Welcome to Seattle Walking Tour
Description
This is a fun, informative tour that's easy to walk, but covers a lot of ground. We will point out the big iconic sites, but visit a few places off the beaten path as well. In this tour we’ll get you acquainted with Seattle. Starting in the Pioneer Square neighborhood, you’ll learn about the history and founding of the emerald city. We'll visit the cities art district, Chinatown-international district and meander through the downtown core. Then it’s a ride through the future past on the historic monorail, which we’ll ride to Seattle Center, the site of the 1962 world’s fair. This is a walking tour and we cover roughly 2.5 miles on foot. The tour will take place no matter the weather, rain or shine, (we only cancel during weather advisories). We recommend you dress appropriately, including footwear.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet here, learn about the native people of the area, the founding of the city, and the early days of Seattle
Pass through this lovely urban park lined with cafes and shops. Learn about the Great Seattle Fire
Beautiful mini park with a waterfall feature. Learn about the Klondike gold rush
Learn about the Klondike Gold Rush and the impact it had on Seattle - entrance is free
Amtrak station with large clock tower and ornate interior
Seattle's SODO neighborhood and Stadium District, home to the Seahawks and soccer teams - we pass by this stadium, but do not enter. Entry fee is NOT included in the tour
View the gate marking the entry to Seattle's Chinatown International District. Learn about the ID, Japan Town, & Little Saigon.
Learn more about this important Seattle Neighborhood
Experience the grandeur of this now defunct architectural treasure
Excellent museum - we pass by, but do not enter. Entry fee is NOT included in the tour
Japantown art gallery with an interesting and troubled history
View this unique architectural gem inside and out
Walk past this unique public market and and learn the history of this city gem
We'll take a ride on the iconic monorail from Westlake Center in downtown Seattle to Seattle Center
A walk through the grounds of the 1962 World's Fair, now a civic culture center with museums, performance spaces & theaters, and the iconic Seattle Space Needle. Tickets to these attractions is not included on this tour, guests are welcome to purchase tickets and visit various museums or the Space Needle after the conclusion of the tour. Your guide can make recommendations
Museum dedicated to rock and roll, science fiction, and pop culture, designed by the architect Frank Gehry - we pass by, but do not enter. Entry fee is NOT included in the tour
Iconic Seattle landmark - we pass by, but do not enter. Entry fee is NOT included in the tour
Seattle Science Museum with remnants of the '62 World Fair - we pass by, but do not enter. Entry fee is NOT included in the tour
musical fountain
Seattle Center Food Hall
Learn the story of how this historic structure was renovated into a state of the art sports and performance venue - we pass by, but do not enter. Entry fee is NOT included in the tour
The tour concludes at the gathering space at Seattle's independent radio station - KEXP. Grab a coffee (guests will purchase their own coffee), peruse records, watch the DJ's live in the booth and listen to the broadcast. If we're lucky, maybe we'll catch a live performance by a touring or local band
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- This is approximately 2.5 mile walking tour - remaining time be spent walking between stops
Reviews(207)
James was awesome! Dude knows his stuff. It was a great walk through the history and neighborhoods of Seattle. I highly recommend this for visitors or even locals.
This walking tour was a great way to see Seattle and learn about its history and culture. James was kind and knowledgeable, and added lots of fascinating details along the way. The pace was easy and comfortable, making it enjoyable for everyone. We also loved that the tour included a ride on the monorail, which was a fun addition and gave us a unique perspective of the city. Highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for an informative, relaxed, and enjoyable way to explore!
I recommend the Welcome to Seattle Walking Tour! James was knowledgeable about Seattle's history and shared stories throughout the tour. We saw many interesting sights that I would have completely missed exploring on my own. James was also very friendly, engaging, and happy to answer questions. It was a great way to get to know the city, and I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting Seattle.
Scheduling a walking tour was the absolute best way to experience Seattle's unique charm, to discover the walkable neighborhoods, experience the tremendous hilly geography and historical significance of items we would completely missed if we attempted to see the city alone. Our tour guide, James, was unbelievable . He was very knowledgeable about the history of the neighborhoods and provided great insight. We started through the historic brick streets of Pioneer Square, walked through the Chinese district, and ended taking the monorail to the Space Needle. I would highly recommend a walkig tour with a guide as knowledgeable as James over a self guided walking tour. Throughout the tour we were able to ask James questions to clarify things we were seeing or to elaborate on a specific culture or area of the city.
You've done a great job highlighting why taking a guided walking tour is a good idea. Thank you so much for this review, I'm glad you enjoyed the tour - James
James showed us some really cool sites that we never would have visited. We learned how to get around more easily and the walking tour helped us decide what to do with the remainder of our time in Seattle. Highly recommend!!!
Glad to hear you felt welcomed in Seattle! Thank you for recommending the tour, - James
James is very friendly and knowledgeabl. Great with names too!
Oh wow - I actually struggle with names quite a bit, but every now and then, I get them right thanks for taking the tour - James
Excellent guide. Extensive tour. Really saw most of Seattle. Indiginous people history, views from waterfront, and even a monorail to center. Just did everything.
In this tour we do get to see much of the central areas of the city. I'm glad you enjoyed the tour!
Excellent walking tour. I was a complete newbie to Seattle, and came away with a working understanding of some of Seattle's history, structure, transportation and culture. There are many spots I will come back and visit more thoroughly in the next few days. James was a great guide.
Great! I'm glad to hear that the tour was a good introduction to the city and gave you ideas about what to do during the rest of your visit. thanks for the review! - James
Very informative tour. Started the tour knowing very little about Seattle. Left with such knowledge of the city. This really helped us navigate the city for the remainder of our stay.
Enjoyable walking tour of historic Seattle. Guide was very accommodating and provided an informative tour of Seattle historic districts.
Thanks for walking with us!
