5 Best Wintertime Activities in Seattle

You may think of winter in Seattle as short days, dreary gray skies, and cold temperatures. But in the city and nearby, there are plenty of fun wintertime activities to keep you amused, both indoors and out. Here are five recommendations for you.

1. Space Needle

For the best panoramic views of Seattle, Puget Sound, and the surrounding mountain ranges, a visit to the iconic Space Needle is a must. Recently renovated, there are now two additional thrill levels. Sit on the glass benches and take in the breathtaking views through the outward sloped floor to ceiling windows. Or dare to step onto The Loupe, the world’s first rotating glass floor.

If you are lucky enough to be there for New Year’s Eve, the Space Needle becomes the focal point for the spectacular firework display. You can see it from the Seattle Center at midnight.

2. Museum of Pop Culture

Before you even enter MoPOP you can take in the futuristic and colorful design of the building with its 21,000 stainless steel and aluminum shingles with the Space Needle as a backdrop. Exhibitions include Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes, featuring artwork, costumes from the movies, and other artifacts. See the stories of Seattle’s icons — Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam. Get hands-on in the immersive Sound Lab and explore other worlds in the Holodome.

3. Winter Sports at Snoqualmie Pass

If you need to escape the cabin fever and fill your lungs with fresh mountain air, you can drive to Snoqualmie Pass in less than an hour on I-90. With four ski areas covering almost 2,000 acres, there are facilities for skiing and snowboarding. Some runs are illuminated and open until 10 p.m. for night skiing. There are also more than 30 miles of groomed Nordic trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

A newly opened development, The Pass Life, features the Washington State Ski & Snowboard Museum, with interactive exhibits charting the development of winter sports. Also incorporated in the new community are the Commonwealth Cafe and the Dru Bru brewery and taproom.

4. Take a Boat Trip

Another way to beat the indoor blues is to wrap up warm and take one of the boat trips from Seattle’s Central Waterfront. The narrated Seattle Harbor cruise lasts for an hour and gives you a different perspective of the city from the Harbor and Elliot Bay.

Alternatively, you could take a personalized 2-hour cocktail cruise along Lake Union. You’ll see the major Seattle landmarks, as well as seaplanes taking off and landing and the many floating homes on the lake.

5. Chocolate Factory Tour

After all that fresh air, why not take a tour of the fair-trade Theo Chocolate Factory? On the entertaining and informative tour, you will learn about the chocolate making process from bean to bar. And, of course, there will be chocolate tasting throughout the tour, which lasts around an hour.

Seattle and the surrounding areas have many more attractions to offer and they are just waiting to be explored.

Image via jc.winkler | Licensed by CC BY 2.0

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