The 7 History Tours in Seattle That Earn Their Price

1.Beneath The Streets Underground History Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8,006 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $29Our pick

Walk beneath Pioneer Square with guides such as David, Patti, Imogen, and Sarah, hearing how Seattle grew from an Indigenous settlement into a major city. You’ll visit three 1890s underground spaces, walk four city blocks, climb three flights of stairs, and compare old Seattle with today’s streets.

“Great history. Knowledgeable about things that are not necessarily part of the tour. Lots of steps and uneven surfaces but nothing daunting. Would have loved to see more places but good for an hour.”

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2.Henry Art Tours-Come See the Fun Side of Seattle Art/Pubs/History

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 27 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) Top rated

Ride with Roman and driver Zona through Fremont, Ballard, Queen Anne, Greenwood, and the waterfront to see more than 20 Henry murals, hear Seattle stories, and browse Henry’s Hidden Wizard Gallery. The three-hour English tour uses an air-conditioned bus and carries no more than 12 people.

“We had a great tme. Roman is a great guide, knowledgeble, enthusiastic and funny! Riding the bus is a special treat.”

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3.Seattle Downtown Quest: Self-Guided History Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 26 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $7Best value

Use your phone to solve 10 self-guided puzzles across downtown Seattle. The route runs from Union Station through Pioneer Square, the Seattle Art Museum, Pike Place Market, and nearby landmarks to Waterfront Park. Pause anytime, work at your own pace, and explore without a guide or GPS.

“We never could find whatever we were supposed to find in front of the art museum. And the totem poles at the waterfront are gone at the moment, off getting refurbished, so we had to guess at that one. The route it takes you through is intended to pad the time and the story narration hops out of present tense and into past tense a few times.”

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4.Bite-Sized Seattle History & Food by Go West Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · 45 minutes (approx.) · from $26

Spend 45 minutes with a local guide, possibly Aidan, exploring Seattle’s waterfront, shopping for Pike Place ingredients, and building Pacific Northwest snacks. You’ll hear Native American, maritime, and music history, taste items such as smoked salmon, and finish near the Virginia Inn.

“A bit of history, a wonderful taste of Seattle at Pike Place and the waterfront native American history, mountain views and even some rock grunge history. Aidan was a wonderful host!!!”

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5.Full-Day Small-Group Bainbridge Island Wine and History Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · from $299

Join guide Daniel in a Mercedes van for a nine-hour Bainbridge Island outing limited to seven people. Ride the ferry, walk through Bloedel Reserve, visit the Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, enjoy lunch, and taste local wine or beer.

“Daniel was an AWESOME, Tour Guide, knowledgeable, accommodating, organized, and thoughtful. Our tour on Bainbridge included a variety of activities and sites - we learned a lot and had a lot of fun times.”

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6.Six Women – A Historical Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 9 reviews · from $35

Join Carter Lee Churchfield for a 1.5-hour, small-group walk through Seattle’s Pioneer Square. Six women, including a Native princess, gay icon, swindler, zealot, madame, and mayor, reveal overlooked stories tied to six historic stops. Expect adult themes, strong storytelling, and easy city walking.

“Tour totalmente recomendado, la guía está muy preparada, explica todos los detalles para conocer la historia de estas mujeres en la ciudad. Seis historias increíbles que te llevan a otra época, contadas con mucha pasión. Es un recorrido corto en el que no hay que caminar mucho. Un 10!”

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7.Seattle Waterfront History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $50

Start near Pike Place Market with guide James or another Seattle Community Tours guide, then follow the new Waterfront Park and Overlook Walk toward Pioneer Square. Expect a live, English-language history walk covering Indigenous connections, old waterfront scenes, public art, and the new Ocean Pavilion area.

“We had a fun and delightful walking tour with James of Global Family Travels in July beginning near the Pike Place Market and ending near the ferry terminal. It was a wonderful way to explore Seattle’s waterfront - new and old. James was an enthusiastic tour guide sharing interesting facts and amazing stories that bring this fascinating part of the city to life.”

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