Travel Tales

As tourist, when we visit a city, it is always interesting to check out the various tours of that city that are offered. Many cities have tours that are similar to basically any other city. Seattle, Washington, however, is different from most other cities. Not only do they have tours that really can’t be compared to anywhere else on earth, they have tours that are delightfully fun and entertaining in and of themselves.

One of the more interesting and most popular tours of Seattle is called Ride the Ducks of Seattle. This tour takes you on amphibious World War Two vehicles throughout the city giving you a great tour of Seattle from land and water. The tour lasts about ninety minutes and will be unlike any other tour you’re ever likely to take again.

The second tour of interest is a toss up with another tour for my favorite land excursion. I’ll tell you about both; hopefully, you will try both and decide which one you like best. This would be called Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour. This tour is strange, hilarious, and fun all at the same time. It is also shocking and disturbing in ways too. The idea that a city was built basically on top of itself is a little strange, but to discover that the original city isn’t ruins makes the tale even stranger to those who don’t know the story. The story is great and the telling is even better. The only drawback to this tour is that young children might find it either disturbing or boring, or both. So be prepared to entertain. The terrain is also not suitable for strollers if you have very little ones.

My next favorite tour is called Private Eye Tours. This tour takes you to scenes of crimes some solved, some unsolved throughout the city. There are three tours that you can currently take. Each one costs $25 per person and lasts about two and a half hours, except for the ghost tour, which lasts three hours. The different tours are: The Queen Anne Mystery and Murder Tour, The Capital Hill Mystery and Murder Tour, and Haunted Happenings, which is also known as the Seattle Ghost Tour. Each of these tours is great fun for those who are not squeamish and make a great gift for a true crime fan or someone who loves those old fashioned detective novels.

If you are interested in whale watching there are several excursions you can take. First of all, during the height of the season (June and July) you have an excellent chance of seeing whales if you watch from the western side of San Juan Islands. This is probably the best way to see whales from land. Beyond that you can take several chartered whale watching excursions. Here are a few of the companies offering whale watching cruises: San Juan Safaris (you can also do a five hour Orca search by kayak with this company), Salish Sea Charters, Island Adventures (this tour offers a discount for early birds and they offer a whale spotting guarantee), and Maya’s Whale Watching Charters, which for a slightly higher price gives you a much smaller boat and puts you much closer to the water for a better view of the whales.

Tours are a great way to get the most of your vacation experience. I hope I have showcased some of the more unique and colorful tours that Seattle has to offer. There are the general tours of the city and walking tours as well, these are just the tours that stand out and leave an impression.

If you are in the process of making plans to visit Seattle Washington, I’m sure you’ve checked out all kinds of information about what there is to do and see in the area. There are many things that make all of the must do lists because they offer appeal to the greater population rather than things that would appeal to specific segments of population.

I consider myself young, hip, and fun loving. While there are many things on the mass lists that I find appealing, I really like going off the beaten path just a little bit and finding things to do and places to see that aren’t going to be overcrowded, over populated, and simply overdone. I like to find something that not every other tourist in the city is going to be standing in line in front of me to do. Here are a few of the nifty tours and other things I have found to do in Seattle.

The first one on my list is the Private Eye on Seattle Murder and Mystery Tour. There are three tours offered, the Queen Anne Murder and Mystery Tour, the Capital Hill Tour (which each cost $25 per person and lasts about two and a half hours), and Haunted Happenings, which is also known as the Seattle Ghost Tour (this tour lasts about 3 hours and is also $25 per person). These are great for any fan of true crime or simply dusty old detective novels. They are not however, tours I would recommend for the squeamish or faint of heart. I recommend any one of these tours or all of them if possible. They are a great way to spend your time while in Seattle.

After a trip with Private Eye on Seattle, you simply must check out the Seattle Museum of the Mysteries, which is a museum dedicated to the study of paranormal sciences. This is the only museum of its kind in Washington State. If you have any interest in Big Foot, UFOs, crop circles, ghosts, or just enjoy legends, lore, and tall tales, then this museum should be right up your alley. Even if these things aren’t vitally important in your day-to-day existence, it is still really interesting to see the artifacts that have been collected and to hear the stories that are being told.

