Ever Ridden on the Back of a Duck in Seattle?

Northwest, USA By

There could not have been a more fun or informative way to see Seattle than the Ride the Ducks tour. We have never done this type of tour before and I am so very glad Seattle was our first because it was simply the best. On top of that it was also one of our most entertaining tours of all time.

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After a quick lunch at the McDonalds across the road (very quick) we grabbed our tickets and boarded the World War II era amphibious vehicle. That means it can actually drive on land and float in water. As I looked up at this huge metallic “duck” I could sense the adventure that awaited us.

Tickets were $28 per adult, $17 per child and babies 2 and under are $1!

Captain Chaos introduced himself as we made our way up the stairs onto our vehicle.  All it took was a handshake and a “g’day” to know we were in for quite a treat with Captain Chaos. Seats were assigned on the duck tour and we were granted front row seats on the right side of the duck.

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Of course the kids favourite part was when the duck drove off the road straight into the deep blue water. While we cruised around the harbor taking in the panoramic views of the city and nearby houses, the kids were invited to steer the duck. As you might remember from the several times we have been on boats, my Miss 4 is addicted to driving and was happy to take the wheel without asking twice.

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During the tour Captain Chaos was nothing short of a riot - consistently upbeat, energetic and animated. Here is a snippet of how deliciously fun he was.

He had a multitude of fun music to choose which matched the location and mood. He also stored a collection of outfits to change from Captain to farmer and many more.  There was one interesting story he revealed where he was fired from his job for taking a duck through a Starbucks drive thru, and not realizing it’s true height, scalped off part of the roof. After recently being rehired the conditions were that every time he sees a Starbucks shop he has to point it out to all his passengers. So throughout the tour every time we spotted a Starbucks the entire duck would yell “cha ching!”, much to surprise of passers by. To this day my daughter still yells “cha ching” every time she sees a Starbucks.

We felt that we saw everything we needed to see on this one tour of Seattle and on top of that Captain Chaos was a barrel of laughs. It was fun, it was entertaining, the kids loved it, we loved it and we felt we learnt lots as well. Because of this tour we decided there was no need to spend another day in Seattle, it was the perfect fast overview of a very large and cultural city, plus we’d get a bonus day in our already jam-packed driving schedule.

If you are visiting Seattle, even for a day or two, you really should do this tour. Even if you live there, I’m confident it will be the most fun you’ve had on 4 wheels. Quack!

After our tour we only had a short list of things left to see. We finished up at the EMP Museum, had a quick look at the radio station, which is actually the building façade used for popular TV show “Grey’s Anatomy”, and took a walk to the Public Market. A quick look at the original Starbucks and a wander through market was plenty of time for us. As far as markets go it wasn’t my favourite.

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More interestingly was the street next to the market. An old, dark street located on an incline. The smell is the first thing you notice. A sickly sweet, fruit & mint flavoured intoxication filling your senses. Once yours eyes adjust to the dim light you notice a wall, a very long wall, filled with gum. Over the last 10 years people have been placing gum on this wall. We had no gum on us, but enjoyed watching the many tourists chewing and placing their own mark on the wall. A rather repulsive Seattle attraction, yet strangely spellbinding.

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A little more walking to the Curiosity Shop, which was very curious, but certainly not worth the time we spent getting there or spending there. Very strange and weird things in here, but great homemade fudge.

We walked back to the market, stopped for dinner and then headed back to our car. We felt super satisfied with our short time in Seattle so decided to drive out of the city and back south on the way to our next destination. 

Reader Comments...

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That chewing gum wall sounds disgusting!! Lol but that guy on the tour sounds like a lot of fun! :)

Rhiannon Jul 13th, 2013

Seriously, the gum wall!
OK, next time you are in Seattle, give us a call so we can show you the really cool stuff in our city! The gum wall has somehow become an iconic tourist thing here (unfortunately). It is disgusting. At least you seemed to have a good time (and by the looks of the pictures, good weather).
Take care,
Curtis
www.thewildsmithberrys.com

Curtis Mar 6th, 2014

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