Best Botanical Garden in Kirkland

"The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, also known as the Ballard Locks, are the United States' most-trafficked canal locks, located along Seattle's Lake Washington Ship Canal near the city's Ballard and Magnolia neighborhoods. The locks, which were opened in 1917 and named in honor of United States Army Major Hiram Martin Chittenden, were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. They are credited with reshaping vast areas of Seattle's waterfront coastline and changing the water level and flow direction of its lakes and rivers, allowing commercial and recreational vessels to traverse the city's harbor and warehouses."

"From full-service hair styling to aromatherapy and deep tissue massage, this Ballard establishment can meet your every beauty care and health spa need. If planning a Seattle spa day, be sure to check out Habitude’s seven care package options. Habitute at the Locks is two blocks west of AMLI Mark24."

"Also called the Ballard Locks, the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks were built to move boats from sea level up to the level of Lake Union. Check out the surrounding botanical garden and the semi-enclosed viewing area of the fish ladder, where salmon and steelhead move upstream."

"Co-managed by the University of Washington, the Seattle Parks and Recreation, and the Arboretum Foundation, this public park is quiet and scenic, perfect for couples who want to spend some time bonding somewhere away from the usual hustle and bustle of the city. Among its features are a nature trail, a playground, and an authentic Japanese garden. The park truly comes alive in the summer, when its azaleas are in full bloom."

"Open every day from dawn until dusk, the Washington Park Arboretum is one of the best places to travel in Seattle when you’re on a budget. It’s completely free, and you can enter and exit whenever you want without worrying about ticket stubs. It’s always available, and it’s always gorgeous."

"As far as Seattle's green spaces go, this 230-acre arboretum is arguably the most beautiful. On calm weekdays, the place feels really…"

"The Volunteer Park Conservatory is a botanical garden with a multi-room display of cacti, tropical plants, orchids, and other species. Its mission is to advocate and encourage preservation, public participation, and education with respect to the Volunteer Park Conservatory and its plant collection. Friends of the Conservatory (FOC), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, plays an integral part in stewarding visitors, providing outreach and education though docent-led tours, plant sales, special events, and interpretative classes for adults and school children, as well as an "Urban Safari" summer camp for grade school youth."

"Modeled after the “Crystal Palace” of London, the Volunteer Park Conservatory is a stunning example of man-made architecture. Glass walls are fitted into steel and iron frames. Victorian-style decorations give an ornate flair to everything from the windows and trellises to the doorknobs and flowerpots."

"The Seattle Chinese Garden is a Seattle Parks and Recreation partner that offers free public access to a lush, beautiful garden within West Seattle. The garden is a traditional Sichuan-style Chinese garden, the only one of its kind outside China, that celebrates Seattle's rich Chinese heritage."

"The light house is beautiful and just beside the dock, many people hang out there. The playground offers a great place for grandkids to work off excess energy. Nice park, lots of parking, close to the ferry terminal as well as the train platform."

"Interlaken Park is proof that one does not need to leave the city to get some nature and a great workout. The park is densely wooded with well-maintained ravine trails, located on the northern end of Capitol Hill. Owning to the well maintained and thrilling trails, which offers excellent opportunities to witness wildlife up close, this park is frequently visited by hikers and joggers."

"Bright colors and nautical decor add visual interest to this inviting bar, where patrons have their pick of 14 beers from the onsite brewery. Maritime Pacific Brewing Company is a small, family-owned brewery, established in 1990 in Ballard, the traditional home port to Northwest mariners. According to the website: "With its full-rigged white clipper ship set against dramatic Olympic Mountains, the Maritime Pacific logo recalls days past when fast windships once plied these Puget Sound waters laden with cargo for trade in exotic ports-of-call. To please the descendants of those bygone sailors in whom the taste for fine local beer lives on, and to salute Seattle's seafaring history, the Maritime Pacific Brewing Company was created."

"This local microbrewery, with its huge interior, expansive windows, and copper-topped bar, is eminently cool and is a great place to hang out with friends and sample house-brewed beers. Many of them bear mythological names, in keeping with the brewery's name, and you'll find everything from lagers and stouts to pilsners and ales. A good menu of pub fare includes pastas, sandwiches, stews, and fish and chips."

"Started back in 1995 this brewery is a Seattle Craft Beer Icon. Their Capitol Hill location is the first of 4 locations where patrons can not only grab a great beer but nosh on items from a vast menu selection. While the beer on tap really is the star of the show, their locations feature not just beer but wine and liquor choices along with a variety of non-alcoholic options."

"You can't get much more local than the Elysian Brewery, which brews its beer in Georgetown, a neighborhood in south Seattle. They offer 20-plus different beers at their three locations. They're possibly best known for their Night..."

"Saturday nights in Ballard are for choosing from the neighborhood’s plethora of hot restaurants and hopping between its myriad bars, but Sunday mornings are made for the market. While many of those same restaurants pop open for brunch, nothing beats the selection of seasonal pastries from the Salmonberry Goods booth while browsing the seemingly endless rows of fruits, seafood, meat, and vegetables, interspersed with the occasional artist. While the market has all the standards, it also keeps it quirky with stands selling locally grown saffron strands and hummus made from fresh garbanzos."

"website | directions | schedule: Sundays 9 am – 2 pm, year round rain or shine. This is my go-to neighborhood farmers market, so it counts as the best Seattle farmers market in my book. It’s in the charming Ballard neighborhood that has a ton of cute shops and restaurants perfect for poking into after you visit the farmers market."

"Wander through the throng of this large and popular market as you gather flowers, produce, and fresh doughnuts. People watch as you stuff yourself with burritos and fish tacos. This year-round market operates every Sunday from 10 a.m."

"Traver Gallery is one of Seattle’s best-known galleries by far. It’s been open for more than 40 years and brings in many well-respected national and international artists, as well as those at the beginning or middles of their art careers. The gallery keeps its focus on studio glass, painting, sculpture and installation pieces and, as such, is an excellent stop for anyone wanting to delve into the Northwest’s relationship with glass artists."