Ballard Fish Ladder

Lonely Planet review

The Ballard fish ladder was built in 1976 to allow salmon to fight their way to spawning grounds in the Cascade headwaters of the Sammamish River, which feeds Lake Washington. Visitors can watch the fish from underwater glass-sided tanks or from above (nets are installed to keep salmon from over-leaping and stranding themselves on the pavement). You can also watch sea lions munch on the salmon while the fish attempt to negotiate the ladder.

Just what to do about the sea lions has stymied environmentalists, anglers and the local Fish & Wildlife Department. The best time to visit is during spawning season, from mid-June to September.

On the northern entrance to the lock area is the Carl English Jr Botanical Gardens, a charming arboretum and specimen garden. Trails wind through gardens filled with mature trees and flower gardens.

Flanking the gardens is a small museum and visitors center documenting the history of the locks. Free tours are offered twice daily mid-May to mid-September, with an added tour on weekends. The rest of the year, tours are offered once a day Thursday to Monday.