Living near the Center is awesome. That being said, I wish some of the jerkoff tourists would die already. But whatever, people suck everywhere so I'm not going to hold that against Seattle Center. It is super touristy but I dislike people who dislike touristy things just because they are touristy even more than I dislike touristy things. Did that even make sense? (Wow, I'm a little rambunctious today...) During the summer there are so many fun free events here. From movies to concerts to festivals there are tons of fun things to check out. There is also Bumbershoot (which is expensive if you don't plan ahead) which is still really enjoyable if you check out the small stages (read: less commercial acts). The center also boasts McCaw Hall (performance hall for the Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet), SIFF cinema, Intiman Theater, Seattle Repertory Theater, the Pacific Science Center, the EMP and the Space Needle. What is there to not love? read more

I suppose this isn't going to be the most comprehensive review because my friends and I visited at night and it was dark, but it was still a really fun experience. This is a must-visit for any Seattle tourist. Within the Seattle Center, you'll find: - Chihuly Glass Museum: I really, really wish I had enough time to visit. The best I did was walk around the outside and stand on a ledge to try to catch a glimpse of their lit glass sculptures. It's really gorgeous! It's $19 for regular admission. - Space Needle: It's $19 to go up (even if you did what we tried to do and get a free ride by going up for a single cocktail or dessert at the restaurant up there). For that reason alone, we decided a view wasn't worth it. - Cool artwork and photo ops - Key Arena: I don't know what teams actually play within it (WNBA??) but there's a gigantic blow-up basketball outside that is really fun to see haha I know I'm missing tons of attractions that the Seattle Center has to offer, but with the limited amount that I saw, I was still able to have a good time. I can only imagine what it'd be like in the nice summer daytime :) read more

I've been here a few times, and it's not a bad place to take visitors from out of town. I tried eating at the restaurant there once (when my husband was on leave, since he had never been up the space needle) and it was packed. Little did we know that it was mother's day, since we don't have kids. DUH! I do like the Pacific Science Museum though. I went to Harry Potter exhibit when it was there. We tried to go to the Star Wars exhibit, but as it was mother's day, it was sold out too. So my husband didn't think much of it, but I like museums, so I enjoyed it plenty. We also went to EMP, and they had showcased Nirvana, which I thought was uber cool, but not my husband (not a fan), and they also had a ton of Battlestar Galactica stuff from both the 70s to the latest series. I remember watching it as a kid, not really understanding what was going on. But in it's latest incarnation, I was definitely a fan. The exhibit inspired me to watch the whole series again. Yet again, I oooo-ed and aahhhh-ed, but husband wasn't into Battlestar Galactica either. So it turned out to be a fairly short day. I also recently did the "Yelp Helps' AHA Heart and Stroke Walk, but failed to meet up up with the Yelp team. It was my fault for not checking the Yelp team on the AHA site. I found out from Katy H later that the meet info was posted there, but I thought that there was going to be a Yelp booth, so "oops", but the walk was enjoyable none the less. I didn't ended up raising too much money, but at least we raised a little, Kat B and me... read more

The Seattle center area is always fun to go to for any type of fun or food always so much to do or see around here. It's good for all ages so whenever in Seattle you should come to this area and just enjoy yourself. read more

Spectacular! Don't forget to visit the International Fountain. Awesome!

I can see why this has grown to be a big tourist draw over the years. You could easily spend a day here touring the museums, the Needle, the restaurants and the sights. If you come during cultural festivities, there's even more to do. Recommended: International Fountain, Chihuly Museum and EMP. read more

Pretty awesome place! I'll usually take friends/family visiting here since the Space Needle is right there and there's this neat glass sculpture place nearby too. Especially nice on a clear sunny day! read more

This place is beautiful, like love this park, I could hang out here all day if I could, didn't get to take advantage of this place, since we had our luggage and needed to go and grab dinner. read more

This is my backyard. Always events, people watching and more to do than can be done in a day

Nice trip up. A Seattle landmark to visit. Would recommend getting the city pass to enjoy a discount.

