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This is one of a series of pages guiding you around  Seattle's viewpoints.

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Seattle Viewpoints
Admiral Way

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Location
3600 Admiral Way S.W.
The viewpoint is on Admiral Hill in West Seattle, above Elliott Bay.

Admission
Free.

Getting there by car

Click icon to map your route on MapBlast!

There is a laneway for cars going in either direction to pull in.

Getting there by bus
From downtown, via bus number 56 (Alki Beach).

Board the southbound bus at the corner of 1st Avenue and Pike Street.
(Enjoy the view from West Seattle Bridge as you cross it on the bus.  Unfortunately no pedestrian traffic is allowed on the bridge.)

Alight from the bus at the corner of Olga Street SW and Admiral Way SW
It is about a 15- to 25-minute ride each way, depending on whether you catch an express bus.

On the east side of Admiral Way, you will see the "can't-miss" views of Seattle.  On the west side of Admiral Way, you will see the Belvedere Park.

Notes and Tips
The viewpoint is popular, but not overrun.  At most any time of day or night you wont have to wait long for a vehicle to pull up - from coach tours to delivery drivers stopping for a meal break.    The viewpoint also boasts a totem pole (dedicated in 1966), and small exhibit on on the history of West Seattle, with an excerpt from the famous speech by Chief Seattle.

The park area on the opposite side of the road does not seem to get much use as a picnic spot.  Perhaps because no benches are provided, and the traffic is fairly constant.

A small local retail hub can be found by following Admiral Way a few blocks to the west where it intersects with California Avenue.  In this area you will find a variety of food outlets, including two supermarkets.

No visit to West Seattle is complete without a visit to Alki Beach Park!  You might find it is cheaper to grab a picnic lunch up here, or there are plenty of dining alternatives down on the beach.  To get to Alki Beach, simply continue on bus route number 56 in the same direction you were originally going, and stay on until its final stop. 

The Views 
Admiral Way Park offers 180� views over the classic skyline of Seattle.  At this height, you can easily see the Cascade Mountains running behind the cityscape along the horizon. To the southeast, the industrial Harbor Island and the Port of Seattle dominate the foreground, and you can see the West Seattle Bridge.  To the northeast, you might find that foreground foliage interrupts the blue expanse of water (Elliott Bay) that lies between you and downtown Seattle.

Best time for photos is midday, towards the PM, and evening when the city twinkles.

Click on photo for full-size image.

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Above Seattle
by Emmett Watson, Robert W. Cameron (Photographer)
May 1994, Hardcover, 160 pages, (non-fiction). A collection of historical and original aerial photos of the area with captions that tell you what you are seeing from these unusual angles.
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Puget Sound: Sea Between the Mountains
by Tim Thompson (Photographer), Eric Scigliano. September 2000, Hardback, 112 pages, (photo-essay). Take an insider's tour as you meander leisurely through this irresistible region bound by water and weather.
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Seattle (Citylife Pictorial Guide)
by Barbara Sleeper, Mike Sedam (Photographer)
October 1998, Paperback, 96 pages, (non-fiction)
A showcase of the city's attractions in pictures and long captions.
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Best Places Seattle
by Giselle Smith (Editor), Nancy Gellos (Designer). May 1999, Sasquatch Books, 8th edition, Paperback, 482 pages, (guidebook)
Covers Seattle's 200 best restaurants plus romantic night spots, the best accommodations, and information on the city's culture and history.
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Seattle, The Best of Emerald City: An Impertinent Insiders' Guide
by Betty Martin, Don Martin
April 2000, Paperback, 236 pages, (guidebook). "Ten best" lists on everything from bike routes to seafood restaurants, romantic spots to photo angles.
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The Seattle Guidebook
by Jo Brown (Editor), Archie Satterfield
July 1999, 11th Edition, Sasquatch Books, 320 pages, (guidebook). A guide to sightseeing, walking tours, culture, sports, shopping, restaurants and more.
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Walking Seattle
by John Owen
March Blessed with a bustling waterfront, charming neighborhoods, a cosmopolitan city center, and a visionary park system, Seattle is a wonderland for the explorer on foot. 19 walks include step-by-step directions, detailed maps, and intriguing descriptions of points of interest along the way.
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Moon Handbooks: Washington
by Don Pitcher. June 2002, 7th edition, Paperback, 1000 pages, (guidebook). In-depth coverage of the history, landscape, and changes in a state that has come of age.  Ranges from Olympic Peninsula's lush rainforests and long sandy beaches, to glacier-clad Cascade summits, friendly eastern towns and wineries, the tranquil Puget Sound, Seattle, and the San Juan Islands.
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