Explore Underground Seattle and More

On our first day in Seattle, we went below the city at Underground Seattle, learned about the gold rush, and went to the top of Seattle’s first skyscraper.

Our family did a trip to the Pacific Northwest seeing Seattle, Portland, North Cascades National Park, the Columbia Gorge, and sites in between. This is what we did on our vacation, hope it helps you in planning your trip to this amazing area!

HOTEL STAY: Sheraton Grand Seattle

After flying into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, we took a taxi to a downtown hotel to start our vacation.

Our stay was at the Sheraton Grand Seattle which was where my husband’s conference took place. It is a large hotel by the conference center. I liked the fact that it has an indoor pool on the 35th floor which allows for skyline views.

The hotel is also located a few blocks away from the famous Pike’s Market and not far from Westlake Center where we took the tram to Pioneer Square for the Underground.

Hotel Address: 1400 6th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

TRANSPORTATION: Taking the 1 Line to Pioneer Square

After checking in and settling into the room we headed to Pioneer Square for the day.

We walked the few blocks to Westlake Station to take the Light Rail line. Located by Westlake Center on Pine Street between 4th and 5th Avenue.

It is down some escalators to the station. We took the line going towards Angle Lake Station.

Next, we got off at Pioneer Square Station.

UNDERGROUND SEATTLE TOUR

Recommended by friends in Seattle, we did Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour done with humor.

Doing the Tour

The tour begins inside Doc Maynard’s Public House, a restored 1890s saloon. Following a short intro, we’ll walk through historic Pioneer Square to three different sections of Underground—about three blocks in all.

You will learn the history of the invention of the flush toilet in England on the tour and how it relates to Seattle and the underground.

Along the way, we walked through many hallways.

Filled with 1800s pieces left in the dark catacombs after it was sealed off. Reopened following the 2001 earthquake.

You see glass paneled windows to the top that allowed for light in the walkways when used in the past.

A huge fire decimated Seattle in the 1800s. Construction of buildings was originally done in wood and plumbing was wooden pipes, easily combustible. Reconstruction was done in durable brick.

Rogues Gallery

The tour ends in Rogues Gallery, the Underground Tour gift shop. On display are historic artifacts found in the underground such as a still used during Prohibition.

You can check also check out their beautiful, original toilet imported from England. According to the tour guide plumbing was a major issue due to the original swampy nature of Seattle until improved plumbing and better toilets came along.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I enjoyed the tour, my son liked wandering the underground below the city finding it spooky. I also appreciated that the founder of the tour helped to save these 19th-century buildings from being turned into 1970s cement parking garages.

Hours: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., reserve online since tours do fill up.

Admission: Tours do fill up so make reservations in advance. Admission ages– $22 (18-59), $20 (60+), $20 (13-17 or with a valid college ID), $10 (7-12), kids 6 and under, free but may find the 75-minute tour challenging.

Address: 614 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98104

SMITH TOWER

Next, we went to the nearby Smith Tower to go up to the 34th-floor observatory. You can see a boar on the 35th floor.

Completed in 1914 the 484-foot tower is the oldest skyscraper in Seattle and the tallest tower outside New York City at the time.

It remained the tallest building on the West Coast until 1962 after the construction of the Space Needle.

The tower is white terra cotta and has windows throughout each floor done in the Renaissance Revival style.

Run by a hand crank for many years, the elevator has been modernized for a faster ride to the top.

Bottom Museum

We toured the bottom floor where we learned some history about the tower.

Legend says that an unmarried woman who sits in Smith Tower’s Wishing Chair and makes a wish will be married within a year.

Andrew enjoyed using the hands-on telephone switchboard. This is where you used to have to transfer phone calls by plugging them into different pegs on a board.

Next, we headed to the elevator with its original gold-plated shell.

As you headed up you can look out through the elevator windows to each floor.

Tower Views

Since the tower is away from the higher skyscrapers you have different views. I liked looking north at the newest tall building, the Columbia Tower.

Across Puget Sound, you can see the Olympic Mountains.

Looking south I saw the cranes in the shipyards.

Since you are on the southside you have good views of the nearby sports stadiums.

Normally, you can see Mount Rainer, but we were there on a cloudy day.

After heading back down I checked out the richly decorated hallways before heading to our next stop which is the underground tour.

Hours: 3 p.m. – 10 p.m., Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday; 3 p.m. – 11 p.m., Friday-Saturday. Closed, Monday-Tuesday

Admission: $19 per person,

Address: 506 2nd Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104

WALK TO THE KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH HISTORICAl PARK

After the Smith Tower, we headed to the Klondike Gold Rush Historical Park and checked out other sites along the way.

Occidental Square

This square includes maple trees, benches, a pergola along with totem poles and woodcarvings.

Hours: 6 a.m. – 10 p.m., Daily

Address: 117 S Washington St, Seattle, WA 98104

Waterfall Garden Park

On the way, we went into Waterfall Garden Park. It commemorates the birthplace of the United Parcel Service (UPS). It features a 22-foot man-made waterfall, overlooking a dual-level patio with tables and chairs.

Hours: 8 a.m. – 3:45 p.m., Daily

Address: 219 2nd Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH HISTORICAL PARK

Seattle flourished during and after the Klondike Gold Rush in the 1800s. Merchants supplied people from around the world passing through this port city on their way to a remarkable adventure in Alaska.

Here we learned all the supplies they needed. Although we found out that they oversupplied them since all that gear was way too much to take along. Canada had recommended that people take that much after people would show up in Alaska with a shirt and shorts on without realizing how cold it gets.