Seattle Great Wheel Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Seattle Great Wheel. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Seattle's Original Guided Harbor Cruise

• Seattle City Highlights Tour

• The Best of Seattle City Highlights Tour

• Seattle Sightseeing City Tour with Hotel Pickup

• Seattle Pre-Cruise Tour: Transportation & Seattle City Tour

Tickets for the Seattle Great Wheel cost US$23 for adults (aged 12–64 years), US$21 for seniors over 65, and US$18 for children aged 3–11. Kids aged 2 and under can ride for free. Tickets for the glass-bottom VIP cabin cost US$50 per person.

Yes, the Seattle Great Wheel is worth visiting, especially if you want a scenic way to observe the city from above—in fact, it's one of North America's biggest Ferris wheels. As it's such a stand-out sight, many guided city tours stop here, including harbor cruises, car tours, and bus trips. Tours are an efficient way to make the most of limited time and check off lots of city landmarks in a day.

Per one customer who booked the Seattle City Highlights Tour, "Great tour that gave you an overview of Seattle. My guide was very knowledgeable about the history of Seattle. She was flexible and accommodating, allowing us to stop and take pictures of the different landmarks. Very enjoyable!"

Rides around the Seattle Great Wheel typically clock in at 10–20 minutes, but the timing depends on the crowds, the time of year, and the number of loaded gondolas. During summer, when there are larger crowds, rides last 12–20 minutes, while in winter, rides are slightly shorter, lasting 10–15 minutes.

The Seattle Great Wheel Private Dining experience costs US$152.50 without wine, which you can add. The 4-course dinner, courtesy of the Fisherman's Restaurant nearby, is designed for 2–4 people and features a set menu with prawn cocktails, a Caesar salad, grilled salmon, vegetables, and rice pilaf.

The light show at the Seattle Great Wheel typically starts at 10pm on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. During evenings in the middle of the week, the ring beam of the wheel becomes illuminated; on holidays, special occasions, and evenings when the University of Washington or Seattle Seahawks play, the light show plays.

No, the Seattle Great Wheel is not the tallest Ferris wheel in the world. Standing 175 feet (53 meters) over Elliott Bay, the wheel has been the tallest on the US West Coast since it opened in 2012. Yet it's shorter than the Myrtle Beach Skywheel in South Carolina and the London Eye.

No, there isn't free parking at the Seattle Great Wheel. However, there is parking in the metered lots in front of the Ferris Wheel on Alaskan Way and the paid lots on Western Avenue—you can find additional parking in garages on Third Street, Stewart Street, and Seneca Street.

There are tons of fun things to do when you're done visiting the Seattle Great Wheel. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Seattle:

• Space Needle

• Pioneer Square

• Pike Place Market

• Kerry Park (Franklin Place)

• Seattle Waterfront

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Seattle.