Ballard is the old Scandinavian fishing and sawmill neighborhood in northwest Seattle, on Salmon Bay and Puget Sound, about half an hour by bus from downtown.
Ballard is the old Scandinavian fishing and sawmill neighborhood in northwest Seattle, on Salmon Bay and Puget Sound, about half an hour by bus from downtown. Come for the brick blocks of Ballard Avenue with their restaurants, bars and breweries, the National Nordic Museum, and sunset on the beach at Golden Gardens.The Ballard Locks sit on the neighborhood's southern edge (see the Seattle page), so it's easy to pair the two in one day. On Sunday mornings Ballard Avenue is closed to cars for the farmers market and gets busy. On weekend evenings, tables along Ballard Avenue and Market Street go fast, and many places don't take reservations.
Sights in Ballard
Discover the most important sights and attractions
Museum
1National Nordic Museum
Founded in 1980, the museum moved into its new building at 2655 NW Market Street on May 5, 2018, and in 2019 Congress designated it the national museum of Nordic culture. Its roughly 57,000 square feet cover the Vikings, Nordic immigration to America and the fishermen and loggers who built Ballard. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; tickets are cheaper online than at the door. There's a paid lot on the south side. Plan on two hours.
This park of nearly 88 acres at the north end of Seaview Avenue has Seattle's most popular sandy beach on Puget Sound, with views across the water to the Olympic Mountains. Down by the water are fire pits, picnic lawns and a pier; up the slope are wooded trails. The water stays cold even in summer, so most people go kayaking or paddleboarding instead of swimming. On sunny summer evenings the lot fills early; take the bus or bike along the shoreline road.
This saltwater marina with about 1,400 slips runs along Puget Sound between the Ballard Locks and Golden Gardens. A public promenade of a little over a mile leads past the boats with views of the Olympics, and parking is free. On Leif Erikson Plaza stands a 16-foot statue of the Norse explorer, a gathering spot for Ballard's Scandinavian community. A good walk before dinner at Ray's Boathouse.
4Bergen Place and Ballard Avenue Historic District
This small plaza at NW Market Street and 22nd Avenue NW is the meeting point in the heart of Ballard. Just south of it starts Ballard Avenue, lined with brick and wood buildings from around 1890 on that have been on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district since 1976. The old storefronts now hold restaurants, bars and small shops, and the Ballard Farmers Market sets up here Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Give yourself half an hour to stroll the avenue.
A pizzeria at 1415 NW 70th Street, in the quieter north end of Ballard, known for wood-fired pies with a deeply blistered crust. The Infatuation suggests adding the Jersey salad and the burrata. It's mostly walk-in: a limited number of reservations for small groups are available Tuesday through Thursday. Weekends are hardest, so come early.
A seafood restaurant right on the water at 6049 Seaview Avenue NW, between the Ballard Locks and Shilshole Bay Marina, looking across Puget Sound to the Olympics. The Infatuation recommends the grilled king salmon and staying for dessert at sunset. Reserve on Resy, and book early if you want a window table at sunset.
An Italian restaurant in a small white clapboard house at 5341 Ballard Avenue NW. The Infatuation calls it a romantic spot with some of the best Italian food in Ballard and recommends the carbonara and the farinata. On warm evenings, sit out on the porch with a glass of wine. Reserve on OpenTable; it's a good date-night pick.
Around Leary Avenue and NW 46th Street, a cluster of small breweries run their own taprooms. Most pour right next to the tanks, often with food trucks parked outside.
Salmon and oysters
Ballard grew up on fishing: grilled salmon and raw Puget Sound oysters show up on menus here from casual counters to restaurants on the water.
History and Culture
Ballard was its own city until 1907, built on sawmills, shingle mills and fishing. Many of the workers came from Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and flags, Leif Erikson Plaza at the marina and the National Nordic Museum still reflect that heritage. Every May 17, Norwegian Constitution Day, a parade runs through the neighborhood.Part of the fishing fleet that heads to Alaska each summer still sails from Salmon Bay. The old commercial buildings on Ballard Avenue have been a historic district since 1976.Over the past 20 years a wave of new apartment buildings has gone up, and with its breweries and restaurants Ballard has become one of the most popular places to go out in north Seattle.
Renee Erickson's little bar right next to The Walrus and the Carpenter at 4743 Ballard Avenue NW, pouring aperitifs and amari alongside small plates. The Infatuation recommends the amaro spritz. It works well as a waiting room while you're on the list for the oyster bar next door, or for a drink before dinner.
A music bar at 5213 Ballard Avenue NW that says it has hosted live music nearly every night for more than 25 years. Buy tickets on TicketWeb or at the door; door times are on the calendar at tractortavern.com. The room is small, so get there early for bigger names.
By busThere's no light rail in Ballard yet. The fastest option is the RapidRide D Line, which runs up 3rd Avenue downtown and 15th Avenue NW into Ballard, every 7 to 8 minutes at rush hour and every 12 to 15 minutes otherwise; the full run from Pioneer Square to Crown Hill takes about 45 minutes. Get off at NW Market Street and walk ten minutes west to Ballard Avenue.Ballard Locks and the Nordic Museum: about 15 minutes on foot from Ballard Avenue.Shilshole Bay Marina and Golden Gardens: walk or bike along Seaview Avenue; Golden Gardens is a good half-hour walk from the Locks.As everywhere in Seattle, pay with an ORCA card, a contactless credit card or phone, or the Transit GO Ticket app.Driving and parkingAround Ballard Avenue and Market Street you'll find meters and a few parking garages; it gets tight on weekends and during the Sunday market. Parking at Shilshole Bay Marina is free.By RVBallard Avenue is narrow and closed on market days. Under city code (SMC 11.72.070), vehicles wider than 80 inches can't park on the street between midnight and 6 a.m. outside industrial zones. For a day visit, the free lot at Shilshole Bay Marina is the most obvious option; check the posted signs on site to see whether large vehicles are allowed. For overnight stays, use an RV park outside the city (see the Seattle page).
