Seattle Viewpoints
Admiral Way

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

Admission
Free.

Getting there by car
Click on the map below for directions.

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


View Larger Map

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 180º 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.

Seattle views.
Looking across Elliott Bay toward Queen Anne Hill and the northern end of downtown Seattle (58kb).

Seattle views.
Looking across Harbor Island on an October evening (95kb).

Seattle views.
Panorama of Seattle on an October evening (140kb).

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