As a travel planner, I’m always trying to find the best tours in Seattle for my clients. Most of them prefer to go the self-guided route with the itineraries I create for them, but sometimes you just get more out of an attraction with a narrated tour guide. And hey, as a local I love seeing the city from a new perspective with a tour!
Luckily there are a lot of tour options given there’s so much to do in this city. There are history tours, walking tours, food tours, bike tours…even true crime tours! So no matter your interests, here are the best-rated Seattle tours for all ages and abilities!
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20 Best Tours in Seattle
Before diving into Seattle’s best tours, let me answer some of the most common questions I get asked as a travel planner. If you don’t have time to go through all of this now, save this article to Pinterest for later!
Is Seattle worth visiting?
Absolutely, yes! Seattle is a beautiful city surrounded by nature with big-city amenities like museums, boutiques, events, and world-class dining. Whether you’re traveling with kids, teens, adults, or a group, you can find a little something for everyone. And the best part? There are plenty of tours in Seattle to help you make the most of your trip.
How to tour Seattle
Another question I get asked is how to pick the best local tour in Seattle. Here are my tips for making sure you find the perfect one.
Look for a lot of high reviews
My number one tip for finding good tours in Seattle is to pay attention to the number of reviews. Yes, you want that prize 5-star rating, but you also want to make sure there are a high number of reviews. A tour with a 4.5-star rating from hundreds of reviews is likely a safer bet than the tour with 5 stars from a few people.
I also recommend looking through the reviews to find themes. This will help you spot any reviews that seem fake, but also understand if people are calling out things that match your tour likes or dislikes. For example, filter to the worst reviews to see if what some consider a 1-star experience isn’t a big deal to you.
Seek out small groups
There’s nothing that screams “tourist” as much as a hoard of people milling around. Plus, it can be difficult to hear the tour if you’re fighting for a spot close to the guide. So do yourself a favor, find a small group tour.
Pay attention to the pick-up and drop-off spots
As you plan your itinerary, make sure the tour picks up and drops off in areas that are convenient to you. Many times that may be starting and stopping at the same spot. Sometimes, though, you may prefer to end in another area so you can explore on your own afterwards. Or other times you may need custom pick up. There are tours in this guide that cover all situations!
Use it as an excuse to visit charming neighborhoods
A ton of the best tours in Seattle leave from downtown, which makes sense since that’s where tourists tend to base themselves. But if you really want to experience the city like a local, explore the neighborhoods surrounding the downtown core. Tours can be a great way to do this so you don’t have to spend time planning how to navigate areas not written about as much as the downtown attractions. I included a bunch of tours below that are in areas I bet you never heard of!
Leave time for self-guided explorations
Speaking of exploring Seattle like a local, don’t fill up your whole trip with tours! Some of the best memories will come from you stumbling upon one of Seattle’s hidden gems while walking aimlessly in a new-to-you area.
What are the must-do tours in Seattle?
Alright, now that we go through those frequently asked questions and tips, let’s cover the best tours in Seattle! The below tours offer a variety of topics, locations, length, and physical effort. Some are best suited for adults, while other tours guide guests of all ages. I even gave you a few toward the end that take you on day trips to some of the most iconic destinations around Seattle.
Self-guided Seattle food tour
link to book | price: ~$13.95 each | duration: at your leisure | best for: exploring hidden gem neighborhoods at your own pace
Nothing takes the magic out of discovering a new place like a local than roaming in a big group. That’s why I think some of the best tours in Seattle are the ones that don’t have a guide at all.
If you want a tour planned for you by an insider, but don’t want to feel like a tourist when actually taking it, try one of my self-guided food tours. Each takes you to about 8 stops in some of my favorite foodie neighborhoods. You’ll get a structured itinerary, directions for what to order, and stories about the business and area just like you’d get from a tour guide. But instead you get to go at your own pace and not stick out like a sore thumb.
