Skip to content

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

Follow Us

A New Year of Influence

A New Year of Influence

Seattle magazine’s Most Influential list kicks off 2026 with leaders across the city.

New year, new issue! As we kick off 2026, Seattle magazine is proud to present this year’s cohort of the Most Influential list, which showcases local leaders in politics, philanthropy, arts, hospitality, and business. Determined, creative, empathetic, humble, and bold are just a few of the words you’ll see describing them—each one has achieved great…

The Queen of the Seattle World’s Fair

The Queen of the Seattle World’s Fair

With a fur coat and gold Cadillac, Gracie Hansen struck a figure. Her business savvy and whip-smart humor made her a star.

In 1960, a group of well-attired men from the Seattle World’s Fair planning committee gathered in a downtown office. With the fair only two years away, people were starting to pitch their business ideas and on this day, some lady wanted to meet with them to do the same. At the scheduled time, the door…

Cookies From Home

Cookies From Home

Seattle author Kat Lieu introduces a first-of-its-kind cookbook centered on Asian cookies.

Kat Lieu has built a career out of baking, storytelling, and standing up for what she believes in. A former doctor of physical therapy turned bestselling cookbook author, she’s based in Seattle, is the founder of the online community Subtle Asian Baking and is the author of Modern Asian Baking at Home, a book that…

Photo Essay: The Relief of the Moment

Photo Essay: The Relief of the Moment

Words and photography by Nick Ward.

Photography tricks my ADHD brain into doing something borderline miraculous: It allows me to focus on exactly one thing at a time. When I press the shutter and hear that lovely little ka-chunk, the inner chatter winks out. I feel oddly connected to the moment by being outside it, observing through the frame instead of…