Great festivals, outdoor concerts, and food! There is a ton to do in this little tourist-friendly area. The Space Needle, Key Arena, Armory (food court), IMax, Children's Museum, and EMP Music Museum. There are connections to easy public transit, good cannoli place and sports pub across the street. it is also one of our favorite places just to pull up a peice of lawn and visit while people-watching... read more

My family and I are at Seattle Center 2-3 weekends each month during the summer. I know that it's a big year because of The Next 50 but we love going there all the time. The Armory - We love the changes! When we would go there, we would not eat anywhere onsite. We would choose to go to Queen Anne or Belltown. The food choices lacked character, were overpriced, and of subpar quality. The addition of Skillet Counter, Bigfood (even though they have changed their menu), Pie, MOD, and many others have made for a pleasant dining experience for all. Cultural Events - Aside from The Next 50 events, my family always enjoys cultural celebrations. We both like to participate in events close to our hearts as well as new ones to experience cultures we're not familiar with. Outdoors - The International Fountain is a favorite for us all. My son loves running around on the grounds, jumping on art like the whale and new squid bike rack. He's also taken to wading in the pool next to Key Arena. Facilities - Aside from The Armory, we are members at Pacific Science Center. Also, we go to every exhibit at EMP and have been known to go to the Children's Museum on occasion as well as events at McCaw Hall. Movies / Music - We love outdoor concerts at Mural and the movies at Mural. It's a great way to chill out on a Friday night (concerts) and the weekend late night (movies). Food Trucks - I love that food trucks are now allowed on the property. I think it's a great way to add more diversity to the food choices. Love, love, love! read more

The area's kind of a mix between a public park and an event hub. It's got wide open green spaces so if you happen to be visiting from out of town, I could see this being a nice place to sit for a bit on a sunny day. It seems that there's always something new happening here, whether it's Bumbershoot or something new going on in the Armoury (which is a very interesting building by the way). As a bonus, the center allows for easy access between many of the tourist attractions including the Space Needle, the EMP Museum, the Pacific Science Center, the Monorail, and the Chihuly Glass Museum. However, the moment the sun sets, the area kind of takes a turn and feels a lot rougher. read more

Take the monorail to the City Center.. there' so much to do there! The Space Needle, EMP Museum, Chihuly Garden and Glass, are all there and much more! Take some time to just wander around.. there's some fascinating things to discover! read more

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The Seattle Center is one of those must visit places for tourists. There are a bunch of museums, amphitheaters, the Key Arena (where the Supersonics used to play), an IMAX Theater, the monorail stop, and the Space Needle. The walk through the Seattle Center alone will take you at least half a day. There are many great sites and views of the city. One place I would avoid is the Fun Forest Amusement Park. read more

I LOVE coming here, especially during the summer. This is a good stop for people visiting Washington or for Seattle-folks to go to fun events such as the Bite of Seattle or Bumpershoot. A few recommendations: Walk or take transit here. Parking is always a premium during the day. In the evening (if you're catching a show at McCall Hall or elsewhere) you can find parking on the street. That's not a guarantee. If you have fond memories of the fun forest rides... they're mostly gone now. They have a few kiddie rides, but nothing of interest. Ride up the Space Needle if you have a few extra bucks. read more

Reading some of the reviews right now.. I must have gone at the wrong time! I was here (spent most of my morning/afternoon here) on Thursday but everything was closed! We got up and left our hotel around 9 and walked towards the Space Needle.... That seemed to be the only thing that was open! We had lunch reservations at SkyCity at 11:30 and we thought getting up early and walking around Seattle Center would be a great way to start the morning and get us ready for our lunch. We were disappointed. Things didn't start opening until at least 11AM and by that time.. we'd pretty much walked through most places.. took some touristy photos... and was ready to move on.. We had a great time at the Space Needle / SkyCity though! I would recommended checking to see if there are events/festivals here (and what time) before devoting much of your day/trip here. The landscape and all here was still very nice though. Wish there was more! read more

