Is the Space Needle Worth It?
Is the Space Needle worth it? Here’s everything you need to know before visiting this famous attraction!
The Space Needle is a striking icon of the city skyline in Seattle, Washington. New York has the Empire State Building, Paris has the Eiffel Tower, and Seattle has the Space Needle.
Constructed for the 1962 World’s Fair, the Space Needle drew 2.3 million visitors when it first opened. I absolutely love the retrofuturistic design of this tower and think it’s such a cool structure. And I’m not the only one — around 1.3 million tourists continue to visit the Space Needle every year in Seattle!
But is it actually worth the cost to go inside the Space Needle and visit the observation deck?
It’s an extremely expensive attraction, and the ticket prices might make you think twice about whether it’s actually worth it. Here’s what you need to know, including my opinion of the Space Needle experience and tips for saving money on tickets to get the best value for your money if you decide to visit.
Background on the Space Needle
Before we get into it, let’s talk a little bit more about the Space Needle.
I mentioned it opened in 1962 for the World’s Fair. At the time, this tower was the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River at 605 feet. Now, of course, there are many taller buildings west of the Mississippi River. Even in Seattle, the Columbia Center is much taller than the Space Needle at 932 feet.
The Space Needle is still a remarkable icon in the city’s skyline because of its unique structure. The wider base of the tower narrows before widening slightly again at the top. The top of the tower resembles a Space Age flying saucer, and this is where you’ll find the two floors of the observation deck.
The Space Needle is located in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle. It’s one mile from the popular area of Pike Place Market, although allow for some extra time if you’re walking from there because it will involve some steep uphill blocks! There are many other attractions near the Space Needle.
It’s located in what’s known as the Seattle Center, which was also built for the 1962 World’s Fair. Here are some of the other museums, attractions, and other venues located in the Seattle Center area:
- Chihuly Garden and Glass
- Museum of Pop Culture
- Pacific Science Center
- Seattle Children’s Museum
- McCaw Hall (Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet)
- Climate Pledge Arena (sports)
You can also take the Seattle Center Monorail from here to Westlake Center in Downtown Seattle.
The Space Needle itself is the most popular attraction in the Seattle Center. In order to visit, though, you will need to purchase tickets. Only the gift shop at the base of the Space Needle is open to everyone.
What’s the Experience Like?
If you purchase tickets to the Space Needle, here’s what you can expect.
You’ll begin by entering at the base of the structure. There’s a walk-through museum with exhibits about the history and construction of the Space Needle. I found this to be very interesting, and you can take your time here, because you won’t be able to come back to this part once you go up to the top.
Once you get past the exhibits, you will take an elevator up to the observation decks. You may have to wait in line for the elevator if you visit during a busy, crowded time. I was there on a weekday evening in February, so there was no wait at all. The elevator ride takes about 45 seconds to get up to the top.
The observation deck consists of two floors. There are outdoor and indoor areas. On the top floor, the outdoor observation deck has glass panels that provide 360-degree views of the city. You can come inside and there are areas to sit, as well as a casual cafe (more on the Space Needle dining options below.)
If you go down one floor, you’ll be on an all-indoor observation deck with rotating glass floors. This is really cool because you can look straight down at what’s below you. There’s a fancier lounge on this level.
You can spend as much time as you want on the two observation decks of the Space Needle. Once you’ve finished taking in the views, you’ll take an elevator back down and exit through the gift shop.
How Much Does It Cost?
The Space Needle is not a cheap attraction.
If you buy your tickets on the Space Needle website, you will have several options.
The first is buying tickets to the Space Needle alone. Here are the current prices:
- Adults: $35 to $42.50
- Seniors (65 and older): $29 to $37
- Kids (12 and under): $26 to $32
The exact ticket price is based on what time slot you choose (morning, afternoon, or evening) and whether you visit on a weekday or weekend. Weekday mornings are the cheapest time to visit, while weekend afternoons and evenings are the most expensive. So keep that in mind when planning your visit!
Another option is bundling your tickets with Chihuly Garden and Glass.
This is an art museum right at the base of the Space Needle showcasing the colorful, larger-than-life glass-blown art of Dale Chihuly. This is the option I chose when visiting the Space Needle.
