The Best of Seattle City Highlights Tour
Description
Discover the Emerald City on our grand 4-hour Seattle tour. Experience the vibrant tastes and sights of Seattle, while exploring distinct neighborhoods such as Chinatown and catch the perfect views from Queen Ann Hill. This public tour provides an excellent overview of Central Seattle from a comfortable bus with large viewing windows. Our tour stops at least four times throughout the excursion. We allow you to get out some on foot to explore as we believe it helps in experiencing the city and neighborhoods properly. We only offer one tour a day so we thrive on making ours the most complete tour of Seattle without you feeling like you're being hurried. Another great benefit is there is NO extra charge to be picked up at 90 percent of Seattle hotels- we are the ONLY tour company to offer this benefit- GRATIS! IF PREARRANGED IN ADVANCE we can even offer drop-offs at Cruise Ports for an EXTRA FEE after the tour ends (AFTER 2:30pm).
Tour Options
Itinerary
Celebrate the Holiday's - “Holiday magic awaits with a festive bonus stop added to our itinerary.”
Birth of UPS commemorated here. A private garden with an unusually large water feature that looks like your at Mt. Rainier National park.
After the Timber and Fishing industries the Klondike gold rush put Seattle on the map. Restroom opportunity.
there is a lot going on here, Oldest glass blowing studio in Seattle where they are making glass art live, Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, Waterfall Garden Park (birthplace of UPS), Occidental Park, Firefighter's Memorial, art galleries, antique stores, no chain- unique retail shops.
open air stadium where NFL Seattle Seahawks, and MLS Seattle Sounders FC play.
this is a optional part of the tour that may or may not be done depending on time. Wing Luke Asian museum, Pin Ball Museum, Tong Buildings
Where the MLB Mariners play- unique retractable roof.
A must stop if visiting Chinatown
a distinctive building designed by Rem Koolhaas.
See and taste the soul of Seattle. Food vendors, flowers, fishmongers, spice merchants, foreign delicatessens, the first Starbucks store, and Seattle's grossest attraction the gum-wall. We try to stop and let you out to grab a bite to eat. Restroom opportunity. Local food traditions and specialties. If stop is not possible then food can be purchased at Fisherman's terminal.
Learn about the Iron Dragon
Space needle, Mopop, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle Grace Hospital (film location, Grey's Anatomy )
one or two or three viewpoints of Seattle, both sides of the isthmus that is Seattle the Salt water side and the fresh water side. Kerry Park, the Lynn st. viewpoint.
Classic Seattle viewpoint, a photo here proves you are in Seattle. views of Mt. Rainier.
A unique building right in the heart of the Amazon Campus full of exotic plants.
view from Queen Ann Hill
view from above. a cool park in Seattle where they used to make gas for the streetlights in Seattle.
view from the Lynn St Viewpoint.
view from above.
a funky neighborhood with diverting attractions: the Troll, Lenin statue (not John Lennon), Theo's Chocolates, part of the berlin wall and lots of art.
See a giant art installation under at bridge inspired by the childhood book (3 Billy Goats Gruff)
view from Queen Ann hill
basically, a lock is an elevator for boats- at the transition of salt and fresh water the locks allow the boats to back and forth between Puget Sound and the lakes. Additionally, Salmon, Seals, Sealions, nesting Great Blue Herons and other wildlife can be seen here regularly. Restroom opportunity.
the Seattle aquarium, the Great Wheel, the Edgewater Hotel (the only hotel you can fish out of your window), Ferry Terminals, Victoria Clipper, and Ivar's Acres of Clams. Also the SAM sculpture garden park.
Lit up at night on the water makes for another place for great views and great fun too.
contains life from the Salish Sea
Seattle has a huge fishing fleet. Ships from the tv show "Deadliest Catch" harbor here. A chance to get Chowder, Fish and Chips or other food items. restroom opportunity.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please contact Customized Tours to confirm your selected hotel location is within our pickup zone to receive a accurate pickup time.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Comfortable walking shoes and a jacket are recommended
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
- No City Tour is run the same. Each of our tour guides provide a unique spin on how they show you around the City. The day's itinerary is dictated by your guide and will be provided by your guide upon pick up.
- Please note that the duration of the City Tour may vary and could extend beyond the estimated time. Factors that may affect the length of the tour include your pick-up and drop-off location, traffic conditions, guest mobility, road construction, and other unforeseen circumstances. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we work to provide the best possible experience for all guests.
Reviews(777)
Our guide was excellent—friendly, engaging, and incredibly knowledgeable about the city’s history, neighborhoods, and landmarks. They made each stop interesting with fun facts and local insights while showing us all of Seattle’s must-see highlights. It was a great way to get an overview of the city in a short amount of time. We would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Seattle!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed exploring Seattle with us. Our guides love sharing the city's history, neighborhoods, and hidden gems, so it's great to know those stories and local insights made your experience memorable. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another adventure the next time you're in Seattle!
Great tour to see several parts of the city. Joe had lots of history to share. Enjoyed the free time at Pike St Market
Thank you for your great review! We're glad to hear you enjoyed exploring the different parts of the city and learning more about the area's history. We'll be sure to share your kind words with Joe—his knowledge and storytelling help bring the sights to life and make the experience more engaging for our guests. We're also happy you had time to explore Pike Place Market at your own pace. Thank you for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back for another great tour soon!
Mark was great. Very informative tour. He was professional and funny. My wife and I really enjoyed him.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so glad to hear that you and your wife had such an enjoyable experience with Mark. His professionalism, knowledge, and sense of humor are exactly what help make a tour memorable. We'll be sure to share your kind words with Mark, and we truly appreciate you taking the time to recommend us. We hope to welcome you both back for another adventure in the future!