It's definitely a tourist destination and it just so happened to be the folklife festival this weekend. You can really get a feel for how this city's people treat each other and can enjoy some of the activities that are available for free. Donations are recommended to help keep the tradition so remember to drop some change off if possible because the entrance is free... read more

Lived in Seattle for 6 years never went in was fun to show my gf the sites the imax the best ever. read more

Seattle Center - Amusement Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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A must see if you're visiting Seattle. I like the Chihuly Glass Museum and view of the Space Needle. There's the Family Fun Forest AKA some rides, and the international fountain. There are also movies and concerts in the summer and events year-round. Dining nearby. read more

The Fun Forest is creepy and has strange height requirements that make it difficult for adults and kids to ride the same things. There is no beer garden--tank up in the Center House. Seattle Center is dated, as other reviewers have noted. It also has some of the best coffee in Seattle (yes, I said it--and I mean it) at the beignet stand. Kids love getting a wristband and going crazy on the rides. There's indoor stuff for little kids on rainy days. The monorail is cool, if silly. The fountain is awesome. You can have a blast here for cheap--give it a shot. read more

I took the famous monorail. I could have gone straight to the Seattle Center but I wanted to see what's so special about the monorail. I arrive the station, I went to the platform, it came, then went. I wasn't impressed. It's old. It's boring. To me, It's just, a people mover. I was slightly underwhelmed when I went to Seattle Center. I went there originally to visit the Space Needle. After I topped the famous landmark, I went to see the rest of the Center. I was dead! Keep in mind it was during mid April during the week day that I went there. It probably would have be full of people during summer time... I wanted to go to the experience music museum, but I wasn't sure if I, a deaf person, should actually pay $12 (student discount) for a ticket. I have hearing aids, but I didn't grew up with music, so I decided to save that for another time. There's a Sci-Fi museum, which probably would have served me better, but I do have a life... so that doesn't really interest me. I tried to find the International Fountain, but I couldn't find it, so boo. However, I kinda enjoyed the Center. If it was warmer and filled with people and all the rides are open, Maybe it would have received a 5 Star. Until next time... read more

Hey I'm a tourist! According to all these other reviews, I should love the Seattle Center. Well, they're right. Pretty much every major city has a museum campus like the Seattle Center. It is nice to see a little difference though in that the Seattle Center has an amusement and the Space Needle as well. There really is something for everyone. The kids have the carnival rides and games and the children's theatre. Teenagers have the Experience Music Project and the Science Fiction Museum. Adults have the Space Needle and Key Arena, and everyone can enjoy the Pacific Science Museum. I even had fun just walking around and seeing everything. read more

Seattle Center is a great quick tourist place to visit. You can access it quickly from downtown via the monorail on the top floor at Westlake center. During my last visit I was pleased to see that they were removing the kids ride area and putting in a Chihuly exhibit!! This is great since Chihuly is such a northwest icon and you won't need to scour local office buildings / bellevue / go way down to tacoma to see his stuff anymore! read more

Seattle Center - Where ya at Matt - Amusement Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I live a few blocks from the Seattle Center and it is halfway to/from work so whenever possible I would meet my fiance here after work. Seattle Center is the hub of Cultural festivities in Seattle and other events such as the Bite of Seattle, Folklife, Beerfest and other things and so there is something going almost every weekend here. During the weekdays there might not be an event but you can still go and check out other things such as the Spane Needle, the EMP, the Glass museum, the Pacific Science Center or just hang out the Center as they have great food options now. It is very diversified from Quincy's burger, to Starbucks to Confectional desserts, to other new ones that I cannot even remember the names yet such as the Pie place that also serves beer and the roasted peanuts that makes the whole center smell delicious! 1 star off because this place attracts alot of homeless people... it is inevitable not to see a few homeless hanging around at this place. They are still nice people and they don't bother you. read more

On the third Thursday each month, check out 'Seattle's Best Damn Happy Hour.'. Always a great time. read more

