Seattle’s iconic space needle and bustling downtown waterfront become the staging grounds for family-friendly holiday fun each December. The city’s zoo goes wild for holiday light displays, a boat parade takes place on water and an amphibious vehicle tour company abandons water routes for holiday dry-land tours with laughs. Just a few miles away, celebrate the viking way.
The easiest free Christmas party to find in Seattle is Winterfest, 74 acres of holiday lights and events staged beneath the city’s iconic Space Needle looming 605 feet above the festivities. On most days in December, you can admire twinkling light displays and listen to strolling carolers or jazz and big band concerts. A miniature train winds through an elaborately decorated mock-up of an early 20th-century village inside the Center House. Buy a ticket to ride the elevator to the observation deck at the Space Needle, where Santa visits on different days throughout the month. The tower’s revolving SkyCity restaurant stays open on Christmas Day for those who want dinner with a citywide view.
Every night in December, with the exception of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day evenings, Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo hosts Wildlights. More than 500,000 colorful LED lights are used to create still and animated holiday light exhibits throughout the zoo grounds. Roll around in faux-snow at the indoor “Snowmazium” set up for the annual event. The reindeer on display at a special exhibit are real. The zoo carousel and exhibits with nocturnal creatures stay open late during the festival, which also hosts Christmas carolers.
Watch the decorated boats from shore, or help benefit local charities when you buy a ticket to ride along on the annual Argosy Christmas Ship Festival flotilla. Thousands of white lights decorate boats that cruise from Seattle’s waterfront each night from late November through Dec. 23. Residents of Puget Sound neighborhoods across the harbor are serenaded by local choirs with Christmas carols broadcast by loudspeaker from one of the boats. Residents build bonfires on shore to watch the ships. Snacks and kids’ craft bags are available on all boats, and dinner service is available on one. Argosy Cruises also hosts daytime Santa Brunch cruises in December.
On most December evenings, Ride the Ducks amphibious tour vehicles -- all decked out for the season -- host 40-minute dry-land holiday tours through downtown streets and along the city’s waterfront. It's not uncommon for guests to find themselves entertained by humorous drivers who lead on-board sing-alongs, giving creative treatment to carols. Along the way, drivers typically point out where to go for downtown holiday shows, shopping and displays.
Celebrate the Christmas season viking-style in nearby Poulsbo where the holiday carols you hear while shopping at a Scandinavian crafts market are sung in Norwegian. Members of the local Sons of Norway lodge dress like vikings and arrive by ship to light a bonfire by the town’s harbor at night. Their Christmas tree is lighted in early December each year not by Santa Claus, but by Father Christmas. Getting there by ferry and forested island roads is itself a mini-adventure. Drive your car onto the Bainbridge Island Ferry in Seattle to cross the harbor to the island 10 miles west of the city. From there, it's a 12-mile drive to Poulsbo.
