Miranda Was Fascinated with the Great Wheel of Seattle

This is the information provided by the Great Wheel website:

About the Seattle Great Wheel
The Seattle Great Wheel was built in less than a year, but its story goes back much further than that. Seattle businessman Hal Griffith had envisioned a Ferris wheel in the city for nearly 30 years, but it wasn't until he realized he could build one on his own pier that his dream became a reality.

The Seattle Great Wheel opened to the public on June 29, 2012. Since then, it has become an icon of the city and a destination for tourists and locals alike.

Here are some fun facts about the Seattle Great Wheel:

• The Seattle Great Wheel is the largest observation wheel on the west coast, standing 175 feet tall.

• 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.  In total, the wheel can hold over 300 passengers at any given time.

• The wheel was manufactured in various parts of Europe and the United States, and assembled right at the end of the pier.

• The wheel extends nearly 40 feet beyond the end of the pier, over Elliott Bay.

• The Seattle Great Wheel is open year round. With fully-enclosed gondolas and a covered waiting area, the rain can't stop the wheel from spinning!

• The Wheel weighs 280,300 pounds.

• 550 tons of concrete were poured to create the foundation for the wheel.

From the pier

From Pikes Place

Miranda took many pictures of the wheel, from our cruise, the ferry and the land side.