Seattle Underground: Tours and Guided Visits
At the first mention of Seattle’s now-disused Underground, you may imagine a network of tunnels that once featured trains ferrying people around the city. In truth, it’s a bit of a misnomer, and Underground refers to a literally abandoned part of the city under the ground of Seattle. The best way to learn the fascinating history behind these remnants of a bygone age is with an underground tour in Seattle — allowing visitors to chart the creation, pinnacle and final decline of this subterranean neighborhood.
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At the first mention of Seattle’s now-disused Underground, you may imagine a network of tunnels that once featured trains ferrying people around the city. In truth, it’s a bit of a misnomer, and Underground refers to a literally abandoned part of the city under the ground of Seattle.
The best way to learn the fascinating history behind these remnants of a bygone age is with an underground tour in Seattle — allowing visitors to chart the creation, pinnacle and final decline of this subterranean neighborhood.
Here's your guide to the Seattle Underground, one of the quirkiest options for sightseeing in Seattle.
What are the best Seattle Underground tours?
Beneath The Streets of Seattle Underground History Tour
This unique tour allows you to explore a part of Seattle that’s often overlooked. We're not only talking about the eerie Underground neighborhood, but also the murky history that accompanied the early days of the Klondike gold rush.
You’ll start the tour by meeting your guide near Occidental Square, where you’ll meet your fellow participants. After listening to a brief summary of what you can expect, you’ll set off toward your main destination — the abandoned subterranean world that lies at the heart of Seattle.
At first glance, you won't even realize that there’s another world lurking beneath your feet until your guide shows you signs of its existence. All of a sudden you’ll notice the glass-covered street grids that act as vault lights and the unobtrusive ladders that provide access.
Descending one of the latter, you’ll find yourself in an eerie world of unadorned 19th-century architecture filled with legends from the Emerald City’s birth. Listen as the worlds of prospectors, smugglers, fur trappers and thugs collide to create a dizzying kaleidoscope of humanity — finally learning the reason why this neighborhood now lays abandoned.
The small group size with a maximum of 12 people means that you don’t miss a thing — and there are seven different time slots to choose from each day, ensuring that you’ll easily find one to fit your schedule.
Are there any combos available with underground tours in Seattle?
Combining an underground Seattle tour with other activities in the Emerald City ensures that you’ll make the most of your day out. A combination tour also enables visitors to save money and time by consolidating various activities into one jampacked expedition.
Ultimate Seattle small group Underground, Space Needle and boat tour
Speaking of jampacked expeditions, they don’t get any more jammy or packed than this day out and about in Seattle. And to ensure that not a single minute is wasted, you’ll start this trip with a convenient pickup from your hotel in Downtown Seattle.
The first stop is Seattle’s most famous landmark, the Space Needle that so perfectly embodies the city’s quirky and sometimes rebellious spirit. Listen as your guide tells you more about the building’s history and how the local elements molded the building’s design into its distinctive shape.
Next, it’s on to Seattle’s harbor where you’ll board an hour-long sightseeing cruise, showcasing the Seattle waterfront from a unique perspective. Sit back, relax and allow the fresh sea breeze to revitalize you, before stepping back onto dry land and heading to Seattle’s oldest neighborhood — the underground streets and alleyways of Pioneer Square.
While exploring this hidden world you’ll learn how the Great Fire of 1889 led to the neighborhood’s unintended creation — and how the fear of the Black Death caused it to be abandoned some 20 years later.
Once you have a foundational understanding of Seattle, you’ll travel on, passing landmarks like the Seattle Art Museum and Pike Place Market as you go. Your final destination is the verdant Kerry Park for a stunning view of the city’s skyline and Mount Rainier in the distance.
What will you see and do on a Seattle Underground tour?
Seattle Underground
The Seattle Underground is a now-abandoned neighborhood that dates back to the city’s emergences following the Klondike gold rush. Pioneer Square was one of Seattle’s oldest districts, constructed to deal with the sudden influx of people in search of gold and fortune.
To deal with the rapid construction, it was mostly haphazardly built and consisted mostly of wood. This proved a fatal mistake and it was largely destroyed during the fire of 1889. When it was rebuilt, concrete was used and the city’s level was raised to deal with flooding, thus creating an underground part of Seattle.
Seattle Space Needle
The Seattle Space Needle was created for the 1962 World’s Fair and it stands 184 meters tall. The building itself is a marvelous feat of engineering — designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 320 kilometers and earthquakes measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale. At the top you’ll find a panoramic observation deck, providing unbeatable views of the harbor and Mount Rainier in the distance.
Boat tour
A boat tour is one of the best ways to explore Seattle’s waterfront and there are a wide variety of expeditions to choose from — with private sightseeing and sundowner cruises to outings on historical ships all on offer.
The bay also provides a wide array of water-based activities and visitors may enjoy kayaking, chartered fishing trips and whale watching tours.
Seattle Art Museum
The Seattle Art Museum, or SAM for short, offers an eclectic collection of artworks, providing a fine representation of the city’s vibrant and innovative spirit. Inside you’ll find an expertly curated collection, as well as ever-changing exhibitions designed to confront, engage and enlighten.
Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is the gastronomical heart of the Emerald City and a mainstay for a number of food tours, chocolate tastings and cooking classes.
The market attracts over 10 million visitors each year and is famous for its fresh produce and delicious restaurants and delis. A visit to these fragrant halls is well worth the time and it’s best to go early and hungry.
Kerry Park
Seattle is called the Emerald City because of the lush greenery that you’ll find throughout and outside the city. One such example is Kerry Park — a tranquil green haven providing unsurpassed views of Seattle's famous skyline, Elliott Bay and Mount Rainier on a clear day.
How much do Seattle Underground tours cost?
Depending on what’s included, the cost of an underground tour in Seattle may range from US$30 to US$250 per person. The more expensive excursions will typically combine a number of activities in Seattle.
The “Beneath The Streets of Seattle Underground History Tour” will cost US$30 per person — making it an unbeatable offering if you only want to explore Seattle’s underground streets. This trip is a small group tour, with a maximum of 12 people, adding even further value to the outing.
An ultimate Seattle Underground, Space Needle and boat tour will cost US$250 per person, making it the most expensive offer by far. But this half-day trip in the Emerald City is limited to seven people and includes a visit to the Space Needle and a boat tour — ensuring that visitors will get more than their money’s worth.
What do Seattle Underground tours include?
Seattle Underground tours will always include a knowledgeable and passionate guide who’ll lead you through the city’s subterranean labyrinth. Other activities like a Space Needle tour and boat cruise may also be included, but this depends on the type of tour you choose.
Where do the excursions start?
Seattle’s underground excursions will usually start from the area just south of Downtown Seattle — typically near Occidental Square. Some of the more expensive half-day tours include a pickup and drop-off service from your hotel — but you should still consider confirming that your hotel falls within the area serviced.
How long do Seattle Underground tours last?
Generally, an underground tour in Seattle will last just over 1-hour, which is more than enough time to comfortably explore the city’s hidden legacy. Some of the combination tours will last for 4 hours, but these will typically include activities like a boat trip and a Space Needle tour.
When is the best time to visit Seattle Underground?
Because the Seattle Underground is indoors, it can be visited year-round. However, if you want to miss the crowds of the summer season, consider visiting in the shoulder months between March and May and September and November.
Top tips
- The tour involves walking on uneven surfaces, including old cobblestone and potentially damp floors. Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes with good traction.
- Dress in layers as it may be much cooler underground than outside.
- The tour guides are usually well-versed in the history of the area. Don't hesitate to ask questions to deepen your understanding of Seattle's history.