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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22 |
When I travel on vacation I like to see what tours are available to me at my destination city. Every city I have ever visited had tours, and I find them an interesting way to learn about the place I am visiting, and the tour will give me an overview of a lot of different things to do. This way I can focus the rest of my time doing something that really interests me.
Seattle, Washington, is a great city to visit, and many things are unique about it. I took several tours while I was in town and have listed a few of my favorites to share with you.
One of the most popular tours in Seattle is called Ride the Ducks of Seattle. This tour lets you ride in an amphibious World War Two Vehicle. The Ducks were made by women, who worked in factories during the war. It takes you for a drive through the city, while the guide points out the more famous landmarks to you.
You will see parts of the downtown area of the city of Seattle, Pike Place Market, historic Pioneer Square, and funky Fremont, then the Duck plunges in to the Lake Union for a view of Seattle only available from the water. The tour takes about ninety minutes and will be unlike any tour you have ever taken.
The next tour I took was really strange, and interesting. It is called Bill Spiedel's Underground Tour. To understand what the tour is, you will need a little history of the city of Seattle. In the early days, settlers built the town on mud flats, it turned out to be a big mistake. There were problems with sewage, and lots of mud. In 1889 a large part of the area was destroyed by a fire. The town was rebuilt higher than originally, but now there is an underground town. Did you know the term Skid Row first came from this area? Find out the scandalous stories of Seattle's early days. This is a unique and unusual tour, but I promise, it is a lot of fun.
Another great tour is called Private Eye Tours. This company has three different tours you can go on, so you must choose what is your favorite theme, or take them all!
The Queen Anne Mystery Tour or The Capitol Hill Mystery and Murder Tour each take you to different scenes of crimes, some solved, some unsolved all over the city.
Then, quite different form the other two, is Haunted Happenings (or the Seattle Ghost Tour), where you climb on board a minibus, to travel to Seattle's creepiest locations, like The Mortuary, The Haunted Theater, or The Notorious Rooming House. Each of these tours lasts two and a half to three hours, and any one will leave you thrilled and chilled. These are not tours for the squeamish, and would make a great gift for the true crime fan in your family.
If your idea of a vacation tour is more towards whale watching, Seattle has it waiting for you. In the peak of the season, June and July, you will have a great chance to see whale if you watch from the West side of San Juan Islands, now, that's if you want to watch them from the land.
The more adventurous watchers will be out on one of the Whale Watch Boats that leave the harbor to get a great view of these magnificent animals. There are several companies that offer whale watching cruises, among them are San Juan Safaris, Salish Sea Charters, Island Adventure and Maya's Whales Watching Charters. A great way to spend part of your day, out on the seas looking for Moby Dick.
It is truly an awesome sight when you get to see a Whale, a sight you will remember your entire life. And certainly it is not an everyday event, so be sure to bring your camera for this one.
I think tours are a wonderful way to make the most of your vacation and learn a lot about the city you choose to spend time in. You can learn so much more from an experienced tour guide, and they will be able to make suggestions on places to visit by your interests.
I find that Seattle, Washington is one of the best vacation cities in the country. There are beautiful and unique places to find while your here. Before you go on any vacation, contact the Chamber of Commerce to see what activities, museums, zoos, clubs, there are and if you research just a little bit, your vacation will be so much more enjoyable.
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