Kerry Park
A small park on the slope of Queen Anne Hill, and the postcard spot for photographing the Space Needle, the downtown skyline and Mount Rainier together.
Kerry Park is on the south slope of Queen Anne Hill, north of downtown, along West Highland Drive. It is very small, just a railed viewing platform and a patch of lawn, but it is Seattle's most famous photo spot. The Space Needle stands in the foreground, with downtown high-rises, Elliott Bay and port cranes behind it. On clear days, Mount Rainier appears to the southeast. This is the classic Seattle panorama seen on countless postcards and in films and TV, including the opening credits of Sleepless in Seattle and Grey's Anatomy. The best time is the half hour around sunset into blue hour, when the city lights come on against the afterglow. On clear summer afternoons, you may get a view of Mount Rainier. Admission is free. Getting there: walk about 20 minutes from downtown Seattle (the uphill climb is steep), or take bus route 2 or 13 to near Queen Anne Avenue N and W Highland Drive, then walk 5 minutes. Victorian mansions line Highland Drive nearby, so it is pleasant to stroll there. Notes: The platform is small, and it gets crowded with photographers and visitors around sunset. Please keep tripods clear of walkways. Parking near the residential area is limited, so keep noise down.
Opening hours
Open all day, free (official park hours 06:00–22:00)
Nearby sights
- Chihuly Garden and Glass
- Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
- Olympic Sculpture Park
- Space Needle
- The Spheres (Amazon)
- Fremont Troll
- Pike Place Market
- Seattle Aquarium