Seattle Hop On Hop Off Bus

There is a very comfortable and simple way to visit Seattle and that is aboard a tour bus. Read on and discover all its advantages, you won't want to miss this experience.

Camilla Graciano

Camilla Graciano

10 min read

Seattle Hop On Hop Off Bus

Seattle Sightseeing Bus | ©Mark Evans

While walking is often one of the best ways to get to know the city and the wide variety of things to see and do in Seattle, it can also be very overwhelming and is not always the most comfortable. So, if you are short on time and want to get to see everything this modern, futuristic and dynamic city has to offer, I recommend buying a tour bus pass.

You will travel through the history of the main neighborhoods of the city, you will see the most popular attractions and you will get to the most important sites and museums of the city, with an expert guide and in a bus that will allow you to appreciate every detail. Below I tell you all about the Seattle sightseeing bus.

The best option

Seattle Hop-On Hop-Off City Sightseeing Bus Tour

If you are looking to visit the main attractions of Seattle, the Seattle sightseeing bus will be your best option.

You will tour the main and most popular places in Seattle with the best panoramic view of the city.

Buying your Seattle sightseeing bus pass through City Sightseeing you will have access to the best and most recognized attractions of the city for 24 or 48 hours. In addition, you can use it as a means of transportation to move around the different parts of the city you want to visit.

This pass also includes a Scenic Seattle Scenic Tour so you can get some great, never-before-seen photos of Gas Works Park and Ballard Locks and appreciate the best views of Seattle and Mount Rainier from the Kerry Park Overlook. Plus, a self-guided tour of the city.

Recommended if... you want to see key Seattle landmarks like the famous Space Needle, Pioneer & Occidental Square, Chinatown, Seattle Central Library, Capitol Hill, Pike Place Market and travel from one side of the city to the other without spending extra money on transportation. It's a great option, you'll love it!

How the tour bus works

Seattle Sightseeing Bus| ©Pampero
Seattle Sightseeing Bus| ©Pampero

The Seattle Sightseeing Bus operates with free stops. So, during the time your pass is valid you can take the bus as many times as you want and get off at the stops you want, allowing you to tour the main attractions at your own pace, without having to be aware of the bus.

Whether you buy the pass for 24 or 48 hours, it will be activated the first time you use it and its use time will be counted by hours, not days.

You will be able to purchase your pass online and you will receive the confirmation in your email immediately. To use this pass you will be able to present it directly from your mobile device or the printed ticket. Also, if you change your mind, you can cancel it free of charge.

Book the Seattle sightseeing bus

1 or 2 day pass on the Seattle sightseeing bus with free stops in Seattle

Hop off hop on Seattle| ©Can Pac Swire
Hop off hop on Seattle| ©Can Pac Swire

You will distinguish the City Sightseeing sightseeing buses by their striking red color and double-decker structure. They are available for you to use in Seattle, every day of the week, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a frequency of 45 minutes.

You will have the option to choose to purchase this Seattle sightseeing bus pass valid for one or two days. In a complete route of 1 hour and 20 minutes, the Seattle sightseeing bus will give you a complete tour and cover the main attractions of the city.

The Seattle sightseeing bus pass will give you access to a series of advantages and privileges. Among them, I have to highlight a panoramic tour of Seattle and a self-guided walking tour. At some stops you can even combine it with one of the best guided tours of Seattle.

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Advantages of using the sightseeing bus

Stop at Pioneer Square| ©David Valenzuela
Stop at Pioneer Square| ©David Valenzuela

I must confess that before using a tourist bus I had some doubts and was somewhat reluctant. But after using it on one of my trips, I have to admit that it has several advantages that I want to share with you.

  • You will be able to use it unlimitedly during the period of time it is active.
  • The different designated stops along the entire route are designed in such a way to connect to all the points of interest in the city. If you decide to do the entire tour, there will be nothing left to see in Seattle.
  • As the route is designed to take you to the most popular attractions of the city such as museums, neighborhoods and important monuments, this bus is much faster and more agile than the regular bus, which makes it more convenient, since you will avoid wasting time in detours or stops that are not important for regular buses.
  • You will have the most impressive panoramic views of the city that no other tour or bus can offer you.
  • The tour is accompanied by expert guides who will let you know more about the main important points of the city and will accompany everything you see along the way.
  • If you have little time to tour the city, the tourist bus will be your great ally: you will see the main attractions in record time, being able to get off at the stop you want to know more in depth.
  • With the purchase of this pass you will have access to the Scenic Seattle Panoramic Bus Tour with a live guide and a self-guided walking tour.

Book the Seattle sightseeing bus

What to see from the tour bus

Space Needle| ©mat79
Space Needle| ©mat79

With this tourist bus you will have access to the main points of the city that you must visit. Its route is very complete and does not leave out any Seattle must-see.

In addition, it is important that you know well which are the stops so you can organize yourself well before taking the bus. You can get on at any of the following stops and get off wherever you want. Below you will find the itinerary of the stops and the attractions you will visit.

Tourist bus stops

  • Space Needle Loop

  • Bell Street at Pier 66

  • The Edgewater Hotel

  • Bell Street at Pier 66

  • Pier 55

  • 117 S Washington St

  • Historic Chinatown Gate

  • Panama Hotel and Tea House

  • Sky View Observatory - Columbia Center

  • Seattle Central Library

  • Washington State Convention Center

  • Starbucks

  • Jimi Hendrix Statue

  • Paramount Theatre

  • Tiffany & Co.

