Beneath The Streets Underground History Tour
Recommended by 93% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Seattle, USA
+3
- 1 hour (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover Seattle’s original neighborhood, Pioneer Square, on this guided walking tour that is great for locals and tourists alike who want to learn more about this city. Explore the underground pathways that were built in the southwest corner of the Emerald City more than 120 years ago. Learn about Seattle’s history and the events that transformed this once-small Indigenous dwelling place into one of the most popular and thriving cities in the United States.
- Seea whole new side of Seattle that most tourists miss
- Leave the Seattle guidebook at home—your local guide has better stories
- Compare modern-day Pioneer Square with that of yesteryear
- Numerous tour times make it easy to fit in your schedule
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 102 Cherry St, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
Look for the black awning over the sidewalk; the stairs beneath will lead right to the check-in desk.
End point
- Union Trust Building, 119 South Main St, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
Itinerary
Get ready to discover the original Emerald City, the city of Seattle, Washington, from its inception in the 1890s. This entertaining and educational underground voyage travels beneath the streets to uncover three blocks of historic, old Pioneer Square. Explore not only the underground passageways that were built more than 120 years ago, but also the modern Pioneer Square that exists today.
Make your way to 102 Cherry Street near Pioneer Street to start your tour. Hear tales from the past, including the story of the stampede to the Yukon gold fields and Seattle's crucial role in what would become the Klondike Gold Rush. Find out about Skid Row, a dilapidated urban area that served as the main street in Pioneer Square. And get to know the history of a group of people called the Coast Salish, the ethnically and linguistically related Indigenous peoples that first settled here.
The tour ends at Occidental Square.
Make your way to 102 Cherry Street near Pioneer Street to start your tour. Hear tales from the past, including the story of the stampede to the Yukon gold fields and Seattle's crucial role in what would become the Klondike Gold Rush. Find out about Skid Row, a dilapidated urban area that served as the main street in Pioneer Square. And get to know the history of a group of people called the Coast Salish, the ethnically and linguistically related Indigenous peoples that first settled here.
The tour ends at Occidental Square.
1
Beneath the Streets
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Pioneer Square
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Operates rain or shine, please dress appropriately
- Tours need 2 or more people on the tour for the tour to run. Full refunds given in the event only one person signed up for the tour.
- Additional hours/tours added during busy times,check website or call for more info.
- There are 3 flights of stairs, up and down each flight, throughout the one hour tour. We travel 4 blocks ( apporx. half a mile, .8k) at a leisurley pace during the one hour tour.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 9,478 reviews
Review summary
Last 12 months
817 reviews
Select a theme to learn more
Travelers praise this family-friendly tour for engaging all ages with immersive exploration of Pioneer Square’s historic underground tunnels. Guides receive consistent commendation for knowledgeable, entertaining storytelling that enriches the experience. The well-paced, interactive format allows time for questions without feeling rushed. While most find the value reasonable, some consider it overpriced given the focus on storytelling. Accessibility is limited due to stairs and uneven surfaces, posing challenges for those with mobility issues.
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Traveler reviews summarised by AI
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Eowyn was a great guide. Very kind and knowledgeable. Our group had age diversity (young boys, teenagers, midlife and elderly) and she did a great job engaging them all. Learning Seattle’s history was a good way to spend an hour in the city.
Carter is very knowledgeable and passionate about Seatlle history She presents it with a unique flair that entertained my dad, aunt and me. Worth every penny!
Response from Host, Nov 2026
We're glad to hear you enjoyed our underground tour. Carter's knowledge of Seattle history runs deep, and she's always great at bringing it to life. Thank you for the kind review.
We had no frame of reference other than the overall tour description when we selected this tour, but we are so glad we did this tour. It was fascinating and so interesting to learn about the Seattle Underground. To literally see buildings built on top of what used to be store fronts was fascinating, and our guide had a lot of great stories and information to share. I definitely recommend this tour to anyone who visits Seattle!
Response from Host, Nov 2026
Thank you for the glowing recommendation. We always love to hear that guests enjoyed our underground tour. We hope the rest of your time in Seattle was great.
Our guide was very knowledgable of the history of the area and forming of underground. As advertised, there is very little of the tour that is underground. My one complaint t is that the tour felt very rushed and the guide spoke very fast.
As the story of the actual history itself was really cool, there wasn't much touring the "underground". It was more walking in and hearing the story but not much "ruins" to actually see.
Response from Host, Nov 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We are glad you enjoyed learning about the history of Seattle and the Underground.
