Bill Speidel's Underground Tour? Delightfully strange. Humans built a whole city, hated it, and then just... built another one on top. Bold move. Questionable dam strategy. Tunnels are sturdy enough (I checked), stories are rich, and the damp ambiance feels like home--though severely lacking in chewable wood. Four tail slaps out of five. Would gnaw again. read more

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First the good- The tour guide was nice and the underground areas are AMAZING! The bad- In a group of (appx) 30+ people you are herded here and there to different parts of the underground. Everyone is herded into a small space, a story is told, and then it's onto the next area. Want time to enjoy the experience? To look around and take pictures? Nope- onto the next. Want to learn more about the original buildings that you are standing in front of? Barely covered. Or the amazing debris that scatters the areas? Nope. Take Pictures as you walk, because that is all the time you will get. Oh, and if you are hard of hearing? You won't be able to hear the tour guide well. There are just too many people. -Wish I could have asked for a refund- *IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO MOLD or DUST WEAR A MASK!!!* read more

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We went on the Seattle Underground Tour after a family member recommended it. I really enjoy guided tours and learning about a city's history, so I was looking forward to it. Our tour guide was charismatic and shared the history in a very funny, engaging way, which made the experience enjoyable. However, my main issue was with the underground spaces themselves. We visited three different underground areas, but they all looked very similar--like old basements with wood structures and random remnants scattered around. After a while, it started to feel repetitive, and we didn't really understand the purpose of seeing multiple locations that looked almost identical. Overall, the storytelling was great, but the physical spaces didn't add much to the experience. I think the tour could be improved by restoring or staging the underground areas to better reflect what they originally looked like, similar to how some museums recreate historical environments. That would make the experience much more immersive and interesting. read more

The tour lasted about 75 mins with narration and actual walk to the underground. My daughter and I came for the 10 am tour and it was huge crowd. It was a nice history behind Seattle. The host was funny and very entertaining. The tour consists of walking on some uneven grounds, narrow paths and stairs. It was a nice way to get a taste of how Seattle was born! read more

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I wanted to do this tour while I was in Seattle. It was interesting to learn about the history of Seattle/Pionner Square. The tour is a little over an hour. The tour guide I had was Klein and he was so funny! If you are in Seattle and have 1-2 hours to spare I suggest you take this tour. It was really cool being able to walk underground and sometimes you'll even hear people walking above ground. Quick and interesting tour. I was in Seattle alone and felt comfortable with my group and Klein. Some people in my group made sure I didn't walk last which was really nice of them to care about a complete stranger. read more

My niece and nephew (high school age) who I took on this tour with me have insisted that I write a 5-star review for our tour guide Andie. They enjoyed it that much! This was the 2nd time doing this tour for myself and my dad (which was in 2018). We saw different parts of the underground and learned different things. And as much as the kids loved our tour guide this time, my dad liked the one we had before better. Differences in the aspects of history focused on and the humor. We'll chalk it up to a generational thing. I appreciated the humor, especially the political digs. And the teens were super into it. I didn't see them on their life support devices (cell phones) even once. And really, there's not much of a higher review than that! It was absolutely a fun and interesting tour. And I always appreciate a tour you can enjoy multiple times. I just learned that my Seattle bestie hasn't done this tour yet. So I expect to be back soon. And I have to add that the woman who assisted us with purchasing tickets and whatnot was really nice and friendly too. read more

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Bill Speidel'sUnderground Tours is an absolute must if you want to dive into the hidden history beneath the city. The tour is fascinating, well-paced, and full of stories that bring the past to life in unexpected ways. Special shout-out to Rose-hands down the BEST tour guide! She has the perfect mix of knowledge, humor, and storytelling ability. Rosie doesn't just give facts; she makes you feel like you've stepped back in time and are part of the history yourself. Her energy kept the entire group engaged, and she answered every question with insight and charm. If you book this tour, do yourself a favor and ask for Rose-You won't regret it! read more

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We had such a great tour guide (Monica) that made the experience really fun! She had a great sense of humor with a seamless and witty delivery. The tour is a pretty good bang for your buck because you get so much history out of the tour in addition to getting to do the walkthrough. We learned so much about how Seattle started, the great fire, and how the city rebuilt in addition to getting to see what's left of the original underground storefronts. Overall would recommend! read more

