Seattle Condo Blog and Community Information

The neighborhood of Ballard, known for the Scandinavians that first settled there, still retains its Nordic flavor and its ties to the water. This charming, modest community sits just north of Freemont and west of Phinney Ridge.

 Bordered to the south by Salmon Bay and to the west by Puget Sound, Ballard boasts a number of water-related attractions. In Ballard’s southeast corner is Fisherman’s Terminal, a bustling marina filled with commercial fishing boats.

Following west, along the canal, you’ll come to the Chittenden Locks—a “water elevator” that connects the freshwater to the saltwater below. You can watch the 42-foot walls swing open as small pleasure boats and large commercial vessels enter. When the gates close, the regatta rises or drops up to 26 feet. You can walk across the locks and down to the fish ladder, where you can watch through the large under-water windows as the salmon swim upstream to spawn. On the banks of the locks, you can stroll through lovely botanical gardens.

Heading further west, to the sea you’ll find Shilshole Bay Marina where hundreds of sailboats gently bob in the water. Just north of the marina is Golden Gardens Park, where visitors enjoy the sandy beach and the beautiful sunsets. Behind the beach, a road zigzags eastward. It rises high above, to Sunset Hill, a section of Ballard which features breathtaking views of Puget Sound.

Continuing south, you pass the Nordic Heritage Museum which chronicles the community’s history. From 1890 to 1906, Ballard was a city in its own right, bustling with sawmills and fishing fleets. The city founders built the attractive brick buildings that line Ballard Ave and are now preserved as a historic district. . New and hip businesses open up regularly. Today, Ballard Avenue and Market Street are home to eclectic boutiques, galleries, restaurants, pubs and a newly restored movie theater.

Most Ballard residents are distant from the main traffic on Highway 99 and I5, but they can easily reach downtown Seattle via a quick drive on 15^th Ave.  As Seattle housing prices boomed, this once-working-class area has become an even more attractive place to live.