The Underground of Seattle has a mythology that it is the ruins of an old city. It is not Pompeii or the Catacombs of Paris - it is a series of disused sidewalks and buried first stories of buildings. We understand that the expectation can be that of ruins, but we do try to be forthright on both our website and at the beginning of tour what the true nature of the Underground is.
Regardless, we are glad you learned something and hope that you enjoy the rest of your stay in Seattle.
Richard, our guide, was very entertaining and extremely knowledgeable. It was a blast. Kudos to your organization for good work.
Response from Host, Nov 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review. Richard does a great job of making sure the tour is fun and engaging for everyone. We're glad you had a good time on the underground history tour with us here in Seattle.
Terrific learning shared from a very experienced, knowledgeable, and entertaining tour guide. Richard was FANTASTIC!!!
Response from Host, Nov 2026
Richard does a great job of making sure the tour is fun and engaging for everyone. We're glad you had a good time on the underground history tour with us here in Seattle. Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review.
Very educational. If you’re visiting for the first time, I highly recommend this tour. It’s a nice way to know the history of Seattle. The more I learn about this city, the more I fall in love.
Response from Host, Nov 2026
Thank you so much for leaving a 5 star review! We take pride in people enjoying and appreciating our history as much as we do! Have a great day, and we hope to see you again one day!
Definitely an hour well spent! Dave was fantastic and provided a lot of history and local knowledge while keeping it fun and engaging!! Gave my son and I a great perspective on the building of the present day city. Would recommend for sure!
Response from Host, Nov 2026
Thank you so much for leaving a wonderful review! We take pride in giving a memorable experience of our Underground History, as well as the full history of our city! Dave is one of our most experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to the ins and outs of Seattle, and always enjoys sharing it! Have a great day, we hope to see you again!
Such a good tour! Very informative and unique but our tour guide really made the experience. He was so knowledgeable and had so much personality! Thanks Mike!
Response from Host, Nov 2026
Thank you for leaving a wonderful review. Mike is one of our most experienced guides, as well as our most energetic! We're glad you enjoyed, have a great day!
Great tour guide!! Very informative. Imogene was fantastic and very friendly. We arrived late but were able to catch up.
Response from Host, Nov 2026
We're glad you had a good time on the underground history tour with us here in Seattle. Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review.
Amazing history from an awesome and extremely knowledgeable guide. The rich history is coupled with fun facts in an entertaining method.
Response from Host, Nov 2026
We're glad you had a five star experience on the underground history tour with us here in Seattle. Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review.
Our tour guide was wonderful—knowledgeable, informative, kind, and welcoming. I truly appreciated their enthusiasm and the effort they put into the experience. Unfortunately, the tour itself was rather underwhelming and did not quite meet my expectations. There was nothing particularly memorable or unique that made the experience stand out, and much of the information shared could easily be found online.
While I appreciated the guide’s hospitality, I personally did not feel the tour was worth the time or cost. With so many interesting activities and attractions to explore in Seattle, I would recommend considering other experiences that offer something a bit more engaging and memorable.
Response from Host, Nov 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We are certainly disappointed to hear that, despite describing your guide as wonderful, knowledgeable, informative, kind, and welcoming, you ultimately felt the experience warranted just one star.
Our guides are what make Beneath The Streets one of Seattle's top-rated tours. Their passion for Pioneer Square, Seattle, and its history is what brings the experience to life. Our guides are extensively researched, and many of the stories, anecdotes, and historical details shared on our tours are not easily found online.
By the same logic, there's little reason to attend a concert, visit a museum, or travel anywhere. You can find information about all of those things online, but information isn't the same as an experience. A guided tour is about more than reciting facts; it's about storytelling, perspective, context, and bringing history to life.
We understand that your disappointment wasn't with your guide, but seemingly with the Underground itself and perhaps the expectations you had going into the experience. The Seattle Underground has developed something of a mythology of its own, and sometimes that mythology doesn't quite match reality. Perhaps you envisioned something along the lines of exploring the ruins of Pompeii. Unfortunately, Seattle's Underground is not that. It is, however, a fascinating and tangible piece of Seattle's history, and one that tells a story you simply cannot get from looking at a webpage.
We recognize that not every experience is going to resonate with every visitor, and we respect that. But we also believe there is tremendous value in experiencing Seattle's history firsthand, rather than simply reading about it online.
We would be interested in hearing more about your experience and how we can improve. If you would like to share please feel free to email us at: admin@beneath-the-streets.com
Thank you!
This tour will blow your mind with knowledge and great sights. Our tour guide was funny and extremly well spoken.
