Bill Speidel's Underground Tour
Seattle, WA 98104-2210
Phone: (206) 682-4646
- Cross Street:
- James Street
- Hours:
- Tour times vary
Editorial Review for Bill Speidel's Underground Tour – by Jeff Zeunert
The Experience
In the mid-'60s, Bill Speidel wrote about the possible existence of "passageways beneath the city." The idea proved so popular that Speidel decided to provide tours of this mysterious underground. Wind through long-abandoned storefronts under Seattle's streets while getting a slice of history.
The Appeal
Though the tour itself requires a great deal of imagination to "see" the stores of the early 1900s as they might have been, the history lesson comes painlessly--the guides possess a good, if slapstick, sense of humor. You'll hear about the exploding-toilet-syndrome that forced the city and residents to raise the Pioneer Square area by as much as 14 feet, as well as the scandals and indecencies that gave Pioneer Square a reputation that eventually gave rise to the expression "skid row."
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
The ExtrasSeveral tour attendees over the years have gotten strange feelings on this tour of old Seattle. One of the most prominently spooky spots is the area called "The Vault." Several people claim to have seen the shadowy figure of a male bank guard there.
Know Before You GoExpect stairs and uneven surfaces--dress your feet appropriately. Also, avoid hordes of tourists by skipping the mid-day tours.
User Reviews for Bill Speidel's Underground Tour
06/05/2008 Posted by furayar
So what the people who rated the tour with low stars said is actually true...it seems like a bunch of smelly basements, not so much physical history. However, if you are into looking at really old stuff and hearing about the past, it is cool. The tour guides make the tour because they recreate the past as you walk through the passages by telling stories, usually funny. I feel like the tour should be priced in the $7-10 range though...Oh, and don't plan on using a cell phone or talking to your friends while the guide talks. They are SUPER proactive about that and they'll stop everything to tell you to knock it off. We had 'public cell phone talking guy' on our tour and I was so nervous about getting stuck by him but it turned out to not matter. They shut him up after the second time of asking him to stop. One last thing...we got the mini burgers as a snack before the tour. I would definitely skip the food at that place. The burgers honestly tasted like plastic. Save your appetite for some of the cooler places that are right around there.
Pros: Makes you laugh, interesting and fun, cool gift shop
Cons: Food not so good, you need to have a great imagination (not necessarily a con...)
11/21/2006 Posted by kee22
I went with my family when my grandfather was in town. I thought the tour was good...it wasn't all that expected...it's kind of redundant in the sites that you see. But it is strill really a good opportunity to learn about Seattle's past...like the great fire...and see some of the remains of old buildings and other relics. The tour guides are very nice and the tour is very informative.
Pros: Good tour, learn about Seattle history
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