10 Things to Do in Seattle in Winter
Visiting Seattle in winter is a very good idea, as there are many things to do in this amazing city during the coldest months of the year.
Seattle under the snow | ©Ramiro
Are you planning to visit Seattle in winter? The Emerald City is beautiful this time of year, allowing you to enjoy all its attractions, both outdoors and indoors. Its museums, its cafes and all the charm of Christmas make this one of the most interesting seasons to travel to Seattle.
From plays, amazing holiday markets, festivals and ice skating rinks to dining experiences, there is truly a lot to see and do in Seattle. The city has plenty of options for you to make your vacation here the best it can be. Are you ready?
1. Tour the Victorian Christmas Market
Winter is one of the most magical times of the year in the United States, as Christmas is just around the corner and the entire city of Seattle dresses up to receive it as it deserves. A great way to celebrate and get into the Christmas spirit is by visiting the traditional Victorian Christmas Market.
The Victorian Christmas Market is a market where you can buy all kinds of decorations and gifts, many of them handmade. It is a vintage market where absolutely everything will seem like something out of a Charles Dickens story.
The vendors wear typical clothing and are constantly playing games, making it an ideal place to visit Seattle with children, they will have a great time. The market has more than 500 stores, where you can also try some of the classic winter foods to warm up.
Information of Interest
- Price: from 8,50 Euros approx.
- Where it takes place: Mattress Firm ShowPlex, Pavilion and Expo Hall.
- When it takes place: during Christmas season
- Hours: Wednesday and Thursday from 10am to 8pm, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 9pm and Sunday from 10am to 6pm
2. Ice skating at the Seattle Center
Enjoy one of everyone's favorite winter activities: ice skating! As part of Winterfest, the Seattle Center sets up its ice rink every year where everyone, adults and children, have a great time spinning around on the ice.
The Seattle Center ice skating rink is one of the most important and popular in the Emerald City.
You can enjoy an icy experience with your whole family and then go for a hot chocolate and some delicious American pastries. Definitely one of the best things to do in Seattle at Christmas.
Although during the winter season there are many options for ice skating in Seattle, the Seattle Center ice rink is very well located, just a few meters from the Space Needle and the Chihuly Glass and Garden Museum, so it is very easy to get here from anywhere in Seattle, with the 1-Line light rail or virtually any of the bus lines.
Information of interest
- Price: from about 3 Euros (includes skate rental), children under 5 years old do not pay admission.
- Where it takes place: 305 Harrison Street, Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion
- When it takes place: during Christmas season
- Hours: 11am to 10pm
3. Free admission to National Parks on January 1 and January 17
Enjoy some of the region's most beautiful natural areas for free. Both on the first day of the year and on January 17, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, entrance to the various U.S. national parks is free.
There are nine national parks in the Seattle area, but undoubtedly the most impressive and popular of them all is Mount Rainier National Park.
You can book a day trip to Mount Rainier from Seattle to see, among other things, the incredible active volcano that gives the park its name. It is the highest peak in the Cascade Range.
Tour this majestic natural scenery for free, a unique opportunity to enjoy one of the most enchanting places in the United States.
4. Visit some of its incredible museums
The low temperatures invite you to visit the indoor options that the city has to offer. In the case of Seattle you can enjoy a long list of museums, cafes, exhibitions and other heated options.
If you are planning to travel to Seattle in February you are in luck, because during the whole month the entrance to some selected museums in the city costs 50% less.
MoPOP
Among the museums that I recommend, the MoPOP (Museum of Pop Culture) is one of the most interesting. Its facilities are full of tributes to the world of music, but also to cinema and cult series, the world of video games and much more.
The building was designed by architect Frank Gehry based on movement, rock music and Jimi Hendrix. The result is wonderful.
- Price: Around 20 Euros per person
- Location: 325 5th. Ave, Seattle
- Hours: Every day from 10am to 5pm
Chihuly Glass and Garden
Another must-see winter exhibition in Seattle is Chihuly Glass and Garden, by glass artist Dale Chihuly. An experience without comparison, where art, nature and blown glass are combined in an explosion of colors rarely seen.
The exhibition is located next to the Space Needle and meters from MoPOP, so you can visit one and then the other.
The Chihuly Glass and Garden exhibition is among those whose price is discounted in February, so congratulations!
- Price: from about 27 Euros (in February 13,50 Euros)
- Location: 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, next to the Space Needle
- Hours: Everyday from 9am to 5:30pm
5. Enjoy Winterfest at the Seattle Center
Enjoy Winterfest, an event that takes place every year at the Seattle Center, where you can experience all the charm of winter in Seattle.
There you will find games, contests, live music, Christmas carolers, ice carving, Christmas fair and the traditional Winter Train and Village, a miniature train that travels through a Christmas village full of details, decorations and lights.
The festival has been held for more than 40 years, so you can't miss it with your children.
It is also a good opportunity to taste some of the local gastronomy, as there are a lot of stores and food and drink stalls. Ideal to spend a day with the family in an atmosphere full of magic and charm.
