Things to Do in Seattle Center and the Neighborhoods
The 1962 World's Fair grounds and the neighborhoods that give Seattle its character.
See top-rated activities »About Seattle Center and the neighborhoods
Seattle Center was built for the 1962 World's Fair, and its centerpiece, the Space Needle, has defined the skyline ever since. An elevator lifts you to the observation level, where a rotating glass floor and floor-to-ceiling glass panels look out over the city, the Sound and, on clear days, Mount Rainier. Next door, Chihuly Garden and Glass displays Dale Chihuly's huge, colorful glass installations in galleries, a glass house and a garden. The Museum of Pop Culture, in a rippling Frank Gehry building, covers music, film and science fiction, with special attention to Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana. Families head to the Pacific Science Center, and the original 1962 monorail still glides a mile into downtown.
Seattle's neighborhoods are where the city feels most like itself. Queen Anne rises just north of Seattle Center; from Kerry Park on its southern slope you get the classic postcard view of the Needle and downtown. Fremont calls itself the center of the universe and backs it up with public art, including a troll crouching under the Aurora Bridge, plus a Sunday market. Ballard, once a Scandinavian fishing community, has the National Nordic Museum, a long row of breweries and the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, where boats pass between Lake Washington and the Sound and salmon climb a fish ladder in late summer.
East of downtown, Capitol Hill is the city's liveliest nightlife district and a center of its coffee culture, with Volunteer Park and its Victorian conservatory at the north end. The University District holds the University of Washington campus, famous for its cherry trees each spring, and the Burke Museum of natural history and culture. Woodland Park Zoo sits between Fremont and Green Lake, a popular lake for walking and paddling.
South of the center, near Boeing Field, the Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, with a Concorde, an early Air Force One and a space shuttle trainer you can walk through.
Don’t Miss
The 1962 tower with an open-air observation deck and a rotating glass floor. Timed tickets are sold online.
Dale Chihuly's large glass works in galleries, a 40-foot glass house and an outdoor garden beside the Space Needle.
Exhibits on music, film, games and science fiction in a Frank Gehry building.
Free-to-visit locks with a fish ladder viewing room and botanical garden; watch boats rise and fall between the lake and the Sound.
A large zoo known for naturalistic habitats, from a tropical rain forest to a northern trail with grizzly bears.
The state's natural history and culture museum, with working labs visible from the galleries.
Hundreds of aircraft and spacecraft, including a Concorde and a space shuttle trainer.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in Seattle Center and the neighborhoods
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TiqetsTours, tickets, prices and reviews from Viator (a Tripadvisor company) and Tiqets — prices are per person, from, and were checked October 27, 2026. Best of Seattle-Tacoma may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
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Get free trip quotes »Seattle Center and the neighborhoods — FAQ
Is the Space Needle worth the ticket?
On a clear day, yes; the views of the mountains, the Sound and downtown are hard to beat. On a cloudy day you may see little beyond the city. Some combined tickets include Chihuly Garden and Glass next door.
How do I get to Ballard and Fremont?
Buses run from downtown to both neighborhoods in about 20 to 30 minutes, and they are also popular by bike along the Burke-Gilman Trail and the ship canal.
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