Plus the bonus of a self-guided tour is you know you’re visiting the top-tier places a local would recommend…not just the ones willing to accommodate a large group.
Pike Place Market food tour
link to book | price: ~$68.50 pp | duration: ~2 hrs, 15 min | meeting point: Pike Place Market | accessible? no, but not super difficult | best for: foodies
I highly recommend visiting Pike Place Market if it’s your first time to Seattle. Yes, it’s touristy, but there are a ton of hidden gems inside that even locals love. In fact, I just got dinner and drinks in the belly of the market a week before writing this!
If you love the idea of a self-guided tour, check out my digital guide to Pike Place Market. But one advantage of a guided tour is that you can skip long lines at some of the most iconic places. Iconic doesn’t always been the best according to a local, but we can respect that there are just some quintessential foods in Seattle you need to try when at Pike Place Market.
Every local knows the best tour operator in the market is Savor Seattle. Their 5-star Original Food and Culture Tour of Pike Place Market is a perfect introduction to the market and focuses on grazing snacks so you can try a lot of different things. If you need to take an early tour or love breakfast, check out their Insider’s Breakfast and Culture Tour of the market.
The Chef-Guided Food Tour of Pike Place Market from Eat Seattle is another beloved option with a nearly 5-star rating out of almost 3,000 reviews!
Harbor or Locks Boat Cruise
link to book Harbor Cruise | link to book Locks Cruise | price: ~$46 – $63 pp | duration: ~1 – 2 hrs | meeting point: Argosy Cruises Pier 55 terminal for Harbor Cruise or Lake Union dock for Locks Cruise | accessible? yes | best for: water views
Argosy Cruises is one of the most iconic tour operators in Seattle, so taking a tour with them is a must. They have a bunch of fun seasonal cruise options throughout the year, but their two most popular are the Harbor and Locks Cruises.
The Harbor Cruise is best if you’re short on time, as it’s only an hour and leaves right from downtown Seattle. You’ll meander around the Puget Sound and get to soak up stunning water views.
However, if you have the time, I recommend taking the 2-hour Locks Cruise. It’s a one-way cruise leave from either downtown or Fremont, but they also offer a shuttle ride back to where you started.
The Locks Cruise takes you on the Puget Sound like the Harbor Cruise, but it also goes through the famous Locks where you get to see how the water levels change to allow boats to pass. If it’s salmon season, you’ll also see a ton of jumping fish. The tour ends on Lake Union where you’ll get to see Gas Works Park and house boats, including the one made famous by the movie Sleepless in Seattle.
Whichever to you choose, both have a tour guide that shares the history and interesting facts about Seattle. Both boats offer plenty of indoor and outdoor seating options, bathrooms, and a bar with snacks and beverages. Just make sure to get there early so you can snag a good seat.
Seattle Underground Tour
link to book | price: ~$30 pp | duration: ~1 hr, 15 min | meeting point: Pioneer Square | accessible? no | best for: history buffs and families
I love exploring ruins when I travel, but there aren’t any of those in Seattle. The next best thing is the dilapidated city that sits underneath the streets.
You see, after the Great Fire of 1889 Seattle rebuilt itself right on top of the destruction. Luckily the Underground Tour has restored some of the tunnels so you can walk the streets that now sit underneath historic Pioneer Square, a quaint neighborhood near downtown that you should explore before or after your tour.
The tour guides are known for being funny, if sometimes a bit crass, so this is a good tour for the whole family. You’ll learn the history of Seattle as your guide touches upon the Gold Rush, Skid Row, ghost sightings, and the Indigenous Coast Salish Peoples.
If you’re wonder what to do in Seattle on a rainy day, the Underground Tour is it given that it runs rain or shine.
Chinatown-International District Discovery Tours
link to book | price: ~$25 – $56 pp | duration: ~1.5 – 2.5 hrs | meeting point: Wing Luke Museum | accessible? no, but isn’t difficult | best for: Asian history, architecture, and food
Some of the best tours in Seattle are run by a small museum in the must-visit neighborhood of Chinatown-International District. This historic area within walking distance of downtown has stunning architecture, great food, and a rich history influenced by waves of different Asian immigrants over the years.
