New App Gives GPS-Guided Walking Tours of Seattle Neighborhoods
The travel app Sidewalk taps locals for walking-tour recommendations.
By Danny Sullivan November 30, 2017
This article originally appeared in the November 2017 issue of Seattle magazine.
Imagine having insider recommendations for where to go as you stroll through unfamiliar neighborhoods in Seattle. Sidewalk (sidewalk.guide; free for iOS and Android), an app that allows any user to take guided walking tours designed by other users (or to design one of their own), provides just that.
It was launched by San Francisco-based creators Jason Donahue and Dave Hotchkiss, who found that traditional travel books and references lacked the intimate knowledge they desired. The tours offer easy point-to-point navigation with GPS, and users can search the theme-based walks based on their interests (like “city history” or “food”).
The app also serves New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles, but in Seattle, you can opt for walks such as “Pioneer Square: Lumberjacks, Gold Diggers, Gamblers, Hipsters and the Story of Seattle,” with stops at Occidental Square and Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park; and “Open Eyed & Wide Awake: The Artisanal Coffee Crawl of Downtown Seattle,” which takes you to Monorail Espresso, Voxx Coffee and other much loved coffee destinations. There’s even an option to tip your guide, so don’t miss the chance to shine a spotlight on your favorite spot—and earn a little side cash—before someone else does.
Follow Us
A Lighthouse Stay on Bellingham Bay
Hotel Bellwether’s refreshed waterfront stay, dapper lobby dog, and scenic route north turn the short drive from Seattle into a real getaway.
The first sign that Bellingham was going to feel farther away than it is came in Edison, over a rich, flaky pastry. Earlier this spring, I was invited to stay at Hotel Bellwether, and my friend and I headed north from Seattle, a roughly 90-mile drive that usually takes about an hour and a half…
Five Lesser-Known Washington State Parks for Spring and Summer
From Hood Canal beaches to Blue Mountain wildflowers, these quieter parks give warmer weekends some breathing room.
As the outdoor season gets going, many of us, myself included, tend to gravitate toward Washington’s national parks and a handful of the state’s most popular trails. There’s no arguing that they’re pretty spectacular. However, we also know that summer crowds are an issue and detract from the very reason we went in the first…
The Warmest Welcome: Why You Should Visit the Tri-Cities This Year
Just a few hours away from Seattle, this robust community offers great wine, a budding food scene, and more than 300 days of sun.
There is a point, when I’m traveling along Interstate 82 (I-82), somewhere around Exit 26, when I usually notice a shift in the light—especially in the wintertime. Coming out from the pass and heading south to leave the flat, cloud-shrouded gray of Western Washington behind, I feel a burst of happiness at the blue skies…
Paint Check: Select Alaska Airlines Planes Get a Fresh Look
The local aviation company debuts a bold Aurora Borealis-inspired livery as it expands internationally.
At the beginning of the year, Alaska Airlines unveiled its new global livery: a bold design inspired by the Aurora Borealis. Painted in a palette of deep blues and shimmering emerald greens, the sleek look is a nod to Alaska Airlines’ continued addition of international destinations, which will expand to London, Rome, and Reykjavik by…