July 4th in Seattle
June 12, 2016 11:20 AM

We will be in Seattle on July 4th - the last full day of our 3 week west coast holiday. What would be the best place to sit on a blanket and watch some fireworks? Preferably not the MOST crowded spot, but somewhere with a bit of a buzz would be fun. We're staying downtown if that makes a difference, but open to walking or public-transporting elsewhere.
posted by cilantro to Travel & Transportation (5 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
Gasworks Park is probably your best bet. It'll be crowded, but it's perfect for your other criteria.
posted by CrystalDave at 12:07 PM on June 12, 2016


Getting from downtown to Gasworks (or worse, getting back downtown after the fireworks) would be too much hassle for me. Look into taking the South Lake Union streetcar and watch from there. Crowds will be inevitable.
posted by baseballpajamas at 5:13 PM on June 12, 2016


It traditionally rains here on the 4th. Just an FYI.
posted by bearwife at 7:26 PM on June 12, 2016


There are a bunch of E-W streets in Capitol Hill and Queen Anne that get closed so people can sit on them and see the lake, but I don't actually know if there's an official list. (Surely -- the police do it.) I don't know if it counts as a buzz, and driving to/from is a hassle, but you can probably use the 49 bus. Or walk back through Pike/Pine or Eastlake.
posted by clew at 11:54 PM on June 12, 2016


The Capitol Hill viewing crowds are usually near the intersection of Bellevue Ave, Bellevue Place, and Bellevue Court; I would not recommend trying to watch from there unless you were here already or you're prepared to walk the whole way back. It's also an existent but not spectacular view, and quite crowded: think 20- and 30-somethings emerging from 4th of July parties half an hour before showtime, not people sitting on blankets having enjoyed a nice easy day outside.

I've heard of people watching from the Ballard Bridge, which you can get to by taking the D (red rapid ride bus, get on at 3rd and Pike). Probably also unlikely to be blanket-rated.

More ideas (2015, but probably mostly valid).
posted by batter_my_heart at 12:09 AM on June 13, 2016


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