Everyone who comes to Seattle goes up the Space Needle.  Yeah, there’s Pike Place Market, the Fremont Troll, the first Starbucks, and various and sundry salmon-related doo-dads, but the Space Needle is the only thing that *everyone* has done.  Well I’m here today to tell you it’s a waste of time.

This here is just one side of the view from the 35th story of Smith Tower.  Even if the Space Needle wasn’t 300% more expensive, Smith Tower gets you some history (pre-1960), almost no crowds, and is actually *in* the Pioneer Square / Downtown core, where the Space Needle is actually off to the side.  On a day with anything but pristine clear views, from the Space Needle, you see the side of a few buildings and some water.  From Smith Tower, you get it all.

Only took me 7 years to figure that out.