Coming back to the world of the living, one of my favorite places in Seattle is a little bit crowded with tourists; however, it is well worth dealing with a few more people if you ask me. That place would be Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. I’m not sure if my fascination with this place stems from my love of science fiction movies and literature or simply from the contribution that science fiction has made on society in the last few decades. Perhaps it is a slight combination of the two. Or maybe it is just the coolness factor alone. For whatever reason, this museum is a favorite of mine and I hope that you will feel the same way about it after you visit.

If you are visiting the Science Fiction Museum, you might seriously consider purchasing a combination ticket for the Experience Music Project. Separately the project is a tad expensive but when you purchase a combo ticket for both you save enough money to take the sting out of the visit. If you are a music lover, particularly rock and roll, then this experience is one well worth having. The price is somewhat prohibitive if you are visiting on a budget but if you plan carefully you can manage savings in other areas that will make up for the cost.

There are so many fascinating things to do, see, and experience in Seattle and the surrounding areas. I hope that I have introduced you to a few things that are a little off the beaten path and yet offer something of interest to you at the same time. The most important thing to remember when visiting Seattle, Washington is that vacations are fun and that is what you should have-lots of fun.

If you’ve never experienced Seattle, Washington, now is as good a time as any to do so. Maybe now is the best time ever for a nice visit to Seattle. Whatever your interests, there is sure to be something here that you will find appealing. From the great cultural centers to the fabulous sporting events and the wonderfully mild climate, Seattle is a great place to visit.

In addition to the wonderful climate, there are plenty of indoor and outdoor activities that should keep you, and anyone traveling with you busy for quite some time. The biggest problem I foresee is finding there is too much to do and too little time in which to do it all. Such is the bane of vacations. Seattle is a town that has natural beauty and is surrounded not only by water, but by beautiful countryside as well. The views all around are nothing short of spectacular and I’m sure that you will find plenty to do to keep everyone in your party entertained and happy.

For those who love culture, there are many opportunities to soak up all the culture you can manage. From wine tours to museums and gourmet food, Seattle has plenty to offer the discerning tourists. Not to mention Benaroya Hall where the symphony performs and other cultural experiences such as the Seattle Opera or the Seattle Chamber Music Society. If this isn’t enough for your sophisticated demands there is the Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Seattle Repertory Theater.

For those of us with more sophomoric pursuits there is plenty around to keep our minds and hearts entertained. In addition to the activities mentioned above, there are plenty of sights to see in Seattle. There are walking tours around the city, driving tours to outlying areas and even duck tours, which are sure to delight the little ones among us.

For those who have an interest in pop culture there is the Experience Music Project, which is truly unique and very much worth the hefty price tag that admission demands. If you are going to make one splurge during your trip to Seattle alone, this would be the one I recommend most strongly. If money is no object, then count yourself blessed and take a look at what this ‘experience’ has to offer. In addition to the Experience Music Project there is the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. As a science fiction enthusiast, this is a favorite of mine.

If you like animals, there is plenty to offer in Seattle. There is Cougar Mountain Zoo, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, the Seattle Aquarium, Northwest Trek, Wolf Haven, and the Woodland Park Zoo in addition to the many whale-watching tours that are available.

If you like studying about other cultures, perhaps you should visit the International District, take a tour to Tillicum Village, visit the Wing Lake Asian Museum, or Uwajimaya Village. Each of these places offers a glimpse into the lives of those from other cultures.

In addition to all of these really fun things there are professional sports for almost every season in Seattle. For basketball there are the Seattle Sonics (NBA) and the Seattle Storm (WNBA). If your interest lean toward football, you will be happy to know that the Seahawks call Qwest Field home and baseball fans will be delighted that the Seattle Mariners are still playing at Safeco Field. For the hockey fans around, there are Seattle Thunderbirds, which are part of the Western Hockey League and call the Key Arena home.

These are only a small sampling of the many great things to do and see while visiting Seattle Washington. Just remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day and it is highly unlikely that even the fastest among us can enjoy all that this great city has to offer its visitors in a day either. Take your time and remember that it is very likely that if you didn’t get to one of your destinations today, it will be there tomorrow.