Hiram M. Chittenden Locks
Where: Ballard Locks, 3015 NW 54th Street, Seattle
When: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. M-F (Salmon viewing: Jul & Aug)
Contact phone: 206-783-7059
Who: The whole family
How much: Free

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (more commonly know as the Ballard Locks) is one of Seattle's most popular attractions; over 1 million people visit each year.

At first glance, the uninitiated may wonder why the locks attract so many people. The answer can be summed up in three words. Boats, fish, and gardens. It seems a strange place to spend a sunny afternoon: What's so interesting about watching fish jump? But for those in the know, the chance to see hard-working sockeye salmon leaping their way to reproductive success is an entertaining and distinctly Pacific Northwest experience. Peak viewing time is usually from about July 1 until mid-August.

And it is always interesting to see boats, large and small, move through the locks and jockey for position as the locks are emptied and filled with water. The locks connect Puget Sound with Lake Union, Lake Washington, Salmon Bay and Portage Bay. Annually, over 90,000 marine craft use them as a passageway between salt and fresh water. The salmon can be seen making their journey up the ladder through underwater viewing windows.

Why do the fish embark on such an arduous pilgrammage? When they're young, sockeye grow for 15 months in Lake Washington. Coho and chinook remain in nearby rivers and streams for one year, but all the fish will eventually head for salty ocean waters to grow before returning to the rivers to spawn. This stage, that last desperate struggle upstream in order to reproduce, is the one that visitors witness at the locks.

Besides the fish, 500 species of plants are available for viewing nearby. The Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens overlook the locks and offers a self-guided tour.