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So I went to this underground tour really excited about it because my cousin suggested it. The whole wedding party went to it a few years ago with all of her Australian friends and they said it was really great. So maybe I was expecting more, but I was really disappointed. He explained the underground, and that was a good history about Seattle and was interesting, but our tour guide was absolutely horrible. Adam. I was being supportive and smiling and nodding, but then, for some reason, he turned on me when I wasn't paying attention (not my fault he was being boring at the time )and in front of the whole tour, basically belittled me and was very condescending to me.. that is not very professional. Basically, he said," oh, do I need to draw a picture?" "You don't know the answer to the question?!" I think I was just his target because I was a blonde woman. Very sexist. So rude! I have never in all of my travels, have ever had a tour guide do that to me so begrudgingly in public. He should be fired! Absolutely awful and horrible! By the way, no tour guide, comedian or any person should ever make fun of a woman or try to make blonde jokes in this day of age. It is very offensive and sexist. And it's also not very funny anymore because those jokes have been OVERdone for 100 years or so so it just means the comedian has nothing else and he's not very good at his job because if that's what he relates to that's really sad. As a person who has heard these jokes for her whole life, and then trying to go on a tour for fun, and then hearing those kind of jokes again, it's really upsetting, offensive, and not very funny, and also not original. It's old and tiring and needs to be thrown out. Come up with newer jokes. Then he also tried to hustle us out the door when we were trying to take pictures for our video and content creation. I'm a content creator. Just because he doesn't like his job doesn't mean he has to hustle us out at the door. He was only trying to hurry us up because he wanted to get off the clock sooner. His name is Adam and he is absolutely horrible. read more

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We reserved in advance an 11:00 a.m. Monday tour from one of our options of the CityPASS. The guided tour lasted about an hour and 15 minutes. You walk underground and then above ground a few times and learn about the history of the underground and Seattle. There are stairs and some tight spaces involved, so it may not be suited for everyone. There is a small gift area at the end of the tour. Restrooms are available before and after the tour. Restaurants, bars, sightseeing, and tourist attractions are nearby, as you are in the Pioneer Square area of the city. read more

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When I used to visit my Dad back when he lived in Seattle, this was one of our favorite things to do in the city. The Underground Tour is a fun way to learn about Seattle's history. After the the Great Fire of 1889, Seattle rebuilt on top of the old city. This left many of the old storefronts and sidewalks buried underground. Today you are able to tour these tunnels and see much of the old city. The tour guides not only give you a history lesson about the city of Seattle, they add a little humor to it. It is a fun tour and I always enjoy going on it. Bill Speidel is the founder of the Underground Tour and has written a couple of books about Seattle's history. The start of the tour is located in Pioneer Square. There is bar in the lobby area that offers food and drinks as you are waiting for your tour. The Underground Tour also offers an adult-only tour called The Underworld Tour. This tour is a stroll through the old red-light district and talks about Seattle's prostitution history. It has more humor in it and includes an adult beverage. read more

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5 stars isn't enough for this tour. Our guide, Rose, was AMAZING. She was professional, funny, entertaining and very knowledgeable about the history and hidden facts. Would recommend this tour to anyone visiting Seattle for a unique experience. read more

This was a pretty cool and unique experience. I was disappointed the group size was so large but they at least split us into two. Being under the city was a very cool experience, though it got quite hot at times. Unfortunately while travelling between entry points we saw a lot of unhoused people doing drugs which was uncomfortable. read more

Bill Speidel's Underground Tour - One of the artifacts - Historical Tours Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I was born & raised in Seattle & had never done this tour. It was very interesting. Our guide was Clay. He was very animated & funny. I think it's more intriguing to think you're walking in a city under the current city than there are fascinating things to see. I'm glad I finally did it though. read more

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As a fan of underground labyrinths and musty basement odors, I knew I was going to love this tour. Then came the history of this underground. Chief Si'al and the Duwamish & Suquamish people later Si'al becomes "Seattle", the founders of Seattle (Yester & Denny), The Great Fire (1889), the rebuild over the ruins) and the frenzied Gold Rush (1897). Then to my surprise, the tour guide pivoted from historian to stand=up comedian. You got to love that. The tour cost $21 for adults. It is a little bit over an hour long. There are stairs which take you up and down. And there is a small museum at the end. At the beginning of the tour there is a bar serving alcoholic beverages. What is not to like? read more

