10 Things to Do in Seattle in December
Seattle is an ideal destination for a very American winter. If you visit it on your next vacation, get ready, because there will be no shortage of festivals, parades and shows.
Seattle in December | ©David French
Seattle will make you evoke American Christmas stories: deep forests with snow, houses built of wood and a climate that will make you savor a cup of coffee even better. But at the same time, it is a very modern city that has inspired artistic movements and new technologies.
The combination of both elements, modernity and history, makes the list of things to see and do in Seattle very extensive. In December, the weather is cold and rainy, which is why the number of tourists is reduced, but that is no reason to stay without enjoying its charms. Prepare your visit to this city and experience a different kind of Christmas.
1. Attend the winter festival at the Seattle Center
During the holiday season, Seattle dresses up and holds festivals such as Winterfest, a very popular** celebration among locals and visitors to the city that takes place at the Seattle Center.
The Seattle Center is a huge cultural complex known for housing museums such as the Museum of Pop Culture, the Chihuly Garden and Glass and iconic attractions like the Space Needle, all included in the Seattle City Pass, in addition to hosting various sporting and artistic events.
In a perfectly decorated and illuminated environment, at the festival you can enjoy:
- Concerts with carolers and dance performances.
- Christmas traditions activities to do with children in Seattle.
- A miniature antique train display.
- A live ice sculpture carving demonstration.
Practical Information
- Where: the festival is held at the Seattle Center on Harrison Street.
- Price: depends on the activity, although many are free.
- When: usually throughout the month of December
2. Welcome the New Year in a great city
New Year's Eve is one of the most anticipated dates in virtually every culture and Seattle is no exception. The party takes over the streets and other public spaces from the early hours of the last day of the year, with the outside of the Seattle Center being one of the areas that receives the most visitors.
One of the most anticipated events at the Seattle Center is the Space Needle fireworks display. It is an illuminated and colorful explosion displayed around the iconic tower that has already becomethe most famous in the Pacific Northwest.
Although you can see the show from various points in the city, a good plan might be to book tickets to the Space Needle, see the space, watch the panoramic view and then take advantage of it to find a good location to enjoy the fireworks.
Practical information
- Where: the fireworks are great to see from the Seattle Center and other parts of the city such as Lake Union Park.
- Price: free
- When: December 31, New Year's Eve
3. Try something delicious at Pike Place Market
One of the places that most captures the cultural essence of Seattle is Pike Place Market. An emblematic market opened in 1907 and is a very important commercial space and cultural exchange in this city.
The Pike Place Market receives thousands of people daily to shop, but it is also an attraction for tourists and at Christmas time it has even more charm with its beautiful decorations, carols and a large number of artisans offering unique creations.
Discovering the best food stalls among the 600 that Pike Place Market has can be an odyssey, unless you hire a gastronomic tour in which a professional chef will guide you through the 10 best stalls so you can taste their exquisite products and live a totally personalized experience. Great plan!
Practical information
- Where: Pike Place Market, 85 Pike St, Seattle
- Price: Admission to the market is free. The tour, which includes a guide and tastings, costs 60 euros.
- When: all year round
4. Go to your favorite team's game
If you like American soccer or ice hockey you are in luck, because in Seattle you can watch games of these sports, more minority in other countries.
Booking tickets for the Seattle Kraken if you travel to the city in winter is a great idea, because in addition to enjoying an ice hockey game, in the Climate Pledge Arena you will be warm and you can even enjoy a dinner (most games are played at 19:00 hours) based on hamburgers, nachos or pizzas in one of its marketplaces.
If on the other hand your thing is American soccer, be sure to book tickets for the Seattle Seahawks. This team (which, by the way, is one of the few to have played official games in both the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference) plays its home games at Lumen Field, a multi-purpose venue with a capacity for almost 70,000 spectators.
Practical information
- Where: Climate Pledge Arena is located at 334 1st Ave N. Lumen Field is at 800 Occidental Ave S.
- Price: varies depending on the game, the seat you choose and how far in advance you reserve tickets, as prices may increase as the game date approaches.
- When: The Seattle Kraken play official games between October and April. The Seattle Seahawks play regular season games between September and January.
5. Visit the Chihuly Garden and Glass
The Chihuly Garden and Glass is a museum dedicated to the American sculptor Dale Chihuly, famous for his works in blown glass. The museum exhibits beautiful works of this artist where color and light are the protagonists.
On your visit to Seattle you can not fail to book tickets for the Chihuly Garden and Glass, as its eight galleries, its beautiful garden and glass house will leave you speechless.
But you should also know that the museum organizes a celebration on December 31 to welcome the coming year whose program is variable, although it usually includes live music, a tour of the facilities and a good toast in the presence of a surprise celebrity.