The Wing Luke Museum offers guided walking tours of the neighborhood on Saturdays. There are a few different themes to choose depending on the time of year. For example, there are tours about immigration over the years, redlining, the Japanese remembrance trail, and even Bruce Lee.
For the foodies, the Wing Luke Museum also offers food tours on select Friday afternoons throughout the year. These will take you to various restaurants known for Asian delicacies like dumplings, noodles, ramen, and more.
Whichever tour you choose, your ticket also includes admission to the museum. If you time your visit right, you can also take part in the free guided tour offered within the museum!
Whale watching tour
link to book | price: ~$140 pp | duration: ~3.5 hrs | meeting point: Pier 69 downtown | accessible? yes | best for: whale sightings
Seattle and the surrounding Salish Sea are popular spots for seeing orca whales. Yet most of the tours leave about 1.5 hours north of Seattle in Anacortes or from the islands near Seattle, particularly the San Juan Islands.
Luckily the FRS Clipper, the company that offers direct ferry service to gorgeous Victoria BC, also offers half day whale watching tours leaving right from downtown Seattle. An onboard naturalist will tell you stories about local wildlife while pointing out the porpoises, seals, seal lions, eagles, herons, gray, humpback, minke, and orca whales you may see along the way.
Want to visit Victoria, BC? You can purchase tickets and get there in about 3 hours via ferry! It’s a very walkabout city, so you don’t need a car. Or you can easily rent a car or bike near the ferry. If you go, use my guide to hiddem gem eats!
Downtown Seattle City Tour
link to book driving tour | link to book walking tour | price: ~$44-85 pp | duration: 2.5 – 3 hrs | meeting point: Hyatt Regency or Pioneer Square | accessible? no | best for: seeing all the top tourist attractions in a jam-packed few hours
City overview tours are some of the best tours in Seattle when you want to prioritize breadth of attractions over depth. You can take a driving tour in a mini coach to cover more ground. This downtown city tour option has the bonus of also taking you past the funky Fremont neighborhood, iconic Kerry Park viewpoint in Queen Anne, and Ballard Locks.
Luckily a lot of the city’s top attractions are downtown, so you can also do a walking tour if you prefer. Both the driving and walking sightseeing tours stop or pass by the Space Needle, Seattle Center, Museum of Pop Culture, Pioneer Square, and Chinatown-International District. The walking tour has the bonus of also riding the Monorail!
Need an accessible tour or hotel pickup? Check out this Seattle driving tour instead!
Coffee tour
link to book | price: ~$60 pp | duration: ~2 hrs | meeting point: Jimi Hendrix Statue in Capitol Hill | accessible? yes | best for: coffee lovers
I’m always on the hunt for the best Seattle coffee roasters and coffee shops, so this tour speaks to my heart. It takes you to the hip Capitol Hill neighborhood just east of downtown. You’ll pass by Starbuck’s Reserve Roastery, but then visit three independent coffee shops to sample their take on the iconic Seattle beverage. Afterwards, you’ll have the energy to explore all the trendy spots in Capitol Hill.
Donut tour
link to book | price: ~$65 pp | duration: ~2 hrs | meeting point: Top Pot Doughnuts downtown | accessible? yes | best for: kids and dessert lovers
Many tourists don’t know this, but Seattle is a serious doughnut town. You can sample all the best stops on this tour. You’ll visit 4 different doughnut shops and try both cake and brioche styles. Since this tour reveals their stops before you book, I can attest that they did a good job curating spots locals would actually recommend!
Pro tip: When you visit Dahlia Bakery, you MUST get their peanut butter cookie. It’s one of the best desserts in Seattle.
