Went on the Seattle free walking tour on a Saturday. I have been on many free tours as a way to get to know a new city and was hoping this would be similar. Unfortunately my friend and I found the tour rather boring. The leader (cannot recall his name) initially shared some interesting history, but we actually saw very little of the city. We spent way too long at some of the 'stops' listening to the guide's stories, but we got tired of his 'jokes' and just didn't find it very engaging. The tour could have been 1 hour... 2 hours was way too long. read more

https://seattlefreetours.com/ We opted for two tours from Seattle Free Walking Tours, and both were entertaining, educational, and highly enjoyable! SEATTLE 101 Tour guide Joe provided an in-depth history of Seattle, with plenty of stops to showcase key points of interest. Joe was really personable, very funny, and offered a wealth of facts and info. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! THE MARKET EXPERIENCE TOUR Tour guide Curtis delivered a history and tour of Pike Place Market - and it is essential, because the place is huge. With so many twisty buildings, unexpected stairwells and hard-to-find areas this tour was as informative and helpful as it was entertaining. Next time you are in Seattle sign up for these tours!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! read more

What a great experience! I live in Seattle and have always wanted to do this. We booked a private tour and Emmett gave us a delightfully informative and entertaining walking tour through the Pike Place Market. I would highly recommend this experience for visitors and locals alike. read more

Seattle Free Walking Tours - Walking Tours Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Joe was my tour guide and he was amazing! I arrived before the allotted time and I was nervous and skeptical (as most people are of free things) but I was pleasantly surprised when Joe walked up making it VERY obvious he was the guide we were looking for. He had so many fun stories and facts to share along the way and I definitely recommend to anyone visiting seattle! read more

Emmett was fantastic and very knowledgeable and humorous. It was a cold day so come dressed for the weather.

I highly recommend Seattle Walking Tours! Our tour guide was Curtis. He was clear, concise, and easy to follow! He is a fantastic guide with a wealth of information!! read more

My husband and I had the pleasure of taking the tour with Joe as our guide, and we absolutely loved it! He's not only incredibly knowledgeable but also wonderfully charismatic. We enjoyed every conversation with him, asked tons of questions, and he even took great photos of us. What we appreciated most is that this is one of those free tours with no sugar-coating -- you get the real history of the city, which makes you connect deeply with how Seattle's past has shaped the character of its people. Highly recommended! read more

Oh my goodness we did the Pike Place Market and it exceeded our expectations!! Emmett was our tour guide and not only was he hilarious, he taught us so much information on the history of the market in a short period. I wish we had more time to do the other tour with him. 10/10 recommend!! read more

I always enjoy taking walking tours. We took The Market Experience (9:30 AM to 10:30 AM PST) and the Seattle 101 (11:00 AM to 1:00 PM PST ) tour with Amalia on the same day. Since the totem poles section of Pike Place was closed, we met her beneath the Mighty Oak on Western Ave & Virginia St. Both tours were really informational and Amalia has a great sense of humor and is very knowledgeable. For the Market Experience tour, we walked around Pike Place and she talked about the oldest Starbucks, Rachel the Pig, saw the famous fish throwers, the Gum Wall. For the Seattle 101, she talked about the Great Fire Seattle, walked to Pioneer Square and learned about totem poles, and the waterfront. She also stopped for photo opportunities. In addition, she gave great recommendations for food and night activities. These tours are pay what you like walking tours. It was a great opportunity to learn about Pike Place and the history of Seattle from a true Seattlelite. read more

Took the Market tour with Emmett. Got the insider perspective of the oldest continuous running farmers market in the US from a real local

