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Pioneer Square

3.3 (101 reviews)

Pioneer Square Photos

Recommended Reviews - Pioneer Square

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Pioneer Square Pergola
Travis T.

If you love Seattle and want to get to know more about its history, this is the place to hang out at. I have gotten to know this area well from doing the Underground Tour on many occasions. Pioneer Square was built in 1853, but was mostly destroyed by the Great Seattle Fire of 1889. It was rebuilt not too long later and is a popular destination for tourists today. A couple of historic things to check out in Pioneer Square include the Iron Victorian Pergola and a Tlingit Totem Pole. The Merchants Cafe is Seattle's oldest restaurant. You can see the "Sinking Ship" garage and the pencil-shaped Smith Tower from the plaza area. Pioneer Building is a cool old building that is one of over fifty buildings that were rebuilt in Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style after the fire. Bill Speidel's Underground Tour is located in Pioneer Square and is a popular tour that tells the story of the early days of Seattle. This was always a favorite thing for my Dad and I to do when he lived here. In addition to the Underground Tour, my favorite things about Pioneer Square are the cafes, bookstores and art galleries. Pioneer Park is the heart of Pioneer Square and a great place to hang out, play games and relax. Check out First Thursday Art Walk when all of the nearby art galleries open up for people to enjoy. My only knock is that a lot of homeless people camp out in the park.

Ultima M.

Nice open park with family friendly games to take part in There are tables and chairs for sitting Lots of store fronts and restaurants near Underground city tour is available Lots of history There are some sketchy parts and or vagrants laying around so be alert

Magda G.

We did it for the stroll. There are totem polls and a small park in the area. There is a firefighter sculpture as a photo op. Most spots were closed so not much to look at. There were a few sus people around.

Totem
Les R.

We hung out in Pioneer Square before our Bill Speidel's Underground tour and again after lunch. Check out the park with the Totem Pole and Chief Seattle bust. There are some shopping options around the square and places to get some food. Pioneer Square lays claim to be Seattle's first neighborhood. It's really cool to learn of the history of the area and how the street and store fronts were originally one floor below. You can still check out some of the underground city and walk underneath Pioneer Square in some areas.

Mei T.

This is a nice park with jumbo sized games such as Chess and Connect 4 that were available for the public to use free of charge. There were lots of trees for shading and tables/chairs for sitting. It was clean and well kept.

Signs near the square. 9/20/2021
Rachel S.

Do not come here, especially with children. As of 9/20/2021, the entire place is now a very unsafe homeless camp. It is completely unusable for the general public. Homeless people who are on drugs are so numerous, that they line the streets because the entire square is filled with tents. Do NOT go there.

Decorated protective boards on a business - By Wakuda Studio
Eva M.

I really want to love Pioneer Square. Beautiful, old-style architecture, unique shops, used to be filled with galleries, used to be filled with restaurants and bars, etc. Then the drugs and the houseless gathered here, then it was all downhill with crime, violence, threats against the businesses and patrons. And then the pandemic and protests made things even worse, as if that was possible. When we visited back in April, the Seattle mayor had swept through these streets removing, I'll just say, "a lot of things." It was daylight at about 7pm on a Sunday, it felt safe enough, but it also had an eerie vibe. The city blocks felt void of life and sound, minus a bar or two that had outside seating. Many businesses had permanently closed. The store fronts are covered with the decorated boards that protected the businesses since 2020. In many cases, those businesses never returned. We wandered, taking photos of the art, sculptures, and the decorated boards. We visited businesses that were still open, such as Arundel Books. I think realistically, Pioneer Square is 2 Stars during the evening time. If you're there during the day time and enjoying the art and architecture, then it's 3+ Stars.

Signs
Andrea U.

Beautiful brownstones, art galleries, coffee shops and trendy bars fill Pioneer Square's late-1800s Romanesque Revival buildings. Underground tours explore subterranean streets, and learn about Seattle's roots at the Klondike Gold Rush National Park. There are supposed to be Food Trucks in Occidental Square, but it looked pretty quiet.

Seattle's Pioneer Square
Bruce K.

This is classic "Old Seattle" that dates back to the earlier days of development here. From the age of the buildings and streets, it's clear that this area was intensively rebuilt after the Great Seattle Fire of 1889. Brick and stone buildings for blocks surround the square. Smith Tower is nearby and you can't miss the tall totem pole in the square. Art galleries, cafes, sports bars and more are here. Other than a few homeless (who generally stay uphill at the City Hall Park), it's a cool hangout.

Old arcade
Desmond F.

