Doing Dry January in Seattle?
If this is your first rodeo, you may be wondering what there is to do in Seattle for fun other than hanging out at bars and breweries. There are actually a lot more options than you may have realized! That’s why we put together this extensive list of things to do in Seattle that don’t involve drinking. Whether you’re looking for a fun weekend activity or something to do in the evenings after work, we bet there’s something here for you. Congratulations on doing Dry January, and have fun trying out some new things in Seattle this month!
Read on for our helpful guide of things to do for Dry January in Seattle!
1. Visit a late-night coffee shop
There aren’t many late-night coffee shops in Seattle, unfortunately, but here are a few that stay open into the evening that we love:
- Cafe Cosmos in Belltown is open daily until 10:00 p.m. and is a great place to play boardgames with friends.
- Cafe on the Ave in U District is open until 11:00 p.m. every night except Fridays and Saturdays when they’re open until 2:00 a.m.! You can enjoy coffee, food, and free wi-fi.
- C & P Coffee in West Seattle is often open until 7:00 or even 8:00 p.m. and is always hosting free events such as live music, silent book clubs, and open mics. See their event calendar.
- Valentina’s Cafe in Ballard is a Mexican cafe open daily until 8:30 p.m., serving “coffee, desserts and vibes!”
- Caffé Vita in Capitol Hill is open daily until 7:00 p.m. Their location makes it easy to find something to do afterwards if you want to stay out later, such as browse at Elliott Bay Book Company or catch a live show at Neumos.
You can also see our list of the best coffee shops in Seattle, according to locals!
2. Play at a board game cafe
The Seattle area has a few board game cafes; our favorite is Mox Boarding House in Ballard. They’re open late at night and although they do sell beer and wine, they also offer lots of NA options such as coffee, plus food. You can bring your own game or borrow from their extensive board game collection for free.
3. Do a DIY craft at The Works
Have fun learning something new at a hands-on workshop. The Works in Pioneer Square has an extensive lineup of DIY craft classes, and they also sell DIY kits that you can purchase to work on at home. You can sign up with a friend or go alone to meet new people. At the end of the class you get to bring home the cool thing you made. They also host $5 community craft nights on occasion.
4. Take a cooking or baking class
Whether you’re a newbie in the kitchen or you want to improve your existing skills, this month is the perfect time to sign up for a cooking or baking class in Seattle. Our favorites are The Pastry Project for baking and The Pantry for cooking.
5. Go to a Kraken game
Even if you’re not a huge hockey fan, it’s still fun to cheer on the Seattle Kraken at an exciting home game at Climate Pledge Arena at least once. This month, the Kraken have home games on January 4, 21, 24, 26 and 28.
6. Visit a Seattle museum or garden for free
On a budget? Typically the first Thursday of every month is free admission day for Seattle museums but don’t worry if you missed it for January. These Seattle attractions have additional opportunities for free entry:
- Frye Art Museum is always free and has ongoing free programs that you can enjoy
- The Volunteer Park Conservatory has free admission on both the first Thursday and first Saturday of the month
- Henry Art Gallery has free admission every Sunday
- Seattle Asian Art Museum has free admission the last Friday of the month (January 26)
- Seattle Chinese Garden always has free admission (donations are appreciated)
7. Treat yourself to fancy tea
Dry January is the perfect time to get really, really into tea. You could create a memorable experience this month by booking a fancy afternoon tea for yourself and a friend. Maybe it will become a tradition! See our list of the best tea rooms in Seattle.
8. Get coffee and chill at KEXP
The KEXP Gathering Space located in Seattle Center is a welcoming community space that has comfortable seating, free wi-fi, and a small record shop. There’s also coffee and some food available thanks to Caffé Vita. It’s open until 6:00 p.m. daily. If you’d like to stay out later, you’re in easy walking distance to get a burger from Dick’s Drive-In and then catch a movie at SIFF Cinema Uptown.
9. Go to a sober dance party
Cafe Racer in Capitol Hill is hosting a sober event on January 11 from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. There will be NA beverages, food, and a booze-free dance floor with a DJ. The event is brought to you by RE_: “a new event series crafted for the Sober and Sober Curious.” This event is for ages 18+ and there is a suggested donation of $10.
10. Seattle Bouldering Project
The Seattle Bouldering Project has two locations and is extremely welcoming to beginners. In addition to climbing, they also offer yoga and fitness classes, a weight room, a cafe, and a friendly community space where you can meet new people. You can get a day pass or a monthly pass for all of January.
