Observation Deck — Attraction in Seattle

This was a fun experience. We came here on a Saturday late morning in August while vacationing. We bought tickets onsite from a kiosk however I did look up pricing on several apps prior to coming - Groupon, Viator, etc. We ended up getting the combo pass that included the glass museum and garden and the price was about the same as the apps. You have to pick a time but that’s an average - you will wait in line to get in so the time you pick might not be the actual time you get into the elevator. The line we weee in wasn’t as long as it could have been based on the stanchions they had set up inside and outside. There is information about the history of the needle inside along the path to the elevator. We had a nice chat with the people behind us in line who were from the area and they gave us some tips on other places to visit. I think we maybe were in line for about 15-20 minutes. It was pretty quick considering the number of people there. You will take an elevator to the top. The staff member who escorted us up was great - I don’t remember their name.

Once we got to the top everyone was in awe of the view. Even on a cloudy day you can see the beautiful Seattle skyline and water. It didn’t feel super congested with people at the top. Of course it is enclosed in glass and there are benches to sit or, if you want to, you can stand on one and lean against the glass. There are QR codes placed around the area for specific phot op spots. You do have to scan it and provide your information to receive the photos but they are free and it’s a better pic than a selfie but do both. Take all the pictures.

The next level down is enclosed and had a rotating glass floor. It’s not all glass, so if you’re afraid to stand on it there is normal floor there too. There were a couple bar areas with table seating against the windows but you do have to pay for that. I want to say $35/person but that gets you the seat plus 2 items from the food/drink menu. We skipped that and just walked around.

After you see all that, you can take the elevator down or take the stairs. The elevator lines will be long. We took the stairs. You do have to sign a waiver to do that but I did not feel unsafe at all. You bc a see from my pic that the stair case is open air but enclosed and the steps were not rickety or scary. There is just a lot of them - like 800+ but you can stop at platforms and look out over the city. It was somewhat like walking down the stairs of a light house just way taller than one. There is a bail out point but I don’t remember what level that was on.

I had heard you can get a free t-shirt if you take the stairs down however the gift shop rep told me they are all out of them afterward so we did not get one:( All we got were sore calves for the next two day.

Even though we didn’t get the t-shirt we really enjoyed...

The was my first time to the needle. We walked from our hotel on Alaskan Way and it was a nice stroll.

TICKET: The earlier you go, the cheaper the tickets are. Not knowing, we went during prime time which is between 10am - 5pm. We bought the combo ticket for Chihuly Garden & Glass and the Space Needle from the automated kiosk at the needle's base. $69 per adult and you choose the time you want to go up the needle. There's no time constraints for the Chihuly exhibit. The price for just the needle was $38.

THE NEEDLE: There was no line when we went got there for our 2pm time. We didn't see the fine print that stated the shuttle up leaves 1/2 hour prior to your stated time. No big deal, we still went up at 2pm without any issues.

You get your picture taken before getting in queue for the elevators.

The queue line for the ride up was about 10 people. There are no tv's or anything to read about the needle while waiting for the elevator ride, just a view of the gift shop below.

On the way up the elevator staff member gives you a very brief speel of the elevator's ride time, needle's age, height, and why it was built. You're at the top in 40 seconds.

Upon exiting the elevator, you're greeted with the smell food from the cafe/bar which takes up the entire interior. There are about 2-4 doors which lead out to the viewing area. The walls near the elevators are where the printed info on the needle was displayed. I didn't see any options for audio tours.

The views were awesome. It wasn't overly crowded as I was expecting. There are several telescopes for use. Not sure if there was an added charge.

The line to go down was pretty long as only 1 elevator was in operation. After standing in line for about 8 mins, they opened up a second elevator. We went into that line and was down in about 5 mins, straight into the gift shop.

If you want the picture that was taken, stop at the automated kiosk machines near the elevators. Because the pics are free (what??) the only option is email, up to 3 different addresses. The one pic that was taken has been magically imposed onto about 6 different backdrops of Washington state, some nice, most corny. You can also share the pic on Facebook right from the machine.

We skipped the gift shop.

OVERALL: Great views of the city, I'd pass on the Chihuly exhibit. Once in a lifetime is...

I recently visited the Space Needle in Seattle and had a really memorable experience. As someone who used the military discount, my ticket was $44, which made the admission a little more manageable compared to the standard price. Once you get to the top, the views are absolutely incredible—you can see the whole city, Mt. Rainier, and Puget Sound on a clear day. That said, it can get pretty crowded at the observation deck, so be prepared for some waiting and limited space during busy times.

One important thing to know is that there’s no dedicated on-site parking for the Space Needle. The official website offers valet parking for $25, which is convenient but can be costly, especially if you’re already spending a lot on tickets. Otherwise, street parking in the area can be pricey and tough to find. I’d highly recommend using meter parking if you spot an open space—meters are actually free on Sundays, so that’s a good tip if you’re visiting at the end of the week! Alternatively, using apps like Way.com makes it easy to find and book nearby covered garage spots for as low as $10-$15, which is much cheaper than valet.

Despite the costs and the crowd, the Space Needle is still a must-do for visitors to Seattle. The experience itself is world class and the memories are worth the planning. Just be sure to sort out parking in advance for less hassle and take advantage of discount rates...