Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, Seattle: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, known locally as the Ballard Locks, connect the saltwater of Puget Sound to the freshwater of the Lake Washington Ship Canal in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. The two lock chambers, completed in 1917 by the Army Corps of Engineers, raise and lower roughly 40,000 vessels annually over a 6-to-8-meter tidal difference. A fish ladder on the south side allows migrating salmon to bypass the dam, with an underground viewing gallery where visitors watch the fish through glass windows. The adjacent Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden covers 2.8 hectares of manicured grounds. is just one of many options in Seattle. Major attractions worth considering include Mt. Rainier National Park, Olympic Sculpture Park, and Original Starbucks.