Seattle CityPASS: Save Money in the Emerald City
Our family had a fabulous time exploring Seattle – the Emerald City. As we were planning our trip, we did lots of research online to find the best and unique things to see in Seattle. Once we finalized our itinerary, we did additional research on how to save money on admissions – after all, we are a family of seven. We did the math to see if the Seattle CityPASS would in fact save us money, and sure enough… it did.
But there’s a caveat… the Seattle CityPASS only saves you money if you plan to visit at least four of the attractions offered on the pass. So if your itinerary doesn’t include at least four of these six options, then maybe it’s not the money-saving route for you.
As we planned our visit, I worked with Visit Seattle to learn more about what the city had to offer. In partnership with them, and for purposes of reviewing and writing about things to do in Seattle, I received two complimentary Seattle CityPASSes to use during our visit. The opinions shared in all the subsequent articles about Seattle are my own.
Snag Your Seattle CityPASS Online
After you’ve set your itinerary and know you want to visit at least four of the five venues included in the CityPASS, you’ll know it’s a good idea to grab the pass. When you visit their website, you’ll notice there are six venues listed as part of the pass.
Here’s why. Seattle CityPASS includes admission to the Space Needle AND Seattle Aquarium. You get to choose which three of the other four venues you want to visit. We choose to skip on the Argosy Cruise option, since the other three sounded the most interesting for our family. Read the subsequent sections of this article to determine which ones you want to visit.
- Adult CityPASS (ages 13+): $109
- Child CityPASS (5-12): $84
Purchasing your Seattle CityPASS is only the first step in the process. You will still need to make the timed reservations for your desired venue. Those reservations are done on the respective venues’ website. During that reservation process, it will ask if you if you have a CityPASS. Enter the information it asks for and you’ll be set.
But be sure to bring a digital version of your CityPASS with you to the venues, because you’ll need to show it and the reservation timed tickets for entry.
The only other caveat… All of the venues must be visited within a nine-day window. The clock starts ticking when you check in at your first venue.
Space Needle and Observation Deck
The Observation Deck on Seattle’s iconic Space Needle is a fun experience. After checking in on the ground level, you’ll ride an elevator to the top floor. From there, you can exit the interior and walk around the exterior of the tower. Only thick glass walls keep you from falling over the edge. The tower does rotate, so you can stand in one spot or sit on the glass bench and watch the world go round.
Use the stairs to walk down one level, where you can stand on a large glass floor. One of my sons is terrified of heights, so he wasn’t a big fan of this venue… especially the glass floors. But we all had a fun time exploring the space need.
RELATED POST: Enjoy these four amazing hikes at Mount Rainier National Park
After getting your fill of the observation deck, ride the elevator back to the ground floor and wander the gift shop. There are some fun options there, including some hand-blown glass from the Chihuly Garden and Glass next door.
Seattle Aquarium
Kids love aquariums. And at this aquarium, there’s much more to see than just fish. When you first walk in, you’ll notice the large tank and lots of fish. But you may also notice a diver inside cleaning the glass and rocks. It’s a great opportunity for the kids to learn about the fish and other wildlife at the aquarium from one of the experts.
As you wander through the Seattle Aquarium, you’ll find lots of different creatures. One of the favorite rooms for the kids is in the touch pool area. Using two fingers, kids can touch sea cucumbers, anemones, sea urchins and more.
Another popular spot is at the harbor seal enclosure. We watched them put on quite the show. As you wander through the other areas of the aquarium, you can learn about the wildlife found across Seattle in and near water sources.
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
The Museum of Pop Culture, also known as MoPOP, is a fun museum filled with music, movies, television and entertainment memorabilia and history. During our visit, we explore a visiting exhibit on the wardrobe used in Disney films. Other, more permanent music-related exhibits included the guitar used by Jimi Hendrix to play The Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock and memorabilia from Nirvana.
Movie buffs will enjoy wandering through creepy props used in horror films or walking through a fantasy world with props used in the Wizard of Oz, Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. Don’t miss out on some of the science fiction items from popular movies or television shows like Star Trek or Planet of the Apes.
RELATED POST: Learn more about Seattle at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI)
Our kids were intrigued by the video game section in the museum. There were some really weird independent video games visitors could try out. They aren’t quite to the level of Halo, Fortnight or Super Mario Bros., but every game programmer has to start somewhere.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Chihuly Garden and Glass is at Seattle Center, the same area as the Space Needle and MoPOP. It’s definitely worth checking out. The glass are is colorful and vibrant. There’s an indoor gallery, as seen in the photo above, and some exterior gardens. Try to catch the guided tour through the garden so you can learn more about the artist and artwork on display. It’s the perfect museum to slow down a busy itinerary and take in some beautiful and elegant art.
During your visit, you can watch a glass blowing demonstration. You’ll get to see how glass is heated and shaped into a vase, how color is added and all the other aspects of glassblowing. You can enjoy a bite from their café while watching the demo, too.
Woodland Park Zoo
Unlike the other venues above, Woodland Park Zoo isn’t within walking distance of downtown Seattle. It’s roughly three miles north of downtown. It’s a wonderful place to learn about animals from across the world, along with the local wildlife of Washington State.
RELATED POST: Visit the National Nordic Museum and learn all about the Scandinavian culture
Some of the animals include wallabies, giraffes, orangutans, wolves, tigers, black rhino, skunks, pigs, cows, elk and many, many more. You could spend several hours wandering the paths and exploring everything the Woodland Park Zoo has to offer.
Argosy Cruise Harbor Tour
If you want to step away from the city to see the city’s skyline, choosing the Argosy Cruise Harbor Tour may be just the thing. The hour-long cruise will show you the iconic skylines of the Space Needle and downtown Seattle, plus the shipping port, Olympic Mountains and Mount Rainier, and the Puget Sound.
The boat has indoor and outdoor seating, so if you don’t want the wind blowing in your hair, you can always hang out inside, but still enjoy the scenery. There’s also a full-service bar, which includes mai tais in the summer and hot cocoa in the winter. You can grab a snack while on board as well, since they don’t allow outside food and drink to be consumed on board.
The boat departs from Pier 54-55, so a few blocks south of the Seattle Aquarium along Alaskan Way.
Summary
Our family had a wonderful time exploring Seattle. Just the other day my daughter mentioned how much fun she had in Seattle. So if you’re planning to visit the Emerald City, my recommendation is to consider grabbing the Seattle CityPASS so you can save nearly $100 if you purchased tickets to the five venues you get to experience with your pass.
Each adult CityPASS (ages 13+) is $109. A child’s CityPASS (ages 5-12) is $84. Children younger than 5 are eligible for free or discounted admission passes, so it may not make sense to purchase the child’s CityPASS. Purchase your Seattle CityPASS online, then make your reservations to each of the venues and have a wonderful time.
PIN THIS
