10 Things to Do in Seattle in Winter

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, cafes and Christmas charm make this one of the most interesting seasons to visit Seattle.

From plays, amazing Christmas markets, festivals and ice skating rinks to dining experiences, there is truly so much to see and do in Seattle. The city has plenty of options for you to make your holiday here a great one. Are you ready?

Winter is one of the most magical times of the year in the United States, as Christmas is just around the corner and the whole city of Seattle dresses up to welcome 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's a period market where absolutely everything looks like something out of a Charles Dickens fairytale.

The vendors wear traditional clothing and are constantly playing games, making it an ideal place to visit Seattle with children- they'll have a great time. The market has more than 500 shops, where you can also sample some of the classic winter foods to warm you up.

Interesting information

• Price: from around 8.50 Euros
• Where it takes place: Mattress Firm ShowPlex, Pavilion and Expo Hall.
• When it takes place: during the Christmas season
• Times: Wednesday and Thursday 10am to 8pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to 9pm and Sunday 10am to 6pm

Enjoy one of everyone's favourite 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's ice skating rink is one of the most important and popular in the Emerald City.

You can enjoy an icy experience with the 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.

While there are many options for ice skating in Seattle during the winter season, the Seattle Center ice rink is conveniently located just a few metres from the Space Needle and the Chihuly Glass and Garden Museum, making it easy to get here from anywhere in Seattle via the 1-Line light rail or virtually any of the bus lines.

Interesting facts

• Price: from about 3 Euros (includes skate rental), children under 5 are free.
• Where it takes place: 305 Harrison Street, Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion
• When it takes place: during the holiday season
• Hours: 11am to 10pm

Enjoy some of the region's most beautiful natural areas for free. On the first day of the year and on January 17, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, entrance to the various national parks in the United States is free.

There are nine national parks in the Seattle area, but 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 for which the park is named. It's 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.

Cold temperatures invite you to visit the indoor options 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're planning a trip to Seattle in February, you're in luck, because all month long admission to selected museums in the city is 50% off.

MoPOP

Among the museums I recommend, the MoPOP (Museum of Pop Culture) is one of the most interesting. Its installations 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 marvellous.

• 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 like no other, combining art, nature and blown glass in an explosion of colours rarely seen before.

The exhibition is located next to the Space Needle and just metres from MoPOP, so you can visit one and then the other.

The Chihuly Glass and Garden exhibition is among those with a discounted price in February, so congratulations!

• Price: from around 27 Euros (in February 13,50 Euros)
• Location: 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, next to the Space Needle
• Hours: Everyday from 9am to 5:30pm

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'll find games, contests, live music, the evergreen carolers, ice sculpture carving, Christmas fair and the traditional Winter Train and Village, a miniature train that runs through a Christmas village full of details, decorations and lights.

The festival has been running for more than 40 years, so you can't miss it with your children.

It's also a good opportunity to sample some of the local cuisine, as there are plenty of shops and food and drink stalls. Ideal for a family day out in an atmosphere full of magic and charm.

Interesting information

• Price: free
• Location: 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, next to the Space Needle
• Hours: Every day from 7am to 9pm from late November to 31 December

Be part of a unique experience at the Wild Lanterns Light Festival held each year at Woodland Park Zoo.

With all the colour of hundreds of thousands of lights, the Seattle Zoo dresses up at sunset, offering a spectacle that fascinates adults and children alike. A parade of giant animals made of lights, dragons, snakes, elephants, tigers and many others appear in the middle of the Seattle Zoo every evening.

The light sculptures are not limited to just animals, there are also countless luminous plants and trees you won't believe.

Truly an event not to be missed, especially if you are travelling with children, this is an excellent idea to even 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-Sunday 4am-8:30pm. Closed Mondays

One of the most anticipated nights of the year is New Year's Eve. Experience the experience of saying goodbye to the year that is coming to an end at one of the many New Years Eve parties in Seattle.

Places like Gatsby's Penthouse offer luxury service, with live music, top DJs, VIP lounges, casino and gambling.

• Price: from 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 hop aboard an Argos Cruises cruise, and welcome in the New Year from the Puget Sound in Elliot Bay. You'll enjoy a bar service, with snacks, drinks of all kinds and the best views of the city and its fireworks.

While this option does not include dinner, it is ideal for a drink afterwards, with a view of the illuminated city.

• Price: starting at 50 Euros per person.
• Location: Pier 55, Seattle
• When it takes place: December 31st

Dance (or skate) the night away at a nightclub

Another original way to spend New Year's Eve is at Supernova Disco, a roller disco.

With all the charm of 70's disco music and the best of today's disco music, welcoming 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

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 location 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 city's most picturesque tourist attractions.

If you are a coffee fanatic, I also recommend you visit the Starbucks Reserve Seattle Roastery, where you can see the whole process of selection, roasting and the search for the perfect flavour. It is located on Capitol Hill.

Winter can be a bit intimidating and push you to stay indoors, but in Seattle there are many options that brave the cold and allow you to have lunch or dinner outdoors with good heating.

There's no place like eating outdoors in a city like Seattle. If you're looking for international food, with well-presented options at a reasonable price, The Maple is the place for you. Located in the Maple Leaf area, it's a great place to eat alone or as a couple.

If you prefer vegan food, I recommend Cafe Flora, a perfect place to indulge in the most original dishes. Just metres 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 colourful atmosphere that you can't miss.

If you are someone who enjoys good food, don't miss one of the best food tours in Seattle, you will visit the highlights of the city and you will be able to taste incredible flavours.

Visit one of Seattle's most iconic landmarks. 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 won't have to deal with the annoying lines and crowds of visitors that you usually find 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 a vacuum.

A great place to enjoy with the whole family, the little ones can see the whole city and the Puget Sound from the top and feel like they're 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

Seattle has an average winter temperature ranging from -2 degrees Celsius to 8 or 9 degrees Celsius.

It's not one of the coldest destinations in the United States, and snow is rare, although rain is common. In the winter months there are usually 14 to 15 days of rain per month.

Due to the low temperatures it is advisable to include some jumpers, warm jackets and mackintoshes if possible, as it is very likely that during your visit to 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, consider bringing two or three different types of footwear in case they get wet.