Chocolate tour
link to book | price: ~$84 pp | duration: ~2 hrs, 15 min | meeting point: Dahlia Bakery downtown | accessible? yes | best for: chocolate lovers
This tour gets you 12 samples of the best chocolate in Seattle. You’ll learn about the chocolate-making process and get to try it in all of its different forms. From chocolate bars to truffles to drinking chocolates, get ready to indulge! And if you have dietary restrictions, they can accommodate you.
E-bike sightseeing tour
links to book Ballard, West Seattle & Downtown tours | price: ~$90-$125 pp | duration: ~2.5 – 3 hrs | meeting point: Ballard, Seattle Bicycle Tours (Downtown), or Olympic Sculpture Park (Downtown) | accessible? no | best for: getting some exercise while sightseeing
E-biking is one of my absolute favorite ways to see a city. You get to experience it from a different perspective and cover more ground than if you were on foot. The best part? Many of them are in hidden gem neighborhoods around the city that are more friendly to bikers.
For example, this bike tour run by a local takes you through the cool Ballard neighborhood. It’s the perfect excuse to take my self-guided food tour beforehand and explore all the fun things to do in Ballard. Then afterwards, you can check out my self-guided Fremont food tour and all the fun things to do in Fremont since this tour ends at nearby Gas Works Park.
Another option is this West Seattle biking tour. It starts downtown and has the fun bonus of taking you on the Seattle Water Taxi, so it’s like a boat and bike tour in one. You also will get stunning views of the Seattle skyline from across the Puget Sound.
Or if you want to stay in the downtown area, this tour starts on a bike path I used to take to-and-from work regularly. It weaves along the waterfront so you get beautiful photo opps. This tour will also take you to Lake Union and Capitol Hill, so you’ll cover a lot of Seattle’s coolest neighborhoods in one go.
Queen Anne True Crime Tour
link to book | price: ~$45 pp | duration: ~2.5 hrs | meeting point: Daniel’s Broiler (South Lake Union) | accessible? no, but not difficult | best for: true crime junkies
My family, especially my 14-year-old niece, loves true crime. If you also have true crime lovers in your life, this tour is a must. It takes you to various areas around South Lake Union, Queen Anne, Pioneer Square, and the Chinatown-International District and share tales of various nefarious acts. You’ll get great views, but with an alternative bit of history about some of Seattle’s top tourist attractions.
Seattle Ghost Tour
link to book | price: ~$32 pp | duration: ~1 hr | meeting point: Four Seasons Hotel (Downtown) | accessible? no | best for: thrills and chills
Learn about Seattle’s dark past with this quick and easy walking ghost tour. You’ll explore downtown Seattle’s most haunted sights, including alleyways, old theaters, mortuaries, and the city’s first cemetery. And since this tour is a good mix of history and creepy ghoulish tails, it’s good for kids.
Want to experience both types of spirits? Check out this Haunted Seattle Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour of Pike Place Market. You’ll visit some of Seattle’s best bars and hear ghost stories over a stiff drink.
Seattle architecture tour
link to book | price: ~$25 pp | duration: ~2 hrs | meeting point: various locations around the city | accessible? no | best for: architecture lovers over 12 years old
As a design lover, I think the best tours in Seattle center around the city’s beautiful art and architecture. Luckily, the experts at Seattle Architecture Foundation (SAF) scratch that itch by offering walking tours on Fridays and Saturdays, or by appointment.
Their tours are led by volunteers passionate about the architecture, landscapes, and urban design practices that shape our city. You’ll find tours centered around iconic areas like downtown and Capitol Hill alongside hidden gem neighborhoods like Mt. Baker and Madrona. All tours directly support SAF’s educational programs for youth and families, so you can feel good about your ticket purchase.
Boeing Factory Tour
link to book | price: ~$125 pp | duration: ~4.5 hrs | meeting point: Hyatt Regency (Downtown) | accessible? no | best for: aviation enthusiasts
Boeing put Seattle on the map as one of the leaders in aviation manufacturing. You can visit their factory about 35 miles north of the city with this tour that includes pick up and drop off downtown.
