You need to buy tickets to enjoy the view. The Sky View Observatory is open every day (with the exception of private parties and holidays) from 10am-8pm. You might think only tourists would take something away from those displays, but there were several times Tove and I were sharing interesting tidbits that we found with each other. Not only do they include maps, but there’s also tons of information about the Seattle area. To help you get a better understanding of what you’re looking at, the Columbia Center Sky View Observatory has plenty of fun displays.

To the west, there’s the Puget Sound, Seattle waterfront (including The Great Wheel), and the Olympic Mountains. To the east, you’ll spot Lake Washington, the Cascade Mountains, and Bellevue. To the south, there’s Mount Rainier, Lumen Field (home of the Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders), T-Mobile Park (home of the Seattle Mariners), and the Port of Seattle. To the north, you’ll see the Space Needle, downtown Seattle, Lake Union, and Mount Baker. Obviously, press the 73 button, and then you’re finally there.Īfter a pair of ear-popping elevator rides to the Columbia Center Sky View Observatory, you’ll find yourself with a 360-degree panoramic view of Seattle. After that, you need to find the elevators marked 66-76.

Take that elevator to the Sky Lobby on the 40th floor. After entering the building on 5th Avenue, look for the elevators labeled 37-76. NOTE: It’s a little bit of a maze to find the Columbia Center Sky View Observatory. At 902-feet, the observation deck is the highest public viewing point west of the Mississippi River (nearly 300-feet higher than Seattle’s iconic Space Needle). Near the tip-top of the skyscraper on the 73rd floor, you’ll find the Columbia Center Sky View Observatory (there are 76 floors in all). It stands nearly 1,000-feet in the heart of downtown. There’s one place in the Emerald City that offers a view like no other - the Columbia Center Sky View Observatory.įor those of you not familiar with the area, Columbia Center is the tallest building in Seattle.

I’ve put miles on my car, climbed hills, and even hopped on a boat to snap photos of the city’s skyline. I’m always on a quest to find the best views of Seattle.

Skyview observatory