With cruise debarkation taking place bright and early in the morning, a post-cruise city tour is an enticing option for many who await their flights home much later in the day. It allows you to squeeze in another excursion day and helps diminish the time spent waiting at the airport.

My Alaska cruise was a round-trip, starting and ending in Seattle. As I arrived only the day before, I did not have a chance to discover the city at all. A post-cruise day tour was an ideal way to finalise the trip and get a glimpse of what Seattle has to offer.

I have booked the trip via ‘Seattle Express‘, the same company I used for transport to the cruise port a week earlier. It is an independent company, however, cruise lines offer those excursions as well, all of them ending with a drop off either at the airport or a hotel.

A single day, not even a full one, more like 8-12 hours really, is not enough to truly experience any city, but it is a start to at least try and see the most well-known sights and places, to get a feel for it.

Space Needle

Since its opening in 1962, this observation tower has become an icon of the city of Seattle. It was built to symbolise humanity’s Space Age aspirations for the 1962 World’s Fair, themed ‘The Age of Space’. It was designed by the chief organiser of the Fair, Edward E. Carlson, who took the inspiration from a broadcast tower in Stuttgart, Germany. He doodled that idea on a napkin, convinced it was going to become a landmark of Seattle, and he was right. If you’re curious about the further history of the tower, you can check it out on their official website.

I didn’t know about the rotating floor, and it freaked me right out, but it made for an amazing viewing point. It goes relatively slowly, so don’t worry, but for anyone with a fear of heights, maybe don’t look down!

The Lounge is open from fall through spring and offers exclusive cocktail and culinary experiences hundreds of feet up above Seattle. The Space Needle has also upgraded its elevators that take you to the top of the tower. They have opened the Skyliner 1, an all-glass, double-deck, outdoor elevator that only adds to your experience.

Once inside the tower, it offers some food and beverage options as well as a gift shop. The general admission ticket prices vary depending on the time of day:

• Open till 10am – $37.50
• 10am till 10pm – $49.00
• 10pm till Close – $42.50

Those prices are current ones at the time of writing, so please check out their official website for the most up-to-date information. The prices also differ for CityPass users or when bundled with Chihuly Garden & Glass. There are also discounts for kids (5-12 years old), seniors (65+), military and others, subject to ID confirmation.

Pike place market

Seattle’s original farmers market, Pike Place Market, has been a crucial icon for the city since its foundation in 1907. Today, it is one of the oldest and largest continuously operated public markets in the United States, spanning 9 acres in the centre of downtown Seattle. It houses hundreds of local farmers, craftsmen, buskers and small businesses to create a vibrant and thriving community for Seattle’s citizens and visitors to enjoy.

It took decades for the market to become what it is today, and I invite you to read its full history on its official website.

He found a perfect spot for one on Pike Place (giving the market its name), close to the waterfront, where ships could be used to deliver the goods. The ordinance was passed in early August 1907, and the market opened on the 17th of that same month. Despite the initial chaos, it turned out to be a success as farmers have sold out their items in minutes and at fairer prices.

As the demand grew, more and more stalls were added, and the Pike Place Market opened its first restaurants. One of these, the Athenian, was opened in 1909 by the Greek Pappadakis brothers. It became the first restaurant in the market to receive a liquor license following the Prohibition. You might recognise this restaurant from the movie ‘Sleepless in Seattle’.

Over the years, the market expanded, introducing new products, e.g. seafood, and adding new buildings. Some of the most noteworthy historical changes and stories include:

• 1937 – Installation of Public Market Center clock neon sign.
• 1963/1964 – Pike Place Market is threatened to be replaced with a plaza, garages and a hotel, but the proposal is met with public opposition. After a 7-year campaign, Pike Place is approved as a historic area, and a Historical Commission is created to oversee preservation of the Market.
• 1971 – First Starbucks store is established at Pike Place Market/Virginia Street, which began as a shop rather than a café. It moved to 1912 Pike Place in 1976 when the original building on Virginia Street was scheduled for demolition. It kept its original appearance to this day.
• 1986 – A bronze cast piggy bank, named Rachel, becomes a mascot of the Market Foundation. It collects donations for the Market’s child care initiative, food bank, senior centre, and more. Her cousin, Billy, arrived in the Market in 2011 and is currently at the front of the market.

fremont troll

The Fremont Troll, also known as the ‘Troll under the Bridge’, is a massive statue (5.5 meters high), located under the George Washington Memorial Bridge in the Fremont neighbourhood of Seattle. Made out of steel rebar, wire and concrete, it depicts a troll clutching an actual Volkswagen Beetle.

In 2005, the avenue that runs from the troll to North 34th Street was renamed ‘Troll Avenue’ in honour of the Fremont Troll. Over the years, it has gained its celebrity status and has been featured in movies, such as ‘Sleepless in Seattle’, ’10 Things I Hate About You’, and the video game ‘Life is Strange’.

I loved this little tour of mine around Seattle. It barely touched the tip of the iceberg of what this amazing city has to offer, but I loved everything I’ve seen and experienced. It really is the ultimate 1-day Seattle itinerary! Apologies for looking so bad in the photos, but it was disembarkation day. I was on 2 hours of sleep that day, after 7 days of drinking, meeting amazing people, and just having a blast in general on this first, big solo-adventure of my life. Things haven’t been the same since. The sadness I felt that day is showing on my face – it hit hard – but it proved that all of it mattered. I’m incredibly happy and grateful that I was able to start and finish this life-changing journey in such a beautiful and welcoming city as Seattle. Looking forward to coming back soon, and this time, staying for far longer!