A Summer Sunday in Ballard
A Summer Sunday in Ballard
Soaking up the end of this staycation summer and celebrating the Summer Bucket List
As I’ve shared before, I’m usually trying to do too many things. I rarely can comprehend the realities of my own time and energy and I plan lots of things but don’t always plan them *well*. I am working really hard on this as you may have read….
This quality of mine has historically shown up as the Ryan Family Travel Agent. She wants to go to all the places all the time and completely forgets the limiting factors of jobs, 24-hour days, and limited finances.
I am slowly accepting that travel is more draining than it used to be – even before adding a tiny human to the mix. We also love where we live! And I’m also really reckoning with the reality that we cannot be in two places at once. When I choose to go somewhere else, I am choosing to leave this place we love.
Bucket Listing
So we’ve started slowly choosing to stay home more. When considering this summer, I wanted to make the most of our time at home and give our summer true summer vacation vibes without traveling, so I made a Family Summer Bucket List (an excellent idea that was not mine – I copied it from one thousand people on the internet).
Our bucket list had a wide range of things, including some activities we already did regularly and others that we had talked about doing but needed a bit of a nudge to plan and execute. Some examples:
Beach outing to Secret Beach
Family bike ride
Swanson’s coffee & pastry date
Kayaking date day/night
Middlefork family hike
Berry picking
Picnic in the park
Camp in the backyard
The bucket list was huge for me – when I was feeling exhausted or overwhelmed (more often than not…🙃) but knew I wanted to do *something fun,* all I had to do was go to the list and pick something. And because there were a variety of options, I could choose based on how much time we had, the weather, logistics required, etc. IT WAS SO EASY.
It also makes it very simple to look back on this summer and see all the fun things we did right here at home! How lucky are we!
Sunday of Summer
Here we are, more than halfway through August, and the Seattle weather is hinting at the Big Grey Fall to come, but summer isn’t over yet! In fact, September is often my favorite summer-adjacent month, and I plan to squeeze everything out of it that we can.
I read someone refer to August as the “Sunday of Summer” and have really latched onto that phrase. It’s easy to let the Sunday Scaries take over, but if you do, you lose a whole chunk of the season. So lean into those summer vibes as long as you can. Maybe make a bucket list for the last few weeks? The fall chaos will be here before we all know it – no need for us to rush to greet it.
What’s on your bucket list for the last few weeks of summer?
A Summer Sunday in Ballard
In case you’re in the PNW and need some end-of-summer inspiration, below is one version of my ideal Sunday.
Summer Sunday in Ballard
We’ll spend most of the day on foot, wandering through the neighborhood. You’ll probably want comfy shoes and some water (that sun heat!). You *might* also want a swimsuit or some other water-friendly attire for an afternoon activity. It’s good to be prepared!
Ballard Farmer’s Market: opens at 9:00 am
Start at the intersection of NW Market Street and 22nd Ave, the north end of the market and wander south. At the intersection with Ballard Ave, pop across the street to Caffe Umbria to satisfy your caffeine needs (or stop at one of the coffee carts in the market!), before meandering down the hill through the length of the market.
As you’re browsing, pause for breakfast at one of the vendor stands. There are so many delicious options, but one of my favorites is the Patty Pan Cooperative. They always have a hot skillet full of veggies that they dump into nearly all of the dishes they serve – yum!
Many stalls offer free samples (be sure to try the smoked salmon!), and the numerous florist stands deserve a lingering gaze. It’s impressive how effortlessly they create gorgeous bouquets all morning. You’ll also find incredible handmade goods, free poems, and buskers at multiple midpoints in the vendor stalls.
Elevensies at Sabine: ~10:30 am
When you’re nearing the end of your market wandering and perhaps ready for a second breakfast or coffee treat, Sabine is perfect for a pause. I’ve recommended it before, and it’s truly worth another mention. There’s a long line for good reason (my favorite coffee treat here is the Valencia).
You can take your treat to go and continue wandering or sit down (inside, outside, or on the covered side patio!) and people-watch for a bit.
Pick out a book at Secret Garden Books: ~11:00 am
When you’re ready to leave the market, walk back north toward NW Market Street and head to Secret Garden Books. It will be no surprise to you that I love a bookstore and highly encourage slow, methodical perusing here. They always have great staff recommendations, and I love the overflowing table of local books in the front left of the store.
Hopefully, you find something that piques your interest – bring it with you for our next stop!
Walk and Rest at Hiram M. Chittenden - Ballard Locks: ~12:00-2:00 pm
After our bookstore stop, continue wandering west along NW Market Street toward the water. Our destination is the Ballard Locks. Once you enter the park, you can mosey to the right up the hill and through the gardens or head straight across. If you walk across the locks, you can pause to watch as boats are lifted and lowered through the locks or continue on the path along the cut.
From there, you can often spot sea lions swimming and look up to see the enormous Great Blue Heron Colony in Commodore Park (and perhaps avoid the benches underneath those trees….) Turn around and venture down the ramp into the Salmon Ladder viewing area. This has recently received a major upgrade, and when the salmon are running, it is incredible to watch!
When you’re ready to rest your legs, pause on a bench or the grass (look out for goose poop!) with your book. Hang out and read in the sunshine for as long as you fancy.
Lunch at Un Bien: ~2:00p
When your legs have recharged, let’s keep walking. Exiting the locks, turn left to continue west on the Burke Gilman. Around the bend, when the path breaks from Seaview Avenue, bear left to stay along the road. Almost immediately, you’ll pass a little parklet on your left – Northwest 60th St. Viewpoint – which might be my favorite little corner of the city. As you stand along the fence looking across the water, it’s easy to imagine you’re in Venice.
Keep walking a bit further until you reach Un Bien on your right. Everything here is incredible so you can’t go wrong. Hang out at the picnic tables or once you get your food, walk across the street and down the path to Point Shilshole Beach to enjoy lunch with a sea view.
Beach and Water Playtime: ~3:00-5:00
Depending on your energy level after lunch, you can:
Get your book back out and read lazily in the sand
Go kayaking or paddleboarding
If you opt for b), walk back across the road to Surf Ballard, next to Un Bien, and rent a kayak or paddleboard. If you’re keen, you can also sign up for a WASUP Yoga class on the Sound! Whatever strikes your fancy, take your water vessel back across the street and down the path to the beach.
Happy Hour at Ray’s: 5:00 pm
After the water and beach fun, walk back the way you came to Ray’s for a drink. Head upstairs to the casual cafe for a seat on the deck with views of the Puget Sound (and hopefully Olympics!) and the opportunity to soak up some more summer sun.
Dinner on Ballard Ave: 7:30 pm
Before the sun sets, retrace your steps along the Burke Gilman, heading east. Make your way back to Ballard Ave for dinner. There are plenty of options for you to choose from in the neighborhood center. A few of my favorites are:
San Fermo: Excellent locally sourced Italian food and wine in an adorable house-turned-restaurant
La Carte de Oaxaca: An easily missed spot with unassuming but incredible dishes
Kings Hardware: 21+ dive bar with a really good burger
Moshi Moshi: Underrated sushi – their fish specials are always unique and delicious
Stoneburner: Expansive space with various locally sourced dishes - pizza, pasta, veggies (all great!)
Have a luxuriously long dinner after a jam-packed summer day and wherever you choose, make sure you get dessert.
What did you think? What would you add for a day to cap off the summer?
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You take me back to when I was young single mother traveling the country in our van. It seemed every spare moment we got to See something! It’s a balance and you’ve got it. The kids will remember :-)