The Space Needle Revisited

Earlier this year I wrote a post about Seattle's signature elevator, The Space Needle. Though it was far from scathing, it was not exactly a glowing review. A few weeks ago I went back to The Space Needle for the first time in 10 years with my wife and our friends Mike and Cindy from D.C. They had never been to Seattle before, so it didn't take a mindreader to know that we were getting to the top of that thing. Well, we did. And you know what,... it was awesome! So with a fresh perspective, here is my revised overview of The Space Needle experience.

1) It's still really expensive! Fresh perspective is great, but it doesn't put money in your pocket. The tickets, photos, souveniers, and food really add up. For a family of six this is easily a $100+ outing. Adult tickets are $14 (14 and up) and $7 for children. Granted, you don't have to buy the food, photos, or souveniers... but you're on vacation, so you probably will. Like most tourist areas, they have an extensive (and I do mean extensive) gift shop, food selection, and photo options. They do this all very well I might add. It's top notch tourist stuff. Just be ready for the cost.

2) Pick a clear day. While we were there it was absolutely beautiful. We saw the Seattle skyline, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, The San Juan Islands, The Harper House, and pretty much everything within 200 miles. It was amazing! They also have spotting scopes (which were actually free) and placcards about every 30 feet to show and explain all that you see. It was pretty darn cool. I just don't see how an overcast or rainy day would do it justice, though.

3) Start early. There's a lot to do in that general area. Unfortunately, we got there too late to catch the other attractions before they closed. Some of the good ones are The Pacific Science Center and The Experience Music Project.

I hope that helps prepare you a bit for our world famous elevator.