I have been here three times and never get tired of the breathtaking views from the top. The queue to buy tickets can be long, but that may depend on the weather and the day. Look for discount coupons in tourist brochures, as the full price is a bit steep. Oh well, it is a Seattle icon and wouldn’t you feel like a fool if you went all the way to Seattle and did not go up the Space Needle?

You will pass through a security checkpoint before you reach the elevators. The gift shop is new and improved, and the line to the elevators conveniently passes by it so your kids can gawk at the enticing merchandise in the store (when you leave the elevators on the way out, you will have to walk through the shop to reach the exit, so the layout is a clever marketing ploy). The elevator will fill up, so try to get a spot at the front so you can look out the glass windows while you are riding up (or down). The elevator operator will give you a quick speech while your ears are popping.

Once you have reached the full-circle observation deck (this level is 520 feet high), venture to the outdoor platform for some fresh air. You are all caged in while standing outside, but you can stick your camera through the gaps for some amazing views of Seattle and beyond. If you look (nearly) straight below, you will see the rest of Seattle Center, like the EMP, the arches of the Pacific Science Center, Key Arena, the International Fountain, amusement park rides, and plenty more if you look hard enough. The scenery is truly spectacular on a clear day, but if it is rainy you may just want to stay inside and look at the display photos pointing out all the landmarks. The downtown skyscrapers are south, Capitol Hill and Lake Washington are east, Queen Anne and Lake Union are north, and shimmering Elliott Bay and Puget Sound are west. There are free telescopes with which you can see the mountains on a clear day, which is not a given in Seattle.

If you buy a special day-and-night ticket, you can ascend the Space Needle twice on the same day, capturing the city during dramatically different lighting conditions. If you are dining at the revolving SkyCity at the Needle restaurant, your elevator ride is free.

The tower is 650 feet with an observation deck at 520 feet. The nautilus pavilion at its feet was in the original design but wouldn’t be finished until 2000. For an admission fee (2007 - $15), an glass-walled elevator will whisk you to the top at 10 mph. Once there, you can opt to stay inside or go to the outer deck. There are any number of aids, both static and dynamic, to help you identify, or zoom in on, the sites before you. You can be forgiven if you feel there is a slight sway, but remember, at age 45, this tower has withstood a fairly severe earthquake.

It is what it is: a spot high in the sky from which you have a view of downtown Seattle, Lake Union, and north to the Olympic Mountains. Try to see it on a clear day. Fastest way to the Seattle Centre is still on the monorail from the Westlake Shopping Center, corner of Pine and 5th.

In Seattle the _____ is of course the famed Space Needle. It is a structure that is interesting to look at (and noticeable from so many different parts of the city) for sure, but the price of admission to see the view from the top is not quite worth it.

13 dollars per adult and 6 dollars per youth. Now that could be about 28 dollars for an average family to ride an elevator to the top of a structure that is not even that tall anymore. Atleast when I paid my 10 bucks to go to the top of the Empire State Building, I could see over most of the buildings and I had, along with millions of other tourists, found a great view.

Of course people will ask if you saw it, and I think people should see it. It is a landmark that will always be instantly associated with Seattle. Along with rain and Starbucks the Space Needle forms a holy trinity. Still, seeing it from the ground and saving 13 dollars is wise. There are plenty of great reasons to be around it in the Seattle Center too: the awesome Experience Music Project, the fun Pacific Science Center, the Key Arena, and more.

As for the views from the top? Well, you could visit the Queen Anne neigborhood in Seattle that is located atop the highly elevated hill. From Queen Anne you can see over the Space Needle and on clear days can see Mt. Rainier. Plus Queen Anne is a cute little neighborhood. Or in Volunteer Park, which is located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, there is an observation tower near the water resevoir that allows for excellent views of the city. Plus, Volunteer Park is a quaint park that is also home to the Asian Art Museum and an Arboretum. Or, in downtown there are plenty of taller buildings to see from. The Washington Mutual building is free and offers some of the best views of the city.

