There are incredible views of Seattle scattered across the city. Of course, there is the iconic Kerry Park on Queen Anne. Or Jose Rizal Park on Beacon Hill. But the some of the best views of Seattle can be found at West Seattle viewpoints. And some are better than others. I’ll tell you what West Seattle viewpoints to check out and which to avoid.
Seacrest Park & Don Armeni Boat Ramp
The best West Seattle viewpoints are right along the waterfront. Part of the waterfront is Seacrest Park. Another part of it is the Don Armeni Boat Ramp. Two restaurants: Salty’s and Marination Ma Kai are also on the waterfront. Both serve good food and incredible views. From the West Seattle waterfront, you get a full view of the Seattle skyline from the Space Needle to the stadiums. Simply cruise down Harbor Ave SW and you’ll find some of the best views of Seattle (map).
Luna Park
Luna Park sits on the northern tip of West Seattle. It’s also a perfect West Seattle viewpoint (since it’s just up the road from the Don Armeni Boat Ramp). But Luna Park pier offers something other West Seattle viewpoints don’t: views of the Olympic Mountains as well as the Seattle skyline. At Luna Park, you start to make the turn toward Alki Beach. If mountains and the city are your thing — Luna Park is the place for you.
Jack Block Park
Right on the south side of Salty’s you find Jack Block Park (map). The Port of Seattle park is also one of the top West Seattle viewpoints. If anything, it offers another angle and a glimpse of the port’s Terminal 5. The views require a short walk out to the viewpoint. But from the 45-foot observation tower, you have beautiful sights of the Space Needle and Seattle skyline. Unlike the other areas I’ve already mentioned that are always open, Jack Block Park closes at dawn.
Hamilton Viewpoint Park
Although the best West Seattle viewpoints are from the waterfront, there are some views higher on the hill. The best of the viewpoints is Hamilton Viewpoint Park (map). It provides the same incredible view of the Seattle skyline as the waterfront but higher in elevation. That means you get glimpses of the Cascade Mountains on a clear day as well. As I’ll get into in the next few West Seattle viewpoints, parts of Hamilton Viewpoint Park are becoming overgrown, making it more difficult to see. But I’d still mark this as one of the best places for views of the Emerald City.
Admiral Viewpoint
From here, there are more West Seattle viewpoints but they are much more obstructed by tree and plant growth. Admiral Viewpoint (or Admiral Way Viewpoint — map) used to offer a fantastic view of Seattle but now you have to find a hole in the canopy to see much at all. You have a much better chance of seeing the Seattle skyline from here in the late fall, winter or early spring when the trees are bare. In the summer — good luck seeing much of anything.
Rotary Viewpoint
Overgrowth is impacting Rotary Viewpoint as well (map). It’s farther away from the water than other West Seattle viewpoints (located in Delridge), and the trees really obstruct any view at all. They might as well just call it Rotary Park now (although the city website still says it offers “wide-angle views of the Seattle skyline”). If you want to walk up the hill from the main viewpoint and totem pole, you can see some of the Seattle skyline. But there are much better West Seattle viewpoints.
West Seattle Viewpoints
If I have family visiting or I want to take my camera out for a spin, I spend my time on the West Seattle waterfront and Hamilton Viewpoint Park (and Kerry Park, of course). There are cool West Seattle viewpoints on the westside of West Seattle but they don’t offer views of the Seattle skyline. One of my favorite spots is Emma Schmitz Memorial Viewpoint (and the surrounding area — map). It’s a great spot to post up on a sunny day and watch the ships roll by. If you’re lucky, you might even spot some wildlife on Puget Sound.
What is your favorite West Seattle viewpoint? Is there a spot we missed on here? Please leave a comment and share with our community. You can also share your opinions with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. And if you need video production services in Seattle, don’t forget to check out my company Moarly Creative. You can combine a post right here on Seattle Bloggers as part of any project you complete with our Seattle video production company.