Pier 57 – Miners Landing Building – The Seattle Great Wheel

The Seattle Great Wheel was the tallest Ferris wheel on the West Coast of the United States when it opened on June 29, 2012 with a diameter of 175 feet and a height of 200 feet. The wheel has 42 fully-enclosed gondolas. 41 white gondolas each seat up to eight adults. Cabin #42, the VIP cabin, has leather bucket seats, a stereo system, glass bottom floor, and can seat up to 4 adults.

Hours of admission: Monday through Thursday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, Friday 11:00 am to 12:00 am (midnight), Saturday 10:00 am to 12:00 am (midnight), Sunday 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.
You do not have to pay admission to access the machine.
This machine used to be located at Pirate's Plunder Gifts and Souvenirs.
No on-site parking. The best parking ($3.00 per hour) is the Hillclimb Parking Garage, 1422 Alaskan Way, across the street from the Seattle Aquarium. If you park here you can easily walk to all Pier 54 through Pier 59 penny machines.

The penny machine is across from the wheel inside the building, in front of the Seattle Great Wheel gift shop. Cost to press: 51¢ each design. Designs:
1. (V) Sasquatch walking with 'Bigfoot Country Washington'.
2. (H) Crab with 'Pier 57 Seattle, WA'.
3. (H) The Seattle Great Wheel in front of the Seattle skyline with 'Pier 57 Seattle, WA'.
4. (H) Side view of the wheel with 'The Seattle Great Wheel'. (Design Out of Order)

G.P.S. coordinates: Latitude: N47° 36' 22.2222" Longitude: W122° 20' 31.758"
Google Maps coordinates: JM44+FX Seattle, Washington

10-4-24: Machine is operational except the first button for the Great Wheel would not work. Rolled well.

7/18/2026 Penny machine is rolling slightly short on 95% copper pre-1982 pennies. DL

10/27/26: Not working: took coins, started, but no coin was pressed. Reported to staff.