  • Pike Place Market

Attractions served by the tour bus

  • Space Needle: the famous world famous structure of 184 meters high and an unmistakable symbol of the city of Seattle. Here you will find one of the most impressive observatories from which you can see the entire city.
  • Seattle Center: is a recognized center of art, education, tourism and entertainment in the city and a major tourist destination. Thousands of events are held here every year, making it one of the most popular attractions in the region.
  • Occidental Park: one of the **city'**s main parks, it is located in the heart of the Pioneer Square historic district. Here you will find plenty of outdoor space to relax, stroll around and have a coffee. Nearby there are many bookstores, art galleries, boutiques and a variety of stores and restaurants.
  • Seattle Public Library: this is a striking building with a glass and steel façade and a capacity to hold more than 1.45 million books. You can take a guided tour of its facilities.
  • Pike Place Market: is one of the oldest public markets in the country, and is home to many small producers, artisans and merchants.
  • Historic Chinatown Gate: from the open deck you will appreciate in detail and with a panoramic view of the Historic Chinatown Gate. It is one of the key points to descend and tour the area.

Activities included

With the purchase of this pass you will have included two other activities so you can take advantage of your trip to Seattle and get to know a little more of the city.

  • Scenic Seattle Panoramic Bus Tour: you will have the best panoramic views with the company of a live expert guide. Please note that this tour, unlike the tourist bus, does not operate with a free stop and has a set starting point and a duration of approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.
  • Self-guided walking tour: this is a novel activity that starts at historic Pioneer Square, the first place where Seattle was settled. You will have to download the app on your mobile device to access the tour and follow the route to learn more about the history of the city, its people and buildings. It will be like a typical guided tour, but at your own pace, taking as much time as you want in each place and enjoying the city.

Book the Seattle sightseeing bus

How much does the tour bus ticket cost?

Money in Euros| ©Pixabay
Money in Euros| ©Pixabay

You can access the Seattle Sightseeing Bus Pass starting at 35 euros. Remember that you will have it active for 24 or 48 hours after the first time you use it and during that time you will have unlimited use to move around the city as you want, saving on public transport between the stops included.

Seattle Sightseeing Bus Schedules

Bus in Chinatown| ©Viator
Bus in Chinatown| ©Viator

You can use the tourist bus every day between 10 am and 4 pm and the frequency is every 45 minutes.

Thus, you will have a wide time availability to travel around Seattle without rushing. And remember, you can use it as a means of transportation and take it as many times as you want to move around the city.

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How long is the complete tour of the tourist bus?

Travel on the tourist bus| ©Kristen
Travel on the tourist bus| ©Kristen

Keep in mind that if you choose to do the entire route as it is laid out in the itinerary, it will take you approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. This makes it an excellent option if you have little time to tour the city, since during that time, you will be able to see the main and most popular points of the city.

Some tips to get the most out of your Seattle sightseeing bus tour

In Seattle| ©Michael Gwyther-Jones
In Seattle| ©Michael Gwyther-Jones

If you have already decided that you want to take your Seattle sightseeing bus pass to tour the city, here are some things you can do to get the most out of it so that you can definitely make the most of it.

Plan your tour of the city

It is clear that the tour bus will allow you to get to know the city in depth in a relatively short time and will bring you closer to all the activities you want to see, but let me tell you that everything will be easier if you organize in advance.

I recommend that you have at your fingertips the list of tourist bus stops and consider the days, times and location of the activities you want to know in depth. This will allow you to access the greatest number of tourist attractions, being able to take advantage and enjoy each one of them.

In many of the areas you will visit, you will also have the opportunity to take a tour of Seattle. This way, you will be able to organize yourself to do different activities by zones and schedules and combine them as you wish.

Take into account the schedules of the attractions you want to visit

I recommend that before you start using your tour bus pass you check the opening and closing days and times of the museums or tourist attractions. Also keep in mind that some are usually closed on holidays or special days.

This will also help you to be strategic in activating your pass, as it does not make much sense to start using it on a holiday when many attractions are closed.

Check the attractions you want to visit before you start using the tourist bus.

Although you can take it as many times as you want going from one side of the city to the other, I recommend that you keep in mind the stops and all the attractions that are close to each of them. This will help you to optimize your visit to the city and save time.

I also recommend that you locate on your map places where you want to eat, have a drink or stop to rest so you can coordinate your visits to attractions with the bus stops and have stores or restaurants nearby when you want to rest a little.

Book the Seattle Sightseeing Bus

If you're interested in the Seattle sightseeing bus, you may also be interested in

Seattle CityPass tickets at the Aquarium| ©MMR Dad
Seattle CityPass tickets at the Aquarium| ©MMR Dad

It is clear that with the Seattle sightseeing bus you will know the city perfectly and you will walk through its main and most popular attractions, but you don't only have to limit yourself to that.

I offer you a couple of ideas so you can combine your tour bus ride with exclusive guided tours and tourist cards to make your experience complete.

You can take the opportunity to combine the Seattle sightseeing bus tour with the Seattle City Pass to get to know the city.

With this tourist card you will have included access to the main attractions of the city and unique activities such as the Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium, Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), Woodland Park Zoo and even a boat ride on Lake Washington.

Please note that the Seattle City Pass does not include some worthwhile activities such as Museum of Flight and the Boeing Factory, Seattle Art Museum and Pacific Science Center, I recommend that if you have some time left you check the stops that you have closer to each place and visit them on your own. You will not regret it!

In addition, you can complete the experience by trying some of the typical delicacies in a Best food tours in Seattle. and discover the most unique flavors of the city..:

The city of Seattle also offers activities in its surroundings and surrounding areas full of nature and attractions to enjoy Seattle's outdoors. You can get more information at: best tours from Seattle or tours to Mount Rainier from Seattle.

The tour bus fits perfectly with many other activities around Seattle, you choose how to take advantage of it!

Book the Seattle Sightseeing Bus