City Sightseeing Seattle: HOHO Bus Tour + Locks Cruise

Seattle’s appeal is easiest to grasp from its waterfront, where ferries, piers, and the city’s skyline share the view. This package pairs a hop-on hop-off bus with a two-hour one-way Locks Cruise, giving you both a city overview and time on the water.

I like two things here: the 17 listed bus stops make it easy to reach major sights, and the included Pioneer Square audio walk adds a focused look at Seattle’s early days. One consideration: the cruise leaves Pier 55 at 10:30am, so you’ll need to plan your day around that fixed departure.

Key points before you go

• The bus makes a full loop in about 80 minutes, with departures every 30 minutes from Stop 1 between 10am and 4pm.
• The cruise is one-way and lasts two hours, leaving daily from Pier 55 at 10:30am.
• Choose a 24- or 48-hour ticket to spread the bus route across one or two days.
• Pike Place Market has several nearby stops, including one for the Original Starbucks and another for the market itself.
• Pioneer Square gets extra attention through a 1.1-mile, smartphone-guided walking tour.
• The listed route has 17 stops, though a summer notice also refers to a temporary Stop 18 location on Saturdays. Check the route details before you set out.

Use the bus for a first look at Seattle

The bus is a practical way to connect Seattle’s spread-out sights without piecing together every journey yourself. You can board at any stop, ride the full 80-minute loop to get your bearings, then hop off where you want more time.

The route includes the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, Chinatown, the Seattle Central Library, the waterfront, and the Amazon Spheres. That range makes the bus useful on a first visit, especially if you want a simple overview before choosing which neighborhoods deserve a longer visit.

A 24-hour ticket works best if you have a focused day and can keep moving. The 48-hour option gives you more breathing room: you can use one day for the main loop and another for stops that call for a slower visit. The tour description does not specify whether the ticket counts by calendar day or by rolling hours, so check the precise terms when you book.

The first bus leaves Stop 1, at the Space Needle and Seattle Center, at 10am. The last departure from that stop is at 4pm, and buses run every 30 minutes. Those hours matter. This is not a late-evening city tour, and missing a bus can leave you waiting half an hour before continuing.

You can start at any stop, not just the Space Needle. If you have a particular plan, such as the cruise or the market, choose the nearest listed stop and work outward from there. A mobile or printed paper voucher can be redeemed at any stop.

Start at Seattle Center or follow the waterfront

Stop 1 is at the Space Needle and Seattle Center, a natural starting point if you want to see one of Seattle’s best-known landmarks. The bus ticket does not include admission to attractions, so budget separately if you plan to go inside the Space Needle or visit other paid sights.

The route then reaches FRS Clippers and the Edgewater Hotel before continuing to the Pier 66 Cruise Terminal. These stops place you along the waterfront, where you can get off to explore the piers or simply enjoy the city from the bus. Pier 55 is also on the route, making it a useful stop for the included cruise and for the Great Wheel, one of the tour’s highlighted sights.

Stops 5 and 15 are both listed as Pier 55 and Argosy Cruises. That repetition can be helpful if you are planning around the boat trip, but pay attention to which stop you board at and when. The Locks Cruise departs from Pier 55 at 10:30am every day. You receive separate tickets for the bus and cruise when you show your voucher at a stop.

The cruise is a one-way trip and lasts two hours. That is a substantial part of your day, not a quick add-on, so avoid scheduling another activity too tightly afterward. The endpoint is not specified in the tour details; if you need to know where the boat finishes before arranging transport or reservations, confirm that before booking.

The water trip gives the package a different pace from the road loop. You get a change of view and a set departure time to plan around, rather than spending the whole day moving from stop to stop. The trade-off is less flexibility: you cannot simply decide to take the cruise later if you miss its daily 10:30am departure.

Take your time in Pioneer Square

Pioneer Square is one of the strongest reasons to get off the bus rather than treat the route as a sightseeing ride. Stops 6 and 7 are Pioneer and Occidental Square, and the Historic Chinatown Gate. Here, the tour shifts from broad city views to a more grounded look at Seattle’s past.

The included audio-guided walk covers 1.1 miles through the Pioneer Square historic district. You use your smartphone to follow the route, and images of the objects being discussed appear on your screen. The walk is self-guided, so you can pause when you like, but you will need your phone and a way to access the audio.

A stop at the Panama Hotel and Tea House adds another point of interest in this part of the city. The tour’s walking component focuses on Seattle’s early days, which gives you more context than a brief view from the upper deck. If local history is part of what you want from the trip, set aside enough time to do the walk rather than squeezing it in between buses.

Chinatown is another stop on this stretch. The route identifies the Historic Chinatown Gate, making it easy to connect the bus tour with a short visit in the neighborhood. The bus ticket does not include food or drink, so plan separately if you want to stop for a meal.

Pike Place Market has more than one stop

Pike Place Market is served by Stop 12, while Stop 16 is the Original Starbucks at Pike Place Market. Stop 13 is Pike Brewing Company, and Stop 14 is the Seattle Art Museum. This cluster gives you choices: get off for the market, the named coffee stop, or the museum, depending on your interests.