I had never visited this area of Seattle before but SO's family had organized a family photo shoot and they picked this place. For a weekday and coming off the tail of COVID restrictions it was pretty desolate. The only other people were other people doing photo shoots and the occasional *ahem* domicile challenged individual. There are art pieces, a jungle gym in a setting with historic buildings and trees that allow dappled light. I can see why people choose it for a backdrop for photoshoots the other photo group happened to be an engagement shoot and they were getting some good shots as well. I can imagine this place bustling after a game or during a weekend drinking night so the place does seem a bit rough if you're looking at it purely objectively....we did notice some "leavings" from the aforementioned bums or dogs...or both. Still, the pictures looked nice so mission accomplished there!

Totem Pole in Pioneer Square
Michael S.

By day, Pioneer Square is a rain-soaked "playground" for tourists and underground tours. At night, it's a homeless haven where the word "skid row" actually originated. Much like Rudy Giuliani, this area gets old and scary quick. Little-known fact: The square is actually a triangle ... because the small plaza near 1st Ave and Yesler Way only has three sides. Of course, this is the section of town hyped as the main location that settlers settled in Seattle back in 1852. Nowadays, you'll settle for a discount hotel in Pioneer Square within walking distance of the Waterfront, Centurylink Field, Safeco Field, or even Pike Place Market. My wife and I have done the tours, gone to concerts and sporting events, eaten at many of the area restaurants, and stayed in hotels around Pioneer Square several times. At night, stick with Uber for transportation, otherwise, Pioneer Square is an ok part of town convenient to several better parts of Seattle.

Wall of the underground.

Vibrant neighborhood to visit in Seattle. Enjoyed touring the area and learning about the area's rich history during our underground tour.

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16 years ago

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7 years ago

Having a great time walking around and just getting lost in Seattle. Site seeing, shops, food, Ppl watching.. amazing.....

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15 years ago

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12 years ago

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11 years ago

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15 years ago

A wonderful side of Seattle. Old, chic, buried in history. Pun intended.

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14 years ago

can be sketchy in some areas but there are some things worth seeing here. love the waterfall garden

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18 years ago

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Review Highlights - Pioneer Square

They also have the outdoor market on saturdays with local artist selling their goods and mobile food vendors such as Skillet, Ram & Rooster Dumplings and Parfait Organic Ice Cream.

Mentioned in 2 reviews

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Kerry Park - 2037pdt on 5/28/24

Kerry Park

4.7(1.1k reviews)
2.3 miLower Queen Anne

Free activity in Seattle, Washington…read more.. When I was at the Post Office, mailing some postcards, the friendly clerk suggested that I go to Kerry Park to view in person, the city skyline as depicted in these postcards... OK! My niece was surprised at the size of "the park". It seems to be more like a strip of lawn instead of a park. Well... we were there for the beautiful view of Seattle and were happy to get a free parking space on the street! There also was an interesting steel sculpture called: Changing Form. It's 15 feet tall and can be used as a nice frame to photograph the Space Needle and its surroundings!

On clear days you can get an amazing view of Elliott Bay and the Central City (with the Space…read moreNeedle of course!), with a backdrop of Mount Rainier. The viewpoint is thoughtfully designed so many people can line up against the railings without too much trouble instead of photographers trying to jockey for space. If you didn't bring binoculars, there's a few coin operated telescopes to help you look at things in the distance. There's also a cool statue here if you're interested, and if you go down the steps there's a small playground. I'm not sure if I've ever seen anyone use the playground though, since there are no bathrooms associated with the park and small kids can have bathroom emergencies. There are businesses nearby where I guess you could technically ask to use the washrooms, but it's just another hassle. Note: street parking only.

Photos
Kerry Park - Seattle skyline with the Space Needle

Seattle skyline with the Space Needle

Kerry Park
Kerry Park - Classic Seattle Skyline through sculpture.

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Classic Seattle Skyline through sculpture.

Discovery Park

Discovery Park

4.6(493 reviews)
6.3 miMagnolia

A Seattle Gem with Breathtaking Views!…read more Discovery Park is hands down one of the most beautiful spots in Seattle. My husband grew up in Magnolia, so he took me here for a hike last weekend, and I was completely blown away. ​We explored the south side and walked the Loop Trail. The path is well-maintained and offers stunning panoramic views of the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. It's hard to believe you're still within the city limits! It's the largest park in the city, so there is plenty of space to enjoy nature. Whether you want a serious hike or just a peaceful stroll to see the water, this is the place to go. Don't forget your camera--the scenery is post-card perfect!