Information of interest
- Price: free
- Location: 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, next to the Space Needle
- Hours: Everyday from 7am to 9pm from late November to December 31st
6. Visit the Wild Lanterns Light Festival at the Seattle Zoo
Take part in a unique experience at the Wild Lanterns Light Festival held each year at Woodland Park Zoo.
With all the color of hundreds of thousands of lights, the Seattle Zoo dresses up at sunset, offering a show that fascinates both adults and children. A parade of giant animals made of lights, dragons, snakes, elephants, tigers and many others appear in the middle of the Seattle Zoo each evening.
The light sculptures are not limited to just animals, there are also countless luminous plants and trees that you won't believe.
Truly an event not to be missed, especially if you are traveling with children, this is an excellent idea even to include in a short visit to Seattle in 3 days, you won't regret it.
Interesting facts
- Price: from 25 Euros for adults and 20 Euros for children from 3 to 12 years old. Children under 3 years old do not pay admission
- Location: Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle
- Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 4am to 8:30pm. Closed Mondays
7. Experience New Year's Eve in Seattle
One of the most anticipated nights is New Year's Eve. Live the experience of saying goodbye to the year that is ending in one of the many New Years Eve parties in Seattle.
Places like Gatsby's Penthouse offer a luxury service, with live music, the best dj's, VIP lounges, casino and games of chance.
- Price: starting at 127 Euros for adults (adults only).
- Location: 255 South King Street, Seattle
- When it takes place: December 31st
Say goodbye to the year on a cruise
Another option is to board an Argos Cruises cruise, and welcome the year from the Puget Sound in Elliot Bay. You will enjoy a bar service, with snacks, drinks of all kinds and the best views of the city and its fireworks.
Although this option does not include dinner, it is ideal to do it afterwards, to have a drink while watching the city illuminated.
- Price: starting at 50 Euros per person.
- Location: Pier 55, Seattle
- When it takes place: December 31st
Dance (or rollerblade) the night away at a nightclub
Another very original option to spend New Year's Eve is at Supernova Disco, a disco to dance on roller skates.
With all the charm of 70's disco music and the best of today's disco music, receiving the new year on wheels can be an unforgettable experience.
- Price: depends on the year
- Location: Supernova, 110 S Horton St, Seattle
- When it takes place: December 31st
8. Enjoy a cup of coffee at Seattle's Starbucks
It is known that the city of Seattle has a lot of coffee shops, however you can't miss the first Starbucks in the world.
That's right, the popular chain was born in Seattle, and in this, the original local since 1976 located in Pike Place Market, you can also take a walk through the history of Starbucks, since it has maintained its appearance over the decades precisely because it was the first. It is considered one of the most picturesque tourist attractions in the city.
If you are a coffee fanatic, I also recommend that you visit the Starbucks Reserve Seattle Roastery, where you can see the entire process of selection, roasting and search for the perfect flavor. It is located on Capitol Hill.
9. Enjoy local cuisine on one of Seattle's heated terraces
Winter can be a bit intimidating and push you to stay indoors, however in Seattle there are many options that brave the cold and allow you to have lunch or dinner outdoors with good heat.
There is no place like eating outdoors in a city like Seattle, if you want to eat some international food, with very well presented options at a reasonable price, The Maple is your place. Located in the Maple Leaf area, it is an ideal place to eat alone or as a couple.
If you prefer vegan food, I recommend Cafe Flora, a perfect place to enjoy the most original dishes. A few meters from the Washington Park Arboretum.
Finally, located in the Belltown area is Bangrak Market, a Thai street food restaurant and bar, with a cheerful and colorful atmosphere that you can not miss.
If you are one of those who enjoy good food, do not miss one of the best gastronomic tours in Seattle, you will visit the highlights of the city and you can taste incredible flavors.
10. Enjoy the Space Needle without the crowds
Visit one of the most emblematic places in Seattle. The Space Needle is undoubtedly a symbol of the Emerald City. Since it was built in 1962, it has become one of the most visited places by tourists.
Visiting it in winter has the advantage that you will not have to deal with the annoying lines and crowds of visitors that usually exist at other times of the year. You can climb up to its two observation platforms, one of which has a glass base, so you can experience walking in the void.
An excellent place to enjoy with the family, the little ones can see the whole city and the Puget Sound from the top, besides feeling like they are in a spaceship.
Interesting facts
- Price: from 30 Euros for adults, and 20 Euros for children from 5 to 12 years old.
- Location: 400 Broad St, Seattle
- Hours: Everyday from 9am to 11pm
What are Seattle's winter temperatures?
Seattle has an average winter temperature ranging from -2 degrees Celsius to 8 or 9 degrees Celsius.
It is not one of the coldest destinations in the United States, and snow is not so common, although it does rain. In the winter months there are usually 14 to 15 days of rain per month.
What should I pack if I visit Seattle in winter?
Due to the low temperatures it is advisable to include some sweaters, warm jackets and if possible raincoats, since it is very likely that during your visit to the city of Seattle you will have more than one rainy day, so you should also think about including an umbrella.
Comfortable, warm, waterproof footwear would be an idea. If not, think about bringing two or three different types of shoes in case they get wet.