Food Scene
A Scandinavian (Norwegian) bakery just 2 blocks east of The Loyal Westie Cottage. Delicious pastries. Very busy on weekends, especially Sunday mornings.
60 locals recommend
Larsen's Bakery
8000 24th Ave NWA Scandinavian (Norwegian) bakery just 2 blocks east of The Loyal Westie Cottage. Delicious pastries. Very busy on weekends, especially Sunday mornings.
Good pizza and salads at very reasonable prices, in a clean, attractive space, and the wait staff has always treated us very well. Just 2 blocks east.
Sopranos Pizza & Pasta - Ballard
7729 24th Avenue NorthwestGood pizza and salads at very reasonable prices, in a clean, attractive space, and the wait staff has always treated us very well. Just 2 blocks east.
With authentic Thai woodcarvings and other decorations, this is Jae's and my favorite local Thai eatery. The staff is friendly, the food is good, and prices are reasonable.
33 locals recommend
Thai Siam Restaurant
8305 15th Ave NWWith authentic Thai woodcarvings and other decorations, this is Jae's and my favorite local Thai eatery. The staff is friendly, the food is good, and prices are reasonable.
Hattie's Hat Restaurant
5231 Ballard Ave NWAn Old Ballard original.
Local coffee chain -- I like to get java here before walking down the bluff to Golden Gardens -- it is perfectly situated right at the top of the stairs.
29 locals recommend
Caffe Fiore
3125 Northwest 85th StreetLocal coffee chain -- I like to get java here before walking down the bluff to Golden Gardens -- it is perfectly situated right at the top of the stairs.
Drinks & Nightlife
CC's is a lively, mostly gay male club on Capitol Hill. Go for the good, strong drinks, and the pix of unclad, VGL men on the monitors!
15 locals recommend
C C Attle's
1701 E Olive WayCC's is a lively, mostly gay male club on Capitol Hill. Go for the good, strong drinks, and the pix of unclad, VGL men on the monitors!
A bourbon-lover's paradise in historic Ballard. Also has good bar food.
8 locals recommend
Kickin' Boot Whiskey Kitchen
5309 22nd Avenue NorthwestA bourbon-lover's paradise in historic Ballard. Also has good bar food.
We like this dive bar! I had the BEST bar hamburger and fries here recently. And they also have karaoke on Sundays which is popular with lesbian customers, hosted by DJ Sparkle. Very funky décor. We're afraid it may fall victim to gentrification soon.
20 locals recommend
Waterwheel Lounge
7034 15th Ave NWWe like this dive bar! I had the BEST bar hamburger and fries here recently. And they also have karaoke on Sundays which is popular with lesbian customers, hosted by DJ Sparkle. Very funky décor. We're afraid it may fall victim to gentrification soon.
A very popular Capitol Hill bar with mostly lesbian clientele, right in the heart of the lively Pike/Pine corridor, which is par-tay central every weekend.
23 locals recommend
WILDROSE
1021 E Pike StA very popular Capitol Hill bar with mostly lesbian clientele, right in the heart of the lively Pike/Pine corridor, which is par-tay central every weekend.
Arts & Culture
Live bands! Right in historic downtown Ballard. Check their website for current schedule.
165 locals recommend
Tractor Tavern
5213 Ballard Ave NWLive bands! Right in historic downtown Ballard. Check their website for current schedule.
National Nordic Museum
2655 NW Market StScandinavian history! You betcha!
Parks & Nature
This beautiful park right on the Lake Washington Ship Canal in Ballard is great for picnics. Watch ships sail through the locks, and view salmon swimming upstream to spawn. Also, on the other side of the canal, in season you can see a very large blue heron rookery.
774 locals recommend
Ballard (Hiram M. Chittenden) Locks
3015 NW 54th StThis beautiful park right on the Lake Washington Ship Canal in Ballard is great for picnics. Watch ships sail through the locks, and view salmon swimming upstream to spawn. Also, on the other side of the canal, in season you can see a very large blue heron rookery.
On sunny weekends and holidays, this little beach will be packed out with folks from babies to old people and all ages in between. Popular spot for beach volleyball. Or you can swim in the Puget Sound, fly a kite, or kick a soccer ball around on the big lawn near the beach. At night you can have a fire in designated fire pits. On clear days, you'll get fantastic views of the Olympic Mountains across the Sound to the west. I walk to this park all the time from The Loyal Westie: down the steep bluff and back home again is 1 hour round trip, a great, aerobic workout.
728 locals recommend
Golden Gardens Park
8498 Seaview Pl NWOn sunny weekends and holidays, this little beach will be packed out with folks from babies to old people and all ages in between. Popular spot for beach volleyball. Or you can swim in the Puget Sound, fly a kite, or kick a soccer ball around on the big lawn near the beach. At night you can have a fire in designated fire pits. On clear days, you'll get fantastic views of the Olympic Mountains across the Sound to the west. I walk to this park all the time from The Loyal Westie: down the steep bluff and back home again is 1 hour round trip, a great, aerobic workout.
A small park on a big bluff overlooking Puget Sound, with stunning views of the Olympic Mountains to the west. This park is an easy walk from The Loyal Westie Cottage. In keeping with its name, it is very popular at sunset on clear days.
83 locals recommend
Sunset Hill Park
7531 34th Ave NWA small park on a big bluff overlooking Puget Sound, with stunning views of the Olympic Mountains to the west. This park is an easy walk from The Loyal Westie Cottage. In keeping with its name, it is very popular at sunset on clear days.
This is a great place for a family picnic, walks and short hikes. Also has a beach where you can jump into Puget Sound. Very popular on sunny, summer weekends.
251 locals recommend
Carkeek Park
950 NW Carkeek Park RdThis is a great place for a family picnic, walks and short hikes. Also has a beach where you can jump into Puget Sound. Very popular on sunny, summer weekends.
Entertainment & Activities
Ballard's own first-run cinema, there's been a movie theater on this site continuously since 1914! A few years ago, a member of the Alhadeff family bought it, tore down the bedraggled old building and built a nautically-themed, 3-screen theater, complete with brass fixtures, port-hole window, and ship-style mahogany trim. I go here first, any time they're playing what I want to see.
96 locals recommend
Majestic Bay Theatres
2044 NW Market StBallard's own first-run cinema, there's been a movie theater on this site continuously since 1914! A few years ago, a member of the Alhadeff family bought it, tore down the bedraggled old building and built a nautically-themed, 3-screen theater, complete with brass fixtures, port-hole window, and ship-style mahogany trim. I go here first, any time they're playing what I want to see.