Walking Tours in Seattle

Seattle has always been known for its unique and idiosyncratic way of doing things with a healthy and playful spirit instilled in its very foundations.

The city finds itself at a crossroads between European and First Nations influences creating an invigorating blend of cultures and legacies — visible in everything from the local cuisine to the city’s architecture.

The Emerald City is also known for its innovativeness and it gave the world grunge, the electric bass guitar and Starbucks. A walking tour in Seattle allows visitors to take in these vibrant streets at a slow and steady pace and with a passionate guide.

Read on for all you need to know about walking tours, one of the most classic sightseeing tours in Seattle.

What are the best walking tours in Seattle?

There are a fair number of walking tours in Seattle, and the city is ideal to be explored during deliberate wandering.

Downtown Seattle self-guided walking tour with audio guide

The Emerald City is known for setting its own course, nurturing an innovative and sometimes downright rebellious spirit. This self-guided walking tour in Seattle implores you to do the same as you discover the city at your own pace.

You’ll have access to an intuitive app and accompanying audio guide, helping you make sense of the vibrant communities you’ll see around you. The DIY element means that you’ll be the one in charge of your exploration, and you may divide your tour up as you see fit — it never expires!

Start from the Seattle Aquarium and learn about the Coast Salish and how these indigenous inhabitants shaped Seattle’s destiny. Apart from the physical heritage of Seattle, you’ll also explore more ethereal elements like the ubiquitous coffee culture and the birthplace of grunge.

As a bonus, the app also includes a tour of the famous Space Needle and Pike Place Market — adding unbelievable value to the package.

Seattle Underground walking tour

This unique, and sometimes eerie, walking tour allows you to explore the streets around which the old Seattle was built and then abandoned.

The now subterranean Pioneer Square was once the bustling center of a burgeoning frontier town — but that all changed after a devastating fire tore through the young community. With reconstruction necessary, the city decided to solve the problem of intermittent flooding by raising the street level — quite literally leaving the old streets of Pioneer Square behind.

The Seattle Underground alleyways are perfect to explore and your guide will lead you through its depths, showcasing architecture and history that dates back to 1890.

Seattle coffee tasting and walking tour

Coffee is everywhere in Seattle and the culture surrounding the dark brew has percolated through almost every aspect of the city.

This walking tour aims to teach you more about the history of this coveted bean — while explaining how Seattle became the USA’s capital of caffeine. All while tasting the different brews prepared by some of the best roasteries and baristas in the country.

While exploring the city’s never-ending list of coffee shops, your guide will also touch on some of the other cultural elements of the city — allowing you to walk away from the tour with a holistic view of Seattle, and the inability to sleep for the next 2 days.

Seattle houseboat neighborhood walking tour

If you’re going to try and explain Fremont in Seattle, you’re going to need a steady supply of terms like “quirky", "unique", "free-spirited" and "strange”. But if you want to experience this independent community, just join this houseboat neighborhood walking tour.

The houseboat community and the neighborhood that surrounds it is famous for its counter-culture roots, and artworks scattered through its streets and moorings.

One of the most famous of these is the Fremont Troll, a gigantic sculpture, that needs to be seen to be believed.

With an unofficial motto of De Libertas Quirkas — or “freedom to be peculiar” — a walking tour of this neighborhood is sure to stay with you for some time.

Private 2-hour walking tour of Seattle with a licensed tour guide

This private walking tour in Seattle ensures that you’ll have your guide all to yourself, so none of those frustrating “can you please repeat that?”

And because you’ll be the only people on the tour, you may also adapt the itinerary to suit your needs. Not a fan of grunge? No worries, simply skip that part and replace it with something more to your liking.

Your guide will be at your side throughout, ready to provide more information or suggest a next destination.

Are there any combos available with walking tours in Seattle?

Choosing a combination tour while in Seattle is a great way to maximize your day of exploring, while keeping the expenses at bay. There are several combo tours available, making it easy and fun to be a travel-savvy visitor to the Emerald City.