Practical information
- Where: located on Harrison St
- Price: combined ticket with access to the Space Needle costs 60 euros and saves money.
- Hours: generally from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. but may vary.
6. Tour Woodland Park Zoo by day and by night
Buying tickets to tour Woodland Park Zoo is a must any time of year, but you may be surprised to learn that it's even more special if you visit Seattle during the winter:
-
Changes in the weather lead species to modify their behavior or even their anatomy (fur, horns, colors, etc).
-
During the night, WildLanterns takes place, an exhibition of large sculptures of animals from different regions of the world that are illuminated at dusk. It is an event that will fascinate especially the youngest visitors.
-
In December, different areas of the zoo are illuminated during sunset, creating a very Christmas-like and warm atmosphere. While many animals are sheltered, some special exhibits with nocturnal species are opened.
This zoo, which is recognized worldwide for its high standards of animal care, educational programs and conservation programs, is home to some 300 species, including penguins, lemurs and snow leopards, among others.
Practical Information
- Where: Woodland Park Zoo. 5500 Phinney Ave N
- Price: Zoo admission from 18 euros (children up to 12 years) and 28 euros (adults). For the WildLanterns: from 25,95 euros (children, up to 12 years) and 29,95 euros (adults).
- When: the WildLanterns event takes place between November and January.
7. Space Needle without the crowds? Now is the time
If you're visiting Seattle, possibly one of the first images you have in mind is the Space Needle. Yes, that futuristic-looking, iconic Seattle observation tower that is one of the city's most visited landmarks.
In December there are not so many tourists in Seattle, so it is more than likely that you can visit the Space Needle without too many crowds.
I recommend that you book a ticket for the Space Needle, take the elevator to the top (no less than 158 meters) and enjoy the 360 degree panoramic view that the viewpoint offers. At this time of year, in addition, the lighting and Christmas decorations will make the views even more special. And afterwards, if you feel like it, you can enjoy a nice dinner in the restaurant located in the tower. It's nice, isn't it?
Practical information
- Where: 400 Broad St
- Price: combined ticket costs 60 euros
- When: 10:00 to 20:30 on weekdays and 09:00 to 21:30 on weekends
8. Get to know the history of the city from the depths of the earth
One of the most significant events in Seattle's history was a major fire in 1889 that almost completely destroyed the city's original neighborhood but had beneficial consequences.
The city was built at sea level and suffered continuous flooding. Reconstruction after the fire was carried out several meters above the ancient remains, thus forming a system of passages under the refurbished neighborhood.
Today, it has become a tourist attraction that you can visit by booking a historic subway tour of the city of Seattle in December.
Practical Information
- Where: the departure point is 102 Cherry St.
- Price: 28 euros
- When: the tour lasts one hour and shifts start at 10:30 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m.
9. Tour the city on a guided bus tour
A very convenient way to get to know Seattle, especially when the weather is cold or the rain doesn't let up, is to take advantage of the city's tour buses.
You can hop on and off as many times as you want, so you can also use this means of transportation to comfortably move around the city between attractions.
You can choose between different types of circuits aboard comfortable buses for a tour of the city that will take you through the monuments, neighborhoods and parks that make up the soul of the city. A good plan to rest your legs and take shelter from the cold in December!
Practical information
- Where: you can get on and off at any of the bus stops.
- Price: from 59 euros
- When: you can choose a one-day or two-day ticket.
10. Go to the Snowflake Lane festival
Snowflake Lane is an annual festival where you can enjoy a very traditional Christmas parade in American culture: joyful and festive music, characters from Christmas stories waving from spectacular floats, thousands of lights framing the scene and, of course, snow floating in the fresh wind of the season.
The circuit runs along Bellevue Way, in the section between Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square in the center of this city, and is usually very crowded. In fact, the closer you get to December 24, the bigger the crowds get, so if you have the opportunity, I recommend you visit during the first two weeks of December and, in any case, try to arrive early to secure a space with good visibility.
This celebration is organized by The Bellevue Collection, a famous shopping mall in this region of Washington that usually offers many promotions during the festival.
Practical information
- Where: The festival is held at 227 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004.
- Price: free
- When: Every day from the last week of November through Christmas Eve
Visiting Seattle in December: weather and tourism information you should consider
With an average high temperature of 6.5°C and with about half of the days raining, December is the coldest, but also the rainiest month of the year in Seattle. So from the start you should know that you'll need room in your suitcase for plenty of warm clothes and raincoat.
But don't worry! Despite the weather, the city is still awake and with plenty to offer in these days of Christmas and New Year's preparation and, even better, without the crowds of the previous months.