Bill Speidel's Underground Tour

Good: Historical information. Bad: The pornographic items in the gift shop, in plain sight of young eyes. Our 7 yr. old grandson was literally traumatized as he described a picture of a lady without a shirt and her head was a man's private parts.Since we were simply taking the grandchildren out for some sightseeing, we were totally unprepared for this assault on the children. Their own parents who were not there wanted to know where on earth we had taken the children. Will we ever be trusted again?. Improvements: All the porn in the mandatory gift shop in a room labeled adults only.. Other: Parents and grandparents beware before you go.. more

Our tour guide was really friendly and full of life, but certainly not worth paying $14 to see pictures on a wall in a tunnel. There was no real substance to the tour, and while our tour guide admitted the facts were sketchy at best, I really felt like I was ripped off. The humor was crude (certainly not appropriate for children under 12) and the tour was very repetitive. It reminded me of walking upstairs and downstairs through unfinished, dirty basements. The pictures on the wall were the only added value to the tour, and considering they could easily be seen in any textbook, it's a waste of 90 minutes to walk through musty, dark, cobweb-filled hallways. People in my party and those around us kept commenting that they should have left after the first (of three) drops below the ground, it seemed like we were waiting for some fantastic view or historical area and in the end we ended up very confused, in a gift shop (of course). While they say it's not recommended for children under 7, I say it's just not recommended, period. more

I've taken multiple family members on the Underground tour and all have found it quite interesting and enjoyable... It's especially great if you go on a rainy day -- perfect thing to do to introduce them to Seattle's past and, if you haven't done it, you should go too. Other areas we've enjoyed include Port Townsent, Ruby Beach (on the coast), Bellingham and of course, Vancouver. But, if you want to stay within the city, start down with the Underground... Great stuff to see down there and then, when you're done, go have a beer at one of the old ale houses down there. more

I take Pictures for the tour and i have a blast. The tour guides are all really fun! It definitely has some great history of Seattle. the underground is a little musty but you do go up (outside) for fresh air. Its definitely something you should check out if your from Seattle or not. if your over 21 i suggest checking out the Underworld tour as it goes a little deeper into Seattle's more seedy past. But the normal tour is an all ages tour but they recommend not to bring children under 7 on the tour because it is 90 minutes and they can't always take it. You can't even imagine how many kids and babies want out as soon as they step into the underground between it being gross and dark and scary down there to them. But its definitely something anyone should check out! more

It seemed much larger years ago... Recently, I went with some out-of-towner's, explaining that it would help them to understand Seattle, to help them feel familiar quickly. But as I listened to the stories of how politicians made decisions in Seattle 100 years ago, I realized that the stories told by the guides are apropos and analogous to the way that our City Council and others do their thinking today! There is a lot of history in this musty tourist-trap, and I recommend that everybody here pay attention, and go through once -- like pleasing your mother by tasting a dish that both of you know you will hate. It may only be at a later date that you figure out what I meant, and why this is useful. more

If you've never been on Seattle underground tour, you're missing out! This is a fascinating little slice of Seattle's history that many people don't even know about. I've been several times - I think this is a must for out of town visitors - and as a resident, I always enjoy it as well! The tour guides are hysterical - and knowledgable, and they make the tour interesting and fun. This is not suitable for young children - or anyone who can't manage many, steep stairs. more

I've been on the Underground City Tour twice now, 10 years apart. And it seems like the same material to me. But you should definitely bring out of town visitors to this attraction because it gives some seriously interesting info on Seattle's history. Walking around below the current city is amazing, and the tour keeps you interested throughout. The story is compelling and it's definitely worth a trip down below. more

the tour is okay but kind of expensive at $11 a person. There is no capacity to handle those in wheelchairs or others that have difficulty using legs for mobility. Quite disappointed in that, seeing how otherwise "enlightened" SEattle is. Tour was interesting, but you could tell it was 'canned', especially when we hear other tour groups getting the exact same jokes at the exact same point in the tour. Neat insight into Seattle history. Would be better if it were self-guided without the hammy one-liners from the tour guides. I would only go if someone else was paying. Either that, or spend your $11 in a better fashion by going into the space needle. At least that's handicapped accessable. more

Now to the point of getting boring. more

The most unsettling part of the Seattle Underground Tour experience is the lack of accomodation for those who gain mobility through the use of wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and other assistive devices. If you are a person who utelizes these mobility aids, please be warned that this tour is most likely not for you. The tour begins in Pioneer Square, where you gain a breif history of Seattle and how the Underground portion of the city came to be. You then take meandering walks in the underground part of the city which I found very interesting. I wish that the tour guides would have cut out the hammy jokes and you could tell that every tour group had to sit through the same un-funny jokes. Perhaps I'm being snobbish, but I can only take a joke about "John Crapper being the inventor of the toilet" so many times on the same tour before it just stops being funny and starts being annoying. I thought the historical part of the tour was fascinating, but the tour itself was a bit boring and long-winded. Again, not for those who cannot walk for long distances or need wheelchairs, etc, as the tour cannot and will not accomodate people with those needs, which I understand to a degree, but find disheartning at the same time. more

