Skip to content

Seattle Culture

Best Instagram-Worthy Location: Mount Rainier

By Seattle Mag November 25, 2024

A snow-covered volcano looms in the distance, with a forest of tall evergreen trees in the foreground, viewed through blurred grasses.
Photo by Ashlynn Murphy

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of Seattle magazine.

We asked. You answered. Our annual Readers’ Choice awards highlights the best of the city in numerous categories. From neighborhoods to restaurants and all in-between, these are your picks about what makes the city tick.

At 14,410 feet, this snow-capped volcano towers over the Pacific Northwest, demanding to be photographed. During the rainy season, it may peek out from behind the clouds, or vanish entirely. In summer, it looms against the blue sky. Whether it’s the mountain itself or the Seattle skyline with Rainier behind it, the views are stunning. Like a dapper gentleman standing tall, Rainier is handsome and effortlessly classy.

Hot Tip

For a pretty shot, try sunrise or sunset, when the mountain’s snow-covered peak is bathed in pink and orange hues.

Staff Pick

Gas Works Park is iconic for a reason. You’ll always find me taking Instagram stories there — it’s stunning no matter the time of day or weather. — Emma Smith, account executive / social media manager

About Best of the City

Every year, our annual Readers’ Choice Awards round up Seattle’s best — from standout burger joints to the city’s most scenic spots. Whether you’re after fresh seafood, cocktails with a view, or a place to unwind, these are the places to be.

Follow Us

Daring Women: It’s Never Just About One Person

Daring Women: It’s Never Just About One Person

Perkins&Will’s Marie Henson calls collaboration ‘critical’ to effective leadership

Architecture captivated Marie Henson at an early age. By the time she was 10, Henson had accompanied her history-buff father on visits to all eight Virginia presidents’ homes. It left a lasting impression: She decided on a career in architecture before she graduated from elementary school. Today, the Seattle-based Henson is the firmwide health practice…

Dollars & Sense

Dollars & Sense

Youth Finance University helps kids think logically about money

Princeton Lock likes to tell the story of a third grader who learned money management through Youth Finance University, a free, student-led financial literacy program created by three 16-year-old students at Bellevue’s Newport High School. “(She) successfully saved for her first major purchase instead of spending on impulse buys, exactly the kind of behavioral change…

Crossing Generational Streams

Crossing Generational Streams

Teens create art, receive insightful life advice

Kids look toward the future. Older people often relive the past. Those two worlds collided in the best of ways recently when the Woodinville Teen Arts Alliance collaborated with residents from Fairwinds Brittany Park Retirement Home to create beautiful art inspired by residents’ lives. “Our conversations made me appreciate the value of human connection and…

Moxie on Monday: Open Your Presence This Christmas

Moxie on Monday: Open Your Presence This Christmas

Practice being mindful, kind, and savor each moment

The holidays can feel like a whirlwind — our to-do lists grow, our calendars overflow, along with the pressure to create the “perfect” Christmas atmosphere. But what if the best gift wasn’t wrapped in ribbons or bows? What if the most meaningful gift we could give was our presence? I’ll bet you’ve met someone in…