Exploring Seattle - Space Needle

Since he was three years old (3 years ago), Jammy has wanted to visit the Space Needle. He has been fascinated with it. He draws pictures of it, and talks about it anytime someone mentions the city (that and Chuck E. Cheese).
From the time someone told him that there is a restaurant inside, he has fantasized about eating there.  A few months ago, someone else told him that if you set your keys on the windowsill when you are eating at the restaurant, by the time you are ready to leave, your keys will have rotated away from you.  He mentions the key story now at least once a week.
Mom promised Jammy that the next time they were in Seattle, Jammy and Macho could go up to the top of the Space Needle, and today that is just what they did. 

Jammy was the navigator and used Mom's iPhone map to give Mom driving directions to the Space Needle from Gramma's house. Then, once Mom found the most expensive parking spot possible, Jammy switched the map from driving to walking directions, and got everyone to the destination safely.


The Seattle Center parking lot is expensive, $9 for 0-2 hours, so if someone doesn't mind walking a block or two, they can find a better deal.

Jammy and Macho are going to be seeing a lot of things in Seattle this week, so Mom bought Jammy a CityPass for $39 at the Space Needle ticket booth. Macho is only 3, so he still usually gets into places FREE!

The elevator ride was cool, but the observation deck was better!



Going up in the Space Needle elevator




Jammy could hardly believe the boys' good luck that they didn't need quarters to operate the binoculars and telescopes!



Macho was a little bit disappointed that he couldn't see over the safety wall, but Mom solved that problem by boosting him up so that he could see.  Macho's favorite sight was a news helicopter landing on the top of a building below.

After they looked around for awhile, Jammy started to get hungry.  He could smell hot dogs, and it was lunch time.  Mom didn't think that the boys were ready for the fancy Sky City restaurant after their long day of travel yesterday, so instead they headed inside to the O-Deck snack bar.  The boys each had a Kobe beef hot dog ($5). Yum! The snack bar also sells chili, bottled drinks, chips, candy, coffee, and more.

In 2000, the Space Needle was "revitalized." The observation level is now much nicer than it was when Mom was a kid.  In addition to the amazing views, it offers many other ways to explore in Seattle, from remote control cameras to interactive maps.  It is a great place for people to go if they want to learn about Seattle and find things to do around town.

After a little more than an hour at the Space Needle, Jammy and Macho started running laps around the observation deck, so Mom decided it was time to go.

Like a ride at Disneyland, the elevator dropped them off right in the middle of a huge gift shop!

Jammy picked out a little robot magnet that he couldn't live without, but he'll have to come back to the store another day because they couldn't wait long enough to pay.  Jammy and Macho had to hurry back to the car because they only had 0-2 hours prepaid at the parking lot!

Goodbye, new and improved Space Needle! It was nice to meet you.  We'll see you around!