My kids took me on this tour when I first visited SEattle and they said I had to go on it. So I did. I think they just wanted someone else to suffer with them on this tour. It's not that it's bad, but it's pretty canned. I've been on it twice and both times (spaced over a year apart), the schtick was EXACTLY the same. Same bad jokes, same lame puns, etc. I think the tour would be more interesting if they just got rid of the tour guides. As it is, there's a bit of walking and it's not very friendly to those who may have disabilities and use wheelchairs. The underground part was pretty interesting and they noted that parts of the city had to be built up nearly 30 feet higher than they originally were. I liked how Seattle kept the glass panes on the sidewalks so that light could shine in on the underground businesses. Parts are dusty too and gave me allergies. Take a benadryl before you go so you don't get the sneezies like I did. more

The local people that run the Seattle Underground tour do a fabulous job of integrating Seattle’s brief history, with light comedy, and other interesting facts, to make this tour a must visit part of Seattle. I found it fascinating to learn about how Seattle was built, then burnt down to the ground, only to be rebuilt in a rush with only pseudo controlled planning by the government and people. more

This is great tourist trap. By having people do this tour not only do they learn the history of Seattle but they also learn where all the bars and clubs are. A friend of mine that visited from Chicago said when he did this tour the tour guide did the usual historical lecture but he also told them where to hang out afterwards, where they can dance, and where they can get cheap drinks. more

The Seattle Underground Tour takes visitors on a tour of old Seattle underneath parts of Pioneer Square. Much of downtown was built on a pile of trash and debris on what was then marshy wetland. Some of the older parts of the city are still there below current street level. The tour is entetaining and irreverent and appears to have a hiring perference for out of work actors. There are on and off days, but when it works, it can compel a good time from everyone from Grandma to seen it all jaded teens. more

I've had the (mis)fortune of taking this tour three times in the span of 2 years because of family members coming in from out of town. I will tell you that the jokes they tell on your tour are the same they told on my tour. They even pause for laughter. All in all, the Seattle Underground Tour is really interesting the first time you go on it, slightly interesting the second time, and not quite as interesting the third time. You start off getting a brief history of Seattle and how it was made, and they'll tell you about the toilets that overflowed because of the level of the sea. Then you get in a group of about 30 people and walk around Pioneer Square, into some old buildings and down into the "underground" of Seattle. If you've ever walked around Pioneer Square and noticed the purple glass tiles in the sidewalk--those are light tiles for the underground, to let light come in! The history is really fascinating, and it's odd to think that everything downtown used to be between 4-32 feet lower than it currently is. You'll do alot of walking around in dark dusty areas on this tour, but it's not bad or clausterphobic. Wear your walking shoes and be prepared to laugh at not-so-good jokes. Bring a water bottle also because you may get dried out walking around in dusty basements. more

The Underground Tour is a great way to see Seattle and learn some of the history of our city and state. The tour is a walking tour under the Pioneer Square area of downtown. The guides are funny and witty as they explain the history of the beginning- and great fire of Seattle. The tour captivates those young and old- my teenager even had a good time on a "learning trip." Easy walking for children and adults- there is some minor stair climbing involved. Strollers are not recommended. more

One of the most fascinating, if touristy, areas of Seattle to explore, located in the original part of the city called Pioneer Square. The first part of the tour consists of a humorous lecture on the history of the area, but the tour soon ends up in what's essentially the basement of several area buildings. There you will see the ruins of the Seattle that was in the late 1800's, in the time before sections of Seattle were rebuilt on top of itself. more

I've done the Underground Tour twice, and found it interesting each time, although the corny humor and canned jokes were a little grating the second time around. You don't actually get to see very much on the tour, but just the fact that you get clued in to what is underneath your feet as you walk around town makes it worth the admission. If you time in Seattle is limited though, I wouldn't say this attraction is a must see. more

I highly recommend this tour. I had been living in Seattle for over four years before I finally took some visiting relatives on the tour and fell in love with it. Great for local history enthusiasts and kids, the tour shows you a unique peak at the founding of Seattle and the characters who founded it. The tour is also relatively cheap and your ticket also gains you access to several observation decks around downtown Seattle. more

The Seattle Underground tour is definitely not for everyone, but for a certain niche crowd out there, it can be pretty interesting. I particularly enjoy the tongue in cheek humor of some of the tour guides, but it can be hit or miss. Some tour guides are clearly better than others, which can contribute to an inconsistent tour quality. I have been four times, with different visitors to Seattle, and I have to say that I have only really enjoyed two of the four times. The price is also a bit steep, especially considering they ask for tips at the end, as you exit through the ever present gift shop. I would recommend trying this out, but prepare yourself for the worst. more