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
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
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
Supplied by
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 9,275 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Great history and fascinating underground. Would recommend this tour. It was a great way to start our visit in Seattle.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a lovely review! We are so glad you had a great time learning about Seattle and the history of the Underground. We hope you enjoy the rest of your time here. THANKS!
Our tour guide was so interactive and entertaining! It was a unique and excellent experience. I would recommend it to any new family or friends visiting the area!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for the 5 stars and kind words. We love our guides and are glad you loved yours too. They are the ones that make the tour and bring the Underground to life. Have a great time exploring Seattle with your family!
Really not very much to see - it is mostly a history lesson on early Seattle and mostly above ground
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We are saddened to hear that you did not enjoy your time with us learning about the history of Seattle and how the Underground came to be.
As you now know the Underground of Seattle was never interconnected and does require travel above ground to get to other Underground spaces. Our guides like to use this as an opportunity to share the oldest neighborhood in Seattle, Pioneer Square, with our guests.
Pioneer Square is not only the oldest neighborhood in the city but also houses the largest collection of Richardsonian Romanesque buildings in the United States. Our neighborhood is preserved by a National Congressional Historical Designation and we are immensely proud of that. In addition to seeing these stately buildings above ground you got to see beneath three of them as well.
We understand that the Underground can sometimes not be the most interesting with its bare walls, and long corridors - but we believe that the history told on tour brings the spaces to life.
We are a historical walking tour, and our tour does travel above ground in addition to going underground - these are true statements. However, there is so much to see in Seattle's oldest neighborhood and we will always share our passion for Pioneer Square with our guests.
Thank you and we hope you have a great time exploring Seattle.
History of the late 1800’s and the problems of building at sea level. Interesting if you enjoy history and geology.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We are sad you only had a 3 star experience with us. As a historical walking tour we love bringing the history of Pioneer Square and the Underground to life. It seems perhaps it was not as lively as you had hoped.
We do hope that at the very least you walked away with an appreciation of how Seattle came to be. Enjoy your time in the PNW!
Something different but fascinating at the same time! If ur a history buff and like to know weird facts about a city/place, this tour will give you that perspective
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for the kind words. We always try to make sure everyone learns a bit of Seattle's strange history on our underground tour. We hope to see you again.
First off, so lucky to have had Dave as our guide! He was so informative, funny, and passionate about Seattle. I love doing tours when I travel to get more depth about the city I'm in. My two friends were just up for something to do on a Friday morning. Not even halfway through we all turned to each other to say how good this tour was. The history of Seattle and the tunnels are beyond fascinating. I was sad when we reached the end! Be prepared for walking, standing, going up and down steep-ish steps for 1+ hours.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Dave is very passionate about Seattle history, and it shows. It's always great to hear people are fascinated by our underground tour. Thank you for the kind words.
It was OK, but we spent as much time above the ground as we did beneath. Our Tour Guide Jim was entertaining and had a lot of history that we enjoyed. I wish we had speakers or earbuds so that we could hear him better and potentially translators for some of the other guests. At least two people were translating pretty loudly for their counterparts and it made it hard to hear Jim.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We are glad you enjoyed Jim. He is the longest serving Underground Tour Guide in Seattle having been giving tours for over 30 years.
As you learned the Underground of Seattle is not interconnected and does require groups to move above ground in order to access more sections of Underground. We try to use that travel time as an opportunity to discuss some of the neighborhood as well.
We do not use amplification devices because most of our guides do not have an indoor voice. This is something that we have discussed in the past and will continue to mull over.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a thoughtful review and we hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in Seattle.
Well worth an hour of your time to find out a bit more about Seattle and its interesting history. We were enthralled by some of the characters who contributed their story to modern Seattle.
Richard was our tour guide, very knowledgeable and highly entertaining.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you so much for giving such a wonderful review! Richard is quite experienced in what he does, and has a way of bringing our history to life! Have a great day, and we hope to see you again!
Good tour! Our guide Daniel was fantastic! Some underground and some above ground. We really enjoyed it.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review. Daniel does a great job of making the tour fun and engaging for everyone. We're glad you had a good time on the underground history tour with us here in Seattle.
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Seattle's underground beginnings, as explained clearly and with considerable humour by our
knowledgeable guide. We can highly recommend this approach to learning about Seattle's early growth and development.
Response from Host, Sep 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.
Was interested on getting information of the underground history. The tour guide explained it but 60% of the tour he told jokes and about his life. Didn’t want a stand up comedian. Definitely don’t recommend it.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy your guide even though you found the history interesting.
We do not script our guides and allow them to infuse their own humor and personality into their tour. It sounds like this particular guide was a mismatch for your group and expectations.
We would love to hear more about your experience and how we can coach our guides to do better. If you would like to send us an email at: admin@beneathg-the-streets.com we would deeply appreciate it.
Thank you!
We learned a lot about Seattle’s history. Our guide was wonderful and witty. Unlike the tours title suggests, the tour is NOT entirely underground, , but that didn’t really matter. Worth
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for the 5 stars and kind words! We try to let people know ahead of time that the tour is not completely Underground, but we do understand how a name like Beneath The Streets may cause you to think otherwise.
We are so thrilled you had a great time with your guide and learning about the history of Seattle and Pioneer Square. We hope you enjoy the rest of your time in the PNW!
