Visiting Seattle’s Iconic Space Needle
The Emerald City has so much to offer. So many parks, museums, coffee shops, and more to choose from you’ll never be able to see it all in one trip. There is one attraction however, that stands out from the pack (literally). That attraction would be the 605-foot tall, “Space Needle”.
Constructed for the 1962 World’s Fair, millions of visitors have stood atop its 520-foot indoor/outdoor, saucer-shaped observation deck that offers unobstructed views of downtown Seattle, the Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, the beautiful Cascades, and the Olympic mountain range.
We visited it for ourselves for the first time in 2020 (just before covid began to run rampant) to document and gather all the necessary information to help you plan a visit for yourself. So read on below to find out how you can experience this Seattle icon for yourself.
Location & Tickets
Seattle Center
The Space Needle is located at, “Seattle Center”. Seattle Center is an arts, entertainment, tourism, and education center that spans 74 acres housing several attractions such as the needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the Museum of Popular Culture (or, “MoPOP”, for short).
If you’re driving, the address for the Space Needle is as follows:
400 Broad Street. Seattle, WA 98109
If you’re walking from your hotel, you can simply ultilize Google directions and tap the walking tab for step-by-step directions. Likewise, if you’re using Uber or Lyft just punch, “Space Needle”, into the search bar.
Tickets & Where to Get Them
When it comes to purchasing tickets, you have more than a couple options. Your first and best one would be to purchase your tickets online in advance of your trip. You just go to the official website, select your date and time of arrival, pay, and you’re done.
When you arrive, your experience begins immediately. You could also purchase tickets at the kiosks on site or at the ticket window. Keep in mind, if you wait until the day of, you may experience lengthy wait times or even worse, no availability. This is especially true in the summer months.
General Admission
If all you’re looking to do is the Space Needle, this is the ticket for you. It gets you admission the main observation deck and access to , “The Loupe”. The world’s first and only rotating glass-bottom floor.
Combo Ticket
This is my top recommendation as it grants you access to not only the Space Needle, but the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum as well. You save $18 bucks versus buying them separately. So if Chihuly is also on your itinerary (and it should be), this ticket is the way to go.
City Pass
This is another great option, as you get 5 of Seattle’s top attractions for one low price. Currently, City Pass gives you access to the Space Needle, the Aquarium, Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), Woodland Park Zoo, and Chihuly Garden & Glass. This is a big money saver.
For further information or to purchase your tickets online, go here.
The Experience
With ticket in hand (or on your phone), you’ll arrive to the entrance on the date and time you selected. If your visit is outside the busy summer months, chances are good that you won’t have much of a wait. I visited in March and had no wait at all.
Shortly after entering the building, you’ll go through a security check point where they’ll check to make sure you’re not bringing any banned items such as weapons, drones, etc. For me, the process was quick and painless.
If you end up having to wait, all throughout are information boards detailing the history of the needle, it’s construction, and milestones accompanied by photographs. There’s a lot of interesting information here so be sure to check it out even if you don’t have a wait.
The end of the line is where you’ll enter the elevator. This is an experience all in itself especially if your operator has a sense of humor. The first couple hundred feet or so is enclosed but before long it’ll open up to clear glass and you’ll have an amazing view as your continue your ascent.
The Top House
At the end of the ride, you’ll step out of the elevator and into what’s referred to as the, “Top House”. On the inside, you’ll find plenty of seating throughout and viewing areas for those who don’t want to go outside. There’s also a refreshment stand that features a few snack items and Starbucks coffee.
Outside on the observation deck is where you’ll get amazing, 360-degree unobstructed views of the city and beyond. There’s benches all along for those brave enough to lean back on and even automated camera stations you can use to snag a free souvenir from.
The Loupe
The observation deck is cool and all, but perhaps the best feature of the needle is the semi-newly created, “Loupe”. It is the worlds first, and only rotating glass floor. Be warned, if you’re afraid of heights, you may want to skip this. If you’re not, it’s one of the coolest experiences you’ll ever have and alone is worth the price of admission.
To get to the Loupe from the observation deck, simple use the staircase adjacent to the refreshment stand. Called the, “Oculus”, this grand staircase is beautifully made with wood, steel, and glass. By the way, the area in between these two floors is where you’ll find the rest rooms.
Conclusion
Once you feel like you’ve gotten your fill of the views and plenty of photographs, you’ll simply head to the elevator and make your way back down. In true tourist fashion, you’ll be dropped off in the gift shop on the bottom level and it is here where you’ll find the exit.
Safe Travels
If you enjoyed this article, please be sure to share it with your friends and family on Pinterest, Facebook, or you favorite social media site.
You can further support us by reading one or more of the related articles above. Thank you!