Seattle Center - Seattle Center occasionally lights the Space Needle up in different colors. - Amusement Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Really, mine or anyone else's opinion about this sprawl could not matter in the slightest. This is the defining tourist draw for the city of Seattle and will therefore thrive no matter what anyone says on the internet. With that perspective in mind, it (taken as a collective entity) serves its purpose. It funnels people to the important sights, feeds them, sells them commemorative wing-dings (5 tee shirts for $10!!), and most importantly separates them from their tourist dollars in a fast, effective manner. Job well done, tourist trap, job well done. read more

There is so much to do at the Seattle Center. The Space Needle, the Experience Music Project/Sci Fi Museum, the Pacific Science Center, and Key Arena are just a few of the attractions at Seattle Center. Many of the attractions have entrance fees, so a single visit may be all that is needed - although PacSci and the EMP/SF Museum have rotating exhibits, so memberships may be in order if you really like what they show. As the site of the 1962 World's Fair, and celebrating the 50th Anniversary this year, it is definitely a tourist spot to visit, regardless of if you live here or if you are visiting. There are gift shops with lots of Seattle-themed stuff. Many events are on the Seattle Center Campus - lots of festivals and what-not. We've gone for a Con, a festival, and just to go to the Seattle Center with visitors, as well as to visit the Museums. Definitely worth the visit. read more

Hop on the monorail, go to the top of the Space Needle on a clear day, stop by one of the numerous festivals and events held here, sun yourself in the grass & run through the fountain when it's hot! Oh yeah, plus upgraded food in the Armory! read more

I was sight seeing Seattle all day and this was a nice place to end they day. There's a lot of tourist attractions to do there. The main thing I liked is it's a nice place just to sit down and take a breather. They have restaurants, little sitting areas but the main thing was the fountain. We sat near the fountain for almost an hour just enjoying the weather and looking around. Definitely a must do! read more

Seattle Center - Amusement Parks Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great place to take all the nieces and nephews, keep them engaged with all there is to see and touch. The Cafe is meh, so pack your own snacks or be sick with the limited choices. read more

Not many attractions at Seattle Center. Only reason why we came over was to check out the Cherry Blossom Festival at the Fisher Pavillion - lots of neat things to do and to look at but can be done all within an hour or two. The most exciting part was dressing up in a kimono for free! Oh, btw, there was only ONE cherry blossom tree I spotted throughout the whole grounds that was isolated in a back corner somewhere. C'mon!!! I mean, this is the cherry blossom festival, right? I should've drove up to University of Washington to awe at the trees there! Went to their International District Food Court - there was nothing international about it at all -- mostly American and non-Asian fast foods. There was the monorail but it's only a mile stretch that brings you downtown for a fare of $2 one way and $4 roundtrip. Comparable to the monorails at big airports but goes a bit slower? Eh. Literally walked around all over Seattle Center to get the most out of it but was disappointed - everything was run down like other reviewers stated and there wasn't really much to do or enjoy. I feel really stingy with the stars, maybe it's difficult to win me over. read more

Not what I was expecting at all. The entire area looks old and pretty tired. From getting off of the monorail station, I felt like I was at a county fair in the 1960's. The Chihuly Garden and Glass and the EMP Museum were the only fresh-looking buildings they had there- they were maintained though I found we went through both fairly quickly. The tickets to all these things were expensive and I found that we'd seen everything in under two hours. The Space Needle was cool though the lines in the summer were outrageous and not worth it in my opinion. If I laid roots in Seattle, it would not take out-of-towners here. It's a tired tourist trap and was not nearly as fun as I might have hoped. For views of the city, check out the Sky View Observatory at the top of the Columbia Center- it's cheaper, less crowded, higher up, and has better views. If you want a good museum, I would say the Seattle Art Museum and the Norwegian Heritage Museum were better than both the EMP and the Glass. I love rock music, but I was so disappointed with how little the EMP really had- it's a huge building but didn't have very much in it. read more

