In recent times we have spoken at length about the green and ultra-modern Seattle, the so-called Emerald City, famous throughout the world for its skyline dominated by a forest of skyscrapers with the futuristic Space Needle standing over them, placed there to remember the famous World Fair Expo held in the main city of Washington State in 1962.
We have already helped you to find good opportunities for saving on accommodation in Seattle in the article where to stay in Seattle. Now it’s time to talk about when and why it’s worthwhile buying a so-called Seattle Pass, which types are available, and if the savings are really worthy of the name. We’ll do this by showing you some actual examples of how much you can spend on tickets for individual attractions and the actual percentage of savings you can have by buying a City Pass.
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Seattle CityPASS: what it is and how it works
Maybe it’s because Seattle is a less traveled destination than other cities on the West Coast, maybe it’s because the formula works particularly well, but the only pass available on the market is the Seattle CityPASS, which offers the same type of card that we have already seen in many other destinations (see articles dedicated to tourist passes for Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and many other cities).
For those who have heard about this type of pass for the first time in this article – but also to refresh the memory of our other readers – let’s explain what it is and how it works: it’s a book of 5 tickets sold at a discounted price for admission to some of the biggest and best attractions in Seattle. The pass lasts for 9 consecutive days from the first day it is used but must be used within a year of purchase. In some cases, you can skip the queues at the ticket office (see Seattle Aquarium) and there are still some extra discounts and benefits: you’ll find them explained in the book and here.
Let’s see which attractions are included in the Seattle City Pass:
- Space Needle
- Seattle Aquarium
Plus 3 to choose from:
- Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour
- Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
- Woodland Park Zoo
- Chihuly Garden and Glass
As you can see, the last items on the list offer a choice of 3 out of 4 attractions, and that’s the only case where you’ll have to make a decision: otherwise, purchasing the Seattle City Pass will entitle you to admission to the other attractions listed. Here’s what to expect, in detail, from each ticket:
Space Needle
The Seattle City Pass grants daytime/night-time admission to the Space Needle, which means you get to visit the top of the tower twice in one day: do at least one at sunset, and the view of the city with Mount Rainer in the distance will be worth your efforts.
- Best time: before 11am and after 7pm
Seattle Aquarium
Includes admission to all aquarium attractions and shows that bring to life the marine fauna that inhabits the waters of the Puget Sound region.
- Best time: weekdays after 1 pm in winter and before 11 am in summer.
Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour
As one of your choice of attractions, the City Pass offers a 60-minute cruise on a Harbor Cruise boat, with a live guide who will introduce you to the harbor and city views from the waters of Elliot Bay. Remember you need to arrive at least half an hour before boarding.
- Best time: first available cruise in the morning
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
If you choose the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) ticket, you’ll have access to all of the museum’s exhibits.
- Best time: no particular recommendation
Woodland Park Zoo
If you’re an animal lover, you’ll have access to the Woodland Park Zoo, which offers a chance to meet animals from all over the world (Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and Africa). Tickets are not valid for any promotions or offers, and seasonal exhibits may cost extra.
- Best time: weekdays after 1 pm
Chihuly Garden and Glass
The last attraction you might choose is the Chihuly Garden and Glass. You’ll enter the glass-fronted Glasshouse building and wander through a garden filled with beautiful plants and installations, with an audio tour included with your pass
- Best time: no specific details
Seattle City Pass: when should I buy it?
The cost of a Seattle City Pass is, at the moment, $115 for adults and $87 for children from 5 to 12 years old. It can be purchased on the official website or in other authorized online marketplaces. The tickets included in the pass will be sent directly to your email after purchase, and you can decide whether to print them off or show them at the entrance of the attractions on your smartphone.
But when is it worth buying a Seattle City Pass? When can you really save money? We can show you this by using an example. Let’s imagine that we are a family of four (two adults and two children between 5 and 12 years old). Let’s imagine that we have a couple of days in Seattle, and that we intend to visit at least 4 attractions: the Space Needle, the Seattle Aquarium, a cruise on the Puget Sound, and a visit to the MoPOP Museum.
Here’s how much we’d spend without the Seattle City Pass:
- Entrance to the Space Needle: $121 approx
- Tickets for the cruise (2 adults and 2 children): $102 approx
- Admission to Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) (2 adults and 2 children): $96 approx
- Admission to Seattle Aquarium (2 adults and 2 children): $109 approx
Total: $430 approx. Here’s how much we’d spend with the Seattle City Pass instead:
- Cost of Seattle City pass for 2 adults: $320
- Seattle City pass for 2 children (4-12 years old): $174
Total: $375. Considering the fact that the saving is about $55 and that at the same price you have an extra attraction included on top of the ones you had in mind, then the convenience of buying the City Pass is all too clear. On the other hand, if you are just passing through Seattle and your intention is to visit only one, or at most two, of the listed attractions, it would most likely be less convenient.
Where you can buy the Seattle City Pass
We can point out three sites where you can purchase the Seattle City Pass. Besides the official website, there is also a well-known and reliable travel agency.
