There are so many ways to see Seattle, whether by walking, driving, flying, boating or even digging up the city’s colorful (and we mean colorful) past. Luckily, there are an equal number of tour companies willing to showcase what the city has to offer, covering almost every niche imaginable.
Back in History
It’s hard to pick out a most popular tour, but
Seattle’s Underground Tour is certainly always in the conversation. That’s no surprise, considering the topic of the tour: the underbelly of Seattle (and quite literally). The city’s history starts underground, where early developers struggled to build on the marshy land of what is now Pioneer Square. After numerous disasters and poor decisions, they decided to start over and build a new Seattle atop the old one. This whimsical tour takes guests through some of the areas left in tact below the surface of today’s streets. The day-time tours are g-rated for all crowds, but the adults-only nighttime Underworld Tour takes a decidedly seedier approach to the story telling.
For those who want to focus on the great crime history of the city,
Private Eye on Seattle visits crime scenes that involved Ted Bundy, and explores the mysterious deaths of Bruce Lee and Jimi Hendrix. The
Market Ghost Tour (and its 21-plus version, the Lust Tour) is another fun and exciting way to see a different side of Seattle.
On the Water
Taking one of the many water-based tours throughout Seattle will give a unique perspective on the city, and even the chance to peek at Bill Gates’ massive lake estate. Outfits such as
Argosy Cruises and
Waterway Tours offers a variety of cruises including lunch and dinner trips on Elliott Bay, passage through the Chittenden Locks, cruises around the lakes, and themed trips. Another unique option is
Ride the Ducks of Seattle, which takes guests through city streets on an amphibious World War II vehicles, then into Lake Union for a look at beautiful houseboats, yachts and the skyline.
Venturing further out?
Northwest Boat Rentals in Poulsbo offers a unique view of the other side of the Puget Sound area with its dinner tours.
All About Food
The city’s food scene is as immense as the ocean it picks its fresh seafood from. Sometimes having a local expert show a visitor around can make all the difference in finding the great culinary gems of Seattle.
Seattle Food Tours is one of the city’s many such operators, with guided tours of two distinct foodie paradises: Belltown and Pike Place Market. The former includes tastes of baked goods, chowder, coffee and other Seattle favorites from some of the city’s best restaurants. The latter is a tour of the market that serves as Seattle’s fresh-food epicenter.
Savor Seattle Food Tours gives an insider’s tour of cheese shops, coffee houses and other goodies the market offers. There’s also a great artisan chocolate scene in Seattle, and specialty tours are available through the
Chocolate Box,
Savor Seattle and
Fran’s Chocolates.
In the Air
Some people just need more of a bird’s eye view than even the 520-foot
Space Needle Observation Deck can offer. Numerous seaplane operators, mostly based out of Seattle’s Lake Union, sky passengers up 1,000 feet on scenic tours that pass the needle, skyline, Green Lake and more. Day trips into remote wilderness areas are also available through
Kenmore Air, while Seattle Seaplanes can buzz the skyline and nearby areas.
Seattle HeliTours, as the name suggests, gives passengers the unique view of Seattle that only a helicopter can offer.
All About Culture
The International District is one of the most interesting and unique cultural neighborhoods in the Pacific Northwest.
Chinatown Discovery Tours will customize a tour of the area, including stops to check out music, art, herbal medicine and acupuncture, shopping and, of course, food.
Winery & Brewery Tours
Seattle has a great local wine and beer culture and numerous companies offer standard and customized tours of the places that make the local juice.
Beyond Seattle
Mt. Rainier, San Juan Islands, Kitsap Peninsula — the list of great places to visit just outside of Seattle is as endless as they are magnificent. There are a number of ways to enjoy the great areas. Some tour companies that’ll take guests to the mountains, out on the water, to the Boeing Factory, and beyond include:
Evergreen Escapes (San Juan, Olympic Peninsula, Mt. Rainier, Puget Sound, wine, and eco-friendly city),
Tours Northwest (city, Boeing Manufacturing Center, Mt. Rainier and more),
Sightseeing of Seattle (Kitsap Peninsula, Bremerton and Manchester), and
Kitsap Tours (Kitsap Peninsula).
Clipper Vacations offers single- or multi-day tours including Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria and Whistler, BC.
Through the Streets
There are a few ways to see Seattle from the street level. Bus tours with
Let’s Tour Seattle hit all the major downtown sites. For those who want to walk,
Seattle By Foot leads tours of the city itself, the coffee culture and even the local pubs. Then there are the architectural wonders to see, and the
Seattle Architecture Foundation explores them all through its various offerings including the Fairmont Olympic Hotel and the Financial Center.
Immersus Tours treats tourists like locals, taking them to the great neighborhoods of Seattle by public transit making this a truly unique way to learn, explore and check out all corners of the city. For those who love photography, Shutter Tours hits on the best photo spots in the city and includes expert instruction on how to get the most of the camera, lighting situations and more.