Taste Pike Place walking food tour

Not many US cities can boats that one of their most famous and treasured landmarks is also a thriving market — lined with stalls and merchants selling everything from fruit and vegetables to the morning catch.  But that’s exactly the case when it comes to Pike Place Market.

This Seattle walking and food tour combination allows you to discover the many treasures that Pike Place holds with the help of your guide. Enjoy eight different tastings, each perfectly showcasing the diverse heritage on display in Seattle, while walking through fragrant and colorful aisles.

Haunted Seattle ghost and pub walking tour

With a city history that features destructive fires and shady subterranean communities, tales concerning the ghastly and ghoulish will always be present. This walking tour combines the more nefarious and tragic tales from Seattle’s past with a pub crawl — creating a wonderfully cohesive outing while exploring the spirit of Seattle in the truest sense of the word.

Which places are visited on a Seattle walking tour?

Seattle Underground

Seattle’s Underground refers to a now-abandoned subterranean neighborhood that originated in 1890 and hosted a thriving, albeit unconventional community until it was condemned in 1907.

The official reason for its abandonment was the fear of bubonic plague, but some people point to the World Fair in 1909 — citing a nefarious cleaning-up effort by the authorities.

Seattle Space Needle

Seattle’s iconic Space Needle was built for the World Fair in 1909, and it’s been an important part of the city’s skyline ever since. At the top, you’ll enjoy magnificent views of Elliott Bay and Mount Rainier in the distance.

Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market is the culinary soul of Seattle and the setting for many of the city’s gastronomic experiences — like food tours, coffee tastings, cooking classes and dinners. The market is famous for its fresh produce and delicious specialty shops.

How much do walking tours in Seattle cost?

Walking tours in Seattle range between US$10 and US$300 per person, depending on the type of trip.

A Downtown Seattle self-guided walking tour with an audio guide will cost US$10 per person, making it the most affordable option by far. For this price, you’ll enjoy access to the app for as long as you want, and it includes a tour of the Space Needle.

A Seattle Underground walking tour costs US$30 per person, an affordable way to explore this hidden part of the city. A youth ticket (aged 7 to 12) is available for US$18 per person and children younger than 7 may join for free.

The Seattle houseboat neighborhood walking tour costs US$25 per person and includes a chocolate tasting at a local chocolatier.

For a Seattle ghost and pub walking tour, you can expect to pay from US$40 per person, excluding drinks.

A Seattle coffee tasting and walking tour costs from US$60 per person, while a tour of Pike Place market also starts from the same price.

A private 2-hour walking tour of Seattle will cost US$300 per person, making it the most expensive outing by far. For this price, you’ll be the only people on the trip and you’re allowed to customize the itinerary to suit your needs.

What do walking excursions in Seattle include?

A guided Seattle walking tour will always include a passionate local guide, as well as entrance fees to most of the attractions visited. That being said, some of the tours may require you to pay extra when visiting sites like the Space Needle.

Where do tours start?

The DIY Seattle walking tour with an audio Guide starts from the Seattle Aquarium — while the underground walking tour sets off just north of Pioneer Square Park. The Houseboat tour departs from 1900 4th Avenue, and the private walking tour begins at Steinbrueck Native Gallery.

How long do Seattle walking tours last?

The duration of a Seattle walking tour differs from one offering to the next — for instance, you may take the entire day to complete the self-guided walking tour. However, these outings tend to last between 1 and 2 hours, without any quintessential coffee stops.

When is the best time for a walking tour in Seattle?

The best time for a walking tour in Seattle is in the shoulder seasons between May and June and September and October. You'll experience pleasant weather in the city, and fewer crowds in comparison to the peak summer season.

Top tips before you go

• Seattle's terrain includes hills and uneven pavement in places, so comfortable, supportive footwear is a must.
• The city's weather can be quite variable, even within a single day. Dressing in layers allows you to adapt to changing conditions.
• Make sure to ask your guide as many questions as possible. They may also be able to offer recommendations on what else to do in the city.