I'm a fan! Apart from being a high traffic prostitution area after dark, Seattle Center is actually pretty awesome. I love the concerts, festivals and events hosted here. Anything from Bite of Seattle to Folklife to Bumbershoot, Seattle Center is the host with the most! On hot days there's an awesome water feature to play around, there's the Key Arena, there are plenty of places for picnics or strolls and more. Good for kids, great for a date, and even suitable as a hang out spot if you're alone and just want to grab a book to read on the grass. read more

Seattle Center has gone through so many changes throughout the years I've been able to experience it and I don't really care for where it is headed... The amusement park has shut up its doors. That was the amusement park from the 1962 World's Fair that remained until 1 year before the 50th Anniversary, in which they will erect a giant "ferris-type" wheel, presumably to replace the amusement park that they forced to shut down. The Seattle Center House is a terrible sight. The food court has gone so downhill it is really pathetic. I'm not sure if it has to do with the rental prices of the spaces, but most places in there offer up something less than what you'd expect from food court fare. With the Sonics gone from Seattle, the other side of the park seems terribly abandoned most of the time now. The Storm are here, playing, and they are Seattle's winningest team, but unfortunately they aren't as big a draw as they should be. The Thunderbirds have moved out (hockey). The glass museum concept, based solely around one overly commercial artist whose exhibits need not change for the 5-year lease, seems pretty lame as a replacement for amusement park rides and seems hard to understand as a step to move towards a more "kid-friendly" (mayor's press release about the change) area. Kids don't really like glass all that much. Also, they don't like standing outside the doors to a paid-admission museum. I hope that the reorganization of the Seattle Center can eventually bring back another kid-friendly vibrant place to be, but I don't think that's the first stop along their changing plans. It seems like it's losing its appeal and I hope they can find a way to stop and reverse that. read more

Fantastic space right in the middle of a lot of great attractions in Seattle. Lots of great options for food and drink and the seating was plentiful. I also appreciate that there were free, clean bathrooms available in this building for use. Kudos to the area for having this great connection to the space needle, MoPop and Chihuly museum. It really is a great space connecting them all. read more

you could spend days here just enjoying the open space, entertainment, museums, activities, people watching, dinning, just everything! so cool. this was my first real trip to Seattle. we were only here for a short weekend, and the weather was just amazing! I wish we could have stayed longer so that we could have checked out the rest of what Seattle center had to offer! there is obviously the space needle, which in itself is quite amazing, but just all the open green park area was also so nice. we were there just a week ago, but I can only imagine how awesome it would be during the summer time. love this place and will need to make sure to come back for a visit. read more

Home of the Seattle icon, the Space Needle, there are a number of other reasons for tourists and locals alike to pay a visit to Seattle Center. Between McCaw Hall and Key Arena (plus other venues like the children's theater and outdoors during the summer) there are all kinds of performances and events to attend, plus the Pacific Science Center, the monorail, and the newly opened Chihuly museum. They've done a tremendous amount of revamping, especially of the old food court and a number of exciting new options are or soon will be available. A couple of the old standbys are still there, like Starbucks and the burger place in the back corner. The Center has a nice mix of options for kids and for adults, as it hosts everything from the ballet to a children's museum. And watching/running around the fountain is always an enjoyable way to pass the time no matter what your age. read more

I don't come into the city often. However, we do like coming here. Always enjoy the Space Needle views. We like many of the food places in the Armory. My kids LOVE the playground area. We enjoy the fountain/music. It's one place the whole family gets excited about going to. Always something fun going on here. Parking can be expensive and you do have to walk into the area a little bit. But overall a fun place to people watch, grab a bite to eat, visit some museums, and have fun. read more

I often stare out my office window at work to an unobstructed view of the Space Needle. My band plays there almost every year. We take the kids and gkids to see EMP, IMAX, and the science exhibits. Sometimes, it's just nice to sit on the grass on a summer day and listen to the other bands too. Highly recommend this venue. read more