What You’ll See on a Seattle Locks Cruise With Argosy Cruises

On a sunny April afternoon in Seattle, I boarded an Argosy Locks Cruise, not knowing how much of the city I’d see in just two hours. What followed was a floating front-row seat to the sights, sounds, and stories that define the Emerald City from Lake Union’s houseboats and seaplanes to the Ballard Locks, where we “rode the elevator” from freshwater to saltwater, and finally into the wide-open views of Puget Sound.

If you’re short on time but want a deeper understanding of Seattle’s geography and maritime culture, this cruise is a great choice. You cover a lot of ground (or water, rather) while soaking in skyline views and learning from the onboard guide.

Seattle Locks Cruise

Afternoon Departure

At 1 p.m. on a Thursday, I checked in at the Argosy Cruises booth in a parking lot in the southwestern corner of Lake Union. I departed from Lake Union in the early afternoon so the sun would be behind us when we reached Elliott Bay and the Seattle skyline. The sun’s position would be ideal for photographing the city from the water.

The alternative is to depart Pier 54 in Elliott Bay at 10:30 a.m., when the sun is still rising above downtown Seattle. But shooting into the sun can be problematic.

Passengers began boarding the Goodtime II at about 1:15 p.m., at which point I headed straight for the top deck at the front of the boat. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis, but it didn’t matter.

I was happy to learn the cruise that day was only running at 20% of capacity (about 40 passengers out of a maximum of 200). In addition to the sunshine, clear skies, and mild temperatures, I couldn’t have asked for better conditions!

Nate, our guide for the day, introduced himself and shared the location of the bar and bathrooms. At 1:30 p.m., we embarked on our Seattle locks cruise.

Lake Union and Fremont

Argosy Cruises operates from a dock adjacent to Kenmore Air and offers scenic seaplane tours around Seattle. I was excited to see their planes take off and land on water, a bucket-list activity I’d like to experience one day.

I’ve been on similarly small planes over the Okavango Delta and Ushuaia, but I want to experience what it’s like using a lake as a runway.

When departing on the locks cruise, you also get a good view of the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI). It’s one of the few major Seattle museums I still have to visit.

Floating Homes

Lake Union’s…