Washington – Seattle Sunset Sail with Skyline Views

Hanna Ashcraft

3 years ago

To practice traveling solo, I took myself on a sunset sail from downtown Seattle for views of the city skyline. I even bought myself the cheese platter! How romantic! And it was a delightful and different way to see the “Emerald City.” It’s super fun to leave the dock from right underneath the Ferris Wheel (The Seattle Great Wheel), then spot the Space Needle in the distance. As you get further out, the crew opens the sails, and the entire boat leans to one side. It was a surprising ab workout with a scenic view. Then to watch the sun dip below the mountains on the Olympic Peninsula is awe-inspiring. At $59/per person, it’s an excellent price for the two-hour experience with SailingSeattle.com, so keep reading for the full details.

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Seattle Sunset Sail: The Surprising Ab Workout

I checked in promptly at 6:45 at the little desk inside the dock gate and was the first person in line for my boat. There are two boats that sail, and the company splits guests into two lines. A few minutes before sailing, the crew has you follow them down the dock and onto the boat. Seating is open, and there are no bad seats as you will eventually turn around and get the opposite view. I was surprised that there is not any formal seating, it is simply a sailboat, and you can sit wherever you can be comfortable. Even though fewer people were on each boat due to the pandemic, it still felt full somehow. We had one captain and one crew on board, and after a few short words about safety, we were off.

Leaving the dock, we went right under the Seattle Great Wheel, which was very cool. The captain utilized the motor for the first part of our journey, but the crewmember worked to open the sails after about five minutes. The transition was fun to watch with ropes going this way and that way. At the same time, I could see the other boat’s sails slowly moving up the mast. As the sail opened, the boat started to tilt. It was dramatic enough that half of the guests had to rearrange their seating. The journey became a surprising ab workout with fabulous views.

Sailing away from the city, there are lovely things to look at in every direction. The city was golden with the setting sun, the other sailboats and boats, Mountain Rainier peeking over the land, and the distant mountains where the sun would set behind.

Quick Tips for the Sunset Sail

Buy your tickets in advance, but not too far in advance. They become available two weeks before the date, so you cannot get them any earlier. Our captain said they were selling out every day, so don’t delay once they are available to book.
Bring layers! The sailboats are wind-powered, so as you might guess, it is windy. Out on the water, it is often 10-degrees cooler, and the temperature will drop after the sun dips below the mountains.
Plan to eat before or after sailing. You can bring a picnic on board or order the cheese platter, but I found it difficult to eat due to the angle of the boat, the wind, and wanting to capture the experience.

At a Glance:

Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, It was fun, and I would do it again
Intensity: Comfortable clothes, jacket/layers for warmth, and closed-toe shoes
Location: Downtown Seattle – Pier 56
Cost: $59 for the 2-hour sunset sail, plus tax, gratuity, and any food and beverage you purchase
Restrooms: There is a small toilet on board the boats and restaurants on the pier
Timing: 2 hours, plus an extra 15 to 20 minutes if you decide to check-in early. Due to the time of year, my sunset sail was 7:00 – 9:00 pm.

Highlights:

Views of the city skyline during the daylight and lit up at night. Also, watching the sun dip behind the Olympic Peninsula mountains.
These are proper sailboats, which are lean and limited with the number of guests.
The boat leaves right across from the Ferris Wheel (The Seattle Great Wheel), fun.
Great way to spend a solo evening without having to eat alone in a restaurant!

Lowlights

The boat’s angle while sailing and the number of people made it unnerving and not welcoming to move around (even though you are allowed to), so I didn’t get as many photos of myself as I had hoped. It also made it hard to eat.
The Cheese Platter that you can order through the website was convenient, but not that great – jump down the “Sunset Cheese Platter” section for full details.