So the point is, I suppose, that sometimes the landmarks of a city get so popular that the price of admission to the landmark outweighs the specialness. There are plenty of free ways to see the beautiful city of Seattle. If a friend keeps pestering you about not seeing ____, then just say, "____ you!" and rest assured in knowing that you saved money and saw a killer view. It’s no coincidence that the film "Sleepless in Seattle" ends at the Empire State Building.

Built for the futuristic-themed 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, the Space Needle is a unique site. At the top, there are both indoor and outdoor observation decks. I can only imagine what the view would be on a clear day. Located all around the observation deck, you find fun trivia and environmental graphics. The Space Needle is 730 feet tall. The observation deck is over 500 feet. The Space Needle sways 1 inch for every 10 mph of wind. It is built to withstand winds over 200 mph. The Space Needle has high-speed elevators to get you from the ground to the observation decks. The elevators travel at 10 mph, so the trip from bottom to top takes about 45 seconds.

Just below the observation deck is the Sky City revolving restaurant. We were there in the late morning, so the restaurant was closed. It looked very nice. The menu featured fresh seafood, steaks, chicken, and prime rib. The prices looked about average. The wine list looked nice. The restaurant revolves once every 45 minutes. With the ever-changing view, I imagine this would be a very nice dining experience. Maybe next time.

Since we were in Seattle, there must be coffee. There is a Starbucks in the inside observation deck. We were there in the morning and it was pretty chilly. The cappuccino was nice and hot and tasty.

If I ever get back to Seattle, I look forward to going to the Space Needle again. This time on a nice, sunny day.

You buy your ticket (for about $10) from outside the Needle while cheesy songs (all in some way related to space travel) play. Once inside, however, things get much more tasteful. The gift shop on the ground floor has some suprisingly good quality gifts, and this is probably the best place in the city to pick up presents for the guys back home.

The ride to the top of the Needle takes less than a minute, but despite this there is still a running commentary from the elevator operator. Once at the top there is a fantastic view of the city from all angles, along with photo guides to tell you exactly what you are looking for.

It's good to arrive just a bit before dusk so that you can see the city in the light, get a coffee and watch the sun going down before seeing it at night.

Parking can be found easily (and cheaply if you're in a large group) at the carpool parking lot across the street from the Needle. This is a good place from which to explore Seattle Centre, and not a bad location from which to take the monorail into the city.

For first time visitors to Seattle, it's almost imperative to visit the Space Needle and at least take the elevator up to the Oberservation Deck (called O Deck). We stood in a short line to purchase our $11 adult tickets. Senior prices and children prices are lower. We did notice the roped off area to address longer lines of people waiting to buy tickets, so we were fortunate to only wait for a few people ahead of us in line.

After entering the building, a security guard asked to examine my wife's purse and our other sacks. He did a thorough job as he unzipped the side pockets and pulled everything out. After we cleared security, we walked up the ramp to the elevator.

We were on the next ride up to the O Deck. The elevator was full and the conductor asked everyone to make room so that the children could be up to the front. The glass sides of the elevator provide a direct view during this 43-second ride. My wife is not overly keen on heights so she was at the very back of the elevator. I was right up there in the front, directly behind the kids.

The outside deck has an unobstructed view (except for the cables) so we could see for miles. There were large markings in the concrete flooring just like a compass, showing the directions. Inside, there were displays at each direction point (north, south, east and west) naming and describing some of the easily identifiable buildings and landmarks. That information was great.

There was a small coffee shop in the inside deck, and tables for relaxing while enjoying the view.

The elevator ride down stops in the gift shop (no surprise) but we were not able to find salt and pepper shakers. My wife collects these and wanted a pair that were fashioned after the Space Needle. Fortunately, she found a pair at the gift shop in the airport.

We walked around the outside grounds, watching people on the carnival-type rides and enjoying the evening. The Space Needle is open 365 days a year and is open until midnight on the weekends.