In addition to Starbucks, Microsoft and Frasier, one of the things that Seattle is best known for is the Space Needle.
Constructed in 1961, it was opened to the public in 1962 in time for the World’s Fair which took place in Seattle that year. At 605 ft high at the top of its spire and 518 ft up to its top floor, it wasn’t as tall as I’d anticipated it to be (it’s just over half the size of the Eiffel Tower.)
After checking out the impressive Chihuly Garden and Glass art museum next door, we bought our tickets to go up the Space Needle. If you’re planning on visiting both attractions, you can get a combo ticket to save a few bucks (exact prices depend on the day and time you visit).
Before ascending in the elevator, you walk through a hallway with a timeline of the observation tower’s construction. A few quick fun facts:
- Its foundation weighs the same as the tower itself
- It was built to withstand 100-200 mph winds and 9.0 earthquakes
- Its rotating restaurant which weighs 125 tons is powered by a 1 horsepower motor
After learning more about its construction, it was time to head up in the elevator, a journey that only takes 60 seconds or so. The elevator rides up on the edge of the tower, so its windows mean you can look outside while riding it. If that makes you nervous, you can turn and face the other direction or just close your eyes.
You exit on the top floor which is inside, but you then head outside to take in the views. There are tall glass panels installed to help prevent people from falling over the edge (or jumping).
Despite not being as tall as many other skyscrapers and observation towers we’ve been in, you do still get some lovely views out over the Seattle area.
There are several glass benches around that you can sit on, although they won’t be for everyone. They tilt backwards against the glass panels, so if you’re not a fan of heights (like Shae), sitting on them might be a little nerve-wracking.
After checking out the exterior, we walked down a floor which is where the rotating restaurant is based with a café and wine bar.
It’s worth heading downstairs even if you’re not hungry or thirsty as this level has an additional feature – a glass floor. The entire floor isn’t made of glass, so you can still walk downstairs and look through the glass at a distance. If you’re feeling brave though, it’s fun stepping out on the glass which is, apparently, the world’s only rotating glass floor.
The glass floor was added from 2017-18, with the public being able to step out on it from August 2018. The glass itself has a total of 10 layers across two separate sections and is stronger than the revolving restaurant’s previous floor, as well as being stronger than regular flooring in office buildings.
Almost 10 years ago we visited Chicago and went up in the Willis Tower (once known as the Sears Tower) which has a glass floor. Shae was incredibly nervous of that back then due to her not liking heights, so I was extremely proud of her when she decided to lay down on the floor!
We then switched places so that she could take a photo of me from above:
Against my better judgment, I decided to take it a step further and turned to look face down. I deliberately left my feet sticking out on “solid” ground, like that would’ve helped if both floors of glass beneath me had inexplicably cracked! Also note my left arm being able to reach out to hold the steel beam if needed 😉
Here’s a video from our trip up the Space Needle.
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