This review are for 2 separate Seattle Free Walking Tours, The Market Experience AND Seattle 101. I thought that I would be able to post 2 separate reviews for each tour, but unfortunately Yelp did not allow it. Both tours are free and the "payment" are the tips to the guide. No tip is required so if you truly did not enjoy the experience, you don't have to pay anything. Some free tour guides may suggest a specific dollar amount but in my experience, most do not. I appreciated that our tour guide did not specify an amount but I will say that in most cases, people tip $15-20 per person on average. The Market Experience focused on Seattle's world famous Pike Place. It is a great introductory tour as it not only provides history but also gives you a general sense of the area should you want to return and explore on your own. The guide on both tours was Amalia and she was great. She was friendly, enthusiastic, provided great info, and was open to any and all questions. Pike Place is huge and the tour is only 1 hour long so there is only so much that Amalia can show you but she does take you to the more famous places in the marketplace. Onto the Seattle 101 tour. This tour was 2 hours long also led by Amalia and once again, it's a great introductory tour of Seattle. You stay in the Downtown area and Pike Place so you don't wander too far, but there are a couple of parts that are uphill so it can be a little straining. This tour covers some more famous places but it is a nice way to see some of Seattle via this walking tour. I don't normally sign up for 2 walking tours back to back but both places started at the same place and the tour was only 30 min. apart so why not. It allowed for me to end the Market Experience tour with some info on places to eat, so I enjoyed some snacks while waiting for Seattle 101 to start. Both great tours to get acclimated to Seattle. read more

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Amalia was awesome! We went on the Seattle 101 tour as a family and had a great time walking through downtown Seattle and learning the history of it all. Amalia was informative as well as informed, making sure to speak about the native people and culture in a respectful way. The tour was about 2 hours long but we were so entertained that it didn't feel that way. Other than one steep hill, the walk was very casual and doable. read more

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Had an excellent time and tour. Sean was an outstanding guide full of good local info and tips. Highly recommend these tours. Enjoy. read more

This tour is awesome!! Public market center aka Pike Market is so cool in itself with older style architecture small nooks and crannies old stairways and alleys. The tour is a walking tour through around and in the old 11 acre market place. Jake made the tour fun and interesting. He led us on a very interesting tour highlighting origins of the market itself. Jake even got us some vendor food samples. The tour lasted about 1 hour 15 min and Jake was very informative and entertaining. I would recommend this tour to anybody looking to visit the market. The tour is funded by donations and you give what you think is fair. This tour is a must go!! read more

Seattle Free Walking Tours - Walking Tours Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We took the Pike Market Walking Tour with Joe and the Seattle 101 with Curtis. Both tours and guides were great! We learned lots and enjoyed their humor! read more

I found out about Seattle Free Walking Tours doing a quick Google search of "free things to do in Seattle" lmao. It's a definitely must-do if you've never been to Seattle and want to 411 on the city. Jake was our guide for the 2 hours and he was AMAZING! Not only was he giving us all the history of Seattle and how it came about, he dropped in juicy tidbits about the best happy hours, best restaurants, and best hiking spots to go to make the best of our Seattle trip. And best of all: Jake was FUNNY. I laughed too much on this tour. At the end of the tour, it is a "pay what you feel" deal. Some tips: - Dress accordingly! Wear the right shoes and definitely bundle up as you'll be walking in the elements 99.99% of the time. - Definitely ask questions! Your tour guide is there to answer and provide their take on what's what. I fully recommend taking this if you've never been to Seattle, or are interested in finding out more of the history of this cool little city! read more

This is a late review, but I had to share my experience. My husband and I traveled for the first time to Seattle on September 14. After searching on the web, we found excellent recommendations about these tours. "Seattle 101" and "The Market Experience", both are highly recommended. We took both tours with Shawn and Joe (on different days). Both are very experienced, dynamic and knowledgable. Those tours helped us with our following days in Seattle. Keep up the good work guys! read more

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Our group had a blast with our tour guide, Amalia (hopefully spelled her name right!) with the Seattle 101 tour. She was so so knowledgeable about the city and the history, and also very enthusiastic which helped us stay engaged. The stories told were a mix of interesting facts, history, art, and funny stories! She also tied in the stories with the city around us, and not just specific historic landmarks. We learned so much about Seattle, and I hope to see these types of tours more around the US! Highly recommend checking out these tours to get a layout of Seattle read more

Great job to Shawn!!! I went on both tours they offered: Seattle 101 and the Market Experience. Shawn was a great tour guide and interacted well with all guests. He showed us so many things and gave geat retelling of Seattle history. Not only did we get his fantastic delivery, we also got to meet other people from around the globe. If you are wondering if it's worth your time and tip money, it is. Definitely check out Seattle Free Walking Tours. It will enrich your Seattle experience immensely. read more

