All About the Seattle CityPASS

After living in Seattle for an internship for six months, this modern, green city has always been in my heart. When my kids were old enough to truly appreciate it, I decided to take them to visit the Pacific Northwest to experience Seattle for a week.

Although it’s mostly known for the Space Needle, the city of Seattle offers lots of other fantastic family-friendly activities. There’s so much to do.

If you are planning to visit Seattle, you may be wondering what top attractions to visit and how to save money on your trip. The Seattle CityPASS (not Seattle City Pass – as some mistakenly refer to it), is a great way to save money. With one CityPASS ticket fee, you’ll receive admission to many of the most popular Seattle attractions.

Disclosure: We received two free CityPASS passes during our trip to Seattle. This post contains affiliate links and a purchase through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us.

All About the Seattle CityPASS

Is a Seattle CityPASS Worth It?

The CityPASS can be a great way to save money on the best things to do in Seattle. Before deciding to purchase, take a look at the list of attractions. If you are planning to do most of these things, a CityPASS can be a great idea.

How the CityPass Works

To purchase a CityPASS, go to their website and select the destination that you are visiting. There are currently 16 cities offered – Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Southern California, Tampa Bay, and Toronto.

For Seattle, there are two types of tickets. One for adults 13 and older, and one for children aged 5 to 12. Currently, the ticket price for the CityPASS gives you admission to five different attractions – representing a savings of over 40%. There’s also a C3 pass that gives admission to three attractions.

Once you purchase the CityPASS, it’s valid for a year. Upon the first use, you have 9 consecutive days to visit all of the attractions included. IDs may be required, and you’ll need to show the pass to gain admission. If members of your group want to split up, you’ll each need to have possession of your own pass.

Before deciding to purchase a CityPASS, look at the attractions that are offered. Make sure that you plan to visit most of them to really get maximum value for the cost of the pass.

Since 2020, some of the attractions require advance reservations. It’s a good idea to review operating procedures and hours to make sure you’ll be able to visit while you are there. You can make the required reservations right from their website if you’d like.

What’s Included in the Seattle CityPASS

In 2023 there are five attractions included with your CityPASS purchase. These include the Space Needle and Seattle Aquarium.

Then, you can choose three from the following list:

Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour (one-hour tour)
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
Woodland Park Zoo
Chihuly Garden and Glass

Space Needle

With the Seattle CityPASS, you’ll be able to visit the iconic Space Needle twice – once during the day and once at night. Both visits will need to occur within a 24-hour period. You’ll only need reservations for your first visit.

We have a full guide to the Space Needle here – check it out before your first visit. We definitely recommend looking at the weather forecast in advance if at all possible. When it’s cloudy and/or rainy out, visibility is much lower.

The views of Seattle are absolutely beautiful from the Space Needle. You’ll get a 360-degree view by walking all the way around the observation deck, so be sure to save time for a full visit.

Before going, be sure to download the Space Needle app. We found it to be helpful and it was nice to have immediate access to the official photos we took there.

Reservations are currently required.

MoPOP: Museum of Pop Culture

The Museum of Pop Culture is a unique museum located near the Space Needle in Seattle Center. Formerly known as the Experience Music Project, this museum’s focus has expanded to include more than just music. However, pop music is still a major part of the museum.

We really enjoyed visiting MoPOP with our kids. It was great for them to experience some of the music we enjoyed, including local Seattle bands like Pearl Jam.

The Museum of Pop Culture also includes several traveling exhibitions (past exhibits have included Minecraft and Tattoo Culture). We spent several hours exploring the museum and felt it was worthwhile.

The Museum of Pop Culture is closed on Wednesdays.

Chihuly Garden and Glass

One of the most unique and beautiful museums that I’ve visited is the Chihuly Garden and Glass, also located in Seattle Center. Partially indoors and partially outdoors, this museum features gorgeous glass sculptures.

If you are planning a trip to Chihuly Garden and Glass, I’d recommend visiting with older kids. Younger kids may not understand the museum or appreciate the exhibits.

The Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum isn’t too large, so you can definitely combine a visit there with another of the Seattle Center attractions. On our visit, we visited the Space Needle first thing in the morning and then went next door to the Garden and Glass.

Be sure to take plenty of photos because it really is beautiful. While you can walk through quickly, I’d recommend taking your time to admire each sculpture.

Reservations are currently required.

Woodland Park Zoo

The Woodland Park Zoo is located on Phinney Avenue in Seattle. Paid parking is available in a few different on-site lots.

Advanced tickets are recommended. With a CityPASS, you can use the barcode info on your tickets to get your reserved tickets.

There are lots of different exhibits at the Woodland Park Zoo, including an African Savanna, a Rhino Preserve, a butterfly garden, and a tropical rainforest.

A new exhibit, Living Northwest, focuses on nature and wildlife in the Northwest of the United States. It’s a re-imagination of the prior exhibit – the Northern Trail.

The Woodland Park Zoo is open daily, except for Christmas. In the cooler months, it closes earlier in the evening.

Seattle Aquarium

Located along the Seattle Waterfront, the Seattle Aquarium is one of my favorites to visit. Advance reservations are currently required and can be made online prior to your visit.

The aquarium features lots of fun exhibits for families. Our favorites include the tide pools, the river otters, the harbor seals, the sea otters, and the Pacific coral reef.

Some of the exhibits are outdoors, so it’s best to choose a nice day to visit. We spent several hours during our visit.

Argosy Cruise Harbor Tour

You’ll need a reservation for your Argosy Cruise Harbor Tour. We did this on our Seattle vacation, and it was definitely one of the highlights.

During the one-hour experience, you’ll get a guided tour of the waterfront. It’s a unique perspective on the beautiful Seattle waterfront. You’ll board the boat not too far from the Seattle Aquarium, so it’s a good combination for a day.

Wondering where to stay in Seattle? Check out the map below for lodging options.