The Underground Tour is a guided walking tour of what lies beneath the sidewalks and streets of Pioneer Square, Seattle's first historical district. When most of downtown Seattle burned to the ground in an 1889 fire, it was decided to rebuild the city two stories higher than the original streets. For a time, pedestrians climbed ladders to go between street level and building entrances, but the building entrances were raised in 1908.
The Underground Tour explores subterranean walkways that once were the main roadways and first-floor storefronts (as much as 36 feet below street level). You'll learn about the speakeasies and gambling parlors that once occupied this section under the streets. And you won't be learning from boring historians. Underground guides are known for their storytelling and wit. Be sure to bring comfortable shoes and extra spending money. The underground landscape is a little rugged, but it ends in the Rogue Gallery, a cool gift shop.
