City Sightseeing Seattle: HOHO Bus Tour + Locks Cruise

Seattle’s best feature on this tour is the mix of city streets and water. You get an unlimited hop-on hop-off bus ticket for 24 or 48 hours, plus a two-hour one-way cruise through the Locks from Pier 55. That gives you a useful first look at the city without forcing you into one long sightseeing ride.

I like the easy access to major sights such as Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, Pioneer Square, Chinatown, and the waterfront. I also like the extra audio-guided walking tour, which adds context in a historic district the bus cannot fully explain.

The main drawback is timing. The bus runs from 10am to 4pm, and the Locks Cruise leaves at 10:30am each day, so you need to plan the cruise first if you want to fit both into one day. Attraction admission, food, and drinks cost extra.

Key points to know before you book

• The Locks Cruise leaves Pier 55 at 10:30am daily: Plan around this fixed departure if the boat ride is important to you.
• The bus route takes about 80 minutes: Buses run every 30 minutes, making it easy to get off and resume sightseeing.
• You can choose 24 or 48 hours: The longer ticket gives you more time to spread out markets, museums, viewpoints, and neighborhoods.
• Pike Place Market has several nearby stops: You can visit the market, Pike Brewing Company, the Seattle Art Museum, and the Original Starbucks with less walking between stops.
• The Pioneer Square walk covers 1.1 miles: Use your smartphone for images and commentary about Seattle’s early days.
• The ticket does not include attraction entry: Budget separately for the Space Needle, Great Wheel, Sky View Observatory, or other paid sights.

A bus tour that connects Seattle’s main pieces

Seattle can feel spread out, especially when you are trying to combine the waterfront, Seattle Center, downtown, Pioneer Square, Chinatown, and the city’s viewpoints. This bus route helps you cover those areas without arranging separate rides each time.

The full bus loop takes about 80 minutes. You can stay aboard for an overview, then get off at any of the listed stops and rejoin a later bus. Service runs every 30 minutes, with the first departure from Stop 1 at 10am and the last departure from Stop 1 at 4pm.

That schedule works best for a daytime visit. You should not treat this as an evening sightseeing service, since the final departure from the first stop is fairly early. If you have only one day, start early and keep the cruise, market, and one or two major districts as your priorities.

The English audio guide gives you information while you ride. It is useful for orientation, though it does not replace spending time on foot. Seattle rewards you for getting off the bus, especially around Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, and the waterfront.

Space Needle and Seattle Center

Stop 1 is at the Space Needle and Seattle Center, making it a natural starting point. The Space Needle is one of Seattle’s defining sights, and Seattle Center gives you a convenient base for exploring nearby attractions.

Your bus ticket does not include admission to the Space Needle. The same applies to other paid attractions, so check your budget before deciding how many stops to make. The value of the bus is transportation and orientation, not bundled entry tickets.

If you are new to Seattle, starting here makes sense. You can see the Space Needle, get your bearings, and then use the bus to reach the waterfront or downtown without spending your first hour figuring out local connections.

The route also includes a stop near FRS Clippers. This gives you access to the area around the ferry service, though the ferry itself is not part of this ticket. The Edgewater Hotel stop places you near the waterfront and adds another option for reaching the shore.

The waterfront, piers, and the Great Wheel

Seattle’s waterfront is one of the most enjoyable parts of this route. Stops near the Edgewater Hotel, Pier 66, Pier 55, and Argosy Cruises put you close to the water, ferries, cruise facilities, restaurants, and waterfront attractions.

Pier 55 is especially important because it is the meeting point for the Locks Cruise. It is also near Argosy Cruises. Read your voucher details carefully and allow time to find the correct boarding point, since the bus and boat are separate parts of the experience.

The giant Great Wheel is near the waterfront area, although admission is not included. You can add it as a paid stop if you want a ride above the shoreline. The bus is useful here because it reduces the need to walk back and forth between downtown and the piers.

