Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour is one of Seattle’s most distinctive tours. From Doc Maynard’s Public House (1st Ave. and James St., 206/682-4646, www.undergroundtour.com, $15 adults, $12 seniors, $7 ages 7–12, challenging for younger children) you roam the Pioneer Square area above and below with a guide who provides humorous anecdotes about local history.

You'll learn about the speakeasies, gambling parlors, illegal lotteries, and opium dens that once occupied this section under the streets. You'll also hear how Seattle’s tidewater location created all sorts of problems for early residents—particularly those who tried to flush toilets on an incoming tide—and how the "seamstress tax" was applied to single women working out of the Sweet Home Boarding House in the red-light district.

The tour ends shamelessly in a museum/gift shop where you're encouraged to purchase such practical items as deluxe rubber rats and cockroaches. These very popular 1.5-hour tours leave several times daily. Reservations are recommended, particularly in the summer.