Kerry Park Viewpoint

Kerry Park is a small park on West Highland Drive, on the south slope of Queen Anne Hill, and it gives one of the classic views of Seattle. Albert S. Kerry and his wife Katharine donated the land to the city in 1927 so that everyone who stopped there could enjoy the view, and the park covers just 1.26 acres. It is less a park for spending the day in than a place to stop, look and take photographs.

From the viewpoint, the Space Needle sits at the centre of the skyline, with the towers of downtown behind it. Elliott Bay lies to the west, and the view also takes in the West Seattle peninsula and Bainbridge Island. On clear days Mount Rainier appears in the distance behind the city, which is the shot many photographers come for. The park's description from the city highlights the view of Elliott Bay and the central city, and notes that people gather here at sunset and after dark, when ferries cross the water and the Space Needle is lit up.

The park also has a sculpture, Changing Form, a hollow steel work about 15 feet tall by the artist Doris Totten Chase, installed in 1971 with donations from the Kerry children. It is popular with children and photographers, and often appears in the foreground of pictures of the skyline.

There is no charge to visit. The best times are early morning, when the light is soft and there are fewer people, and around sunset, which is the busiest time. After dark, the lit-up skyline makes a good photograph too. Bring a jacket in the evening, as the hillside can be breezy. The park is small, so be patient with other visitors at popular times.

Allow 20 to 30 minutes, or longer if you are waiting for the light. A stairway at the west end leads down to West Prospect Street and Bayview-Kinnear Park, which has a small playground and is useful for families.

Kerry Park is easy to combine with a visit to Seattle Center and the Space Needle, the tower you will have been admiring from the viewpoint. Many visitors take a bus, taxi or ride-share up Queen Anne Hill and then walk back down through the neighbourhood.