Points of Interest
- Pioneer Square
Description
Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.
The starting point of your tour is Doc Maynard's Public House, a restored 1890s saloon, but your adventure truly begins en route, as your guide shares tales, peppered with irreverent humor, of Seattle's intriguing subcultures.
Then it's time to venture beneath the streets of already historic Pioneer Square to see the rich original remains of the city consumed in the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, a town founded on mostly soggy tide flats, and whose streets would, whenever the rains came, bloat deep enough with mud to consume dogs and small children. After the fire destroyed the mostly wooden buildings in the heart of Seattle, the city decided to rise up from the muck in which its original streets lay. Building owners, eager to capitalize on a 1890s economic boom, quickly rebuilt on the old, low, muddy ground where they had been before, unmindful of the fact that their first floor display windows and lobbies soon would become basements.
The Yukon Gold Rush brought 100,000 adventurers through Seattle en route to Alaska. The result was a financial boom that brought to Pioneer Square all manner of entrepreneurs, including barmen and gamblers, con men and madams. When the rush was over 10 years later, these slippery people stayed on and gave the area a bad name. Reputable businesses moved uptown, and Pioneer Square was quickly forgotten. Following a short intro, you'll walk through historic Pioneer Square to three different sections of Underground - about three blocks in all, with the tour ending in Rogues Gallery, the Underground Tour gift shop. Here, you will find a mix of historic displays and an array of contemporary gifts showcasing Seattle's quirky character. You can get a memento of your Underground Tour experience. After hearing the history of the invention of the flush toilet in England on the tour, you can also check out the beautiful, original Crapper toilet imported from England.
Your tour concludes as you return to your ship, with many stories to tell.
Special Notes:
Tax included in sales price. Due to tour content, may not be suitable for guests under 7 years. Not suitable for guests with chronic level of claustrophobia and/or walking difficulties. Guests must be able to walk on uneven ground and navigate flights of stairs. Wear comfortable shoes, no high heels. Layered clothing and raingear recommended. This tour is only available passengers calling to Seattle as a port of call; not for those disembarking.Unaccompanied Minor Policy: Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent of guardian.