We decided to play tourist for a day and do the duck tours from Ride the Ducks of Seattle. We had a great time, aside from wanting to sink down in our seats a few times in fear that we might see someone we know on the sidewalks as we drove through downtown.

The 90 minute tour starts with a drive through the waterfront, Pioneer Square, and downtown Seattle, with the driver wise-quacking and pointing out sites of interest along the route. Apparently the drivers moonliight as DJs, because when stopped at a light, they play from the same mix of upbeat oldies that you hear at just about every wedding reception.

The second half of the tour finds the old wartime landing vessel turning into a boat for a cruise around Lake Union. Besides Gasworks Park and the lakehouse from Sleepless in Seattle, there isn’t much to see on the lake. The main appeal for most is the uniqueness of the vehicle.

The tours depart right across from the Experience Music Project at the “duck dock”. They have limited parking on site, but there is plenty of other parking available with a few blocks. In the spring, they had a tour departing every half hour. We got there 15 minutes before a mid-weekday tour, and could have walked right on. From talking to their employees, sometimes the wait can be quite a bit longer in the summer, so buying tickets in advance is recommended.

The Seattle Aquarium (map) re-opened on September 17 after being closed for ten days for remodeling. There is still plenty of work going on, but we were happy to be among those who visited as it re-opened.

This is a great destination for kids. Our three year old would have been quite content to peer into all the tanks at the aquatic life, but there was so much more for her than that. There were lots of activities and hands on displays throughout the aquarium to draw her in even further. Highlights for her included the otters, the octopus, and a chance to touch a starfish.

The aquarium is conveniently located on the waterfront, so it is a great activity to combine with one of the many other activities to do in the area. I’d also recommend getting an annual pass for only $60. This include free admission for your family for one year, plus 5 guest passes. Those passes alone are worth the $60.