Response from Host, Nov 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We love hearing that you found the guide engaging and the history of Seattle wild and entertaining. The Underground history is a wild ride. Enjoy the rest of your time exploring the city!
A very educational experience! The history of Seattle isn’t known well in the Midwest so it was great to learn.
Response from Host, Nov 2026
Thank you for the 5 stars and kind words. We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed your time learning about the history of Seattle, Pioneer Square, and the Underground. We hope you enjoy the rest of your time in the PNW!
It was a fun and pleasant tour. The guide knew the history well and explained everything in a fun way.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for coming on our Underground History tour, we are happy to hear you learn a lot about our Pioneer Square history and hope you will visit Seattle again soon.
It was great to learn about the history of Seattle. Truly enjoyed it and our tour guide Jim was fantastic! He’s very knowledgeable and also funny.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for coming on the tour we are so delighted to hear you had such a great time with one of our great tour guides Jim he has been doing tours for a long time now and knows everything when it comes to our Pioneer Square History and how to make it fun for everyone, we hope you will visit Seattle again soon.
I have lived in Seattle my whole life and never have done this tour. Very fun and informative. Loved it and will be taking any visitors on this tour. Should have done it a long time ago.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for coming to our Underground History tour we are delighted to hear you had a great time with us and learned a lot about our Pioneer Square History we hope you will visit us again soon.
It was a great experience and the organization was on top. The history and facts are fascinating. Thanks.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
We are happy to hear you enjoyed our Underground History tour and learned a lot about our Pioneer Square history, we hope you visit Seattle again soon.
If you like history at all, you must do this tour! The guides are knowledgeable and engaging. The story of how and why Seattle ended up with all of these tunnels beneath the streets is really interesting and throughout the tour they have several old photos that really help you visualize what it was like. There are several flights of stairs to go up and down, if mobility is an issue for you.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
We're glad you had a five star experience on the underground history tour with us here in Seattle. Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review.
Patty our tour guide really loved her job. Gave a great tour, answering all question, and suggestions on things to see.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Patti does a great job of making sure the tour is fun and engaging for everyone. We're glad you had a five star experience on the underground history tour with us here in Seattle. Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review.
Safe,pleasant and historically educational. The guide was fun to share this experience with. My husband had had this on his bucket list for a few years. We shared this experience for our 51st wedding anniversary.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
We're glad you had a good time on the underground history tour with us here in Seattle. Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review.
An amazing experience from beginning to end. Love learning more about the city I call home. The tour guide was knowledgeable and able to answer pretty much any and all questions
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review. We're glad you had a good time on the underground history tour with us here in Seattle.
The underground tour was very cool! Mike was super energetic and thorough. Went with my daughter, great experience for all ages.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review. Mike does a great job of making sure the tour is engaging, and informative for everyone. We're glad you had a good time on the underground history tour with us here in Seattle.
2nd time doing this and it was still so great! Took my husband this time and he also enjoyed it . Make sure you go!
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review. We're glad you had a five star experience on the underground history tour with us here in Seattle.
Unique experience with interesting Seattle history! Enjoyed seeing history of pioneer settlers. Dave did a fantastic job!
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for the kind words and giving Dave such a great shoutout! We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed your time with him exploring the history of Seattle and the Underground. Thanks!
This was a fascinating tour, with a lot of history packed into a relatively short period of time. Our guide, Carter, was extremely well informed, a great communicator, and pretty funny too! After you take this tour, you will never look at Seattle the same way again! Highly recommended.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for the kind words and giving Carter a big shoutout! We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed learning about the Underground and Pioneer Square with her. She is a wealth of information and loves sharing Seattle with guests! THANKS :)
Super cool experience and a great way to get in a little history while on vacation. Tour guide was super informative
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for the 5 stars! We are thrilled that you felt your experience with Beneath The Streets was worth your time on vacation. We hope you enjoy the rest of your time in Seattle!
It was interesting and the woman made a great job telling the Seattle story! It's really worth doing it.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for the 5 stars and kind words. We are thrilled you enjoyed learning about the wacky history of Seattle and how the Underground came to be. Enjoy the rest of your time here!
Great way to learn how the city was built up to what it is today. Our guide was very engaging and had a great sense of humor and did a wonderful job keeping elementary age kids engaged.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. It is such a great compliment to our guide that they kept kids engaged. As any teacher or parent knows - that can be hard to do! We are so glad you enjoyed learning about the Underground and Seattle with us!
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per personWas $32.00(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Beneath The Streets Underground History Tour
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