A visit to the locks in Ballard. In September we studied the Erie Canal in History. Not realizing that it had such a monumental impact in our country's history, I merely dismissed it in school. Come to find out it helped our nation with trade and expansion tremendously. Sometime growing up, we stopped at some locks. I thought it was on the Columbia River but really couldn't remember. I really wanted to take the kids to see some locks because of the amount of locks on the Erie Canal. Talking to some gals at coffee, I was told that there are locks in the Seattle area! Thank you, Marty! So I looked it up and sure enough we could go. Please John, can you pull the boat down and put in at Lake Union and go through the locks both ways with the boat? I thought for sure that as a home schooling family that he would definitely be up for that. NO WAY!
So I drug the kids down there without him or the boat. Maybe another time (like not during soccer season). We started out with hot cocoa and coffee and got out of town with a map to the locks, a walking tour guide of Ballard, a guide to the gardens attached to the locks, and Isaac's ipod.

We got down there quick, paid for our parking and walked into the garden area. Who knew the museum, gardens and fish ladder were free. Love that.

Who knew that across the street there was a restaurant where all the kids would order fish and chips. I didn't know they liked fish and chips. Loved it.

Isaac has gotten into yo-yos and carries his around with him everywhere; that and his ipod. Of course they are both green.

There were squirrels galore here and not timid at all. We watched this one poke around the ground and bury a nut. Who knew that we'd spend almost an hour watching this squirrel.

Who knew that we could spend 3 HOURS watching boats go through the locks! When we arrived there weren't any boats. Within 15 minutes there was a boat going through the locks. The variety of boats were incredible. Tug boats, pleasure boats, tour boats, boats that pulled logs out of the water, and fire boats. It was educational. We also watched a film in the museum and looked at all the displays, including a simulation of the locks and how they work.

There is a park on each side of the locks and you can walk back and forth on the gates to each side. A draw bridge for the train tracks just down the way. We spent another hour or two going through the garden with their map trying to find all 29 trees listed on their brochure. The trees on the end of the list were mislabeled. They had a California red wood labeled as a yucca plant. I don't think so. I thought that we would see a couple of boats and then the kids would get bored and want to do something else. Who knew that I'd have to drag them out of there and home to get to soccer practice. Wow. It was a beautiful but slightly chilly day. So perfect to spend 6+ hours outside. I'm hoping to go back down there in the spring, the trees were gorgeous with the fall colors and am thinking that it would be a beautiful place to bike ride this spring or summer.