Pier 66 is the cruise terminal stop. It can be helpful if your Seattle visit connects with a cruise departure, but this sightseeing ticket does not include cruise-terminal services or transportation to your hotel.

Pike Place Market and nearby downtown stops

Pike Place Market is one of the strongest reasons to use this route. The market is busy, compact, and best enjoyed on foot, with time to browse rather than simply view it from a bus window.

The route gives you several nearby options: Pike Place Market, Pike Brewing Company, the Seattle Art Museum, Pier 55, and the Original Starbucks at Pike Place Market. These stops make it easier to build a short walking circuit instead of treating each location as a separate bus journey.

I would get off near the market and spend a good part of the morning there, then continue toward the waterfront or downtown. The Original Starbucks stop is convenient for people interested in coffee history, but it can be crowded and is not the same as visiting every part of the market.

Pike Brewing Company is another useful stop for visitors who want a food or drink break. Food and drinks are not included in the ticket, so use this part of the route as a chance to choose your own meal rather than expecting a package tour.

The Seattle Art Museum stop adds a cultural option, but museum admission is separate. If you plan to go inside, the 48-hour ticket gives you more breathing room than trying to fit the museum, market, cruise, and neighborhoods into one short day.

Pioneer Square and Seattle’s early days

Pioneer Square is where the tour’s self-guided walk adds real value. The audio-guided route covers about 1.1 miles and focuses on Seattle’s early days, using your smartphone to show images of the objects and places discussed.

A bus audio guide can tell you what you are passing. A walking route lets you slow down and look at the buildings and public spaces directly. That difference matters in Pioneer Square, where the details are easy to miss from a moving vehicle.

The route includes Pioneer and Occidental Square. The historic district is also close to the waterfront and Chinatown, so you can combine several stops without wasting much time on transport.

Bring a charged phone for the walking tour. The instructions specifically rely on your smartphone, and the images on the screen are part of the experience. The walk is not a live guided tour, so you set your own pace and do not have a guide answering questions in person.

Chinatown and the Panama Hotel

The Historic Chinatown Gate and the Panama Hotel and Tea House are separate stops that help you explore another side of central Seattle. This part of the route is worth including if you want more than the city’s famous waterfront and observation towers.

The bus makes the neighborhood easier to reach from Pike Place Market or the Space Needle. You can get off at the Chinatown Gate, continue on foot, and use the Panama Hotel stop as another point for exploring the area.

The ticket does not include food or drinks, so Chinatown can also be a natural place to pause for a meal. The route gives you the transport connection, but you choose how long to stay and what to visit.

Seattle Central Library and the city views

The Seattle Central Library is another downtown stop. It offers a change of pace from outdoor sights, markets, and waterfront attractions. The library is included as a bus stop, but the ticket does not include any separate attraction admission.

The Seattle Sky View Observatory is one of the route’s major viewpoint options. Like the Space Needle and Great Wheel, it requires its own entry ticket. This is an important part of the price calculation: the $109 ticket gives you sightseeing transport, a cruise, and audio content, but it is not an all-inclusive attraction pass.

I would choose one paid high viewpoint rather than trying to pay for all three unless you are especially interested in city views. The bus lets you compare the locations and decide where you want to spend extra money.

The Seattle Convention Centre is also on the route. It may be useful as a downtown reference point, though it is less likely to be a main sightseeing goal than the market, library, or viewpoints.

Amazon Spheres and the final route stops

The Amazon Spheres stop gives the route a look at one of Seattle’s modern landmarks. It helps balance the older districts and waterfront sights with a newer part of downtown.

Access inside the Spheres is not listed as part of the ticket, so plan to view the stop from the outside unless you have separate arrangements. The tour is best thought of as a way to connect Seattle’s different districts, not as a pass that guarantees entry to every landmark along the way.

The route information also notes a temporary summer change: every Saturday, Stop 18 is located in front of the Via 6 building at the west corner of 6th and Lenora, on the right side of the street. Check the stop location if you are using that Saturday service.