11. Get a meal in an alcohol-free restaurant
If you find it difficult to be around alcohol while abstaining, it’s a good idea to have a few restaurants in rotation this month that have entirely alcohol-free menus. Our favorites are Cafe Turko in Fremont, Pho Viet Anh in Lower Queen Anne, Voula’s Offshore Cafe in the U District, and Beth’s Cafe in Green Lake (if only Beth’s was still open for late nights!).
12. See a movie
Take the money you’re saving on expensive cocktails this month and put it towards a few movies you’d really like to see. See our list of the best movie theaters in Seattle. Also, this month the Northwest Film Forum is showing short films from the 2023 Sundance Film Festival through January 14. Get tickets here.
13. Treat yourself to a spa day
Pamper yourself with a relaxing, warming spa day this January. Check out our guide to spas in Seattle with saunas and hot tubs.
14. Browse a late-night bookstore
Even if you don’t have the budget for several bookstore hauls this month, there are a few fantastic bookstores in Seattle that offer more than just books and are open late. Elliott Bay Book Company in Capitol Hill is open daily until 10:00 p.m. They often host events and book groups in the evenings. Best of all, they have a coffee shop inside the bookstore—Little Oddfellows—that stays open until 9:00 p.m.
Third Place Books has three locations in the Seattle area that offer more than the typical bookstore. The Ravenna location— open until 8:00 p.m.—has a cafe and frequent evening events. The Seward Park location also has lots of evening events and is open until 9:00 p.m., but note that the in-house Chuck’s Hop Shop sells beer there in addition to food. Their third location in Lake Forest Park is a 20-minute drive north of Seattle and is open daily until 9:00 p.m. This location offers “a large public commons, three restaurants, free wireless internet, a community room, a stage, and over one thousand free public events every year.”
Finally, we also like Couth Buzzard Books in Greenwood. They have a cafe and a packed events calendar, and they’re open until 9:00 p.m. daily.
15. Go ice skating
Embrace the winter season and get some fun physical activity in by going ice skating this month. The seasonal Bellevue Ice Rink is open through January 15. It has over 9,000 square feet of real ice. After that closes, you can take advantage of public skate times at the Kraken Community Iceplex. You can also check out our guide to ice skating rinks in Seattle.
16. See a stand-up comedy show
Your options include the Wet City Comedy Fest at The Crocodile from January 5 to 7, shows and classes at Unexpected Productions at the Pike Place Market Theater all month long, and Laughs Comedy Club in the U District just to name a few. The latter does have a two-item minimum purchase from their menu but it includes food and NA beverages.
17. Partake in an open mic
Get out of your comfort zone this month or go support other local creatives at an open mic. Places with open mic nights in Seattle (that aren’t bars) include Couth Buzzard Books in Greenwood, C & P Coffee in West Seattle, and Hugo House in Capitol Hill.
18. Patronize a new NA bottle shop
Seattle’s first NA bottle shop, Cheeky & Dry, just opened in Phinney Ridge. Perfect timing for Dry January! It’s a great place to go stock up on fun non-alcoholic options for the month, and they’re happy to let you try out some free samples.
19. Play arcade games
The Seattle Pinball Museum in the Chinatown-International District offers unlimited play at a flat price. If you don’t mind being in a bar during Dry January but would prefer one that has something entertaining to do, check out a Seattle bar arcade like Add-A-Ball in Fremont or Time Warp in Capitol Hill.
20. Shop at a late-night thrift store
The Seattle Late Night Vintage Market in Capitol Hill is open daily (except Tuesdays) from 3:00 p.m. to midnight! They have three floors of vintage and upcycled clothing, decor, furniture, art, and more. If you love thrift shopping, this is the perfect late-night activity for your Dry January.
Bonus suggestion: Seattle bars with mocktails
Not everyone will be comfortable spending time in bars while doing Dry January, and that’s OK! However, if you’re fine with it and you’re looking for a place to hang out with friends who are drinking, there are quite a few options in Seattle. A few of our favorite Seattle bars with mocktails and delicious NA drinks on the menu are Stampede, Dreamland, Life On Mars, Kamp, Rachel’s Ginger Beer, and the Starbucks Reserve Roastery. See our full guide to places to find non-alcoholic drinks in Seattle.