Seattle · UNDERGROUND & CITY HISTORY WALKS
8 reviewed
After the fire of 1889, Seattle rebuilt a full storey higher and buried its old streets, and you can still walk them. Below are the best Underground and history tours through Pioneer Square, with how much of the buried city each covers, how long they take, which lean spooky versus scholarly, and which to book with kids along.
Tour Seattle’s Pioneer Square Underground in an hour, seeing 1890s passageways, Klondike Gold Rush stories, and Indigenous history.
“Well worth the $s, our guide was funny and informative...loved the history and humor mix! GREAT!!!!!”
Walk Pioneer Square’s underground passageways from the 1890s on a guided 1-hour history tour, including the Great Seattle Fire.
“The tour was extremely interesting and gave great insights into how Seattle was settled and developed. Patti our guide was fantastic and very engaging.”
3-hour Seattle mural tour tracing Henry’s work through Fremont, Ballard, Queen Anne, and Greenwood, ending with a free Waterfront gallery stop.
“Roman was very enthusiastic about the Seattle Arts Scene. Very knowledgeable about Henry and his art. Enjoyed it very much.”
A 90-minute self-guided history puzzle from Union Station to the Seattle Waterfront, with 10 interactive challenges and no maps or GPS.
“Had a very hard time accessing the game. Of course I tried to use my Apple account as a short cut to setting up a new account in the new app I had to download. So it didn’t work. User error. All my fault so I’m the loser. Also time consuming and frustrating.”
A 7-hour Seattle land-and-sea day with early Pike Place, West Seattle skyline stops, and an included Argosy harbor cruise.
“Great experiencing all the the sights, sounds, and tastes of Seattle, . It was fun exploring the Market. Really cool checking out the Starbucks reserve and learning all about the coffee experience. We got to see the Seattle skyline from several vantage point and from the water. Guides were knowledgeable and helpful throughout our tour. Looking forward to another visit!”
A 45-minute Seattle food-and-history walk through the Waterfront, Pike Place Market, and a key block near Pike Place.
“We squeezed in this tour before leaving on an Alaska cruise. Our tour guide was fantastic and very knowledgeable. We learned about Seattle's rich history and even got to sample some smoked salmon. Thank you for a great experience!”
Seattle’s Queen Anne true crime tour: a small-group van ride with stops at Kerry Park, Pioneer Square, and Chinatown. $45, 2.5 hours.
“What a day! A must for anyone visiting Seattle. I wish we planned this tour earlier as our guide filled in valuable information that tied the other tours together. Just loved our tour guide and her winning charm, with and outstanding personality won our hearts. Thankyou for the four sisters.”
Small-group Bainbridge Island tour from Seattle: ferry, Bloedel Reserve, Japanese American memorial, gourmet lunch, and winery tastings included.
“Daniel is an excellent guide …provides a full day of activity and information at a leisurely pace. Recommend highly.”