I took this tour with my husband. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Seattle. Our tour guide was Dave and he was incredible! He gave such amazing explanations for everything. There was nothing I was left wondering walking out of that tour. Even when a local, walking past the tour, was rude he took it in strides and handled the situation extremely well.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for the kind words, 5 stars, and giving Dave such a lovely shoutout. Dave has been giving tours for 20+ years here in the area and is a true Seattle historian. He loves to share his adoptive hometown.
We are so glad you had such a great time with Dave and hope that you enjoy the PNW!
The tour was great. We learned so many fun facts about Seattle. Couldn't have asked for a better host as well. He was so funny, he made the experience so memorable.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for the kind words and 5 star review. We are so glad you had a great time exploring the history of Seattle and the Underground with us.
We love our guides and are so glad you do too! Enjoy Seattle and we hope to see you again. THANKS!
Kieran did a wonderful job, really enjoyed seeing the architecture and hearing the history of Seattle.
Response from Host, Sep 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.
THE BEST! Mike was our guide and he brought outstanding energy! He is a wealth knowledge and brought the underground to life. It was an immersive experience and through his narrative, I felt like I was part of the underground era. I came away with many new facts about Seattle and an appreciation for its history. Would take this tour again!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Mike brings a great level of energy to the tour, while keeping it educational. 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.
This is a super tour that shows you a part of Seattle that not many know about. It helps understand how Seattle came into being, the challenges they had and what they did to overcome. This is something everyone should do when they come Seattle. Fantastic value for money. Excellent tour guide but afraid I cannot recall her name - Sorry.
Response from Host, Sep 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.
Really interesting tour. Eowen was a great guide. She made the tour fun and interesting. Would recommend
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review. Eowyn 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.
Our guide, Terry Lynn, was outstanding and brought all the history to life. She did a great job of explaining the crazy history of the city. Outstanding!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Terrilyn has been giving tours for a long time, and there isn't much about the history of the neighborhood she doesn't know about. 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.
Great experience. Might rain so back a pancho or carry an umbrella.
Not completely underground. So fun!
Response from Host, Sep 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.
Our guide was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and just fun. Her name is Terrilyn. I showed up early and was able to go on an earlier tour. I was just very happy with everything
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review. Terrilyn 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.
You start under ground and then above ground and get information about the great Seattle fires in 1889 and rebuild of the city over 1.5hrs .
Richard was a great tour guide.
Response from Host, Sep 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.
Very interesting and full of information Guide was easy to understand but spoke very fast. He gave us a lot of information concerning the above ground area
Response from Host, Sep 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.
It was very cool. Very informative. Great guide! I learned a ton about the history of Seattle and how it was built.
Response from Host, Sep 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.
There are some stairs and walking surfaces that are uneven so you need to be mobile in order to navigate
Response from Host, Sep 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.
Patty was an amazing tour guide and we really enjoyed getting to know more about Seattle's unique history.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Patti 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. Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review.
A great way to learn the history of Seattle.
Our guide was great at implementing humor into her factual history lesson. I really enjoyed and would definitely recommend!
Response from Host, Sep 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.
Great fun experience. The tour guide was very entertaining and knowledgeable about the history of Seattle and the underground. It was a learning experience that should not be missed given the opportunity!
Response from Host, Sep 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.
Carter was the absolute best guide ever!
From factual historical information to comedy and extremely pleasant interaction, Carter made this tour one of the best things we experienced in Seattle.
I’m normally not a big fan of tours around cities as they feel touristy and gimmicky. However, I would do this tour repeatedly as Carter made it so interesting and enjoyable.
Whatever they’re paying her, they should double it.
So interesting and fun!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a kind review. Carter 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.
Interesting information and a great guide. So amazing. The photos and maps told quite a story. Wish I had picked up the guide’s card; she was great!
Response from Host, Sep 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.
Member Pricing
From
$30.40
per personWas $32.00(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Member Pricing
Beneath The Streets Underground History Tour
9,272
1 hour
Free Cancellation
From
$32.00
$30.40
5% savings
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Nature and Wildlife Tours
- Full-day Tours
- Bus Tours
- Day Trips
- Outdoor Activities
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Seattle
- Nature and Wildlife Tours - Port Angeles
- Full-day Tours - Port Angeles
- Bus Tours - Port Angeles
- Nature and Wildlife Tours - San Juan Islands
- Full-day Tours - San Juan Islands
- Bus Tours - San Juan Islands
Attractions in Seattle, USA
- Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery Tours & Tickets
- Lake Union Tours & Tickets
- Sky View Observatory Tours & Tickets
- Waterfall Garden Park Tours & Tickets
- Mt. Rainier National Park Tours & Tickets
- Museum of Flight Tours & Tickets
- University of Washington Tours & Tickets
- Seattle Waterfront Tours & Tickets
- Pioneer Square Tours & Tickets
- Bloedel Reserve Tours & Tickets
- Snoqualmie Falls Tours & Tickets
- Discovery Park Tours & Tickets
- Cascade Range Tours & Tickets
- Hiram M. Chittenden Locks Tours & Tickets
- Fishermen's Terminal Tours & Tickets
- Chihuly Garden and Glass Tours & Tickets
- Alki Beach Tours & Tickets
- Lake Washington Tours & Tickets
- Ballard District Tours & Tickets