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Sky View Observatory at Columbia Center

Parent Category: Attractions
in Seattle
Created: 09 September 2015
Address: located at Columbia Center, floor 73; 701 5th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: 206-386-5564
Hours: daily, 9a.m. to 10p.m.

Pictures below will take you on a virtual tour to the highest viewpoint in Seattle. Enjoy the breathtaking views!

Photo from Sky View Observatory at Columbia Center, Seattle

General Information:

One more attraction, which downtown Seattle may offer to its visitors, is Columbia Center. The building of Columbia Center itself is an object of interest for tourists and locals, as it’s the tallest building in Washington State and the fourth tallest building on the Westside from Mississippi River.

It was built in 1985, has 76 stores and its height is 943 feet. It used to be the Bank of America Tower and Columbia Seafirst Center. But these are not the reasons of Columbia Center’s popularity. 

On the 73rd floor of Columbia Center the Sky View Observatory is located. This is a unique place, offering its guests 360 degree scenic views of Seattle and the areas around it. Sky View Observatory is a cozy place with a lot of chairs and sofas, also having some tables. It has everything to make your viewing the city’s skyline as comfortable as possible. There is also a Sky View Café there, serving some healthy food, drinks and even wine. 

Photo from Sky View Observatory at Columbia Center, Seattle 

One more great thing about Sky View Observatory is that there is a lot of information placed there (both historical and geographical), so that reading it you can understand better what you are viewing and learn some history of Seattle.

Of course the Space Needle is considered to be one of the most prominent symbols of Seattle and is a “must do” in the list of sights of every tourist, but according to the reviews of its visitors (both local people and tourists), Sky View Observatory has a lot of advantages over Space Needle. Among them are the following:

-much less crowds make this place more restful and pleasant for enjoying your time;

-it’s much higher (about 400 ft higher) then Space Needle, that means the views are even more spectacular;

-the entrance price is much lower;

-your pictures of Seattle will have Space Needle on them.

 Photo from Sky View Observatory at Columbia Center, Seattle

And one of the best advantages of Sky View Observatory is that the ticket you are buying is valid the whole day. So you can come there in the clear sunny morning to admire the breathtaking views of downtown Seattle with its Waterfront area, Bellevue, Mt. Rainier and gorgeous Cascades, spectacular Elliot Bay with a lot of vessels sailing through it and Olympic Mountains, and of course, the Space Needle.

Then you can come back later in the evening to enjoy a fascinating sunset over the Puget Sound and an enchanting views of the night city lit with millions of lights. This is a really priceless experience eliciting unforgettable emotions in your heart.

Photo from Sky View Observatory at Columbia Center, Seattle 

Sky View Observatory is ready to greet its visitors the whole week from 9a.m. till 10p.m.

The fee, paid at the entrance, is $14.25 per an adult ($9 for students, seniors and military people, as well as for kids from 6 to 12 years old. 5 year old kids and under may enter the Sky View Observatory free of charge).

So, make sure this fantastic vantage point is in your list of “must see” in Seattle!

These pictures were taken in April, 2015

Directions:

From I-5 North: 

Take Exit 165, then turn left on Seneca St., then again turn left to 5th Ave.

From I-5 South:

Take Exit 165A, then merge onto 6th Ave., and turn right to Columbia St. Then you should take first left to 5th Ave.

 

In order to get directions click on the map below:

 

Photo: Roman Khomlyak

Photo Editing: Juliana Voitsikhovska

Information: Svetlana Baranova