The Sky is the Limit

Planespotting in Seattle Southside

Last Updated: May 27, 2026

Whether you're an experienced planespotter looking for unique planes or a newcomer to the hobby, planespotting is an easy and fun activity for all ages to enjoy!

Seattle Southside—which encompasses the cities of SeaTac, Tukwila, and Des Moines—is an ideal place to admire planes overhead because it surrounds SEA Airport. With tons of great parks and the world's largest aviation museum, it's a flight enthusiast's dream.

Planespotting Basics

Planespotting can be as informal as leisurely watching the planes go by or as formal as photographing specific models and logging details. Simply enjoying all the types of planes you can see from one spot and the different liveries (that's planespotter lingo for the cool paint jobs that planes sport) is a fun, relaxing pastime that pairs perfectly with a picnic.

You don't need any special equipment, but if you want to get a little more serious, below are some supplies to consider bringing:

  • A high-quality camera to capture images of planes to help you identify them later. While phone cameras will do in a pinch, a camera with a long lens and/or excellent zoom capability might be needed to see small details.
  • Binoculars to help spot the differences between similar planes, especially if you don't intend to use a camera.
  • A smartphone or tablet to look up specific aircraft and log them on sites like PlaneLogger and SpottingLog.
  • A notebook and pen to jot down notes if you'd rather go analog.
  • A camping chair or picnic blanket in case there's not an open bench.

Planespotting Locations Around Seattle Southside

Angle Lake Park
Museum of Flight
Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden
Des Moines Beach Park
Westfield Southcenter Decks with a View
Redondo Beach Pier & Boardwalk
Renton Municipal Airport
Planespotting...on the Ground?

Angle Lake Park

Popular with families and locals—especially in the summertime—Angle Lake Park offers waterside views, lush landscaping with sprawling lawns, and play areas for kids (including a splash park). Perfect for picnicking or soaking up a sunny day and located just kitty-corner from planes taking off and landing across the way at SEA (SeaTac) Airport. Plus on a clear day, you can catch the planes flying in with Mt. Rainier looming in the background—a picture-perfect moment that will make your planespotting all the more memorable.

Museum of Flight

In addition to having more than a hundred historic aircraft to admire (and climb inside!), the Museum of Flight in Tukwila is one of the best places around to watch real planes take off and land. Located next to Boeing Field (King County International Airport), the museum offers prime viewing opportunities both inside, where you can learn about air traffic control while watching aircraft in action, and outside on the patio beside the cafeteria (lunch and a show!). The airport is also home to Boeing’s test and paint facilities, so it’s not uncommon to spot brand-new 737s arriving after short flights from the manufacturing plant in Renton. And every summer, the legendary Blue Angels use this airstrip as their base during Seafair, thrilling crowds with their precision performances overhead. For the ultimate viewing experience, attend the museum’s annual Jet Blast Bash for a front-row seat to the action.

Pictured: The Museum of Flight in Tukwila, Washington

Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden

Just a few minutes from SEA Airport, the lovely Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden feels like a hidden retreat in the middle of the city. Visitors can wander through a collection of beautifully maintained historic gardens, including the Seike Japanese Garden and the Rose Celebration Garden, while a gentle brook winds through the grounds. Because the garden sits directly beneath SEA’s flight paths, planes pass overhead constantly, creating a uniquely Seattle-area blend of tranquility and aviation energy. Admission is free, making it an easy and relaxing stop before or after a flight, on a long layover, or as part of a weekend of exploring.

Pictured: The Rose Garden at the Highline SeaTac Botanical Gardens in SeaTac.

Des Moines Beach Park

Beautiful Des Moines Beach Park offers plenty of gorgeous views, and not just of planes. Hang out in the sand with the family and have a beachside picnic with views of the surrounding islands and Puget Sound topography—underneath the flight path just to the east and barely two miles from the SEA Airport runaways.

Westfield Southcenter Decks with a View

For travelers looking to shop, dine, and plane spot all in one place, Westfield Southcenter in Tukwila is a perfect stop. The region’s largest shopping center features hundreds of stores, a wide range of restaurants, and plenty of places to relax between adventures. Grab a meal or drink on one of the second-level outdoor patios, where you’ll be treated to sweeping views of Mt. Rainier on clear days and a bird’s-eye perspective of planes arriving and departing from SEA Airport nearby. The constant movement of aircraft overhead adds an unmistakably Seattle-area backdrop to an afternoon of shopping and dining.

Redondo Beach Pier & Boardwalk

Redondo Beach Pier & Boardwalk is a relaxing waterfront escape with a uniquely Pacific Northwest atmosphere. Visitors can stroll along the mile-long boardwalk, enjoy views of Puget Sound, watch seabirds and boats drift by, and catch frequent glimpses of planes descending overhead on their approach to the airport. The pier is also home to fishing areas and quiet beach access, making it an ideal place to slow down, stretch your legs, and take in the salty sea air while experiencing one of the region’s most distinctive plane-spotting locations.

Renton Municipal Airport

Renton Municipal Airport is a smaller airport just outside of Seattle Southside where you can see both standard and float planes! Plus, new 737s from Boeing's manufacturing facilities take off from this field for their maiden flights, which take them to Boeing Field in Tukwila.

Planespotting...on the Ground?

When you play golf at Foster Golf Links in Tukwila, you can sometimes catch a view of large plane parts being transported by train. These pieces are wrapped in a protective green plastic film before transit, so it's a doubly unusual sight.

Bonus: The Alaska Airlines Gift Shop

While not a site for planespotting, the Alaska Airlines Gift Shop is a fun and unexpected stop for aviation fans. Located beside Alaska Airlines’ headquarters near the airport, the shop is open to the public any time it's open (weekdays during the business day) and is stocked with branded apparel, travel gear, model planes, retro collectibles, and Pacific Northwest-themed gifts you won’t typically find in the terminal. It's an easy detour for travelers, plane spotters, or anyone looking for a uniquely Seattle-area souvenir.

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Christy Maggio

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Christy Maggio

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