Seattle Waterfront & Great Wheel
Seattle Waterfront / Seattle Great Wheel
A newly revitalized waterfront promenade along Elliott Bay, with a 53-meter Great Wheel, an aquarium and ferry terminals. It is a great place to watch the sunset over Puget Sound.
Seattle's waterfront stretches along Elliott Bay. After the Alaskan Way Viaduct was removed in 2019 and years of redevelopment followed, new waterfront parks and promenades opened in 2024 and 2025. They connect to Pike Place Market via the Overlook Walk elevated walkway. Highlights include: the Seattle Great Wheel at Pier 57 (opened in 2012, about 53 meters tall, one of the tallest Ferris wheels on the US West Coast; its fully enclosed, air-conditioned cabins seat 8 people; three rotations take about 12 to 20 minutes; tickets from about $20; it is illuminated at night). Seattle Aquarium (its new ocean exhibits opened in 2024, featuring Pacific coral reefs and sharks; tickets about $40). Seafood restaurants and souvenir shops on the piers, including Ivar's fish and chips, a local institution. At Pier 52 (Colman Dock), Washington State Ferries to Bainbridge Island take 35 minutes, and the round trip costs about $10. The view of the Seattle skyline from the deck is stunning, making it the cheapest 'bay cruise.' There is also the Argosy harbor sightseeing cruise (about 1 hour). Getting there: walk 5 minutes from Pike Place Market via the Overlook Walk or the Pike Street Hillclimb steps. Notes: Lines for the Great Wheel are long on summer weekends. Winds off the water are strong, so bring a jacket for the evening.
Opening hours
Waterfront open all day; Ferris wheel approx. 11:00–22:00 (extended on weekends)
Nearby sights
- Seattle Aquarium
- Pike Place Market
- Seattle Art Museum
- Seattle Central Library
- The Spheres (Amazon)
- Smith Tower
- Pioneer Square & Underground Tour
- Sky View Observatory (Columbia Center)