Seattle | Bill Speidel's Underground Tour

Another Seattle landmark we ventured out to explore is the slightly lesser known Pioneer Square, a neighborhood that marks the birthplace of Seattle, settled in 1852. It is here we experienced one of the most interesting and most unusual attractions in Seattle - Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour!

After a brief introduction to the town’s history from our tour guides we descended to the original “ground floor” of the city, a series of interconnected tunnels below street level.

Long before Microsoft, Starbucks and Boeing, in its infancy, Seattle started as a logging town. Lumber was accessible and inexpensive, and so was used to build nearly every building in town - but unfortunately, it was also combustible.

In 1889, the Great Seattle Fire burned down the entire town. A veritable tinder box made entirely of wood, it was leveled in a span of about 24 hours. Luckily, the town’s economy was doing well, and things were quickly rebuilt….1 - 2 stories ABOVE where the town’s original streets once stood. For a time, the lower street level remained open, with the actual street paved one floor above the shop’s entrances.

However, there were no sidewalks on either side of the road, which meant that if one wanted to cross the street, they would have to climb a ladder, walk across the street, and descend another ladder. Once sidewalks were finally in place, most merchants moved their businesses up to the new “ground level” on the second floor. Some businesses, however, continued for a time to use the lower, now underground storefronts. Skylights were added to the sidewalk above to provide light to the tunnels below.

Over time the tunnels began to deteriorate and were largely deserted, but they found a new life during prohibition! Almost as if they were purposely built to run bootleg hooch and hide speakeasies, these tunnels were a flurry with activity in the 1920’s! Then post-prohibition era they largely went abandoned again until 1965, when Bill Speidel began taking intrigued tourists down to explore. Most of the tunnels are still closed, but a small portion has been made accessible for the public, giving anyone with a love of history a chance to step back in time, to visit a city entombed, a time-capsule waiting to be discovered once again

Seattle | Space Needle & Seattle Center

Without a doubt, the most iconic building in Seattle is the Space Needle. Of course it would be, standing 605 feet tall! For the last 50 years it has been a defining landmark, identifying the Seattle skyline at a mere glance. For those daring enough, a one minute elevator ride takes you to the top of the spire, where the observation deck provides 360 degree views of the city.

The Space Needle is in the heart of Seattle Center, an area also home to the Museum of Pop Culture, the Children’s Museum, the Chihuly Garden and the Pacific Science Center. This incredible structure was originally built for the 1962 World’s Fair. The observation deck now features multi-level floor to ceiling glass panels, and is home to a first of its kind rotating glass floor. 

While we were certainly tempted, we decided not to venture to the top of the Space Needle this trip because we knew we wanted to visit another landmark with commanding views of the city - the Smith Tower. But that just means we’ll need to come back to Seattle and visit the top next time!

Seattle | Pike Place Market

The world famous Pike Place Public Market! Of all the major sites in Seattle on my list, this was the one I was most excited to visit! The Pike Place Market dates back to 1907, and it’s one of the largest and oldest markets in the US. Hundreds of farmers, artisans, chefs, craftspeople and small businesses are located within the sprawling nine acre historic district.

In 1971, the City of Seattle made the Pike Place Market a historic district to protect and preserve the market and its buildings for generations to come. 

Fish Throwers & Crab Meat 

Located right under the iconic “Public Market Center” sign is one of the most recognizable stalls in the entire market: the Pike Place Fish Co! They have been a Seattle institution since 1930, serving some of the finest and freshest seafood around. But! What they’re most famous for, is their fish throwing skills! These guys can sling a salmon, toss a trout, or lob a cod 20 feet without losing a single slippery scale. And I don’t know about you, but I just feel like fish tastes better after it’s flown through the air multiple times into the hands of a Seattle fish monger.

The Pike Place Fish Co is on a mission: to provide world famous customer service, sell the finest, freshest seafood available, and they have a commitment on 100% sustainability, adhering to the highest standards of marine stewardship. They also ship fish anywhere in the US!

