got to see an 80s cover band on a Friday night and check out the beer garden. I went back on Sunday to check out all the food vendors lining Market Street and even see the Salmon BBQ.
If you are in town for the Ballard Seafood Fest, I highly recommend taking a walk through and at least grabbing a local beer in the beer garden. The event is right in the historic part of Ballard and is a fun experience.
How to Visit Ballard
Parking and Transit – Ballard is slightly removed from Downtown Seattle. There are bridges and waterways in between, and it is farther west than the link train and I-5, making it feel slightly removed from other parts of Seattle. I lived in the neighborhood over the summer and found driving the most convenient, although there is public transportation that goes to Ballard.
Parking right in downtown can be challenging, but the brewery district has plenty of street parking and the downtown core is surrounded by residential homes so there is street parking not far away. There is paid parking available at the Ballard Locks, and free parking in the adjacent neighborhood. Golden Gardens has multiple parking lots.
Walkability – Once in Ballard, the downtown core and brewery district are easily walkable. I also walked the Burke-Gillman Trail from Golden Gardens to the Ballard Locks. It is a few miles, but if you like a scenic walk, it is doable.
Enjoy Exploring Ballard, Seattle!
I hope you enjoy your visit to Ballard. Spending the month of July exploring Ballard gave me an appreciation of the neighborhood, especially the downtown core. If you are able to explore beyond, you will be rewarded with a unique history, scenic water views, and plenty of breweries.
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