Visiting the Seattle Space Needle for the first time since its renovation

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Travel Mindset and the Seattle Space Needle; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Space Needle has always played a big role in our lives in this city.  In the days before Google Maps, I used it as a navigational beacon to find my way home from work.  We watched the fireworks at the Space Needle the night we found out we were pregnant. And at meals, we look out at the Space Needle from the kitchen in our house. We have celebrated many birthdays and other special occasions with a trip up the Space Needle with our family.  So I was really excited to be invited to check out the new renovations with my family and stand on the revolving glass floor that I’ve heard so much about. 

The Space Needle Renovation

The Space Needle Renovation began in September 2017 to update this Seattle landmark that was built in 1962 for the World’s Fair.  It is such an interesting building; I can’t believe it was originally designed on a napkin, and it stands about 605 feet tall. The Space Needle is also privately owned, and it is the only private piece of property in Seattle Center.

I read that the first Space Needle manager had a fear of heights and this totally made me feel a little better about my own fears — I am scared of heights and elevators too.  If this is something that bothers you as well, the elevator up the Needle is pretty speedy and the windows let in a lot of natural light so I felt pretty comfortable. It only takes about 45 seconds to get all the way to the top of the Seattle Space Needle.  

Visiting “The Loupe”, the revolving glass floor

The Space Needle is the first building in the world to have a revolving glass floor, and it is really cool to be able to look down and watch the ground move under your feet.  I loved seeing the reactions of the people around me seeing the floor for the first time — it is a really cool experience. We even watched as one of the elevators made its way from the bottom to the top.  My kids also liked seeing the gears that make the glass floor actually revolve.  

We visited around 4 p.m. on a December evening just before the sunset, and it was really incredible to watch the sky turn from day to night.  It had been raining all day and the puddles from the raindrops made our photos sparkle. Even seeing the lights turn on around Seattle Center below our feet was something I’ve never seen before. The glass apparently is only one way (and opaque the other) so if you look up from below you can’t see in at the people looking down from above.  

Santa was visiting the Space Needle the day we were there and he will be at the Space Needle a few more days for the holidays too.  His sleigh is on the Loupe, so it is almost like you are getting your pictures taken in the air. You don’t even have to wait in an actual line, you just give the host your cell phone number and they will text you when it is your turn. This might be the most efficient way to visit Santa in Seattle!

And what’s it like outdoors at 520 feet? 

I remember that the top of the Space Needle used to have a cage-like fence around it.  That has now been replaced by thick solid glass that you can lean on and look down at the city below.  It is impossible to capture the feeling of this in real life in a photograph. There are even benches built into the glass walls called Skyrisers that can help you lean back if you are too scared to lean forward on the glass yourself.  We saw so many people gleefully taking pictures with the 360-degree views. We watched a plane pass by and pop through the clouds, and it’s amazing to think that a building from the World’s Fair in the 1960s still has over a million visitors every year even now.

What about the Space Needle Restaurant?

I had a few people message me about the Space Needle Restaurant when I posted some stories about our visit.  The revolving restaurant that used to be there was a big part of our memories but it is now closed and there is a cafe and wine bar at the top. At the Atmos Cafe, I saw macarons from the yummy local Macadons and ice cream bars from Whidbey Island Ice Cream Company, and I love that there is still a lot of emphasis on foods from our Seattle community at this iconic tourist destination. (Since this was written there is now the Loupe Lounge, a 21+ experience)

And what is included with the Space Needle ticket?

My family visited during the holidays, so the day we visited pictures with Santa were included in our tickets and there are a few other holiday offerings right now, too . But year round, you can get free professional picture downloads taken, and this is such a fantastic value. So many other places charge for this, and I love how this has always been a free part of my Space Needle Visits. The Chihuly Garden and Glass next door also takes free pictures and you can buy a combined ticket to save a bit on both admissions as well.

Have you ever been to the Space Needle? And would you be brave enough to stand on the revolving glass floor?

Terumi

Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys.  She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live.  She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)