Best Tours for Seattle Sightseeing

Seattle's gorgeous skyline, evergreen landscape and high tech industry are but a few of the varied splendors this port city has to offer. Tourists and residents alike will find Seattle to be the perfect destination for a romantic getaway, a family vacation, a weekend adventure with friends, or simply for some solo sightseeing.

Organized tours are available by foot, by land, by sea and by air, providing a variety of fun, educational experiences for every member of the family. From history lovers to foodies to aviation buffs, Seattle is a cultural hub teeming with a variety of activities.

Seattle is a popular tourist destination and offers a variety of activities, educational opportunities, night life, shopping, dining and entertainment. Whether you visit Seattle with your partner, your family or for some solo sightseeing, there are a number of organized, popular tours that will acquaint you with Seattle's rich history and thriving culture. With so many tours to choose from you can see Seattle by land, by sea or by air - or you can even check out subterranean Seattle with an underground walking tour.

On your next visit to Seattle, take advantage of some of the many tours available and learn about Seattle's rich - and sometimes seedy - history from the locals that know Seattle best.

If you would like to see Seattle by boat, argosy Cruises offers a number of cruise options from a sightseeing dining experience on Puget Sound to lake cruises and a narrated harbor cruise showcasing the Seattle skyline. Or, you can take a 2-hour narrated cruise that will take you through the famous Hiram Chittenden Locks. To find out more about their cruise options and booking, visit their website at argosycruises.com or stop by their visitor center located at Pier 56 on the Seattle waterfront.

Or, for an aerial view of Mount Rainier, the Space Needle, downtown Seattle, Lake Union, Elliott Bay and much, much more, go flightseeing on Kenmore Air's seaplane. This airborne 20-minute tour is narrated - and just imagine the pictures you will have to show the folks back home. Kenmore Air also offers flights to Victoria, British Columbia and the beautiful San Juan Islands. To book your flightseeing adventure, visit their website at kenmoreair.com.

For a fun narrated tour that lets you see Seattle from by land and by sea, check out Seattle's only amphibious tour that will let you see the sights from land and water without having to change vehicles. Take the 90-minute tour with Ride the Ducks of Seattle and sit back to enjoy the ride in a DUKW (amphibious World War II vehicle - aka a Duck) for an entertaining look at some of Seattle's most popular attractions. For schedules, fares and more information, visit the Ride the Ducks of Seattle website at ridetheducksofseattle.com.

Another great way to tour Seattle by land is to hop on one of the many bus tours offered by Gray Line of Seattle. You can choose from a traditional sightseeing tour that will show you all of the popular tourist attractions in Seattle from the comfort of their double-decker bus, or select special tours designed for foodies or aviation enthusiasts. Gray Line of Seattle also offers catamaran tours of the San Juan Islands and some package tours in conjunction with Argosy Cruises. For a full listing of available tours, booking and fares visit graylineofseattle.com

Develop your inner ghost hunter on the Spooked in Seattle Tour where the president of A.G.H.O.S.T. (the largest ghost hunting group in the Pacific Northwest) will guide you on a two hour walking tour of downtown Seattle. If you would like to check out some of Seattle's most famous haunts, swing by Ye Olde Curiosity Shop by 3pm on a Friday or Saturday to reserve your spot for the 6pm tour.

More adventurous visitors with a taste for subculture and the urge to learn about Seattle's more interesting history should consider one of the following tours:

Bill Speidel's Underground Tour - Sure to delight those who want to see more than the typical tourist traps, the Underground Tour takes you underground on a walking tour of storefronts and sidewalks dating back to before the Great Fire of 1889. (These historical sites are now underground since Seattle literally rebuilt on top of itself after the fire.) The tour starts in a restored 19^th century pub and ends at Rogues Gallery, a museum of sorts, complete with exhibits depicting the more interesting aspects of Seattle's past. Tickets can be purchased online or at the beginning of the tour, but tours are first-come, first-served so be sure to get there at least 30 minutes before the tour begins. Find out more at undergroundtour.com

The Underworld Tour - Brought to you by the Underground Tour, this one is for adults only (21 and over) and, in their words, is a "historic guided tour of sin and flimflam in Seattle's infamous old Red-Light District." This one includes a cocktail and a view of the sinful side of Seattle. For tickets, tour schedules and other helpful tidbits, visit undergroundtour.com.

SubSeattle Tour - The SubSeattle Tour is another guided tour offered by the Underground Tour. For folks who want a glimpse of Seattle's fringe culture all from the comfort of a tour bus, this one is for you. Check out some of the hippest neighborhoods and subculture sights during this humorous 90-minute tour. More information is available at undergroundtour.com.

Of course, the most cost-effective way to see Seattle is to grab a guidebook and design your own tour that incorporates walking through downtown, Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, the waterfront and other local treasures, then hop on the Elliot Bay Water Taxi or one of the Washington State Ferries and take in the skyline and the Space Needle from the ship. Self-guided tours are always less expensive and allow to decide where you want to spend more time or which sights you really aren't interested in seeing, but partaking in a guided tour is one sure way not to miss out on all that Seattle has to offer.

However you choose to see Seattle, you are sure to find an eclectic, diverse community with a rich history, exciting nightlife and great opportunities for family fun.