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The Underground Tour of Seattle has been on my bucket list for years. I'll be differing from my usual review outline and just deliver detailed points * First of all, the tour is, quite obviously, about the history of old Seattle. Our tour guide went over the history of how Seattle was settled, how old Seattle was built - and why it was not built well - and about life in old Seattle. He also went over the fire that happened and why Seattle is the way it is now and why we have the tunnels. * Our tour guide was so funny, oh my gosh!!! My group took the family friendly tour, but there was still some crude humor for the adults/teens to catch and it was amazing!! The tour guide was very lively and I would definitely give him a shoutout, but I can't remember his name anymore. * The air was musty in the tunnels. As someone who is sensitive and has constant allergies, it was hard to breathe, my eyes were watering a bit, and I kept sneezing. So keep that in mind if you have allergies, sensitivities around dust or mustiness, or any other breathing difficulties. * It was pretty dark or dim in some parts of the tour, but well lit in most others. There were no tripping hazards, and no one got injured or murdered by ghosts. Safety was very good. * Fun fact!! If you've ever roamed the streets of Seattle, you'll know there's sections of the sidewalk that have colored glass squares in them. Most of those are like skylights when you're down in the tunnels, you can see them and everyone walking above and it's so freaking cool. * There were so many relics, old machines, and equipment, it truly felt like taking a step back into old Seattle. * The tour is roughly 2-3 miles long. * I learned so much about the tunnels, Seattle's history, and got to see so much of the tunnels. It was dusty and a little bit nerve wracking at times, but definitely worth it!! Final thoughts: If you're a history nerd, just like exploring new places, or have a free afternoon to spend learning something new, I'd definitely recommend this tour to you!! read more

Exploring Seattle's Underground History! I was invited to experience Bill Speidel's Underground Tour in Pioneer Square, an hour-long adventure beneath the streets of Seattle. The tour is strict on timing, so be sure to arrive early--don't expect flexibility or same-day tickets! If your friends have a time already booked. Our guide kept the group entertained with puns while diving into the history of Seattle's founders, Yesler & Denny. However, the tour noticeably skimmed over the origins of the area and the Duwamish tribes, which felt like a missed opportunity to fully acknowledge the foundation of this land. It's definitely a unique way to learn about Seattle, but I'd love to see a more inclusive narrative included in the storytelling. Have you taken the tour? What are your thoughts? read more

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It was interesting! Very informative and entertaining. Our tour guide wore a great purple outfit to standout, robe and all. He was very funny throughout the tour. There's a lot of walking and climbing stairs. I wouldn't recommend this tour for children under 12 or adults with difficulties walking or climbing. Wish their bar would be open and not just for show. read more

Bill Speidel's Underground Tour - Historical Tours Near Me - Seattle, Washington

After living in Seattle for over 30 years, finally did the underground tour. This was SO much fun! Our tour guide Adam was awesome, lots of hilarious tongue in cheek jokes (some may not be appropriate for kids), lots of history, humor, and some spooky walks under ground. Definitely recommend! Really enjoyed it, well worth the ticket. read more

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Tour was extremely entertaining and engaging for all ages. We had all ages in our group of about 50 and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. They do seem to be large groups. So, I suggest you stick close to the tour guide as they do not use microphones. If you're at the back of the pack, it was hard to hear. There are definitely lots of steps, and no elevators or escalators. So keep that in mind if you have trouble with stairs. You go down a flight of stairs and explore. Go back up the same flight of stairs, walk around the block, and go down another flight of stairs. Explore and tour some more. Then go back up same flight of stairs and repeat. So it's not a lot of stairs all at once. It's just frequent. We found it extremely interesting and would recommend it if you have some free time! read more

I recommend this tour to anyone visiting Seattle. The price is $21/per adult and the tour took around 70min. We had a very large group but still managed to hear the tour guide well. Our guide was well knowledgeable and kept our attention. Lots of laughs and interesting facts. We didn't have a reservation and they were able to accommodate us as walk-ins. Recommendation: bring a water bottle and use the restrooms prior to checking in 15 minutes before your tour starts to be well prepared. There are no restroom breaks or water available on the tour **Please note that this is NOT an wheelchair accessible tour. Several flights of stairs required. read more

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Andie was our tour guide and she was such a joy. Did a lot of jokes in between introductions on buildings and photos. Can rlly see that she's passionate about the history. Pretty cool tour you get to go underground 3 times and see stuff that was there since the 1900s. read more

