6 Top Rated Seattle Tours That You’ll Love

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

I grew up near the Seattle, Washington, area, so it’s always a lot of fun to return and re-acquaint myself with this famous harbor town. Downtown Seattle has many fun things to do, and the surrounding area is a nature lover’s dream. While you can easily explore Seattle on your own, one of the best ways to see this iconic city is to take one of the top-rated Seattle tours.

Seattle Tours

Seattle tour options are diverse, and you can experience the best the city offers alongside a professional guide. Guided Seattle tours eliminate the hassle of planning your own excursion and allow you to maximize your vacation while immersing yourself in the moment. As a busy mom, I love handing the reins over to a tour guide and allowing myself to relax a bit!

Before you buy, research each tour and make sure you understand the details, including the meeting point location, what’s included and excluded, and the level of physical intensity.

In this post, I focus only on Seattle city tours. I purposely excluded tours of natural locations outside the city, like Mount Rainier, Olympic National Park, the Cascades, or Snoqualmie Falls. These areas are incredible, and these excursions are excellent and worth the cost and time commitment.

So, if you want to get some exercise and enjoy the outdoors, traveling out to these destinations will allow you to see some of the most magnificent natural treasures in the Pacific Northwest. If you head to Mt. Rainer, stop by NW Trek Wildlife Park!

Top Rated Seattle Tours

In this post, I want to share my experience growing up near and visiting Seattle and give you up-to-date information about the most highly rated Seattle tours.

These Seattle tours are the best of the best and receive at least 4.5 out of 5 stars from reviewers. I’ll provide a summary list below. Later in the post, I break down each tour and provide detailed information about the trip, what you’ll see, and what’s included.

Underground Walking Tour
Sailboat Sunset Harbor Cruise
Seattle City Tour by Bus
Pike Place Market Food Tour
Walking Chocolate Tour
Harbor Cruise with Live Narration

All of these tours are with Get Your Guide, one of my favorite companies for booking tours! I love their easy-to-use app, great review system, and variety of activities offered.

CityPASS® with Tickets to 5 Top Attractions

If you want to see more of Seattle, the Seattle CityPASS is a fantastic way to experience multiple top-rated attractions without paying for each separately. In fact, it can save you up to 48%!

When you purchase the pass, you will get access to five attractions. The pass automatically includes the Space Needle and the Seattle Aquarium, and you can select three additional attractions from a list, including the Woodland Park Zoo and the Pacific Science Center. The pass is valid for nine consecutive days, including the first day of use.

This Seattle attractions pass is perfect for a week-long trip to Seattle, where you have time to go to multiple places. We have used CityPASS elsewhere, including last month in San Antonio, and they are great for cost-conscious families who want to explore actively.

#1 Underground Walking Tour

I went on this Seattle underground tour with my family, and we absolutely loved it! It was a lot of fun descending beneath the streets to learn the fascinating history of the original city’s construction, the destructive fire, and rebirth. This one-hour tour takes you beneath Pioneer Square and winds through underground passageways built in the 1890s that are off-limits to the public.

The guides are great, funny, and very informative. The narrative focuses on the struggles of pioneers during the early construction of Seattle and the significant changes brought about by the Great Seattle Fire of 1899. This tour is a fun way for the whole family to enjoy something a little different. It kept our teen kids engaged and asking questions. The cramped passageways you will traverse are not wheelchair accessible.

#2 Sailboat Sunset Harbor Cruise

We love taking sunset cruises like this one! On this 2-hour Seattle Sailboat tour, you’ll sail on a sailboat in Seattle Harbor at sunset to get some fantastic views. The ship is a tall-masted sailboat comfortably appointed and crewed by a team well-acquainted with the harbor.

It’s a great way to get stunning views of the city’s skyline and breathtaking panoramas of the Olympic Mountains. Snacks, local wine, beer, ciders, champagne, water, and soda are available for an extra charge. Many reviewers recommend bringing warm clothes, as the wind is strong and temperatures are chilly on the water, even during summer!