Making the 10:30am Locks Cruise work

The Locks Cruise is the part of this package that requires the most planning. It departs every day at 10:30am from Pier 55 and takes about two hours one way.

At the stop, show your voucher and receive separate tickets for the bus and Locks Cruise. The boat ride is not simply another hop-on hop-off stop. It is a fixed sailing, so missing it can affect the rest of your day.

I would make Pier 55 your first target, especially on a one-day visit. After the cruise, return to the bus route and choose two or three stops that matter most to you. Trying to complete every neighborhood, enter several attractions, and take the full boat ride in one day will feel rushed.

The cruise adds a different view of Seattle from the bus. You get the salty waterfront setting and time on the water, rather than another loop through downtown streets. Since it is one way, confirm your onward plan after arrival and keep your separate bus ticket ready.

Is $109 a good value?

At $109 per person, this is not a cheap way to buy transportation alone. It becomes more useful when you plan to take the cruise, use the bus several times, and visit several districts that would otherwise require separate rides.

The 48-hour option is the better value for many people. It gives you time to spread out the Locks Cruise, Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, Chinatown, the library, and one or two paid attractions. You can also stay longer at the market or take a proper meal break without losing the whole day.

The 24-hour option suits a short visit or a visitor who wants a quick city overview. To make it worthwhile, use the cruise and bus on the same day, then select only the most important stops.

Remember the exclusions. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. Food, drinks, and entry to attractions are also separate. The package pays for access to the route, the English audio guide, the walking tour, and the two-hour cruise.

Practical details before you go

You can board at any stop along the route. Both mobile and printed paper vouchers are accepted, and they can be redeemed at any stop. The voucher can be used on any day within 12 months of the travel date selected at checkout, according to the booking terms.

The tour is wheelchair accessible. Pets and smoking are not allowed. English is the listed audio-guide language.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Seattle plans are still changing.

The bus service runs every 30 minutes, but you should still keep an eye on the clock. The final departure from Stop 1 is at 4pm, and the cruise has its own fixed schedule. A simple written plan will save you from waiting at the wrong stop or missing the boat.

Who should book this Seattle tour?

I would recommend this package to first-time visitors who want a broad look at Seattle and prefer not to manage several separate transport options. It also suits families, older visitors, and anyone who wants the option to sit down between walking stops.

It works particularly well for a 48-hour city break. You can use one day for the cruise, waterfront, and Pike Place Market, then use the second day for Pioneer Square, Chinatown, the library, the Space Needle area, and the Sky View Observatory.

Independent explorers should know what they are buying. This is not a small-group walking tour with a personal guide. It is a flexible sightseeing system with recorded commentary and a self-guided walk. That is a strength if you like setting your own pace, but a weakness if you want detailed live interpretation.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want the Locks Cruise and city transport in one package, especially with 48 hours to use it. The bus connects Seattle’s major areas well, and the Pioneer Square walk gives you something more focused than a ride-by overview.

Skip it if you plan to spend most of your time inside paid attractions or prefer exploring one neighborhood slowly on foot. At $109, the value depends on using the cruise and boarding the bus several times. For a first Seattle visit with limited time, that combination can make the price worthwhile.

FAQ

How long does the bus tour take?

The full bus tour lasts about 80 minutes. You can get off at any stop and board a later bus.

How often do the buses run?

Buses run every 30 minutes. The first departure from Stop 1 is at 10am, and the last departure from Stop 1 is at 4pm.

When and where does the Locks Cruise depart?

The Locks Cruise departs every day at 10:30am from Pier 55. Show your voucher at the stop to receive separate bus and cruise tickets.

Is the cruise included in the ticket?

Yes. The package includes a two-hour, one-way Locks Cruise.

Does the ticket include entry to the Space Needle or other attractions?

No. Entry to attractions is not included. You pay separately for places such as the Space Needle, Seattle Sky View Observatory, or the Great Wheel.

Can I use a mobile voucher?

Yes. Mobile and printed paper vouchers are accepted and can be redeemed at any stop along the route.