Seattle Gold Rush Quest: Race to the S.S. Portland

4.0 (24 reviews) 1 h 30 min Free cancellation Private tour

out of 5

24 reviews

4.0

Seattle Gold Rush Quest: Race to the S.S. Portland — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Seattle Gold Rush Quest: Race to the S.S. Portland, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

You're standing in Pioneer Square holding a ticket for the S.S. Portland. The Klondike Gold Rush is calling and the ship won't wait. But something is wrong. People pass right through the space where you are. The city feels familiar and utterly foreign at the same time. And nobody, not one person seems to see you at all.

In this self-guided mystery quest through Seattle's most historic streets, follow clues from Pioneer Square to Pike Place Market to the waterfront, solving puzzles rooted in the real history of the 1897 Gold Rush. Use the free Questo app to navigate 10 stops through old Seattle.

Stand at the site of the Great Seattle Fire, look up at Smith Tower (the tallest building on the west coast for half a century), wander through Pike Place Market before the crowds, and reach the waterfront where the S.S. Portland once docked with two tons of Klondike gold.

Every stop pulls you deeper into a story with a twist you won't see coming.

Private and Luxury Private Sightseeing Tours Historical Tours Walking Tours Low Supplier Cancellation Rate Low Last Minute Supplier Cancellation Rate Short term availability Weather Dependent - Weather-Proof

At a glance

Duration: 1 h 30 min
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Written guide: English
Operated by: Questo

Ages: Adults (1–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Flexible scheduling — start anytime, play at your own pace
Included: A story with a twist ending — something strange is happening, and you'll find out what
Included: The real history of Seattle's 1897 Klondike Gold Rush woven into every stop
Included: Self-guided mystery quest through Seattle's historic waterfront
Included: Play as a team (up to 3 per device) or solo
Included: Puzzles at Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market, Smith Tower, and the Gold Rush sites
Included: Freedom to pause anytime, explore Pike Place Market, or grab coffee

Not included

Not included: Live tour guide (self-guided via the app)

Itinerary

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Seattle

Passing by

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park is a national historical park operated by the National Park Service that seeks to commemorate the Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Occidental Park

Passing by

The park's totem poles and woodcarvings are by Duane Pasco (1970s). They were donated by art gallery owner Richard White and installed in the 1980's. "The tallest totem, Sun and Raven, tells the story of Raven's theft of the moon and was created for the 1974 Spokane World's Fair. The nearby Man Riding on Tail of Whale was carved in 1971. The westernmost of the two facing figures is Tsonoqua, a mythological giantess and 'nightmare bringer' invoked by exasperated North Coast mothers to frighten their children into obedience.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Pioneer Square

Passing by

Art galleries, coffee shops and trendy bars fill Pioneer Square’s late-1800s Romanesque Revival buildings. Tourists explore subterranean streets on the guided Underground Tour, and learn about Seattle’s roots at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Office workers unwind in secluded Waterfall Garden Park or grab lunch from food trucks at Occidental Square, a plaza with bistro tables and bocce courts.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Smith Tower Visitor Experience

Passing by

Smith Tower is a skyscraper in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. Completed in 1914, the 38-story, 484 ft tower is the oldest skyscraper in the city and was among the tallest skyscrapers outside New York City at the time of its completion.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Federal Office Building

Passing by

Constructed in 1933, the Seattle Federal Office Building (FOB) was the first building in Seattle specifically designed for offices of the federal government. The designer of record was James A. Wetmore, the Department of the Treasury's Supervising Architect. Among its first tenants were 52 federal agencies, the largest of which was the Department of the Treasury.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Stop 6

Passing by

Eye care professionals specialize in understanding how the human eye really works, as well as diseases and conditions that affect your vision – many of which do not have obvious symptoms. The Eyes on You medical center has a professional team and a history you will want to know.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Seattle Art Museum

Passing by

SAM traces its origins to the Seattle Fine Arts Society (organized 1905) and the Washington Arts Association (organized 1906), which merged in 1917, keeping the Fine Arts Society name. In 1931 the group renamed itself as the Art Institute of Seattle. The Art Institute housed its collection in Henry House, the former home, on Capitol Hill, of the collector and founder of the Henry Art Gallery, Horace C. Henry (1844–1928).

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Pike Place Market

Passing by

Pike Place Market is a special community within the heart of Seattle’s downtown. More than the city’s beloved public market, Pike Place Market is a vibrant neighborhood comprised of hundreds of farmers, craftspeople, small businesses and residents. Each group is an important and vital makeup of the Pike Place Neighborhood.

In addition to preserving and protecting the historic buildings and character of the nine-acre historic district and serving as an incubator and supporter of farmers, artisans and small businesses, the Pike Place Market was chartered by the City of Seattle to provide services for low-income individuals.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Victor Steinbrueck Park

Passing by

Victor Steinbrueck Park is located at the north end of Pike Place Market. On a summer afternoon, the park bustles with a lively combination of neighborhood residents, visitors, tourists, and people who work in the area - all enjoying picnics, sunbathing, playing and relaxing on the park's lawn, benches, and tables.

Here you will have to look around to find the answer to our challenge to advance to the new location and learn the story of this place.
Stop 10

Passing by

Beneath the Streets focuses on factual, historical information that details the birth of our city, 1890’s architecture, and several other stories including the Klondike Gold Rush, Skid Row, and the Coast Salish Peoples that first inhabited the area.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

The game starts at Klondike Gold Rush museum. After booking, we'll message you a code and activation link. Activate with your own email, then log in to the Questo app with that email. No message? Open the Questo app, tap "Bought a quest somewhere else?" and enter your booking reference number.

End point

Using your ticket

Thank you for booking with Questo. Your code is your booking reference number: the digits after "BR-".

Here's how to play it:

1. Activate your quest. Go to the unlock page on the Questo website (questoapp.com/unlock), enter your email and your code.

2. Download the Questo app on your phone (App Store or Google Play) and create an account with the same email used for activation.

3. Once you're logged in to the Questo app, open the Quests section. Your quest will be there, ready to be played.

IMPORTANT

Booked more than one ticket? You can invite the other participants right after activating, or later from the Quests section in the app.
If you don't see your quest in the Quests section in the Questo app, tap "Bought a quest somewhere else?" and enter your code again. You can also upload a screenshot of your booking confirmation there.

GOOD TO KNOW

The quest is available every day, at any hour. Go to the starting point and begin whenever you're ready.
Download the story and the map before you head out. After that, it works without internet.
Start with at least 50% battery.

Still have questions? Send us a message or talk to our customer support at: questoapp.com/chat