Part of the city of old Seattle hides beneath the earth and waits for those who take the Seattle Underground Tour to rediscover it. This web of underground passageways, alleys and buildings was all once above ground – until the streets were elevated due in part to a massive fire. In the early 1900s, the spread of bubonic plague led to the disuse of the underground section of the city until it became a haven for unsavory individuals and sinful practices.
Today, Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour takes guests on a journey through the land below Seattle, through the streets and past old storefronts, and into its intriguing and sometimes sordid past.
The tour begins in a refurbished 1890s era saloon called Doc Maynard’s Public House. From there, you embark on a journey to Pioneer Square and through several sections of the underground city. The tour guide tells tales of the underground, as well as how it came to be. The lighting is poor in some sections, which gives the whole tour a somewhat creepy aspect. In fact, there are even rumored to be ghosts haunting this old section of the city. We’ll get to that a bit later though.
Another one of the popular tours through the underground is called the Underworld Tour, and it is strictly for adults. The guide here tells the stories of the underground’s more distasteful history, which includes opium dens, prostitution, and even murder. As you can see, it is with good reason that this is an adult only tour!
Some people, including those who work on the tours and are in the underground often, claim to have seen specters, ghostly figures dressed in clothing from another era. A number of different ghosts, both men and women, have been seen and heard. While there is no guarantee that you will see a ghost or catch one on film, it could be fun to try your luck!
After the end of the tours, you end up at the Rogue’s Gallery, a museum that contains exhibits and artifacts from Seattle’s past. You can see pictures, paintings, and descriptions of some of the most interesting and infamous people to have come out of Seattle, as well as learn about the history of logging. The museum covers quite a bit of the area’s history. You will also find a gift shop here.
This one of a kind attraction is something you must check out when in the area!
608 First Ave, in Seattle’s Pioneer Square,
between Cherry Street and Yesler Way.
Take the James Street Exit from Interstate 5.
[206] 682 4646
Private Tours may be booked
with two weeks advance notice.
Call 206-682-4646, ext 202.DECEMBER – FEBRUARY
MON – FRI : 11 am, 1, 2, 3 pm
SAT – SUN : 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4 pm
MARCH 1 – 12
MON – FRI : 11 am, 1, 2, 4 pm
SAT – SUN : 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4 pm
MARCH 13-31
EVERY DAY : 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 pm
APRIL
MON – THURS : 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 4, 5 pm
FRI – SUN : 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 pm
MAY
MON – THURS : 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 4, 6 pm
FRI – SAT : 10, 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 pm
SUN : 10, 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 pm
JUNE – AUGUST
EVERY DAY : 10, 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 pm
SEPTEMBER
MON – THURS : 10, 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 4, 6 pm
FRI – SAT : 10, 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 pm
SUN : 10, 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 pm
OCTOBER & NOVEMBER
MON – FRI : 11 am, 1, 2, 4, 5 pm
SAT – SUN : 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 pm
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Day and Jan.2.
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We are from British Columbia and visited Seattle last month mainly to go on the underground tour, We were not disappointed and thoroughly enjoyed the experience from start to finish, took lots of photographs, and I believe that I captured a couple of ghosts on some of the pictures that I took. The tour guide was very knowledgable and made the tour fun with his humor.