Pioneer Square

So old. Much histories. Such Seattle.

Pioneer Square is worth coming at least once if you want to know about the History of Seattle. There are quite a few interesting bars, restaurants and stores in the immediate area.
But I strongly recommend not walking in the area after dark. Especially if you are travelling alone. There are a lot of homeless and panhandlers which made me feel unsafe.
With all these newer business moving in, hopefully the area will be clean up a little next time when I am back in town.

Seattle has done a good job revitalizing the downtown area. The old brick buildings have been stabilized, retrofitted and have some interesting tenants. There is a nice mix of retail stores, gallerries and buisness tenants.
The public space is broad and airy, looks like it would be nice on a sunny day. Even in the rain, there are lots of pedestrian traffic.
There is also a great museum– the National Park Service’s Klondike Museum. It has a wonderful exhibit on the 1897 gold rush there. It is housed in the Cadillac Hotel, and there is a fascinating exhibit on how it was saved and renovated that gives you an idea how far this part of town has come.

I’m digging this neighborhood – it exudes history in a beautiful town that is very quickly building in this modern day and age. Yeah, I get that it is maybe in a more rundown part of town, but how can you not love driving down 1^st and checking out those old brick buildings and absorbing it all in?

I love the smell of piss and good deals on crack.
So much potential and upside… clean it up!!!

This place is more for the younger adults. We didn’t go to the underground tour, or in any stores because they were on the high end or bars for drinkers. My sons were tired walking around since it’s very hilly and some areas were sketchy. One interesting thing we saw were two men playing a huge chess board in the park.

Interesting place. I went on an underground tour, but unfortunately half way through it I had to use the bathroom really bad and had to leave the group.

Pioneer Square is a great place to hit a bar before the game and to have an office but it’s become a homeless village. You’ll be aggressively panhandled multiple times over a block or two and the encampments are growing by the week.

Visit during the day and you’ll get a breathtaking idea of what Seattle must have been like at the turn of the century. The architecture and the buildings are magnificent. The cobblestone areas are really cool bringing some old world charm but everything is just a little dampened by the large amount of homeless and transient folks who call Pioneer Square home. The quaint little shops and restaurants are very cozy and enticing but beware when you walk outside or down the street for multiple strangers (who smell bad usually) to have a hand out asking you to spare some change or sometimes, get violently angry with you for not showing enough attention or giving to their cause. You’ll also probably be solicited by at least one if not more people selling a daily publication called «Real Change». It is a way for the folks who are down on their luck to earn some money productively to help them get on their feet so to speak. I used to like donating to their cause until they doubled the price of their publication from $ 1.00 to $ 2.00. Now I know that sounds pretty stingy of me but I have a hard time overlooking that they up’d the price by 100% and did nothing to change the product. I would suggest buying one if you are touring the city as they do have some interesting things to read on occasion.
Enter Pioneer Square after dark and you’re in for a whole different experience. This is the night life mecca of Seattle and given the day of the week, is bustling with night clubs. The scene has gone way down since the 90’s or early 2000’s for that matter. I blame the economy and the increasingly tendency of people to be introverted now because of at home entertainment but if things are still the same, you can pay one cover charge and have your hand stamped and then you will be able to enter into around 8 or so venues all for the price of that one admission. It’s a really good value if you like to check out the latest in local music performances and bar hop.

Welcome to Pioneer Square, a lovely section of Seattle full of history, life and underground tunnels. Believe it or not this part of town is actually sitting several feet up from its original ground elevation. Nevertheless, the background story of this area is very intriguing especially for those who love a bit of history. Just along Yesler way was the old transport path for loggers to get down to the harbor. Surrounding the neighborhood is a wide arrangement of restaurants and stores that have stood there for several decades. If you really want to get a handle of the history of the area I recommend taking the underground tour. You won’t be disappointed.
Like most downtown areas, this does show signs of being worn down, but not necessarily run down. I wouldn’t say you aren’t safe walking down the street, but be mindful there’s a lot of bums and peddlers. Find your closer to Pike’s or in the heart of Seattle, you’ll have less to worry about. Did I enjoy my stay at Pioneer Square, absolutely, the vibrant history is surrounds made the trip well worth it. Is it the classiest and modern can’t say it is.

This is a very historic neighborhood in downtown Seattle which features a wide variety of businesses and things to see. The real charm of this place is how it evolves over the course of the day providing just about type of entertainment you could think of. You will find a quickly evolving bar and restaurant scene that should very quickly become one of Seattle’s hottest places around for dining and drinking. There is also a wide variety of shops available from sports memorabilia stores to high end fashion boutiques and is also just a few blocks away from the waterfront piers, the ferry dock, Chinatown, and the two sports stadiums. Tourists and locals love this area, most likely for very different reasons, but one thing is for certain, Pioneer Square is a must visit destination during any visit to downtown Seattle.

If I wasn’t into people watching I probably wouldn’t like this place much… however it definitely deserves at least three stars due to the historical significance and interesting sights Pioneer Square offers. I strongly recommend visiting here during the day to see the Underground Tour, the Klondike Museum, the Smith Tower and the waterfall.
There are usually questionable people out, so be cautious of beggars and people talking (or shouting) to themselves. There are some good bars and restaurants to eat in the area… it’s pretty safe as long as you aren’t by yourself (I’ve been here day or night to eat and the worse thing that happened is someone begging to me).