Sunset Cheese Platter

Once we were further away from the city and I had taken my initial round of photos, I decided to dig into the cheese platter. I was STARVING, so I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed that the cheese platter was very grape-heavy. Sailingseattle.com partners with a local restaurant to offer the cheese platter, so I did feel like $15 was steep for so many grapes! Honestly, I should have brought some trail mix from all the hiking we did during the weekend to bulk up the platter. It was also tough to eat due to the angle of the boat and the wind. It was so complicated that I didn’t even bother getting a photo. Overall, I’d recommend bringing a light snack and a fun beverage over trying to eat something that requires two hands. Wait until you’re back on land for a full meal or eat beforehand.

We headed straight for the Olympic Peninsula and the sun while sailing. As the sun got closer to the mountains, the colors became more intense and gorgeous. It was all wonderfully photogenic and a lovely moment to soak in.

City Lights and the Chill of Night

The second the sun disappeared, it got chillier. The captain and crew turned the boat around and headed back towards the city while I layered on another jacket. That wind will get you, so I’d recommend pants, scarf, warm coat, and closed-toe shoes, especially for the sunset sail! As we made our way back, the lights of the city became more intense and clearly defined. The Space Needle also has lights! As you can tell from my photos, the Space Needle is a little separate from the downtown buildings – a common misconception thanks to the Frasier TV show logo.

As we neared the pier, the sail came down, and the motor came on. The Seattle Great Wheel lights were mesmerizing to watch. Pulling into the dock showcased the skill of our captain, who effortlessly backed the boat into place.

Photographing the Sunset Sail

The Seattle Sunset Sail is a medium-difficult experience to capture. It’s easy to capture the views of the city, sunset, and the other boat. However, I wasn’t super comfortable walking around the boat, so it was tough to get myself without other people in the shot. Traveling solo also made it difficult. With the angle of the boat and captive audience, there was no way I was going to set up a tripod! Hah! Here are some cute shots to get:

Obviously, the Seattle skyline as you leave the pier and return to it. Also, the sunset as the sun dips below the mountains.
With two sailboats out, you can capture the other sailboat with the sun or under the sail of your boat. Since your boat probably looks the same, it’s almost like you’re capturing your own experience from a distance.
When photographing people, you can put the sun directly behind the subject for a back-lit approach. Or face into the sun directly, which I find to be harsh. I also like having a bit of the boat in the photo for context.
If there were another person with me, I would have captured the cheese platter or whatever I was eating/drinking with the views.
Although cliche, I get my shoes with the background views. Again, simply for context and to change it up from a straight shot of the skyline or sunset.

Getting There

SailingSeattle (not to be confused with Seattle Sailing) has a designated parking area next to Pier 56, which I highly recommend utilizing if you plan to drive; otherwise, parking downtown is a nightmare. I am unclear if the designated parking is included or an additional cost. Alternatively, you could use public transportation or Uber/Lyft. I used Lyft to get to their address at 1201 Alaskan Way.

Being downtown at the Piers and the Seattle Great Wheel made me truly feel like a tourist. It was busy and loud with street performers and people getting their Seattle souvenirs. The environment had me worried that the experience would be kitschy, but that was not the case. The two groups of people I talked to were Seattle locals who were bringing friends sailing to show off the city. Also, the company has been in business for over 30 years as a family-run business. So pretty darn local and only a bit kitchy.

Overall Thoughts: Seattle Sunset Sail

After hiking all weekend in Mount Rainier National Park, the Seattle sunset sail was a great way to experience the city and stretch my days while traveling. During this particular trip, I made a point to watch one sunrise (another one was under fog), and two sunsets, which is pretty good for a four night trip. In terms of the sail itself, I felt like it was a lovely experience for $59. There were views in every direction and seeing the city skyline in the golden glow and again lit up was pretty incredible. I’d recommend it to just about anyone, although I cannot say the same for the cheese platter.

Check out the other activities I did while in Washington during this trip:

I am now fully in love with Washington state. What other experiences should I check out when I’m in Seattle next?? Or what hikes should I look into? Let me know in the comments to add to my list!

Happy Travels,

Hanna