Whether you’ve recently moved to Seattle, have lived here all your life, or are just visiting for the weekend, there’s always something new to explore. Seattle offers an array of tours customized for all types of visitors to experience the many sides of the city. Here are some of our favorites:
Coffee Tour
Seattle is synonymous with coffee, and for good reason: the city has the greatest concentration of coffee shops in America! While the iconic Starbucks 1st and Pike store may be the first coffeehouse that comes to mind, there are plenty more to explore. Seattle Coffee Crawl is a 2.5-hour morning stroll that blends Seattle’s coffee history with the unique philosophies and techniques behind brewing and roasting coffee. Oh, and you’ll also find plenty of opportunities to stock up on your favorites.
Gourmet Food and Drink Tours
Award-winning clam chowder, handmade cheese, the famous Pike Place Fish Market—a trip to Seattle isn’t complete without sampling the local fare! Savor Seattle Food Tours offers an array of food and drink tours: the signature Pike Place Market Tour is a great introduction for first-time visitors; the Gourmet Seattle and Booze ‘n Bites tours are perfect for foodies; and the Chocolate Indulgence Tour takes chocoholics through Seattle’s rich chocolate history.
Distillery/Brewery Tours
Washington is home to more than 175 breweries, with more than 40 located in Seattle. Expand your palate on a three-hour beer tour with Road Dog Tours, where you’ll visit three distinct breweries, sample lots of fresh beer, and learn what craft brewing in Seattle is all about.
Are vodka and gin more your style? Check out a distillery tour, where you’ll visit three of Seattle’s 50+ establishments and learn how your favorite spirits are made.
Seattle Harbor Tour
Take in Seattle’s beautiful Elliot Bay, surrounding mountain ranges, and the downtown skyline on a cruise around the Seattle harbor. One popular option is Argosy Cruises, which offers an hour-long narrated cruise along the shoreline of the Seattle waterfront. You might even see a California sea lion or petite harbor seal!
Mt. Rainier Tour
If you can, give yourself a full day to experience Mount Rainier National Park. There’s no shortage of tours that will guide you through all the park has to offer, including hiking, wildlife spotting, waterfalls, glaciers, and more. One such tour is Viator, which will pick you up from select Seattle hotels and transport you through historic Washington towns on a 10-hour guided day trip that culminates with exploring the natural beauty of Mt. Rainier.
Trolley Tour
Enjoy the sights, sounds, and tastes of downtown Seattle while hearing about the city’s fascinating history on a trolley tour. Emerald City Trolley takes you to some of Seattle’s classic spots, including the Space Needle, Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market, and the Sky View Observatory atop the Columbia Center building.
Flightseeing tour
What better way to see our city than from the sky? Hop on a seaplane, a hybrid between a boat and an airplane, and fly over the Seattle area and the Puget Sound. Northwest Seaplanes, Kenmore Air, Seattle Seaplanes, and others all offer scenic flight packages.