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This tour is something else--the history is salacious and seems whimsical from today's perspective. Men without morals, founders of Seattle whose names now rest on streets well traveled. Our tour guide, Rose, is a gem herself--clearly not her first time guiding this tour, with wit, depth and insinuation, you're a lucky duck if you get Rose when you go! I swear from this point forward I will always chuckle at the word "seamstresses"! read more

We took the tour with a small group of adults. I had no idea about this history of the city. Our tour guide made the entire tour fun, informative and interesting. We all very much enjoyed our time. I don't want to give away any 'secrets' and definitely recommend taking a tour under the sidewalks of Seattle! On street parking. Reservations on line. Gift shop and museum at end of tour. Discount at dive bar nearby if you arrive early and ask at the check in desk 'where can I wait for my tour?' Restrooms available at the beginning of the tour, but once outside, there are no restroom stops for the duration of the tour. Plenty of toilets, but none you can use. You'll see. Enjoy! read more

The minute I saw tiktoks on people doing the underground tour, I knew it was a must when I was planning our Seattle itinerary. The tour gave us the history of Seattle that we've never even heard of. The tour was enjoyable and not even the least bit stinky (those who have taken the tour will understand). read more

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Underground tour was worth every minute. We went for a birthday celebration!!!!!!!!!! read more

Bill Speidel's Underground Tour - Happy 22nd Birthday Kylaijah - Historical Tours Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This was way better than I was expecting! Our tour guide was funny from one end to the other (great use of poop jokes during the historical discussion of Seattle's sewer issues). There was more to see than I was expecting and the walk was a perfect length. Be prepared for stairs and you will be up and down. It's absolutely worth it! read more

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Pretty cool tour. Was in a group with a large choir group which, in April, is pretty common so beware. Was a little hard to hear the tour guide/get any time to talk with him as a result but was still cool. Such interesting history and stories of Seattle. Def worth your time if you're interested in this sort of thing read more

I wish I picked another day to tour underground instead of the day I had to leave for the airport to go home. I went at the earliest available time (10am) and rushed back to the hotel to check out. Even though the tour is about 70 minutes, there is a small museum to look at at the end so you can stay for a little bit. I didn't have much time to enjoy the museum. I guess I will have to come back again. Rose was our tour guide and she knew a lot and was great at her introductory lecture about the beginning history of Seattle, the men who settled into the land that is now Seattle, and the history of how crappers came to be. I first heard about underground Seattle from content creators on YouTube. I knew before my trip to Seattle that I would want to go on an underground tour. I would recommend this tour to anyone remotely interested in the history of Seattle. I think the pricing is fair (compared to how much I paid for City Pass). read more

Imagine a guy with the hair and manic energy of Weird Al and the humor of Henny Youngman, and that would be our tour guide. Be ready for rapid-fire one liners interspersed with some fascinating history of the city. The underground tunnels themselves are moderately interesting but the guide adds the pizzazz that elevates the tour to a really enjoyable experience. read more

4.5 stars. We have Clay as our guide. He was very funny and knowledgeable. You get to learn about the history of Seattle in its early days. Walking underground is really cool. Knocked down half a star because the gift store is gone. I was looking forward to getting some souvenirs. Clay said after Covid they lost the suppliers. Hmmm on that one. During peak season please buy tickets online ahead of time. Highly recommend. read more

Second time being on the tour (after 5 years); I am having a lovely lady as my tour guide this time, she is sooo funny and so knowledgeable; but her voice was very quiet so it was almost impossible to hear her if we r not super near her. The tour size was huge so it was impossible to hear her at all for about 30 % of the time. Thus taking one star off. If u see there r no spots online, don't be scared, call them! They always have some open spots and will reserve tix for u!! Sooo fun. read more

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Go TJ, Go (applause)! This was a vacation favorite! We were so pleased with Bill Speidel's Underground Tour and I would say it's is a must do (local or tourist) when in Seattle. Such an amazing time and so happy we were able to get tickets on our last day. Tickets for two online plus taxes and fees were $48.96. This does not include the optional tour guide gratuities at the end and highly recommend a tip especially if they do an amazing job like TJ. The entrance is located at 614 1st Avenue (Howard Building), in the Pioneer Place Park at Pioneer Square. Our tour guide was TJ and he wears his signature all purple ensemble including a purple bath robe. Each tour guide customizes and highlights each tour so no two are exactly the same. He educated us all about the history of Seattle over the years, particularly focusing on those early year and the developments that lead to the city we know today. Especially loved hearing about Madam Lou Graham and her many contributions to the citizens, the city itself, and the public education system upon her death. You are lead through basements, walk above ground, and through the underground. It's fun to look and take everything in and imagine what it was like back in the day. We never left Pioneer's Square area which was fascinating when you think about it. Book in advance as they tend to sell out. Five stars and super thank you to TJ he really is the best with history, humor, and is an excellent guide. Go do it! read more