#3 City Tour by Bus

This 3.5-hour guided bus tour of Seattle will take you around the area in an air-conditioned bus. It covers over 50 miles and allows you to see a lot quickly. Some highlights include Pikes Place Market, Olympic and Cascade Mountain views, the Seattle Waterfront, Pioneer Square, Waterfall Garden Park, and many more.

This tour is a great way to maximize the number of attractions you see while listening to knowledgeable guides inform you about the history of the city and its neighborhoods. The high back seats and large windows make for comfortable viewing. This is a perfect experience if you have older family members, it’s a hot summer day, or you don’t feel like walking. Be sure to bring cash to tip the guide.

#4 Pike Place Market Chef-Guided Food Tour

Pike Place is known for its bustling energy and fantastic fish market ambiance. During this tour, a local chef will guide you through the market and help you discover the exciting culinary scene in the Pacific Northwest. You’ll make nine stops to try a variety of light bites from local vendors at the market. Watch cheese being made, eat an heirloom corn taco, or try delicious Greek yogurt.

This two-hour Pike Place Market tour will let you skip the long lines and hear the stories behind some of the small businesses. It’s great for families with older children and those who want an immersive food experience. You’ll receive a 10% discount card to shop at selected partner vendors.

#5 Walking Chocolate Tour with Tastings

One of Seattle’s most popular culinary tours is this Chocolate Tasting Tour. This 2.5-hour Seattle tour is an immersive way to sate your sweet tooth while walking downtown. This Seattle Tour is something that your middle and high-school-aged kids will enjoy!

On this tour, you’ll savor 12 chocolate samples from 8 establishments. Stops include some of downtown’s most beloved bakeries, restaurants, cafes, and chocolatiers. The guide provides interesting facts about how chocolate is made and its place in our culture. Shared groups or private tour options are available. You should eat a light breakfast and bring water, as drinks are not provided.

#6 Harbor Cruise with Live Narration

This one-hour Seattle Harbor Cruise might be perfect if you are looking for a relaxing, inexpensive, and short sightseeing trip on the water. You’ll board a ship in Seattle Harbor for a large-group narrated tour. You’ll get amazing views of the Seattle skyline and the Cascade and Olympic Mountains. It’s the perfect way to get great pictures and absorb the energy of Seattle’s bustling coast.

Guides will provide fun facts about Seattle, its history, and its main attractions. The boat has indoor seating as well as outdoor open decks. This tour is a fantastic option for groups with older travelers or those with mobility impairments. Be sure to dress for the weather if you plan on spending time on the outdoor viewing decks.

Alternatively, you can take the Seattle Ferry to Bainbridge Island and get on the water that way!

Finding The Best Seattle Tours

Seattle is such a fun city! I was very impressed by the positive ground and momentum along the waterfront in downtown Seattle. We also appreciated Seattle’s excellent public transit system, which makes it easy to get around. Last July, we actually took it straight from the airport and ended just a couple of blocks from our hotel.

I hope you can do one of these top-rated Seattle tours on your trip. Taking a Seattle tour is a great way to make new memories with the ones you love while learning more about the beautiful Emerald City.

View all Seattle Tours on Get Your Guide!

Hotels in Seattle

Also, for our most recent trip, we stayed at the fabulous Hyatt Regency Seattle, and I highly recommend it! The windows in our room gave us the most incredible views of Seattle. Plus, it was very walkable to places we wanted to be, yet a little bit removed from the super busy congested areas.

If you are looking for a hotel in Seattle for your family, I recommend finding one near public transit. There are many options, and the map below shows many great hotels in Seattle.

Booking.com

More Travel Inspiration

If you liked this round-up of top Seattle Tours, you will enjoy my other travel blog posts! Our family of 4 travels extensively both in the United States and abroad. We even ventured down to Rio de Janeiro last year and had a fantastic time.

Click here to browse all of my travel posts. Here are a few of my most popular posts, which I hope you enjoy!