This is the «old Seattle» district. Lots of history, buildings, etc. But also home of many of the shelters in the area. Homeless people asking for change abound, so we aware. Some cute landmarks and highlights make this part of visiting Seattle.
This is where you take the Underground Seattle tour. Smith tower, once the tallest building west of the Mississippi also has an observation deck — opens at 10AM.

20 minute walk from Pike Place Market going towards the Century Link Field area. The day we went there was a small market place within the Square… I’m not familiar enough with the place to say if that is an every day thing. Yes, there are some homeless as in any public park, but not invasive or disturbing in any way.
It’s a «old town» feel and the architecture and buildings and history of the area can definitely be explored given the time.

So, as a visitor from another state I loved finding some great shops along here and what a pretty area. It is just too bad that it is filled with sketchy people the whole day — someone had a tent setup!!! I was actually amazed though with how clean the area seemed with all the people sleeping there in the middle of the day…

Awesome part of downtown Seattle to explore– definitely check out Rain Shadow and Umbria in the area, Tat’s is also good. There are some cool statues in the park, as well.
One of the coolest attractions is the underground tour offered in this area.
For all of the people complaining about the homeless in this area, welcome to the fact that you’re in a major city. Stick to Capitol Hill if you can’t handle reality. Or maybe don’t visit at all.

I have never enjoyed an experience in the Pioneer Square. It has interesting stores and architecture, but I have been hassled by people every time I go there. It seems like a horrible joke to put it at the top of the «must see» for tourists, since many of them will feel endangered and walk away from their trip with a negative impression of the city.
I would avoid this area if you’re a tourist. It just isn’t worth it.

WHERE SKID ROW BEGAN IT IS HIP TO BE SQUARE
Where skid row began Pioneer Square is a hip square shaped district in southwest Seattle. It is a hip district with abundant historical buildings. Many of its brick buildings are protected through historic preservation. Inside its historic brick buildings are hip bars, night clubs, eateries, Starbuck’s, offices, lofts, and shops.
There is no definitive boundaries of Pioneer Square. The way I experienced Pioneer Square it is bounded by Alaskan Way/​Seattle Waterfront to the west, Columbia Street/​downtown to the north, 3^rd Avenue to the east, and King Street/​Stadiums to the south. Both the landmark and heart of Pioneer Square is the totem pole towering over the triangular park at Yesler Way (a main east to west thoroughfare) at 1^st Avenue. When I experienced Pioneer Square, the mature canopy of trees and infrastructure differentiated it from the adjacent districts. For example when I was walking along 1^st Avenue, I knew I was in Pioneer Square when the street lamps changed from the arms to the Victorian lamps. And when I walked on 2^nd Avenue when the traffic lights changed from poles and wires to pole mounted. The drastic change in mature tree canopy was another sign of entering Pioneer Square.
I have always been fascinated by urban planning and historical districts. There was no way that I was going to pass over spending time in the neighborhood where Seattle began. The problem is that I would have liked to have spent more time here. Then again it was quality time that I had spent here. It was quality time hanging out over a few PBRs in the Pioneer Square Saloon. Then there was quality time sipping Starbucks under the totem pole watching people, cars, and horse drawn carriages. I enjoyed walking along the cobbled 1^st Avenue from downtown to Safeco Field. Walking from Safeco Field to downtown on 2^nd Avenue I enjoyed looking at the bars and Waterfall Park. After Pioneer Square Saloon, the shaded pedestrian Occidental Way was a nice break in the city from the city. If I had been here at night, I am aware that there are over twenty bars and clubs for quality nightlife.
Pioneer Square is more hip than skid row. Yeah there are homeless and crime in Pioneer Square. But is everywhere including a power center parking lot. In all honesty I felt safer here than at 3^rd Avenue by Pine Street in downtown. Just like in any city, stick to the populated streets during the busier times. And be alert of your surroundings.
There is so much to see and do in Seattle. Spending time in Pioneer Square, where it is hip to be square and where Seattle began is a must see and do when visiting the downtown Seattle area.

Für uns war Seattle der Start unserer Alaska und Kanada Reise. Es war schön hier auf Entdeckungstour zu gehen und ein wenig von der Entwicklung Seattle zu erfahren. Schön ist, dass das Square nicht abgerissen wurden und sich Schritt für Schritt wieder belebt. Für uns war es Klasse hier in ein paar Galerien zu stöbern Mehr unter

The history is very interesting, and it’s nice to know where Seattle began.
I will say that this place can be sketch at night… there are some «characters» that make you have a white knuckle grip on your purse and loved ones, but don’t let that deter you from the fun shops and tours that occur in this area.
If you aren’t much of a tour person just look around! The buildings are amazing, and it’s one of the best places to people watch.

Day or night, I find Pioneer Square a fascinating and cool place to chill. My favorite is on a chilly day (minus the rain, of course). The crisp, clean air as I walk through the neighborhood is utterly refreshing. I love to stop and sit on a bench and people watch. Right before I get asked for money, food, cigarette, directions, or sex. I never know which question I’ll be asked but it keeps life interesting.
I stopped spending a lot of time in bars and clubs there but still go occasionally.
I often meet friends for lunch there since it’s walking distance for me and it’s nice to get away from some of my typical lunch spots. Some of the little shops are really funky and interesting.
The buildings are the most interesting to me. The age, material, style, design — just about everything.
Overall, a cool place to hangout alone or with friends.