Seattle pros, can you give a grade to the following tours/sites in Seattle for a visiting 40ish couple sans children:
The Boeing Tour
Tillicum Village Tour
Seattle Duck Tours
Argosy Cruises
Pike Place Market
Discovery Park
Kayaking/canoeing on Lake Union

For example, for Atlanta, I would give the following:
Underground Atlanta---F
The World of Coke-----D
CNN VIP Tour----------B+
Stone Mountain--------B (used to be A, until they added all the amusement park junk)

Boeing plant tour - A if you're into airplanes and/or huge buildings; otherwise B- (canned spiel, been-there-done-that.)

Tillicum Village - A if it's your only time on the water, want touristy Native American hokum, okay salmon. If it's good enough for the Premier of China it's good enough for you.

Seattle Duck - haven't ridden it, but the people on the ducks rolling around town all look quite pleased with themselves, if dorky. I expect the majority would give it a good grade. Those that get seasick or wet (or sink) would probably mark it down.

Argosy cruises - several offerings, so probably several grades. We've been (with visitors) on the basic harbor cruise and (way better) the Ballard Locks/Lake Union July 4th fireworks cruise - C+ and A++ respectively.

Pike Market - a perennial A, unless you can't stand crowds, in which case F.

Discovery Park. IMO Seattle has much better, but hard to generalize because of personal tastes. Personally, C. The City can do much better with this wonderful asset.

Lake Union boating - not a kayaker, but have been out on the wee wood sailboats rented from the Center for Wooden Boats as well as numerous private craft - highly cool. A.

Gardyloo has such helpful information! With regards to the tours that I have been on, I would give Argosy a B (I've been on 2 tours, daytime and dinner, and the daytime cruise through Lake Washington was better than the other, IMO). Pike Place = A (but again very crowded, esp on weekends). Tillicum Village = at least a B (I found it enjoyable). I haven't been on the others, but I would perhaps add a seaplane tour over Seattle to your list and give it an A++. I took my father on this for his birthday a couple of years ago and it was amazing.

Have a great trip to Seattle!

Totally agree with "gardyloo"
Pike Place Market for me is AA as I like to wander around on all levels.I know some of the shops are "junky" but I always seem to find some little treasure.Great food places--from veges to chinese to seafood.and bakeries everywhere. Across the strreet (where all venders park and unload products) is the anitary: building-always wondered about the name??more shops and the "sisters" bread-sandwich shop--wonderful sandwiches, one corner has Seattles Best Coffee (Iheard Starbuck's was buying them out???)
True, there are crowds and of course weekends are VERY crowded.
As you can see I am a Seattle fan and plan our yearly visit in Oct.--
Good luck you will have a great time.

Thanks for your help! I only have a couple of days in Seattle itself, and wanted to make the most of it. A 3rd day I am reserving for a day trip to Rainier. I am planning on staying at either Silver Cloud Lake Union, Best Western Univ. Tower, or Comfort Suites Seattle Center, but will have a car.

We kayak quite frequently on Lake Union and love it! You can explore the houseboats, check out the Chihuly studio, the arboritum, watch the float planes, etc. Also most rental places have evening trips where they take you thru the Ballard Locks towards sunset. We haven't done that but it sounds cool! Reserve in advance for that one.

My relatives took the Duck last year while in town for my wedding and loved it!

I agree with most everything already said...but the Duck Tour...yikes!!! lol! We did it when we lived in the area (just moved recently) and could not wait to get off. The only reason we went was because we had a gift certificate to go. I will say that the guide was very enthusiastic. From all of friends and us, it seems that people either love it or hate it...no real inbetween.

Yikes scary? Yikes disgusting? Yikes corny? Yikes worthless?

Whate would be a better tour....something to hold one's interest?

Just my opinion...but corny and worthless. Yes, it takes you around the city...but you can do that yourself. Sorry I can't help as far as other tours...we lived there and so always did things on our own and learned about things while being locals.

Pike's Market- B+
Space Needle- D-
Hurricane Ridge- A

The Boeing Tour, A
Tillicum Village Tour, C
Seattle Duck Tours, looks like fun, but don't know
Argosy Cruises, through Locks B+
Pike Place Market, A
Discovery Park, D
Kayaking/canoeing on Lake Union, ?
Woodland Park Zoo, B+
Seattle Art Museum Special Show, A
Frick Museum (free) B+
Pioneer Square, B
Experience Music Project C
Safeco Field A
Jazz Alley A