10 Most Instagrammable Places in Seattle
Photos of Seattle You can Brag About to Your Friends
Seattle may be one of the most photogenic places on Earth, with hundreds of places you can go to light up your Instagram feed from glass museums to rainbow crosswalks. You can visit an iconic towering viewing deck, see a huge sculpture of a folkloric monster, sip a cup of joe at the original branch of the most famous coffee chain in the world, or explore the history of pop culture.
From coffeehouse culture to art and sculpture, street art, and quirky parks, you’ll find photos of Seattle you can brag about to your friends. Check out the 10 most Instagrammable places in Seattle to really blow up your social media feeds.
1. Space Needle
See an iconic tower and its viewing deck
Good for: Couples, Families, Photo
The Space Needle is arguably the most iconic structure in Seattle, towering over the city and a great place to photograph up close or to capture panoramic city views. If you’re visiting Seattle, it’s almost requisite to grab a photo of the Needle to post online. You can also climb to the top, grab a meal at the restaurant, and take photos of the entire city, the waterfront, and for miles around from the 360-degree viewing deck.
On a clear day, you can capture photos of Mount Rainier from the top of the Space Needle. Even better, it’s in the center of the city in a huge park with tons of other things to see and do. Read more
Location: 400 Broad St, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
Open: Daily from 9 am to 11 pm
Space Needle
2. Fremont Troll
Climb all over a big stone beast from folklore
Good for: Couples, Families, Photo, Unusual
The Fremont Troll is a gigantic statue of a troll under the Aurora Bridge that you can photograph and climb on, and is a must-capture location for your Instagram feed. The troll towers 18 feet high and clutches a Volkswagen Beetle that it has supposedly just snatched from the bridge. The structure was part of a public works competition in 1990 to revitalize the area and is now one of the more popular spots to go for catching a quirky picture of Seattle.
Not only can you photograph the troll, but you are encouraged to climb all over it if you like. It’s about 12 minutes north of downtown. Read more
Location: N 36th St, Seattle, WA 98103, USA
Open: 24/7
Fremont Troll
3. Chihuly Garden and Glass
See a world of colorful, handblown glass art
Good for: Couples, Families, Photo, Unusual
Chihuly Garden and Glass is a museum dedicated to famed glassblower Dale Chihuly and offers a gallery, glasshouse, and outdoor garden full of authentic glass artifacts. Any of the displays here are ideal to post online to turn your Instagram feed into a conversation thread that will last for weeks or longer.
While the exhibits on display are permanent and don’t change, it seems there’s always some new detail to capture. Don’t miss the light tunnel that reflects a rainbow of colors across the room. It’s in the center of downtown. Read more
Location: 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
Open: Sunday–Thursday from 9 am to 6 pm, Friday–Saturday from 9 am to 7 pm
Chihuly Garden and Glass
4. Olympic Sculpture Park
Take a walk in 9 acres of sculpture-dotted green space
Good for: Couples, Families, Budget, Adventure
Olympic Sculpture Park is a 9-acre park and museum that offers vast open green space, interesting public art installations, and waterfront views, all fantastic for your Instagram feed. You can capture tons of interesting sculptures here, as well as astounding views of Elliott Bay. You can also capture fantastic views of the Space Needle, which rises above the sculptures here and makes for a great image.
Even when you’re not snapping pictures, this park is a place to take a quiet walk and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s located in the heart of downtown. Read more
Location: 2901 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98121, USA
Olympic Sculpture Park
5. Museum of Pop Culture
See rock star, sci-fi, TV, music, and movie memorabilia
Good for: Couples, Families, Photo, Unusual
The Museum of Pop Culture, or MoPOP, offers dozens of exhibits that honor popular culture through the ages, many of which are interactive and almost all of which are Instagrammable. The building is covered in color-changing, light-reflecting panels that unto themselves make for a great social media feed image. You can see Jimi Hendrix’s guitar here along with costumes from “Game of Thrones” and props from “Doctor Who.”