Joe th4 tour man was awesome. Very knowledgeable and funny He took us to all the beautiful places and we didn't worry a out time or getting lost It was an incredible experience.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such an incredible experience with Joe. It’s great to know his knowledge, humor, and guidance helped you relax and fully enjoy all the beautiful places without worrying about timing or directions. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to him. We truly appreciate you choosing to tour with us and hope to welcome you back for another adventure in the Pacific Northwest!
Joe was friendly, knowledgeable and funny! We had the best time and learned so much about the history and culture of Seattle! 5 stars!!!
Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a great time exploring Seattle with Joe. It's wonderful to know his friendliness, knowledge, and sense of humor helped make the experience both fun and educational while sharing the city’s history and culture. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to him! We truly appreciate your 5-star recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another Seattle adventure in the future!
Overall, an OK experience driving around various sites, I guess. I definitely expected to stop at certain places that we just drove by. It was also odd how a notable portion of our time was spent inside of a National Park Service ... museum? ... downtown. Could've done that on our own. It was also awkward how the guide walked up only to the people of color in the museum -- not even people on our tour -- to tell them about a nearby building built or designed by a Black person, yet he never told us (on his tour -- or any white folks for that matter) about this fact. I think he was trying to be nice to people, but it just felt odd to me, and I would've also loved to learn *all* forms of history on a tour. We also spent a strangely long amount of time at the locks/dam situation, wherein people in the group walked all over the place on their own, but I walked like 50 feet away from the guide and he shouted at me. Not a fan of feeling like I'm getting in trouble as an adult, particularly since I wasn't doing anything wrong and was much closer to the guide than the vast majority of the group. No one else was singled out like that the entire time, including the small children whose parents were letting them do whatever. Oh, he also downplayed all of the public art, which was funny for maybe the first time, but then got old super fast. He and/or the staff also failed to note for themselves that some Fremont situation with nude bicyclists was happening, so we couldn't go to the troll under the bridge or anywhere in Fremont -- not sure if we could've adjusted the schedule for that or not, but it was clearly a surprise to the guide. He also could NOT stop talking about the naked bicyclists, which again, was funny like the first time ... not so much the fifth time. Can't say this was the "best of Seattle" and can't say I'd do this tour again.
Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience did not meet expectations. We take all guest comments seriously, especially detailed concerns like the ones you’ve shared, and we would like the opportunity to look into this further. If you are willing, please contact us directly with your booking details (such as the name on the reservation and the date of your tour) so we can properly identify your trip and follow up. We always strive to provide a consistent, respectful, and informative experience for all guests, and your comments will be reviewed by our management team as part of that commitment. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention.
This was our first time in Seattle as a family-we scheduled this for our first full day. James was incredible, personable, and very knowledgeable. We enjoyed every moment of our tour and learned so much! We saw and learned things we never would’ve learned about this tour!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're honored that you chose to spend your first full day in Seattle exploring the city with us. We're delighted to hear that James made your family's experience so enjoyable with his knowledge and personable approach. There's so much to discover in Seattle, and we're glad the tour introduced you to places and stories you might not have found on your own. We'll be sure to share your kind words with James. Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to welcome your family back for another Seattle adventure someday!
Joe was fantastic!! This is a must see!! Learn alot, enjoy the jokes and meet some other tourists!
Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a great time with Joe. We're glad you enjoyed learning about Seattle, sharing some laughs along the way, and meeting fellow travelers. We'll be sure to pass your kind words on to Joe—he'll really appreciate them! Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to see you again on another adventure in the future!
We came to visit Seattle from Kansas and wanted to take a tour that we could see as much as possible of what Seattle has to offer. The scheduling process was super simple and when the company couldn't pick us up at our location they gave us a couple options - we chose to park in the 5th avenue parking garage and walk across the street to the meeting point at the Museum of Pop Culture. That's where we were picked up by Joe and started our adventure. Of all my time traveling around the US and taking similar tours - Joe will have a special place in our heart because of how he led the tour. He joked, had an immense level of knowledge related to each stop and knew characteristics about the city we would have never knew or asked about. At the end of the tour, we not only knew the layout of the city very well, but we also learned so much history as a result of Joe's stories and experiences. I will never forget the facts we learned and only makes me want to take a second trip back just learn more and really enjoy the areas Joe opened our eyes to in more depth. A good teacher always shows students what they need to know but a great one leaves students wanting to know more and experience more. Joe is a great guy and an even better human being who made our time in Seattle unforgettable.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a thoughtful and detailed review! We're honored that you chose to spend part of your Seattle visit with us. We're especially grateful for your kind words about Joe. He truly loves sharing Seattle's history, hidden gems, and unique character, and it's wonderful to hear that his stories, knowledge, and sense of humor made such a lasting impression. We'll be sure to pass along your compliments—this will mean a great deal to him. It means so much to know that your tour not only helped you explore the city but also inspired you to come back and discover even more. Thank you again for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back to Seattle for another adventure in the future. Safe travels!
Excellent overview tour of Seattle. Tour guide very considerate of people on board and was very knowledgeable of the history of Seattle. Highly recommend this for first time visitors.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so glad you enjoyed your overview tour of Seattle. It's great to hear that your guide's knowledge of the city's history and thoughtful approach made the experience enjoyable for everyone on board. We truly appreciate your recommendation, especially for first-time visitors, and hope to welcome you back for another tour in the future!
