Space Needle
Observation Deck · Seattle, Washington
A 605-foot observation tower built for the 1962 Century 21 Exposition, when it was briefly the tallest structure west of the Mississippi, and the object that has stood for Seattle on every postcard and title sequence since. A 2018 renovation stripped out the old caged upper deck for floor-to-ceiling glass and open-air glass benches, and put a rotating glass floor - the only one in the world - on the level below. The lifts take about forty seconds.
400 Broad Street, Seattle, Washington, 98109, United States
Open daily year round, generally from mid-morning until late evening, with longer hours in summer and shorter ones in winter. Entry is by timed ticket. Hours are occasionally cut short for private events and the open-air upper deck can close in high wind, so check the day you go. The grounds of Seattle Center around the base are free and open at all hours.