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

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Seattle Viewpoints
Volunteer Park
Water Tower

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Location
The Volunteer Park Water Tower, corner of 14th Avenue and E. Prospect Street, Capitol Hill.

Admission
Free.

Getting there by car

Click icon to map your route on MapBlast!

Getting there by bus
From downtown, via bus number 10 (Capitol Hill).
Board the eastbound bus at the corner of 4th Avenue and Pike Street.
Alight from the bus at the corner of 15th Avenue and E. Prospect Street.
It is about a 20-minute ride each way.

Cross 15th Avenue (you will see a return bus stop here) and walk uphill along E. Prospect Street to 14th Avenue.  You will see an entrance to the park and the tower to your right.

Notes and tips
As you travel on the bus along 15th Avenue, you will see a number of cute eating places and a grocery store within walking distance of Volunteer Park.

There are restrooms at the park.

Take time to explore the park itself, including
- the Conservatory, a Victorian-style greenhouse full of exotic plants, and
- the Seattle Asian Art Museum, one of Seattle's major attractions.

At the top of the tower's 180 steps, you will also find information on the Seattle Park system, and the Olmstead (park designers) legacy.  There are even seats for those who need them after the climb!  You might be amused to see the number of people using the tower as a part of their workout.

The Views 
The Volunteer Park Water Tower offers 360º views over Seattle and its surrounds.  However the foreground is primarily the tops of trees which are at eye level. 

The following photos were taken late afternoon, on a very overcast day in late September.  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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