Ride the Ducks provided discount tickets to facilitate this review, but all opinions are my own.

Ride the Ducks of Seattle

My parents came to town last weekend from California. This was my dad’s second time visiting us in Seattle and there were a ton of things we wanted to show him; however, with a three-year-old and a newborn baby, our options were pretty limited. That’s when we decided to check out Ride the Ducks.

Ride the Ducks of Seattle

Ride the Ducks of Seattle is the coolest tour of the city, hands down. You board a WWII amphibious landing craft – it’s both a bus and a boat – so it drives as well on the road as it does in the water. The drivers are all Coast Guard-certified and hilarious (ours was named “Flipd Over” and he was awesome ); they tell you all about Seattle history and folklore as they drive around downtown, pointing out landmarks and things of note. Then you splash into Lake Union for a waterfront view of the city! It’s a total blast.

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This was the perfect tour for us. The kiddos were totally enthralled the whole time (probably because Jack got to blow his duck-quacker whistle nonstop) and especially loved when we got to float out on the lake. My parents got to see all the major tourist attractions — Pike Place, the Space NeedlePioneer Square, floating houses — in 90 minutes flat. And, my husband and I learned interesting facts about our city that were new to us even though we’ve lived here two years now. Besides, on a sunny Seattle day, there’s no better place to be than on the water. (Although, if you go on a rainy day, they’ve got water shields and blankets to keep you comfy and dry.)

Ride the Ducks of Seattle

Baby Hudson and I even got to sit up front with the captain:

Ride the Ducks of Seattle

There are two places to catch Ride the Ducks — Westlake Center and the main hub in Seattle Center, right next to the Experience Music Project. Check out the Ride the Ducks FAQ page for more info about the tour and ticket prices. Whether you’re a lifelong Seattleite or just visiting the Emerald City, you definitely need to check out Ride the Ducks.