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The Waterfront at Seattle downtown has stunning views of West Seattle and Puget Sound.  The Seattle waterfront holds a nest of must visited attractions – The Seattle Aquarium, Great Wheel, Pike Place Market, Scenic Cruises, Myrtle Edward Park and many more.

It is famous spot to see Cruise ships and container ships. There are many places to visit and things to do on Seattle waterfront. But Have you thought of seeing Seattle waterfront from water on a Seattle Cruise along with a feast on an island?  Then this is for you. Take Seattle Argosy Cruise to Kid Friendly Tillicum Excursion.

Day Trip from Seattle

One day We had this opportunity to take Seattle Argosy Cruise to visit Tillicum Excursion on Blake Island.  Seattle waterfront comes lively on a warm sunny day.  But don’t forget to carry your lightweight jacket to keep you warm on Cruise or you may need it on the island. No matter you may start on a sunny bright day and you may end up with cloudy and cooler temperatures.  Seattle loves gray skies.  Only way to reach the Blake Island is through a boat or Cruise.

Where to find Argosy Cruises in Seattle?

Argosy Cruises for Tillicum Excursion are located on the iconic Seattle Waterfront and the ship is docked at Pier 54 near the Frankfurter and Kidd Valley.  You get to see the Seattle Great Wheel on the left.

Seattle Downtown can be tricky.  Parking at Seattle Waterfront might be little time consuming, So I will suggest give yourself extra time to reach there and find a parking spot.  Visitors are supposed to arrive 30 minutes prior to boarding time of Cruise.   I will suggest getting there earlier as there is so much to see on the Seattle Waterfront.  We got stuck in traffic due to road diversions and closures at few places in downtown Seattle and were last to board the cruise.

Tillicum Excursion at Blake Island State Park

Argosy Cruises Tillicum Excursion is an attraction located on the island that features a traditionally prepared roasted fish buffet meal with a Northwest Native American performance enhanced by technology.

 A trip to Tillicum Village on Blake Island is a unique way to learn about Native American culture and tribes that called this region of Seattle, a home for thousands of years.

Blake Island is a Marine State Park with acres of land for camping and 5 miles of saltwater beach shoreline.  The only way to get there is through private boats or tours boats/cruise.

Take a 40-minute boat ride/Argosy cruise to Blake Island, home of Tillicum Excursion.  You get to enjoy a feast with Salmon cooked by Adel wood and see a Native American Storytelling show.

Cruise to Blake Island

The Cruise we took had 3 levels.  First level was indoor area with chairs and a small stage.  The second level had mix of indoor and outdoor area.  And the Top level was out door area just below the sky on blue waters of Puget sound.

While going to Blake Island we enjoyed listening to narration of story of Chief Seattle, native American tribe and the first feast of salmon. It was interesting to know about Chief Seattle, early Seattle pioneers and how the Duwamish tribe saved them.

The cruise ride was very smooth, and the kids were able to walk around quite easily.

Arrival at Tillicum Excursion and the Native American Longhouse

The boat docked at Tillicum Excursion and we were the first morning guests to arrive. After clicking some snaps outside, we were headed to the Long house for the buffet.  As you enter the Long house, there’s an area where you can see them cooking the salmon.

Then we got in queue to be seated for the buffet.  The setup was much alike a Hawaiian Feast party.

Buffet Meal

The buffet had the following options:  Fresh Fruit Salad, Fresh Veggie Salad, dressings, Bread,Chocolate Bread, Macaroni, Pasta, Sweet Corns, Salmon and few more.

My son and I filled up our plates and return back to our table to seat and enjoy the treats during the presentation.

Salmon tasted the best.  It was good to know from the Cook Chef on how the salmon was cooked with traditional method of cooking on alder wood fires.

Native American Story Telling & Performance show

The show of traditional dances illustrating stories from the different tribal cultures like Alaska and Vancouver is an interesting mix of high-quality video and live performers.  It is an entertaining and educational introduction to the pre-European cultural history of Pacific Northwest.  The dancers were wearing traditional wooden masks that were over four feet long.  The kids were amazed and thrilled by large cedar masks that performer wore and dance during the live show.  

The performance live show was of perfect length for families with children.  After the show, the visitors get a chance to click photos in lobby with Performers and their large cedar mask. 

It was exciting to get close and touch the cedar masks that we usually see on display at Burke Museum.

Exploring Blake Island Marine State Park

Blake Island is very beautiful place with hiking/walking trails, a playground, and the beach.  After the show, we walked in to the forest to get a glance of wild life.  We had a sight of Raccoon in the forest.  And then we headed towards the beach.  It was little cloudy by that time.  Mount Rainier was lightly visible in distant view due to the clouds. The Blake Island beach has a mixture of rocks, sand and driftwood.

My kid enjoyed throwing rocks into the water and collecting sea shells. For the younger kids, there were options of playing in driftwood playhouse, playground area and Tire swings.

Return Journey in Cruise to the Seattle Waterfront

Soon it was our time to line up to board the Argosy cruise ship back to Seattle.  This time we enjoyed our cruising journey on second and third level.   Third level was more happening but much crowded. We returned to second level and enjoy the views from open deck.  There was plenty of space at the front of the ship for unobstructed views of Puget sound and Seattle waterfront.

On our return journey we spend the whole time on front deck observing the waters and distant views of Seattle waterfront. To our surprise, we were rewarded with spectacular views of Orca whales in Puget sound.

It was such a wonderful experience of visiting Blake Island with journey on Argosy cruise with my son in one of the most beautiful spots in the world!

We enjoyed the cruising and lovely delicious feast of salmon. We hope to Take Seattle Argosy Cruise to Family/Kid-Friendly Tillicum Excursion again in near future. Tillicum Excursion is best place to celebrate special days like wedding anniversary, birthday celebration or romantic date with your loved ones.

Seattle CityPASS

Planning for Visiting Seattle, do read on “Must Visit Attractions in Seattle, Washington”. Get your CityPASS and save on your trip to Seattle. You can save 49% or more on admission to top 5 Seattle Attractions including Argosy Cruise.

What to Wear for Cruising Journey

For any place in Seattle or around it, I recommend wearing Layers.  Also, I will suggest bringing light weight jacket as boat ride gets chill breeze of wind. Even if it is summer, jacket is good to keep handy. You never know when it gets cloudy and drizzle.  I always recommend wearing good comfortable shoes that lets you walk around the island and enjoy with family and kids.

When to go

They offer an extended island time – 5-hour trip. You get extra hour to explore the Blake Island.  On the day we went, we weren’t lucky to have the extended hour.  But we had a blast for whatever time we spend on Blake Island. Generally, the Extended trip are on Saturdays. You can check the Schedule for Argosy Cruises tour.

What to Bring on Day trip

For any trips specially day trips with kids and family, I will suggest packing sunscreen, water bottles, snacks, light jackets, extra clothes for kids who want to get wet at beach.   There are restrooms on board the Argosy Cruise ship and park area at Island. It is really the wonderful and adventurous experience to have with family and kids.

Have you been to Tillicum Excursion at Blake Island Marine State Park, Seattle , Washington? I would love to know your experiences at this lovely place. Take Seattle Argosy Cruise to Kid Friendly Tillicum Excursion.

Stay Healthy, Happy Traveling….

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