Food & Culture

The Best Walking Tours in Seattle

Get an inside view into your favorite things with these tours

By Niki Stojnic and Gwendolyn Elliott May 31, 2019

Tours_Amazon-Spheres-by-Alex-Crook-035

This article originally appeared in the June 2019 issue of Seattle Magazine.

This article appears in print in the June 2019 issue, as part of the 150 Must-Do Summer Experiences cover story. Click here to subscribe.

> On two Saturdays a month, you can make like an Amazonian and gaze at the tropical canopy and intricate architecture of the Amazon Spheres on a self-guided tour. Linger at the “nest,” an intimate conference space, and stop for a doughnut and coffee at Renee Erickson’s General Porpoise, located on the second level. Times vary. Free, reservations required. South Lake Union, seattlespheres.com

> Soak up the vibe with a guided tour of London Bridge Studio, where well-known artists such as Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam have recorded. Times vary. $55. Shoreline, londonbridgestudio.com

> Learn why Seattleites once climbed ladders to get to sidewalks as a guide leads you on Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour. Grab a sip and a bite on-site before or after the tour at Doc Maynard’s Public House. Times and prices vary. Pioneer Square, undergroundtour.com

> Although recent controversy surrounding its 737 Max aircraft has taken a bit of the shine off this local company, a guided tour of the Boeing factory is still an amazing window into how a jetliner is assembled. Times and prices vary. Everett, boeing.com/company/tours

> Learn about the production cycle of chocolate—from bean to bar, with generous samples of innovative flavors—by taking a guided tour of the Theo Chocolate factory. Times vary. $10. Fremont, theochocolate.com

> Absorb how Chinese, Japanese and Filipino immigrants lived and labored in Seattle on the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience’s historic hotel walking tour, included with all-day museum admission. Check out The Wing’s other themed neighborhood explorations as well, including food tours and a look around Bruce Lee’s old stomping ground. Times and prices vary. Chinatown–International District, wingluke.org


The Crocodile. Photo by Alex Crook

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