I have a couple of hours to kill in Seattle next week and was thinking of taking the underground tour. Anyone know if it's actually any good?

Ta.

Rob

The underground tour covers a fairly small route in Pioneer Square. One upside right there is that it can't be so long as to be annoying or burdensome. I have been on the tour twice with visiting friends and relatives. My conclusion is that it completely depends on the tour guide. My first trip throughwas with a competent but low-key guy and it was just OK. The second was with this dark-haired, eastern (Brooklyn? Jewish? Italian?) wild woman who really threw herself into the story and it was a hoot. That was years ago, though, and she has probably moved on to hollywood by now. You can't know who you'll get.

Hey, if you want the driving tour, give a yell. Very reasonable rates, mine.

I took the tour, had fun. Now when I'm in other cities and see the "skylights" in the sidewalks, I wonder what's down there too..

If you haven't done it before, take a sea plane flight. It's the best way to see how stunning Seattle is. There are several companies that fly from Lake Union which is right next to downtown Seattle.

My wife and I are off to Seattle for three weeks in June/July on holiday. I've been there a couple of times on business and now I want to go back and see it properly...

I'll be there in the end of August. Are there any sites you suggest my family and I see? I'm going there mainly for the music sites: the Soundgarden, Sub Pop HQ (which I hear isn't much anymore), and various other places.

So yeah, let me know if there's a few sites we really should see.

Oh yeah.. there's a great leather & latex shop right down in the center of the market area. Worth a looksee, even if only just for laughs. Of course, I never actually went inside..

So yeah, let me know if there's a few sites we really should see.

IIii had to think about this as I don't feel like much of a tourism expert. I tend to just drive folks around town until I wear them out!

Spending somne time downtown is certainly worthwhile. You can get from Pioneer Square up to Belltown (beyond the Pike Place Market tourist destination) in the free bus. The waterfront can be a great place to snag some lunch. Lots of fish.

My strong recommendations are few:

1) Cheap Thrill: take the Washington State ferry from Coleman Dock to either Winslow or Bremerton and have lunch. Bremerton has the Navy Yard and mothballed aircraft carrier and some folks like that, plus the trip through Rich Passage is pleasant (until you see and aircraft carrier coming the other way!)

2) Car trip: Take rental car on a decent day and drive one of 3 loops, either:
- Seattle --> I-90 East, Ellensburg, Yakima, lunch, then return through Chinook Pass (Mount Rainier National park) -> Seattle
- Seattle ->I-5 North, Edmonds, ferry to Kingston, up to Port Townsend, Port Angeles, then counterclockwise around Olympic National Park to Olympia, back to Seattle.
- Seattle -> I-90 East, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, north to Winthrop, then west through North Cascades National Park on state route 20, then south on I-5 back to Seattle.

The last two are a bit longer, but I think the North Cascades trip is the best (see the Columbia Gorge and right through North Cascades

Hope you have a car.