Seattle's Discovery Park is the bee's knees! I was completely blown away by this picturesque public…read morespace. From an urban park perspective, the only other experience that comes close for me is when I moved to the Old Town Manchester neighborhood in Richmond, Virginia, and had Belle Isle in my backyard, which offers access to hiking, large flat rocks for sunbathing, and whitewater rafting on Class II, III, and IV rapids on the James River right in the middle of downtown. Okay, back to Discovery Park. I spent an entire day exploring the park. I started by ordering a carryout lunch at Damoori Kitchen, which is now closed according to Yelp. I then walked to Discovery Park and hiked the 4.4-mile Discovery Park and Lighthouse Loop. A map for that trail can be accessed using a trail app. The loop trail took me through several ecosystems such as coastal meadows, tidal beaches, forest groves, sand dunes, and vast stretches of thickets with wild berries. Once I finished hiking the loop, I walked back to Damoori Kitchen and caught a rideshare back to downtown Seattle. Highlights from my Discovery Park adventure included eating lunch at the tidal beach, exploring sea cliffs, seeing jaw-dropping views of Mount Rainier, hiking past the West Point Lighthouse, and experiencing the sights, sounds, flora, and fauna of the park's majestic landscape.

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Discovery Park
Discovery Park
Discovery Park

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Volunteer Park

Volunteer Park

4.6(224 reviews)
2.2 miCapitol Hill

Smackdab right in the middle of Seattle, this park is a treasure! In addition to the wide open…read morespaces, trees, and fountains, the Volunteer Park Conservatory and the Seattle Asian Art Museum are also located here. If you want to see a good view of Seattle, check out the Volunteer Park Water Tower's observation deck in the southeast corner of Volunteer Park right on top of Capitol Hill. There's no elevator so be prepared to climb the 107 stairs to the top and be rewarded with 360-degree view of Seattle! There are bars and fencing at the windows though, which does detract a little from the experience. Between the windows are informational signs about Seattle's history. I'll be back to check out the art museum and the conservatory in the future!

Definitely worth a visit. Volunteer Park is a beautiful historic park located in the heart of…read moreSeattle, designed by the Olmsted Brothers and a it's a must see as one of Seattle's well known landmarks. We skipped the inside of conservatory and Asian Art Museum but enjoyed strolling the grounds and admiring the views and taking in the fresh are. The sculpture, Black Sun by Isamu Noguchi, is here too and perfectly frames the Space Needle when you look through it. The highlight was climbing the water tower. The hike up was tiring, we were so out of breath and had to take some breaks, but the views were stunning. Definitely worth it and the walk down was so much easier! The park is peaceful and well-maintained, with plenty of spots to relax. Parking is free but fills up fast. A must-visit for locals and tourists alike! Check out the website for more info at https://www.seattle.gov/parks/allparks/volunteer-park

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Volunteer Park - Volunteer Park Conservatory (3/25/23)

Volunteer Park Conservatory (3/25/23)

Volunteer Park - Seattle Asian Art Mueseum (3/25/23)

Seattle Asian Art Mueseum (3/25/23)

Volunteer Park

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Pier 58

Pier 58

4.1(66 reviews)
0.5 miWaterfront

This area looks so much better now that the old Alaskan Way Viaduct was removed back in 2019. The…read morepark was designed with pedestrians in mind. It keeps people away from the tunnel traffic along that road. It's still a work in progress with many developments planned in the future. There's still a lot of construction near Belltown as of June 2025. We stayed in a hotel near the park. It's super close to Pier 66. The park currently connects Pioneer Square with Pier 62, and has great views of Elliott Bay. We took the elevator up to the Overlook Walk so that we could gain access to Pike Place Market. There are also stairs that take you there from each side of the walkway. I don't remember it being this easy back in 2011. Heck, I don't even remember seeing the ferris wheel at Pier 57. When did that happen? It's a large and beautiful greenspace that's perfect for locals & tourists alike. We kind of lost our bearings for a bit, but then it became all clear that we were headed the right way to the market. I really like what they have done here. It will be cool to see it again once it's all done, and there's no more construction. It was a nice walk along the bay.

Walking distance from the ferry terminal on our way to Pikes Place market this was a cute, well…read morekept area for families and kids. So many climbing options and opportunities for the kiddos to get tired. The kids seemed to really love the slide.

Photos
Pier 58 - The entrepreneur on the left provided snakes for photo op. The gent on the right grimaced when the snake wrapped its tail around his neck.

The entrepreneur on the left provided snakes for photo op. The gent on the right grimaced when the snake wrapped its tail around his neck.

Pier 58
Pier 58

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Pioneer Square - parks - Updated May 2026

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