Walk Pioneer Square, Ride the Monorail, Finish at KEXP Radio
A guided walk through Pioneer Square, the International District and the Central Library, then the monorail to Seattle Center.
Wander Northwest runs this as an orientation walk. It takes two and a half hours and covers roughly 2.5 miles on foot, from the Pioneer Building in Pioneer Square to the gathering space of KEXP, the independent radio station at Seattle Center. The final leg is a monorail ride from Westlake Center, with the ticket included in the tour.
Guests who took it early in a trip describe it as an orientation that left them with a list of places to come back to. Owner James Lobb is the operator's primary guide and the one most reviews name, though another guide has also led the walk.
Departures leave at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM in front of the Pioneer Building. Children three and under join free, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Welcome to Seattle Walking TourGuided 2.5-hour walk from Pioneer Square to Seattle Center with a local guide and a monorail ticket. Snacks are not included.www.viator.comFounding Stories, the Great Fire and the Klondike
The tour opens with ten minutes at the meeting point on the area's Native people, the city's founding and its earliest years. The Pioneer Square stretch also takes in Occidental Park, where the guide covers the Great Seattle Fire, and the tiny Waterfall Garden Park, where the subject turns to the Klondike gold rush.
Most stops here last about five minutes. The Klondike Gold Rush museum is a walk-past, and its entry is free, which makes it an easy place to return to on your own.
Two Train Stations and the International District
King Street Station, the Amtrak station, gets a five-minute stop for its clock tower and ornate interior. Union Station, a former train station, gets another five minutes for the grandeur of its Great Hall. The route also reaches the gate into the Chinatown-International District, where the guide covers the district along with Japantown and Little Saigon, and stops at Hing Hay Park.
The Wing Luke Museum and Lumen Field are walk-pasts, with entry not included. One guest who had been to Seattle before wrote that Pioneer Square, Union Station and the KEXP stop were all new to them.
Twenty Minutes at the Central Library
The Central Library downtown is the longest single stop on the itinerary, twenty minutes inside and out. On regular days the library opens at 10:00 AM and stays open until at least 6:00 PM, which covers both departures; it does close on some holidays. One guest named the library stop and the monorail as the two highlights.
Pike Place Market is a ten-minute walk-past with the story of the market. Shopping there is for later.
The Monorail Ride and an Ending at KEXP
The monorail runs from Westlake Center to Seattle Center, the grounds of the 1962 World's Fair, and the ticket is included. On the grounds the group walks past the Space Needle, the Museum of Pop Culture and the Pacific Science Center without going in. Tickets are extra; you can buy them and go in after the tour, and the guide can make recommendations.
The tour ends inside KEXP's gathering space, where you can watch the DJs live in the booth and buy your own coffee. KEXP lists a Caffe Vita café and a Sub Pop record shop in the space, both open until 6:00 PM. On a lucky day a touring or local band is playing.
- Meet in front of the Pioneer Building in Pioneer Square, at 10:00 AM or 2:00 PM.
- The walk runs rain or shine. The operator cancels only during weather advisories, and recommends dressing for the weather and wearing comfortable shoes.
- Expect to need a moderate level of fitness; the owner notes that part of the route is uphill. Guests mention restroom and coffee breaks along the way.
- The listing marks the walk as stroller-friendly. Keep the uphill stretch in mind if you bring one.
- Snacks are not included. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
The walk ends at Seattle Center, moments from the Space Needle, with the rest of the day open for the places you just walked past.