This is a wild, quirky, and fun museum to go through for the entire family. If your feed is dedicated to music, movies, science fiction, or other aspects of pop culture, you’ll find must-photo exhibits here. It’s in the heart of the downtown area. Read more
Location: 325 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
Open: Monday–Friday from 10 am to 6 pm, Saturday–Sunday from 9 am to 6 pm
Museum of Pop Culture
6. Pioneer Square street art
Catch photos of works by up-and-coming street artists
Good for: Couples, Families, Photo
Pioneer Square street art covers an iconic neighborhood in Seattle with works you can photograph and entire buildings covered in elaborate murals. Graffiti has become more respected as an art form in recent years, and street art really shows off the character of a neighborhood. Much of the street art here is authorized and is easily as good as some of the fine art you’ll see in other places.
After you’re done photographing, check out the many art galleries and shows in the area, which has been a haven for artists since the ‘60s. You can also take the First Thursday art walk every month and buy art from local artists. It’s all just about 5 minutes from downtown.
Pioneer Square street art
7. Kerry Park
Take a photo of the sunrise over the city
Good for: Couples, Families, Photo
Kerry Park is a small park that provides outstanding views of the Space Needle, the downtown skyline, the waterfront, and many other iconic Seattle locations. The park is located in Queen Anne, just a few minutes from the city. It’s a small patch of grass, but it can get crowded because it’s such a popular photo spot. It’s not in a neighborhood intended to be a visitor destination but rather is in a residential area, so parking can be tricky.
It’s also a place to get a spectacular view of the sunrise over the city. It’s about 12 minutes northwest of the center of downtown.
Location: 211 W Highland Dr, Seattle, WA 98119, USA
Open: Daily from 6 am to 10 pm
Kerry Park
8. Waterfall Garden
Snap a picture of a 22-foot waterfall in the city
Good for: Couples, Families, Photo, Budget
Waterfall Garden Park is something of a hidden gem among visitor attractions in Pioneer Square with a man-made waterfall cascading 22 feet down over the rocks. It’s a relaxing and refreshing place and is a popular spot for locals to come on their lunch break to grab a meal and read a book. It’s on the site of the first UPS headquarters from 1907, which is long gone, but the park is a lovely place to relax and catch a cool photo.
It’s only 5 minutes from downtown to the south. Surrounding the park you can find plenty of shops, eateries, and the like to spend some time after you relax and catch your photo.
Location: 219 2nd Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
Open: Daily from 8 am to 5.45 pm
Waterfall Garden
9. Original Starbucks
See coffee beans being roasted at an iconic café
Good for: Couples, Families, Photo, Food
The original Starbucks is the place where it all began and provides the backdrop for a photo of an iconic café as well as the chance to shop for unique Starbucks merchandise. This café is both an iconic example of Starbucks and very different from most other Starbucks branches. Starbucks first opened here in 1971, and the original store is still going strong. One of the more iconic photos you can capture here is the act of a master roaster roasting the coffee beans that are used to brew coffee.
If you’ve never had coffee brewed from freshly roasted beans, you’re in for a treat. Be sure to stay for a taste after you catch all the photos you’d like. It’s located downtown in the Pike Place Market.
Location: 1124 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
Open: Daily from 7 am to 9 pm
Original Starbucks
10. Capitol Hill rainbow crosswalks
Celebrate LGBTQ+ pride and diversity
Good for: Couples, Families, Photo, Budget
The Capitol Hill rainbow crosswalks were painted in 2015 in celebration of LGBTQ+ pride and have become an iconic photo opportunity that will brighten your Instagram feed. The neighborhood hosts around a dozen of these crosswalks scattered throughout the area, and it can make for a fun scavenger hunt trying to find and capture them all. One can be found in front of a bright mural at East Pike Street and 11th Street that makes for an extra-vibrant social media image.
When you photograph these crosswalks that are located just about 7 minutes from downtown, you’re showing your appreciation for diversity and representation. They’re also just upbeat and bright, which is eye-catching for any feed.
Location: Seattle, WA 98122, USA
Capitol Hill rainbow crosswalks
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