The multiple nearby stops are useful because market visits rarely fit neatly into a short bus break. You can get off, explore, and rejoin the route when you are ready, as long as you keep the 30-minute bus frequency in mind. The tour does not include entry to attractions, so any admission costs are separate.

The market stop is likely to be one of the busier places to use your time, so avoid assuming that a quick look will cover everything you want to see. If the market is a priority, the 48-hour ticket may suit you better: you can spend time there without feeling you must rush through the rest of the route in one day.

The Original Starbucks stop is a specific point of interest, not a promise of a short queue or a reserved visit. If you are mainly interested in the market as a whole, choose your stop based on where you want to begin, then walk between nearby sights at your own pace.

Add the library, skyline views, and Amazon Spheres

The route also serves the Seattle Sky View Observatory, Seattle Central Library, Seattle Convention Centre, and Amazon Spheres. These stops broaden the tour beyond the best-known waterfront and market sights, giving you a look at civic and modern Seattle as well.

As with the Space Needle and other attractions, admission is not included. The bus gets you near the listed sights, but you should check opening hours and ticket requirements separately if you want to go inside. That distinction is important when judging the $109 price: you are paying for transport, the cruise, and the audio experiences, not entry to every landmark.

The Seattle Central Library is a useful stop if architecture and public spaces interest you. The Amazon Spheres stop offers a contrast with the historic area around Pioneer Square. The tour does not specify entry access to the Spheres, so treat the stop as a nearby point of interest rather than a guaranteed visit inside.

The Seattle Sky View Observatory is another potential paid visit. It is a separate attraction from the bus ride, and its inclusion as a stop does not mean admission is covered. If you are deciding which skyline viewpoint to pay for, compare your options before you arrive.

Does $109 make sense for your plans?

At $109 per person, this is best judged as a bundled day or two-day plan, not as a cheap bus ride. The value comes from combining unlimited hop-on hop-off access for 24 or 48 hours with a two-hour one-way cruise and a self-guided Pioneer Square walk.

If you use the bus several times, take the cruise, and complete the audio walk, you are getting three different ways to see the city for one price. If you only ride one loop and skip the boat and walking tour, the cost may be harder to justify. The ticket does not cover meals, hotel transport, or attraction admissions, so include those in your budget.

The 48-hour choice is appealing if you want to visit several places rather than watch them pass from the bus. It can spread out the market, the historic district, and the waterfront, while leaving time for paid attractions. The 24-hour choice is more suitable if your priority is an overview and you can keep to a compact schedule.

The cruise’s fixed departure is the main planning constraint. If you want to take it, build your morning around being at Pier 55 in time for the 10:30am departure. The bus begins service at 10am from Stop 1, so do not assume you can ride the loop first and still make the boat.

Timing, tickets, and small details that matter

The tour operates in English, and the audio guide is included. The audio-guided walking tour uses your smartphone and displays images of the objects discussed, so make sure your phone is charged before you set off.

The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible. Pets and smoking are not allowed. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, and you can board at any of the bus stops.

One route note needs a little attention: the route list contains 17 stops, while a summer Saturday notice refers to Stop 18 being moved in front of the Via 6 building at the west corner of 6th and Lenora. Since the regular stop list does not show a Stop 18, check the current route information if you are traveling on a Saturday in summer and expect to use that location.

Vouchers are accepted on a mobile device or as printed paper and can be redeemed at any stop. They can be used on any day within 12 months of the travel date selected at checkout. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option allows you to hold a spot without paying at the time of booking.

Who should book this Seattle tour?

I would choose this package if you want a structured first look at Seattle and expect to use the bus for more than one or two short rides. It suits visitors who like the freedom to hop off, want to include time on the water, and are curious about Seattle’s early history.

It is less compelling if you prefer to explore entirely on foot, want a guided live tour, or cannot fit the 10:30am cruise into your plans. Keep in mind that attraction entry and food cost extra. If you can make good use of the bus, cruise, and Pioneer Square walk, the package offers a practical mix of city overview and closer exploration.

FAQ

How long does the bus tour take?

The bus tour takes about 80 minutes for a full loop. Buses depart every 30 minutes, with the first departure from Stop 1 at 10am and the last at 4pm.

How long is the Locks Cruise?

The one-way Locks Cruise lasts two hours. It departs daily at 10:30am from Pier 55.

Where can I board the bus?

You can join the bus tour at any stop along the route. The voucher can be redeemed at any of the stops.

Is the cruise included in the ticket?

Yes. The ticket includes a two-hour one-way Locks Cruise. You will receive separate tickets for the bus and cruise when you show your voucher at a stop.

Is admission to the Space Needle or other attractions included?

No. Entry to attractions is not included. Food and drink, along with hotel pickup and drop-off, are also excluded.

What does the Pioneer Square walking tour involve?

It is an audio-guided walk covering 1.1 miles in the Pioneer Square historic district. You use your smartphone to follow the tour, and images of the objects discussed appear on your screen.

Can I cancel my booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The activity also offers a reserve-now, pay-later option.