Love this company! I try to take walking tours wherever I visit, and I've been on the same tour (Seattle 101) three times now with various visitors and it's been great each time. I've had two different guides but they were both informative and entertaining, though vary a bit in their knowledge, which is a bonus because you can learn different extra things even if you've already been on a tour. The two-hours is a perfect amount of time to squeeze into a day trip. Really recommend them! read more

My husband and I participated in the Seattle 101 and Pike Place market tours, both were awesome! Our tour guide Joe was excellent, definitely recommend taking his tours if you can! read more

We enjoyed our walking tour with Joe immensely. He was hilarious and knowledgeable. He had a group of about 40 from all over the world and made everyone feel welcome and special. Fantastic stories about all things Seattle. read more

Free walking tours are not very common in the US, with the exception of some of the larger cities. Why should you take a tour: + The name says it all, they are free. Upfront you will hear about a 2 minute explanation of the concept. That being said, at the end, it is customary to pay what you feel your time and experience was worth without pressure. + They offer the Market Experience (Pike's Place Market) and a Seattle 101, which can be done on the same day. + The guides are local and full of knowledge, and they love what they do. Joe was awesome in providing history, side commentary, and tips on where to go. +The tours are a great way to get your feet wet if you are afraid to explore on your own or just to get an idea of places to further explore on your own. Tips: ***Book early, as tours can be sold out or wait listed. The Market Experience is limited to 16 people. ***Meeting point for the tours is at Victor Steinbrueck Park, between the two totem poles. ***Tours do operate in the rain, because if they didn't they would operate for ~ two thirds of the year. It rains a lot in Seattle, so plan accordingly. read more

Free Walking Tour is a MUST DO when visiting Seattle. Last Wednesday, my husband and I did the market experience tour at 9:30 am and the Seattle 101 downtown tour at 11 am (definitely nice to be able to do both tours on the same day). Shawn was our tour guide for both and we found him to be very informative and friendly. He added some humor and interesting facts about Seattle. For the market tour, we walked through the famous Pike Place Market, with a walk through post alley (an neglected part of the market), the famous gum wall and a few other vendors along the way for some yummy food samples that included smoked salmon, dried fruit and fresh fruit. Being on this tour, also were given discounts at the vendors who provided samples of their food (definitely a plus!). For the downtown tour, there is quite a bit of walking so be sure to bring snacks and wear a good pair of walking shoes. Also bring a hat to shade your face and even a pair of sunglasses if you wish. Shawn brought our group to various places that includes the Seattle Art Museum (to see the Man Of Work statue (the 2nd largest in the world), Pioneer Square and the sinking ship parking structure, above the underground city and the waterfront. By the way, I had asked Shawn if I would have been allowed to bring my little dog on this tour. He said he thought it would be fine. But that I would probably have to be in the back so that no one accidentally steps on my dog, etc. If I had known ahead of time, I would have brought my little girl dog. But figured I would let future tour guests know. Being that this tour is free, you are free to pay whatever you want. You are also welcomed to just leave after the tour is over if you do not wish to pay. I love that Shawn did not pressure us or anyone to pay anything, on both tours. Making a reservation on line is really easy. I was even sent a reminder email a few days before as well. I would highly recommend making a reservation for both tours, especially at the start of your vacation so that you can get some tips and recommendations from your tour guide on what else to see in Seattle during the remainder of your stay. read more

Seattle Free Walking Tours - Shawn, Guide For Market Experience Tour - Walking Tours Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I really enjoyed this free tour of Seattle. Our tour guide, Shawn, was able to deliver a creative and humorous spin on the history and culture of Seattle. The two hour tour was the perfect amount of time to get a feel for the city. Shawn offered opinions and recommendations on other activities and experiences in the area which was helpful in planning extra stops during my stay. The tour is free so anyone can enjoy but I happily tipped at the end. read more

