Built privately on Pier 57 in 2012, it overhangs the water so at the top of the arc there is nothing below you but Elliott Bay. The gondolas are enclosed and heated, which in this city matters more than it sounds.
It is a thirty-minute stop including the queue, and it slots into a waterfront walk rather than justifying a trip of its own.
What our drivers would tell you
- Go at dusk if your day runs late — the city lights come on halfway round.
- Queues are worst between noon and 3pm on a cruise turnaround day.
Opened2012
Height175 ft
RideAbout 12 min
TicketSeparate
Where it is
Nearby, and often on the same day
What else fits around Seattle Great Wheel.
1h 15mPike Place Market
Nine acres of fishmongers, farm stalls and the first Starbucks.
0h 15mKerry Park
The view on every Seattle postcard — a 15-minute stop, and worth it.
1h 15mSpace Needle
Built for a World's Fair in 400 days, and never taken down.
1h 15mChihuly Garden and Glass
Dale Chihuly's glass, indoors and out, at the foot of the Needle.
Build a day with Seattle Great Wheel and see the price.
Tap the places you want on the home page. We work out the driving, tell you honestly if it will not fit, and show the whole vehicle price before you give us a name.