Your tour will include an 80-minute guided tour led by Boeing staff. They’ll take you through how jets are assembled as you walk through their huge complex that’s just under 100 acres. It’s so big, it’s been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records for being the largest building in the world by volume! But don’t worry, you won’t be walking 100 acres.
Woodinville wine tasting tour
link to book | price: ~$120 pp + wine tasting fee at each winery | duration: ~7 hrs | meeting point: your choice! | accessible? no, but not difficult | best for: wine-o’s
There are a lot of wine tours in Seattle, but this is the best one for exploring the Woodinville wineries. If you’re not familiar, Woodinvilled is an area about 20 minutes east of Seattle that has over 100 tasting rooms. It can be overwhelming to choose where to go, but luckily this tour does all the thinking. You’ll visit three wineries and get 4-6 tastes at each, making for a fun-filled day of sipping.
Seattle beer tour
link to book | price: ~$129 pp | duration: ~3.5 hrs | meeting point: Bizarre Brewing (Interbay) | accessible? yes | best for: beer heads
There are a ton of Seattle breweries and craft beer bars. This tour takes you to two breweries, two restaurants, and a Scandinavian beer hall so you can sample libations from various points of view. The stops include some of my favorite breweries in Ballard, so you can expect a good time! Plus, you’ll also stop at spots like the Ballard Locks and Nordic Museum, so you’ll get a dose of history along with your drinks.
Mount Rainier National Park Tour
link to book | price: ~$189 pp | duration: ~10-12 hrs | meeting point: any downtown or airport hotel | accessible? no | best for: those wanting to fit in a trip to Washington’s most majestic national park
While ambitious, you can definitely do a day trip to Mt. Rainier from Seattle. Sure, you may not be able to fit in all the best Rainier hikes, but if you’re planning a day trip than you likely care more about breadth than depth when it comes to seeing one of the best attractions in Washington.
This tour takes you to all the most iconic viewpoints at both visitors center in the park: Paradise and Sunrise. You’ll stop to snap pics at stunning waterfalls and lakes, plus have the opportunity to take shorter hikes. Since both visitor center areas have different landscapes, this gives you a glimpse of both sides of the national park.
Snoqualmie Falls Tour
link to book | price: ~$79 pp | duration: ~4.5 hrs | meeting point: Westlake Park (Downtown) | accessible? no | best for: seeing iconic falls from multiple perspectives
Made famous by the cult-classic show, Twin Peaks, the iconic Snoqualmie Falls plummets around 270 feet off the edge of a stunning rock formation. It’s one of the most scenic day trips from Seattle, and this tour makes the most of it.
You’ll make a stop at Snoqualmie Falls to enjoy views from its various platforms. But that’s not where the fun ends. Next you’ll head to Olallie State Park to take a moderate 2-mile hike to Twin Falls. The tour will end with a drive through North Bend to the historic logging town, Snoqualmie. You’ll pass the famous diner where Twin Peaks was filmed.
Want to pair Snoqualmie Falls with wine tasting? Book this Woodinville Wine and Snoqualmie Falls Tour!
Olympic National Park Tour
link to book | price: ~$367 pp | duration: ~12 hrs | meeting point: any downtown hotel | accessible? no | best for: fitting in a visit to Washington’s most diverse national park
Olympic National Park is one of the best Washington coast attractions. It requires a very because it’s on the peninsula, but it’s worth the long travel time to see one of the most diverse national parks in the US since it includes both old growth rainforest and beaches.
This tour will take you to some of the most popular attractions on the northeast portion of the peninsula. You’ll visit Lake Crescent, which looks straight out of a Tolkien fantasy, and Hurricane Ridge, a great spot for panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.
More ways to explore Seattle
After you book these best tours in Seattle, check out my other guides on things to do in this amazing city! And if you still need to book accommodations, check out my guide on cool places to stay in Seattle.
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