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This tour is totally worth its time, because our guide, Joe is awesome. He delivers interesting tidbits about the history and operations of the market with humor and passion. The speech totally doesn't feel scripted, and his knowledge shows when he answers our question with ease. Hopefully you will schedule more than the tour time for the market, as the tour is a great introduction and afterwards you can explore in depth on your own. As a matter of fact, we ended up going to the market three times during our stay. The tour is free but do go online to reserve your spot. read more

My daughter and I had a great time on both tours!! So fun and informative. Joe was fantastic and engaging. Emmet was super nice. Met some wonderful people too. Highly recommend!! read more

Is anything good really free anymore? I think not. But if you really look at the essence of it all, you know this still falls under "free" because if you DON'T want to give a single cent...you CAN. True, it is American to TIP and to give 10/15/20/25+% at a diner because it pretty much is tradition. However, do remember that you still can technically WALTZ away without dropping a cent and NOBODY can do anything BUT *whine* when you do so. That...technically makes this a free tour. Does something "free" then cheapen something this good (or hint at lackluster performance)? I'd say not. I've gone on several "free" walking tours with the lady as we traveled and learned to love the world as we love each other. It is one of the fun ways to learn a LOT about a city within a very short period of time. Tours such as these are usually led by locals, who not only know an extensive amount of the area but also took the time to do further research to add more value to their work. It is the fastest way to be brought up to speed to nearly everything in the area! It's like someone who did their homework and then pulled you aside to explain it all to you. YES, thou lazy fart...this is for YOU! =P Now for the tour itself...the lady and I wanted to do the Pike Place Public Market instead of the downtown tour. The market was the real reason we were in Seattle and despite having been there for two days in a row, we still wanted an extra perspective from someone who knew significantly more about it. We were not disappointed in the least. Jake gave a lot of background information on the market and the surrounding shops. He told the history of Starbucks and it's original location as well as why they were still part of the Pike Place Market. Moreover, it became obvious that Jake had built relationships with some of the mainstay vendors as they greeted us and were more than glad to explain their goods and share a lot of samples. We stopped by two fish shops (one gave us a smoked salmon sample that was to die for that we immediately bought the biggest piece to bring back home, which I'll also review later on), a jam-jelly place that had the most spectacular jelly samples, various dried foods, and even fresh fruit stands! ALL in all...in Seattle, take the time to be lazy and get led by someone in the know-how. You won't be disappointed. After all, if you don't learn anything and are cheap enough, you can still WALTZ away without dropping a cent. Please don't be that turd though. 15/09LR read more

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Did the Seattle 101 Tour with Amalia and she was outstanding. Geniunely interested in making everyone more enlightened about her home town. Full of energy for two straight hours, which is really hard to do! Great mix of stories and funny anecdotes and I feel like I got to know the city. Would definitely recommend. read more

We had an AMAZING time on the Seattle 101 tour with Joe! He was a fantastic guide, perfectly balancing humor with history, and keeping the group interested. It was truly impressive as the group was a mix of European and American tourists, but he kept all of us highly entertained and engaged. This is a MUST if you want to see Seattle through fresh eyes, or for the first time. The tour is free, but you can tell the guide put a lot of time and effort into creating a great tour so TIP ACCORDINGLY!!! read more

First of all, this walking tour is free! Of course, they encourage tips but it is very well deserved! Joe was our tour guide and he was AWESOME! He made the tour so fun and was very knowledgeable! Plus, you can book both the Market and the Seattle 101 Tour on the same day. I feel like we learned so much from the tour and it was so worth it instead of walking around aimlessly. Tours always make a trip better because now I have a better appreciation and understanding of the history. Thanks, Joe, for the wonderful tour! read more

Took 2 tours in one day. Would recommend! Kavia (market tour) and Joe (101) were great tour guides. Very fun, enthusiastic, and informative! read more

