Seattle has an underground? That’s what I thought when I saw the ad for this quirky tour. I soon found out that the first floors of many of Seattle’s building are underground because the buildings and roads were built below sea level. They kept having (obvious) problems with sewage and water flooding the streets, so after a fire destroyed the settlement in the late 1880s, they raised the streets, leaving some bottom level floors of the buildings underground. It's definitely a tourist activity, but you get a good bit of history about Seattle with a dose of humor and a different perspective. Bill Speidel wrote the book “Sons of the Profits,” which is said to be the basis for the tour, which started in the 1980s. It’s his humor that is infused throughout the tour, mostly poking fun at the mentality at the people who settled the area. Many of the tour guides are local actors supplementing their incomes.

It is dusty in the underground; this isn’t a museum. The underground is condemned and you can only go there through this tour. There’s quite a bit of walking/standing, so wear comfortable shoes. Some of the stairways leading to the underground are steep and there are some close quarters, but as someone who is claustrophobic, I didn’t have a problem at all. The tour ends in Rogue’s Gallery, where there are displays and, of course, a gift shop. You can only get to the gift shop by taking the tour. The Underground Tour is located on Occidental Square in the Pioneer Square area, which is the oldest part of Seattle. Tickets are $11 for adults, $9 for seniors and students, and $5 for children. The tour doesn’t take reservations, so it’s suggested that you arrive 30 minutes early to secure your spot. On a Friday at 11am there was a pretty good group assembled. Don’t underestimate the popularity of this tour. Private tours are available by request. To get there from the downtown area, head down to Alaskan Way (the last street before you get to the water) and find the trolley. Or just walk and enjoy the scenery.

While delving into some of the early politics, our inital guide talked about the main reason Seattle has an underground - if you guessed that the citizens desired an indoor mall to avoid getting wet, you'd be close to the right motive. Some of the underground has been (and is still) used for commerce. However, the real reason was a simple matter of wanting indoor plumbing that worked efficiently. My fifth grader son was doubled over in practical hysterics as we were told stories of how Thomas A. Crapper, the man who invented the early toilet, hadn't considered how the changing tides in Seattle might make things flush up at certain times of the day.

After the tour intro, our big group was split into three small groups, and we were escorted into separate sections of the tour's underground, so things never got too crowded. Our guide was Rick, and we enjoyed his entire presentation. While the underground itself isn't really a lot to see, his telling of the history brought the place to life for us.

While not for young kids, I would highly suggest this tour for the whole family. However, if you have a hard time navigating stairs, you might have to skip it. There aren't any elevators.

Bottom line? A perfect blend of history and entertainment.

The tour starts in a building, and then you go down with your guide to a place beneath the streets. We heard about how this used to be the original Seattle. I liked seeing a real bank vault, no longer in use, of course. I liked how our guide made up jokes and banged the doors to scare off any rats we might otherwise have seen. The guide said you should try to avoid wearing open-toed shoes if you go on this tour because the tour's "pets" might think your toes are food for them to eat!!! I was kind of disappointed we didn't see any vermin, but my mom was happy we didn't. I don't think it really matters if you wear open-toed shoes, but you do have to go up and down a bunch of steps.

If you have kids with you, I suggest going on this tour. I am ten years old, and I thought the whole thing was interesting. I laughed and laughed, but I even learned a few things. I wish my teachers would take some lessons from the tour guides!

A little under two hours, this is a good activity for the whole family.