Looking to view Christmas lights and holiday displays in Seattle this December? We have several festive options for you! Best of all, most of them are free to enjoy.
Two downtown areas in Seattle with fantastic Christmas lights this month are Pike Place Market and Occidental Square Park in Pioneer Square. The exterior of Pike Place Market is lit up with festive holiday lights and a massive Christmas tree—and as a bonus, you can get all your holiday shopping done while you’re there. Not far from the market is Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square neighborhood, which gets lit up for winter joy. Occidental Square has a free ice skating rink now through December 21, so you have a free and festive activity to enjoy while you’re soaking up all the sparkling lights decorating the neighborhood.
You can also take a walk or drive through several Seattle neighborhoods that have homes lit up with over-the-top light displays. Candy Cane Lane in Ravenna (Park Rd NE and NE Ravenna Blvd) and Olympic Manor in Loyal Heights (8500 23rd Ave NW) are two famous examples. If you’re in West Seattle, the 4040 House (4040 47th Ave SW) is a can’t-miss sight. These are all free to view!
Finally, you can also brighten up your winter nights by attending a ticketed event such as Astra Lumina: An Enchanted Night Walk at the Seattle Chinese Garden. There’s also WildLanterns at Woodland Park Zoo. And you can even book a spot on one of the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ships (although there’s also the option to watch them for free from the shore).
Here’s a quick list of 8 places with Christmas lights in Seattle, for at-a-glance convenience:
- Pike Place Market
- Occidental Square in Pioneer Square
- Astra Lumina at Seattle Chinese Garden
- 4040 House in West Seattle
- Candy Cane Lane in Ravenna
- Olympic Manor in Loyal Heights
- WildLanterns at Woodland Park Zoo
- Argosy Christmas Ship Festival on Lake Union
If you’ve exhausted all of the local options and want to go for a day trip near Seattle, we have five more places in western Washington that are known for over-the-top holiday light display. Here are the top 5 places to see Christmas lights outside of Seattle:
- Garden d’Lights in Bellevue
- Holiday Magic in Puyallup
- Christmastown in Leavenworth
- Zoolights in Tacoma
- Fantasy Lights in Spanaway