11 Things to Do in Seattle at Christmas

In the United States, December welcomes the winter season, and in Seattle the temperatures can get really cold. But the cold weather doesn't stop the city from turning into a veritable paradise of lights and amazing activities.

Christmas offers miles of light trails and ice rinks all over the city and it's definitely one of the best times to visit Seattle.

If there's one beautiful thing to see and appreciate at Christmas in any city, it's the lights. Seattle takes its decorations very seriously with spectacular, sparkling lights that go up as early as November to kick off the Christmas season. One of the places I recommend you to see the Christmas lights and take lots of photos to remember is definitely downtown.

The Christmas lights you'll see in downtown Seattle not only decorate trees and large figures, but you'll also see multiple LED displays throughout the city, which join in the celebration to make you feel like you're in a truly magical and enchanting story.

Another place to appreciate the lights is the zoo. The decorations are very special because you will be able to see illuminated animal figures and, of course, you will have the opportunity to take pictures with each one of them. Book tickets for Woodland Park Zoo and don't miss this spectacular place at Christmas.

Interesting details

• How to get there: You can get to the city centre by bus or private car.
• Price: Free.
• Date and time: From November to January at night.

Enchant Christmas is an initiative that spreads across different states in the USA with the intention of decorating stadiums to welcome the most exciting time of the year.

T-Mobile Park is the place chosen each year to offer you the best views of a "magical Christmas". You can see LED screens, Christmas figures such as trees, candy canes, reindeer and soldiers, all symbols of the season.

If you go with children, you can take pictures with Father Christmas and eat some seasonal treats. In addition, the T-Mobile Park Home is home to the world's largest Christmas light maze. And if your trip coincides with the season, be sure to book a ticket for the Seattle Mariners.

Interesting details

• How to get there: You can get there on the 1 train.
• Cost: Tickets can be priced from €19, but may vary according to age. Children and seniors may pay less.
• Date and time: The exhibition is open throughout December, although it usually ends in the last days of the month.

Americans have a long-standing tradition of making the famous gingerbread houses during the month of December. They are usually made in homes with confectionery, lots of icing and candy, but there is one really special event that takes place every year in Seattle and it is one of my favourite recommendations.

The special thing about Gingerbread Village is the gingerbread houses and the architectural structure on which they are built. Different companies and important architectural firms participate in this fair and put all their creativity and knowledge into these works of art.

It's a free event, so it's a low-cost, must-do activity to do in Seattle during the holiday season. Although all the figures you'll see in the Sheraton Hotel lobby are completely edible, you'll only be able to admire and smell them. And, of course, you have to take lots of pictures in this dreamy place. And if you're still in the mood for a sweet experience, book a chocolate tour in Seattle.

Interesting details

• How to get there: The exhibition is at the Sheraton Hotel. To get there you need to stand at the Pine St. and 5th Ave. or 6th Ave. and Union St. bus station and walk to the Sheraton. You can also arrive by car and park near the hotel.
• Price: Free.
• Date and time: Usually takes place during the first two weeks of December, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.

This is one of the most beautiful attractions you'll see in Seattle at Christmas time. The Christmas Ship Festival is a decorated boat tour that sails around the Puget Sound, bringing Christmas songs not only to the passengers aboard the ship, but also to the people of the 40 waterfront communities.

It is one of the most popular Christmas traditions and has been going on since 1949. It's definitely an activity I wouldn't leave off my list of things to do in Seattle at night during the holiday season.

You have two options to enjoy this spectacle of music, lights and fireworks:

• Board the boat and enjoy live music, great food, drinks, snacks and the amazing fireworks show. Book your cruise along the Seattle coast and enjoy the experience. Plus, you can secure your spot with the Seattle CityPass, which includes admission to the city's brightest Christmas boat.
• Stay on land and watch the show from afar.

Interesting details

• How to get there: Boats depart from Fisherman's Wharf, and to get there you'll have to
• Price: To get on board you'll have to pay a fee starting at €50 per person. If you are in a group of more than ten people you can find lower prices.
• Date and time: From the end of November to the end of December every night.

One of Seattle's must-do Christmas plans is to book a trip to Snoqualmie Falls and Woodinville from Seattle. These no less than 80-metre-high waterfalls are set in a dreamy landscape.

You'll also get to know Woodinville' s vineyards and visit three boutique wineries where you'll taste the best wines of the area and learn all the details about wine pairing.

This tour includes round-trip transportation, an expert guide and lunch with local wine. The best way to enjoy Washington's wilderness.

The holiday season brings a local beer tasting extravaganza that has become a tradition among Seattle locals. If you're a lover of this popular beverage and want to sample the different flavours, this is the place to visit.

Beer in Seattle is also synonymous with Christmas, and since the Winter Beer Fest takes place during the holiday season, you can recharge your holiday spirit at the festival while strolling through the flavours that the different breweries have to offer.

The number of participating companies is usually announced in advance, so I recommend you visit the official website of this event to find out first-hand which breweries are invited and the other details of the event.

Interesting details

• How to get there: The fair takes place every year at Hangar 30 in Magnuson Park in Sand Point. To get there you'll need to take the bus route that drops you off at the Sand Point Way and 77th St. stop.
• Cost: Online tickets are usually around €40, while tickets at the box office are usually around €45.
• Date and time: This event takes place on the first Friday and Saturday of December from 5:30pm to 9:30pm.

