Is your calendar filling up with summer guests who are dying to experience the grandeur of Seattle and our region? Are you prepared with a list of places to see and things to do? Here are a few ideas that can help you build a repertoire of tour options that are free or low cost.
One way to help your guests get a preview of the area is to point them to the Seattle Virtual Tour available on the City of Seattle’s website. The site also has a good set of links to commercial tours as well as other information of interest for visitors. 
You may want to review a recent Seattle guidebook – Grassroutes Seattle: An Urban Eco Guide, which provides a look at the “indie” side of Seattle, including some “nice secrets” which are especially helpful for residents.
If your guests don’t want to carry around a guidebook, download the eBook Frommer’s Seattle 2009 and print out the sections they need for the day.
For visitors seeking an unusual look at Seattle, try Lake Washington 130 Homes: a Guides Tour of the Lake’s Most Magnificent Homes. It’s a summary of properties you can see (and of the people who live in them) by cruising around Lake Washington.
On the other hand, maybe your family has visited so many times that they don’t consider themselves tourists. If so, they might be ready for NFT Not for Tourists Guide to Seattle.
Above all, don’t forget to suggest to your visitors a tour of our very own Seattle Public Library! A special architecture tour is offered on a regular schedule as well as a general tour, and there are several other ways to take a self-guided tour of the library: via podcast, online virtual tour, downloaded audio tour, or by printing your own map and tour of attractions.
If your guests loved their stay, you may already be planning their next visit. Do remember that there are lots of resources at the Seattle Public Library that can assist you!
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