We were determined not to leave this place empty handed so we asked one of the fish mongers what would be good for us to try right there in the market. We settled on some King Crab Legs. After it was weighed, they split it open for us and handed it over. We snapped a few quick pics with our crustaceous snack, and we dug in! And I’ve got to tell you, in all my years of eating crab legs, I’ve never had better or fresher! It was a symphony for the taste buds: delicate, salty, and packed full of flavor. My mouth is starting to water again just thinking about it!

Pike Place Urban Garden 

Once we left the famous fish flingers we hung a left and found ourselves in a quiet pocket of the market known as the Pike Place Urban Garden. This beautiful 2,000 square foot vegetable and herb garden is found right in the heart of the market! After putting our temporary stamp on the place in chalk, we took a load off and enjoyed a relaxing few minutes in the sunshine (something Seattle doesn’t see a whole lot of!)

The garden is run entirely by volunteers, and all produce grown is donated to the Pike Market Senior Center and Food Bank. Not only is the garden itself beautiful but the patio provides commanding views of Elliott Bay where you can catch a glimpse of both ships lazily making their way around the water, and an incredible view of the Seattle Great Wheel. The next time you’re in the Market, do yourself a favor - take a break, and find your way to the garden and see what’s growing!

After our stop in the Urban Garden we spent about an hour meandering through market, drinking in the ambiance and immersing ourselves in the experience. This incredible landmark is truly a feast for the senses - sights, sounds, smells & tastes all culminate in an experience that is unforgettable. 

We walked through the many food stalls and shops, stopping to enjoy some of the freshest produce one can find. We strolled past colorful flower vendors, marveling at the rich colorful hues in the bouquets. We then took a trip down the Lower Post Alley to explore the markets and shops on the lower levels, stopping, of course, to see to see the famous gum wall (which…is a thing for some reason). 

Once we made our way back up to the surface level we continued wandering the market, just a group of vagabonds with no real plans in place, we soaked up what we could with our short amount of time. Eventually, we made our way further northwest on Pike Place, searching out the original location of what is now the world’s largest coffee chain. You know the place - the place where your friend that wears a beret sits writing his screenplay sipping on a $7 latte even though he can’t afford a second pair of shoes. The place where your favorite fall flavor infused beverage started its pumpkin infancy.

Starbucks is the largest coffee chain in the world, by far, with nearly 31,000 locations. It’s followed distantly by other major chains like Dunkin Donuts, which has about 10,000 locations and Tim Horton’s which has about 4,300. 

Yes, the one and only Starbucks started right here in the Pike Place Market in 1971. Now by this point the four of us had consumed enough coffee that we could have made James Bond’s favorite drink just standing still, so we didn’t opt to go in, but it was very cool just being in the presence of caffeine greatness.

Seattle | The Starbucks Reserve Roastery

Seattle | The Starbucks Reserve Roastery

View fullsize

Located just nine blocks from the original Starbucks in Pike Place, The Starbucks Reserve Roastery in the Capitol Hill neighborhood opened in 2014. Immediately upon entering all your senses come to life. The smell of freshly brewed coffee washes over you in a wave of warm olfactory delight, while your eyes drink in the visually striking design of the space. A curated collection of coffee curiosities (sorry, I love alliteration) fill the gift shop.

View fullsize

Stroll around and you’ll find the beautiful, classically designed Princi ovens, baking delicious artisanal breads and pastries. Truly a delight for the eyes, the nostrils and the tastebuds!  A clacker board overhead previews information about what’s being roasted and which drinks you can try at one of the many coffee bars scattered throughout the roastery. The Starbucks Roastery essentially elevates coffee to a high art form, and watching the baristas make coffee here is just as much a performance as it is a tasting experience.

View fullsize

This enormous copper cask is where coffee beans go to rest after roasting to relax before bagging. It is actually perforated so that light shining through it illuminates a world map across the Roastery floor.

While this is the first Starbucks Reserve Roastery, there are now six locations all over the world. Other locations include Shanghai, Milan, New York, Tokyo & Chicago.

Address: 1124 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101

Official Site

Watch the Video