AWE-SOME! My friend and I took part in one of the Seattle Free Walking Tour sessions on a Saturday afternoon and we loved it! For this particular walking tour, it was a Seattle True Crimes talk/tour, and I still can't believe how much I learned from it. We met our tour guide, Chris at the meeting location, holding a flag, indicating it's the Seattle Free Walking Tour group - which is especially helpful because there are other walking tours in the Pioneer Square area at the same time. After checking us in - he started to tell us the first crime story, and we gradually walk around the Pioneer Square area, where he points to landmarks and buildings as part of the true stories. I always forget how historic Pioneer Square is, but I guess that's what happens when you're from the area and take advantage of where you live. But just finding out about the different stories made me appreciate how enriched Seattle is with its history and beginnings. The walking tour isn't strenuous at all, and definitely isn't a long walk. In fact, as all of us in our small group were listening and walking around, learning about the different stories - the time went by so fast that I couldn't believe an hour had already passed by the time the tour ended! That's how interesting and fun it was! Though the walking tour is free - tips are accepted. Chris did an awesome job, story-telling and answering any questions we had about the different crimes or buildings in Pioneer Square. Especially if you have visitors - they will love learning about Seattle through this walking tour. But even as a local, I loved the tour and will now be on the lookout for others tours in the near future. THANK YOU, CHRIS!!! read more

We did the pike place tour and the Seattle 101 tour with Joe. We did them back to back and felt it was well worth it. Joe was entertaining, knowledgeable, and easy to listen to. We learned a lot from him and got a good idea of Seattle's history. I highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting the city for the first time. read more

Wow! I learned so much on this tour. From the start to the finish, our guide was funny, engaging and knowledgeable. Gotta love this tour and the serious and beautiful way the whole thing is set up. They honor the WHOLE history of Seattle and tell the truth about how the city was founded and developed. Very professional and we're really glad they took us out today! read more

We did 2 of these tours on our first trip to Seattle and I'd highly recommend it! The tour guides are incredibly knowledgeable and answered any question anyone in our group asked. Depending on the tour you take, it could last anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. We learned a lot about Seattle's history and also got in a ton of steps while doing so! And best of all? It's free! The tour guides only work on tips so just give them what you think the tour was worth to you. read more

If you're searching on Yelp for a Seattle Walking Tour, this is the team to choose! I went on the Pike Place Market tour in mid-November. Our funny and attentive guide, Jake, started this tour company with his wife after walking on many other tours around the world - their passion for people and Seattle really shines through on this curated market experience. We met with vendors to sample bites, learned about local history, and covered terrain within the market (which is much more than what you'll find on Pike). This tour is free, but donations are highly welcomed - I chose to donate $20 because it's great to support small businesses who care! Hoping you do the same. read more

What's better than a tour? A *FREEEEE* tour! My boyfriend and I signed up for the Pike Place Market tour as we've never been and didn't want to be overwhelmed. I'm glad we did, because Shawn really gave us some interesting and useful information in a fun way! Our group of 15 or so consisted of people from abroad, different states, and even locals! I don't want to give too much away, but I would suggest you give it a shot. You're not obligated to pay anything more than what you think it was worth. We got some free samples along the tour, which was cool. read more

I wanted to highlight that Joe's Seattle 101 tour was amazing. He knows so much history about Seattle with his family having lived there for 150 years. If you love history like I do, you will love Joe's tour especially! Joe doesn't even make a big deal about tipping at the end but please be sure to do so! read more

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If you are considering a tour of the Public Market, do not hesitate...take THE MARKET EXPERIENCE tour! It is not only a "taste so good" tour but also, more importantly than that, it is a learn about the Public Market tour: history, rationale, access, operations, and more. Did mention that the food we tasted was delicious. Our checked luggage was filled with jars of jams & preserves along with bottles of vinegars and oil. And when carry-on bags were searched, TSA was asking "What is this?" Some of the answers were: smoked salmon, dried fruit, cherries, and snap peas. After touring with Jake, we spent another two hours going back to eat, drink, and buy our way through all of the shops and stalls that we mentally noted during his fantastic tour. Again, do not hesitate or wonder or worry like we did. We lolly-gagged, hemi-hawed, and put-putted around and almost did not get a reservation. Not because we were lazy but because we could not register three people and finally just decided to email Jake and explain that we needed three slots but could only register for one. He responded expeditiously and our party of three for two slots were all set. When next in Seattle, we will take The Market Experience tour again...along with the Seattle 101 tour. No doubt. That background chanting you hear is us...Jake! Jake! Jake! Jake! Thanks man. read more

Seattle Free Walking Tours - The Iconic Market - Walking Tours Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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