The first thing I noticed looking at the Ballard profile page, under the tagged reputations, was “We’re the Best!” Ha. Oh so apropos of you Ballard. If you’re an out-of-towner, this is what I mean by that: Ballardites are known within city limits as famously proud if not borderline arrogant when it comes to their hood. Stick around long enough and you will spot the famous “Free Ballard” bumper sticker slapped on a crappy Volvo, driven by a pseudo-hippy wearing a bucket hat and a “Save Seattle Salmon” t-shirt. But hey, that’s funny bumper sticker and Ballard is a great neighborhood, no doubt. For a largely residential area, the bars and restaurants in the downtown area are fairly popular and have range between lo and up-scale. When people call Seattle a “neighborhood city” Ballard will likely be one of the first neighborhoods they list. It’s one of the city’s first; popular for its proximity to the Puget Sound and the Ship Canal, where the salt and fresh water meet. The Ballard Locks is a tourist destination but perhaps not necessary on a short visit. Is it close to downtown? Yep, ride the Aurora Bridge over the Ship Canal and you’ll be there, ~2 mi. from downtown. In Old Ballard you’ll find a small but lively stretch of bars and restaurants that rival the U District for north Seattle entertainment. Being one of Seattle’s first suburban neighborhoods is the reason for its residents proud attitude. As Seattle becomes denser with condos and apartments, neighborhoods like Ballard will lose their charming old-school style. It has happened in many parts of Seattle and is pushing both north and south. Miles of mixed socioeconomic residential blocks and the Puget Sound to the west make Ballard both a popular place to live and a tourist destination. It seems the bulk gentrification is past but it’ll still become more expensive to live near Old Ballard. There is good mix of young and old, perhaps most popular for 30-somethings. Crime is low. Also, it is home to Golden Gardens, which rivals West Seattle’s Alki as Seattle’s best beach. As a north sider I may be biased, but if you’re looking for a California style beach, the imported “golden” sand is the city’s tops. Ballard is pretty snug in the west end of the city, further from the I-5 expressway than most parts of north Seattle though you have two bridges connecting Ballard to downtown anyway so no problem!