To Pay, or Not to Pay – For the Space Needle, That is!
Even after traveling to twenty-plus countries, I still get a thrill out of seeing sights a city is known for – Tower Bridge in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, South Beach in Miami, and on my recent trip to Seattle, THE SPACE NEEDLE!!
As a sight shown in 90% of the images I’ve seen of Seattle, I was excited at the prospect of going being a part of it – that is, actually **inside** the Space Needle.
Fiance was somewhat mystified with this intense desire of mine. Why the obsession? I think a large part of it has to do with feeling I’m not missing out on something. Would me taking a trip to Seattle and not visiting the iconic landmark make me a bad traveler? The last thing I want to be is a bad traveler.
On my first morning there, between rain and light flurries, I captured this image of the Space Needle – as you can imagine, it was very exciting for me:
The Infamous Space Needle
As the morning progressed, I realized everywhere I went, the Space Needle was within my zone. Even this cafe had a mock Space Needle (I actually liked the quirkiness of this much more than the “real” structure.)
The Space Needle where you least expect it
As I thought more about it, I found myself debating if it was really worth the $20 -ish to go to the top. What is Washington State known for? Starbucks, Microsoft, The Space Needle. But if I’m inside the landmark, would my outlook be that exciting? Shouldn’t I instead go to a place where I could actually get a panoramic view of the beautiful skyline?
Olympic Sculpture Park with the Space Needle in the background (of course!)
As I drove right under the towering figure – it appeared to need a face lift. Would it be worth it? Would it not?
(I’m hoping some of my fellow travelers out there can relate to this internal struggle.)
I think the main factor in my final decision came down to budget. I was doing a little experiment during my time in Seattle to see how I could make the most of a day without spending more than about $100 on food and activities. As much as I enjoy paying a sight what it’s worth for an authentic experience, I also enjoy eating – like, a lot. I had a feeling, my $100 would be taken up by the foodie in me, so I made a mature decision to forgo the trip up and enjoy the views from various parts of the city.
Shenanigans!
So my dear SN – it was not meant to be this time around. Maybe next time, when I’ve had my fill of enjoying your stature from afar, I will make my way to your top. For now, I do not have any regrets as I embraced every view of you, from each opportunity that came my way.
Now it’s your turn. Have you traveled to a place and had an internal debate (or external debate with companions) about going somewhere or doing something? Do share!