Here are the current prices for this option:
- Adults: $64
- Seniors (65 and older): $55
- Kids (12 and under): $48
There are a few other bundle options (for Space Needle tickets plus a harbor cruise, admission to the zoo, or admission to another museum) but I think the Chihuly Garden and Glass option is best.
This is a really cool museum and you can also get amazing views of the Space Needle from inside. Bundling the two tickets saves you a significant amount of money compared to buying tickets separately, and it allows you to select whatever time slot and day of the week you want for visiting the Space Needle.
Note: There’s a 5% fee added to online ticket sales, so keep that in mind.
The Best Way to Buy Tickets
Rather than buying your tickets on the Space Needle website, I recommend using GetYourGuide.
I use this platform all the time when I travel for booking tours and activities. It’s the only other platform where you can buy official Space Needle tickets, specifically the combo ticket for the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass (which as I mentioned above is the ticket option I recommend the most.)
You can book your tickets on GetYourGuide for the exact same price as they’d be on the Space Needle website, but with the added benefit of free changes or cancellations up to 24 hours in advance.
This is great because it offers you more flexibility. For example, if Seattle is going to have one of its notorious rainy days on the day of your planned visit, you could modify your reservation to the next day.
You can also save even more money if you use Rakuten. This is a free cash back browser extension that you can use while online shopping. GetYourGuide is one of the websites you can get cash back on.
It’s usually only 2% to 5% cash back but still, every little discount helps!
Is It Actually Worth It?
So is the Space Needle actually worth it? I’ve been to Seattle many times, and visiting the Space Needle was something I always wanted to do, but it took me until my fourth trip to actually do it.
I purchased the Space Needle and Chihuly Glass and Garden combo ticket. I visited Chihuly Garden and Glass in the late afternoon, then walked over to go to the top of the Space Needle in the early evening.
Even though I visited on a somewhat rainy day, I thought the views from the top were great. I specifically wanted to go around dusk to see all of the lights coming on in the city as it got dark.
I love observation decks, so I do think the Space Needle was worth it despite the steep price.
However, it’s not a must-do. One issue of going to the top of the Space Needle for the views is that you can’t actually see the Space Needle, the main icon of the skyline. This is why I don’t recommend going to the top of the Empire State Building in New York or the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Instead, I recommend the Top of the Rock in New York (for great views of the city with the Empire State Building) or the Arc de Triomphe in Paris (for great views of the city with the Eiffel Tower.)
So if you just want to see the Space Needle but don’t necessarily want to go inside it, you can just go to Kerry Park in the Queen Anne neighborhood for free to get spectacular views of the skyline.
Dining Options at the Space Needle
One thing I don’t think is worth it is eating at the Space Needle.
You will definitely want to get food before or after your visit somewhere else.
There are two options for dining at the Space Needle: the Atmos Cafe, which offers quick and casual bites to eat, or the Loupe Lounge, which is a more elevated cocktail lounge with small plates.
The Atmos Cafe is very poorly reviewed for its terrible, overpriced food. You don’t want to pay $10 for a plain hot dog or sliders and an additional $5 for cold French fries. Just don’t do it!
The Loupe Lounge, on the other hand, has better reviews but it’s a huge splurge. You have to book it online in advance, and it’s $125 to $175 per person for a set menu (depending on whether you visit during a weekday or weekend.) This is in addition to the your admission to the Space Needle, too.
Although I didn’t personally try the dining options at the Space Needle, I really don’t think they are worth it. The Loupe Lounge did look pretty cool, but it’s not even very private since it’s located on the lower observation deck floor, and for what you pay I would expect a much more exclusive experience.
Is the Space Needle Worth It?
Hopefully this guide answered the questions “Is the Space Needle worth it?” for you.
In my personal opinion, the Space Needle was worth it, but it’s not something I’m rushing to do again. If it’s your first time in Seattle, I think it’s worth doing, but it’s not an absolute must-do.
If you do decide to go, I recommend the combo ticket for the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass. This saves you money compared to buying tickets individually, and the museum is spectacular.
Enjoy your trip to Seattle!
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