I love exploring Fishermen's Terminal. So much so that I made it a stop on my Engineering tour. Most visitors drive right over it on the Ballard Bridge without knowing it's there. It's a working harbor in the middle of the city.
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What it is
Fishermen's Terminal sits on Salmon Bay, just south of the Ballard Bridge. The Port of Seattle opened it in 1914 as a home port for the fishing fleet, and it's still doing that job today. Hundreds of commercial boats tie up here in the off-season, many of them back from fishing in Alaska.
These are working boats. Crab boats, trawlers, longliners and seiners, with nets, pots and gear stacked everywhere.
The Deadliest Catch connection
If you've watched Deadliest Catch, some of this will look familiar. Boats from the show have tied up at Fishermen's Terminal over the years, and fans come looking for them. I can't promise you'll see a particular boat on a particular day. Boats come and go with the seasons and the work.
Why the boats are here
This part is my favorite to explain on the tour. Salmon Bay sits above the Ballard Locks, so the water here is fresh, not salt. Fresh water is easier on hulls than salt water, and there are no tides to deal with. That's a big reason the fleet has called this place home for more than a hundred years.
It's also a good example of how one piece of engineering, the Locks, shaped everything around it. If you want the rest of that story, read my Ballard Locks guide.
The Fishermen's Memorial
Before you leave, stop at the Seattle Fishermen's Memorial along the water between the docks. The bronze fisherman stands over plaques with the names of more than 675 local commercial fishermen and women lost at sea. It's a heavy reminder of how dangerous this work is. Take a minute there.
The group behind the memorial also runs safety programs, counseling and scholarships for fishing families, and puts on the Fishermen's Fall Festival every September. If you're in town for it, go.
Tips for visiting
Go in the off-season if you want a packed harbor. Fall through spring is when it's fullest, since a lot of the fleet heads north in summer.
Stay on the public docks and give crews room. Don't board or touch any boat or gear.
Bring a jacket. It's breezy on the water most of the year.
Pair it with the Locks. They're a few minutes apart.
Seeing it on a tour
Fishermen's Terminal is a stop on our Inside Seattle Engineering tour, along with the Ballard Locks, the Ballard Bridge, the Elliott Bay Trail and the I-90 floating bridge. It's a private four-hour tour for just your group.
Quick answers
Can you visit Fishermen's Terminal for free? Yes. It's open to the public and you can walk the docks.
Are the Deadliest Catch boats there? Some boats from the show have moored here, but it depends on the season and the boat's schedule.
Where is it? On Salmon Bay at the south end of the Ballard Bridge.
Keep reading
Boeing Fuselages on the Elliott Bay Trail, another stop on the same tour
Why Seattle's Drawbridges Open, including the Ballard Bridge right next to the terminal
