Can you tackle three of Seattle's most iconic attractions in a single day?
Eric, Beth, and Devin are back for another takeover day in the Pacific Northwest! For this adventure, we are heading slightly north of downtown to the Seattle Center to knock out a trio of world-famous attractions.
If you are building your Seattle itinerary and want to know if these spots are actually worth your time, here is exactly how our day went down!
1. Riding the Historic Seattle Monorail
Since we were staying at The Westin, we decided to take the most "Disney" transportation option available: the Seattle Monorail!
We walked a couple of blocks over to the Westlake Center station to grab our tickets. It costs about $8 for a round-trip ticket, and it is a super fun, incredibly fast way to travel. The ride only takes about two and a half minutes, taking you right through the city (and literally through the MoPOP building!) before dropping you off right at the base of the Space Needle.
2. The Space Needle & The Rotating Glass Floor
Our first major stop was the legendary Space Needle. Built for the 1962 World's Fair, this towering landmark is a staple of the Seattle skyline.
💡 PRO TIP: Maximize Your Seattle CityPASS
We used our Seattle CityPASS for this attraction, which allowed us to seamlessly scan our barcodes at the kiosks. We even showed up 15 minutes before our scheduled time, and they let us right in! Also, when heading to the elevators, stick to the inside lane—the outside lane gets backed up with people stopping for the green screen photo booth.
The 45-second elevator ride takes you up to the main observation levels. The lower level features The Loupe—the world’s first and only rotating glass floor! Walking on it is slightly terrifying but incredibly cool. You get straight-down views of the Seattle Center, and you can even spot the cruise ships docked in the harbor.
Upstairs on the open-air observation deck, the views of the city, Mount Rainier, and the seaplanes taking off from Lake Union are unbeatable. They even have a robot barista in the gift shop!
3. Chihuly Garden and Glass
Right next door to the Space Needle is the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit. If you have ever marveled at the stunning glass chandelier in the atrium of the Disney Magic or Disney Wonder cruise ships, you are already familiar with the work of Dale Chihuly!
This exhibit is a beautiful blend of indoor galleries and meandering outdoor gardens where massive, vibrant glass sculptures are integrated perfectly with the natural landscaping. The way the sunlight hits the glass is absolutely spectacular.
Our Honest Take: This is a highly recommended stop! It took us about two hours to complete both the Space Needle and the Chihuly Garden, making them the perfect morning combo.
4. MoPOP (Museum of Pop Culture)
Our final stop was the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), housed in a massive, mind-bending building designed to look like a smashed guitar.
This museum is incredibly in-depth and covers massive corners of pop culture history:
The Music Galleries: We saw the Soul Train James Brown stage costume, a massive guitar tornado sculpture, and tons of interactive instruments.
The Fantasy & Sci-Fi Exhibits: We geeked out over Harry Potter's wand, the Wicked Witch's hat from The Wizard of Oz, an original Terminator T-800 exoskeleton, and a massive stop-motion AT-AT from Star Wars.
The Horror Exhibit (PG-13 Warning!): This section smells like a meat locker and feels like a haunted house! It features props from Alien, The Walking Dead, and The Shining, complete with flickering lights and hanging bodies. (If you have little ones, you might want to bypass this specific hallway!)
Our Honest Take: If you are a massive movie buff or music fan, you will love seeing all the screen-used props and costumes! While it wasn't everyone's favorite stop of the trip, it was an awesome use of our CityPASS and a great way to spend the afternoon.
The Final Verdict
The Seattle Center is an absolute must-do. You can easily fill a half-day or more exploring the Space Needle, admiring the glass gardens, and diving into movie history at MoPOP.
What would be your first stop? Let us know in the comments below!
Want to see the rotating glass floor, the giant glass sculptures, and all the movie props in action? Watch our full vlog on YouTube right here:
👉 Exploring Seattle! Space Needle, Chihuly Glass & MoPOP ☕️🌲
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