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This was my first time in ages since I've done this tour. Our tour guide, Andy, was super awesome, and she had plenty of knowledge about the Underground and shared a small piece of Seattle history. Andy made it fun for everyone, and at the end of the tour, she showed her appreciation for everyone taking the tour. If you haven't done this tour, take it. You'll love the info. shared, and you won't at parts of seattle the same again. read more

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A date in my early 20s. A middle school field trip. Family visiting from out of state. These are the reasons I've taken this tour 3 times. If you take this tour then you're really taking Downtown Seattle 101 but in a fun and engaging way. I feel like some pre-reqs for becoming a tour guide is that you'd probably have a background in theater (theatahhhh!) and comedy. They do a pretty good job with storytelling, at least that was the case with my guide. You really need those skills if you're explaining the development of the city in a non-dry way. Summertime is good because you won't need rain gear. Off season is good too since it won't be too crowded. Good thing about being in Pioneer Square is if you want to continue learning about Seattle history you can visit the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park afterwards. It's about 5 blocks away and it's free. read more

After doing a bit of research about the underground tunnels, i read that this one was a little better than the other one. Boy was i glad i chose this. I've been on a lot of these tour thingies from all my travels and I've learned a few tricks to making your experience much better: show enthusiasm, light heckling, and stand close to the guide. Keon was an excellent guide. He was witty, charming, certainly knowledgeable, and we were also a pretty lively group. Someone even asked how long he has been a comedian because his delivery was on point. He had a lot of great puns, jokes, and was also able to work the crowd in a very family friendly way. It's about a 75 minute tour, but definitely doesn't feel like it. In total, we walked maybe 4 blocks? Popping in and out of different alleys when going up and down the stairs (yes, there are stairs, so if you're not very mobile, it might be challenging for you). I knocked a star off the review because the group was way too large. I think we had maybe 30-40 people in the group. There was no way everyone was getting the full experience when only one person can walk around the stairways at a time. I guess the price mitigates the experience. Worth the $22 for 75 minutes? Sure. It's a pretty fun thing to do. read more

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Surprisingly, the verbal portion of the tour is far more interesting than being "underground" and what you will see while you are underground. I mean, sure, you'll see a toilet or two on the tour but I'm assuming--and hoping--you've seen toilets before. But being underground is obviously important to the tour. The Underground is really a lot of dusty rooms and corridors and storage space. But you're going to learn a lot about the history and development of Seattle and why the underground exists. You'll also learn about the Crapper. It's a family-friendly tour and fine for all ages but there were a number of very young kids (5ish or younger) on our tour who were bored out of their minds. That is no fault of our tour guide or the tour itself. Very small kids are just not into history. It's a fun, informative tour. Be prepared to do a little bit of walking as you tour one underground space, exit above ground, and then head to other underground spaces. And watch your step. read more

Bill Speidel's Underground Tour - Because you need another photo of the Crapper. - Historical Tours Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I normally don't leave reviews, but I feel it's important to share my experience. I booked with this business and unfortunately arrived late due to circumstances outside of my control. My wife is pregnant and we called in advance for some leeway. I had hoped for some compassion and understanding, but instead I was told there would be no refund or accommodation. While I understand the business has a "no refund" policy, customer service is about more than just policy it's about treating people with fairness and empathy. Life happens, especially during a time we have someone with special circumstances in our group and a little flexibility could have gone a long way in creating a positive experience. Instead, I left feeling dismissed and disappointed. Policies may be necessary, but compassion and customer care are what truly make a business stand out. read more

I had no idea what to expect going in but I had a great time on Bill Speidel's Underground Tour. Jim was a fantastic guide and provided a very welcome mix of humor and history. The tour was very cheap and I'd recommend anyone with a mid-afternoon lull to make their way over to Pioneer Square for the tour. read more

It was a great tour in terms of where all we visited underground, but the person leading the tour made a lot of jokes revolving around the facts. For me, I was hoping to get a lot more historical facts. I don't know how this compares with the other tour company; if you want to be entertained, this tour might be for you. As for me, I was a bit disappointed comparing to my first Underground Seattle tour taken so 30-40 years ago. read more