Ballard

Explore

The beachfront and wildlife-rich trails of Golden Gardens Park (8498 Seaview Pl NW) are great fun to explore and ideal for watching occasional winter storms. The well-designed exhibits at the beautiful National Nordic Museum (2655 NW Market St) will fill you in on the close cultural and historic ties between Scandinavia and the Pacific Northwest. Nearby, have a stroll beside the dramatic Ballard Locks (3015 NW 54th St) and meander through the seven acres of native flora at adjacent Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden.

Eat and Drink

Bring your appetite to this colorful neighborhood that’s filled with fantastic eateries and bars. With its high ceilings and mod-industrial decor, CrackleMi Vietnamese Grill (5605 22nd Ave NW) is a stylish spot for noodle bowls and banh mi sandwiches. Other local faves for Asian cooking include Pestle Rock (2305 NW Market St) for rich Northeast (Isan) Thai curries, and Bapshim (5016 20th Ave NW), a Korean lunch spot recently unveiled by neighboring dinner restaurant WeRo (5210 Ballard Ave NW). Discerning carnivores should check out the celebrated, sustainably focused butcher shop Beast & Cleaver (2362 NW 80th St), which transforms into The Peasant restaurant for Thursday–Sunday chef’s tasting dinners. Seafood lovers flock to the snazzy bistro Sailfish (2221 NW Market St) for crab cakes, chimichurri scallops, and bouillabaisse. Mediterranean-influenced Sabine Cafe & Market (5307 Ballard Ave NW) and New American–style Percy’s and Co (5233 Ballard Ave NW) both serve outstanding food and boast stellar cocktail mixology programs. Ballard has dozens of great spots to sample craft beer, including farmhouse ale–focused Fair Isle Brewing (936 NW 49th St) and the Viking-themed, fireplace-warmed Skål Beer Hall (5429 Ballard Ave NW).

Shop

Standard Goods (5317 Ballard Ave NW) stocks an array of offbeat gifts and fashionable apparel, while Woodland Mod (5330 Ballard Ave NW) is your one-stop for thoughtfully curated housewares, body products, and lifestyle goods. Check out the sustainably designed, contemporary jewelry and gifts at Baleen (6418 20th Ave NW), and fanciful toys, art supplies, and kids’ fashion at Clover Toys (4609 14th Ave NW). On Sundays, don’t miss the year-round Ballard Farmers Market (5345 Ballard Ave NW), which abounds with tasty snacks and beautifully crafted gifts and art.