One of Seattle's most special shows that you definitely have to see sometime is the Snowflake Lane Night Parade. Inspired by New York's Christmas parades, it takes place during the first week of December.

The parade takes place every night on Bellevue, and part of the attraction is the heavy load of snow that is dropped on the street, as well as a variety of Christmas musical performances. Hundreds of characters take part, representing the different symbols of Christmas, such as snowmen, reindeer, Father Christmas and other characters typical of the season.

It's a show that children really enjoy and is definitely a must see and do activity in Seattle in winter. Most people around Puget Sound consider it an unmissable Christmas tradition.

Details of interest

• How to get there: The parade takes place in Bellevue.
• Price: Free.
• Date and time: First week of December, every night from 7pm.

From the end of November and the start of the holiday season, through January, Seattle Center hosts WinterFest, an event where you'll find all the winter and holiday traditions you've come to expect during the season. You'll find snow, spectacular ice sculptures, Christmas lights galore and even fireworks. Events on site range from Dickensian Carolers to comedy shows and concerts.

For the rest of the Christmas season you can visit Winterfest for ice skating on the ice rinks. Other attractions are also available for the whole family to enjoy, such as the winter train and plays. On top of all this, there's the big Christmas tree that finishes off the whole place.

Winterfest is open all season long, closing only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve. But during New Year's Eve it is open until 23:30 h., so it will be a good plan to do on New Year's Eve.

Interesting details

• How to get there: To get to Winterfest you need to get on the Monorail and stay at the station closest to the exhibition which is Westlake Ave. and 7th Ave.
• Cost: Tickets can cost between €6 and €8 including skate rental, children under 5 pay around €2 approx.
• Date and time: Every day from 7am to 9pm.

One of the most popular shows in the US is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the most iconic of which is the one held in New York and broadcast on television. The idea of the New York show was successfully transferred to Seattle, where the parade has become a tradition for children and adults alike.

The parade takes place one day after Thanksgiving at the end of November. I invite you to attend to get into the holiday spirit that pervades the city during the season. You'll see floats decorated with symbols of Christmas celebrations, Father Christmas, reindeer, snowmen, candy canes and everything else you can imagine.

And once the parade is over, you can go inside the tent and take lots of photos with Father Christmas. In the evening, you won't want to miss the lighting of the star outside the Macy's shop, a traditional event that locals love to attend.

Interesting details

• How to get there: The parade starts at 7th Ave. and Pine and ends at Westlake Center. Depending on the distance from where you're staying, you can walk or take public transportation. To find out the route, I recommend keeping an eye on the shop's official website.
• Cost: Attending the parade, Santaland and the star lighting is free, but if you want photos with Santa, you will have to pay a fee which is specified at the time of taking the photo.
• Date and time: One day after Thanksgiving, in late November, and usually starts between 9am and 10am until dark.

The attraction of Westlake Park in Pine Streetview is not only the huge Christmas tree lighting.

Huge sculptures light up at night fall and form a light show not to be missed. It's a special place to take all the Christmas photos you want and bring the kids to enjoy the decorations. Make it one of the things to see and do in Seattle with kids.

You can go to see the tree and the rest of the decorations any day of the season, but if you want to see a special show, you can go to the lighting that takes place the day after Thanksgiving at night. Although it's a bit far from Macy's, it's a good place to visit after you've been to Santaland.

Interesting details

• How to get there: You can take the bus and get off at the closest station to Westlake Park, which is located on 3rd Ave. and Pike St.
• Price: The event is free to attend.
• Date and time: Day after Thanksgiving, starting at 4:30pm.

Without a doubt, one of the most memorable shows reminiscent of Christmas is the Nutcracker ballet. In Seattle it is a tradition to go to the theatre to see this show, although Seattle creatives often produce musicals that include avant-garde elements.

With this artistic current developing in Seattle each year, I recommend you attend the city's most traditional performance of the Nutcracker, which is presented by the Pacific Northwest Ballet.

Details of interest

• How to get there: Performances are at McCaw Hall on Mercer Street, which can be reached by taxi or private car.
• Cost: Ticket prices are available each year from 21 July on the ballet's official website.
• Date and time: 25 November to 27 December each season. Performance times and days may vary from year to year.

Traveller Tip

Although this is a show you can attend with children, I would recommend that you do not bring children under the age of four.

When it comes to weather and temperatures, Seattle is a city known for its cold winters. You shouldn't be surprised if you find temperatures between 8º and 9º, with nights being a little colder.

Despite this, you can rest assured that you won't find temperatures in Seattle at Christmas time dropping below 3º, let alone dropping below freezing. On average, you'll feel a temperature of around 8 degrees each day, with December 23rd being the coldest day of the year.

Now that you know that winter in Seattle is pretty cold, to enjoy all the things you can see and do in Seattle, you should consider packing as much warm clothing as you can. You might want to include jackets and thermals, as well as jumpers to protect you from the cold temperatures.

As for shoes, I recommend that you opt for closed shoes that can keep your feet warm and dry at all times. Don't forget to bring a hat, scarf and gloves for protection.