Seattle, before Alaska.

Where the photos are in Seattle

1. Pike Place Market

   A 12 minute walk from Pier 66 and a 15 minute drive from Pier 91. Arrive before lunchtime, especially on a weekend, for the handmade cheese and the cinnamon doughnuts.

2. The Space Needle and Seattle Center

   A ten minute walk from Pier 66 and about a six minute drive from Pier 91. The Needle is the one landmark everybody expects in a Seattle picture.

3. Kerry Park

   On Queen Anne Hill, at 2nd Avenue West and West Highland Drive, this is the viewpoint behind almost every picture of the Space Needle with the skyline. Sunset is best, and on a clear day you can see Elliott Bay, the Olympic Mountains and Mount Rainier. The last four blocks of the walk are steep.

4. The waterfront: the Great Wheel and the Aquarium

   From Pier 66 the Seattle Great Wheel and the Seattle Aquarium are within walking distance along the downtown waterfront, with Elliott Bay behind you.

5. Olympic Sculpture Park

   Also within walking distance of Pier 66, a park of large outdoor sculptures with a view over the water and a good place for a group picture.

How the light works

Seattle's light is soft and often gray, which is easy on faces, and on a clear day it turns sharp and blue over Elliott Bay. Kerry Park is best at sunset, when the skyline and the Needle glow together. The sail-away goes out through Puget Sound, and on a clear evening the Olympic Mountains stand up behind the water.

Before you board

The Port of Seattle runs two cruise terminals about three miles apart: Bell Street at Pier 66 on the downtown waterfront, and Smith Cove at Pier 91, just outside the city center. From Pier 66 the market, the aquarium and the Space Needle are within walking distance. From Pier 91 they need a taxi or rideshare, so check which terminal your documents name before you plan your morning.

Details checked September 2026. Piers, fees and schedules change, so confirm with your ship's daily plan.

Questions people ask

Can I walk to Pike Place Market from the cruise terminal?

From Pier 66, yes, about 12 minutes. From Pier 91 it is about a 15 minute drive.

Where do the classic Space Needle pictures come from?

Kerry Park, on Queen Anne Hill, about a mile from the Needle. Sunset is the best time.

Which Seattle terminal is closer to downtown?

Bell Street at Pier 66 sits on the central waterfront. Smith Cove at Pier 91 is about three miles away, just outside the city center.