Sleepover in Seattle.
There are so many things to do and see in Seattle! But a few must-sees are The Seattle Great Wheel, Space Needle, and Pike Place Market. These are the landmarks I think of when I think of Seattle. On a recent girls’ trip, we stopped by all three during our short 24-hour stay! In this post, I share notable info and photos from the trip. You will see why you should add these hot spots to your Seattle must-do list! If you plan a trip and live in the PNW, consider traveling on Amtrak Cascades. We rode it round trip from Portland to Seattle on our recent trip. I love that no one had to drive! You can check out my Traveling the Rails on the Amtrak Cascades post, where I share info on that experience.
First Stop – Seattle’s Space Needle
Our Amtrak arrived at Seattle’s King Street Station around a quarter til 3 pm. We immediately proceeded to our hotel, The Warwick Seattle, to freshen up and plan our pursuit of the Emerald City. We decided to start with the iconic Space Needle and pulled up their website to buy tickets. The ticket price varies depending on guest age and time of day, but our adult tickets were around $35 each for 7:15 pm.
We arrived early to grab a bite at the Armory Food Court, located a walkable distance from the Space Needle. Then, we headed to the gift shop to look around. The gift shop spans the bottom floor of the Space Needle and includes the usual gift shop paraphernalia, from shirts to shot glasses. A magnificent Lego replica of the Space Needle towers up to the second floor!!
The entrance to the observation tower is accessible from the outside of the building and past the ticket booth. Since we pre-purchased our tickets online, we bypassed the ticket booth and kiosks and got in line about 5 minutes early. The attendant directed us to a ticket scanner, where we scanned our digital tickets to access a barricaded pathway leading to the building entrance and observation tower elevators. Before heading up to the top, we stopped for a quick downloadable souvenir photo accessed through a scannable QR code or by visiting the Space Needle website. Then, we were off to the elevator to ascend to the top of the observation tower for a bird’s eye view of Seattle.
A guide greeted us at the elevator and escorted our group to the top, sharing some Seattle trivia on the way up. At the top, the elevator opens to a fully glassed-in covered enclosure with amazing views. There are double doors that lead to the outside deck with even more stunning views and a glass leaning wall perfect for a daring photo op. After taking it all in and capturing some incredible photos, we headed to the lower level of the observation deck to experience the rotating glass floor! Visit my photo gallery to view photos.
The Space Needle was a great experience with an unbelievable panorama, making it a Seattle must-see! There are no amount of words or photos that can accurately describe the beauty. You have to experience it!
Pike Place Market – A Morning at the Market
On day two, we started at Pike Place Market. Since we had to catch the Amtrack back to Portland at 2:20 PM, we only had a few hours left to absorb what we could of Seattle. We arrived at the market around 10:45 AM and entered through the Public Market Center entrance shown in the photo. After entering, we walked to the left to find Pike Place Fish Co., where they famously throw fish! They have a large selection of seafood and will even ship it to your door! Of course, we had to hang around to witness a fish toss, then ventured off to the Sound View Cafe.
The Sound View Cafe is a little cafe hidden on the sound side of the market and offers a menu full of options and a soup/salad bar. Seating is available to relax and enjoy the scenic views of Puget Sound and the city while you eat!
After lunch, we returned to where we entered the market. This time, we walked in the opposite direction from the fish company. This way led us to many vendors selling everything from fashion to flowers, including arts and artisans, and several tasty food vendors. There is so much to see, shop, and sample that you could easily make a day out of it. Unfortunately for us, by this time it was 12:30 PM. Since we were on limited time, we decided to get on to our last stop, The Seattle Great Wheel!!
The Seattle Great Wheel – Around (before) We Go!
Our walk from Pike Place Market to The Seattle Great Wheel took about 10 minutes. When we arrived, we strolled down the boardwalk to the ticket booth to purchase our tickets. Tickets were $20 each for adults.
Before getting in line, we had the opportunity to get another downloadable keepsake photo taken, so you know we did! Then we waited for our chance to ride the iconic Ferris wheel! There was a refreshment stand with drinks, including alcohol, available for purchase as we waited. As a heads up, if you decide to partake, you may find yourself having to chug because alcohol isn’t allowed in the gondolas. We stood in line for about 5 minutes before being directed to one of the private gondolas for our group of 4.
The wheel moved slowly as our gondola ascended to the top. We were met with breathtaking views of the city and landscape. I’ve included a few photos of the view. See more in my gallery. Since the climate-controlled gondolas are enclosed, it was a quiet escape with no outside distractions, just the serene view of Seattle. We leisurely moved around the wheel 3 times, with the ride duration around 15 minutes. It was a tranquil way to finish off our 24-hour Seattle adventure!
As we got off the Ferris wheel, we spotted the photo counter, where we got help purchasing our downloadable photo. Then, sadly our time in Seattle had come to an end. It was time to return to our hotel, The Warwick Seattle, to grab our luggage, which they graciously held, and head to King Street Station to catch our train back to Portland.
That’s a wrap!
I hope you enjoyed reading this rundown of my 24-hour Seattle getaway and that it inspires you to visit! You can see from this post why the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and The Seattle Great Wheel are a few of Seattle’s most unforgettable landmarks you must see! Before moving to the PNW, I had no idea how much I would love Seattle. It is now one of my favorite cities to escape to! Even if you only have 24 hours, like we did, you can still experience and do so much in this magical city! If you have visited Seattle, please comment with your favorite part (attraction, hotel, restaurant, etc.) and why. I would love to hear from you! Until next time, TTFN!!
Leave a Reply