Best Things to Do in December in Seattle

West of Ballard, visitors find one of the locals' favorite finds, in any season: Golden Gardens beach. Located on Puget Sound, this popular public park offers extraordinary views of the water and nearby Olympic Mountains. The park includes wetlands, beaches, hiking trails, as well as picnic and playground areas. The park is bisected by the BNSF Scenic Subdivision railway line. Golden Gardens offers wanders along a rugged coastline, hikes through forest trails, sunbathing on sandy beaches (in a warmer season), fishing from a pier and a boat launch. The park is also home to an off-leash area for dogs in the upper northern portion of the park.

Interact with inspiring locals while making art, cooking, learning new things and connecting over shared interests in a welcoming, Capitol Hill space. This nurturing community hub, which started as a DIY school for adults, is thrilled to be offering in-person, experience-based experiences once again. (You can order at-home DIY kits if you prefer, too.) While many December classes get in the holiday spirit with wreath- and card-making activities, other workshops focus on topics from cheeseboards and tea blending to watercolor painting.

Discovery Park dazzles at any time of year. Situated on Magnolia Bluff overlooking Puget Sound, this expansive urban park--the largest in Seattle--offers two scenic miles of beach trails and nine miles of winding footpaths. Ostensibly a bluff-top reserve, Discovery Park protects a remarkable urban wilderness and is a great place for nature-watching. Also located within the park: a marine reserve and The Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center (currently closed), which typically features art and cultural exhibits. An 1881 lighthouse, the oldest in the area, can also be found here. Offering breathtaking views of both the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges, the park's remote site includes two miles of protected tidal beaches as well as open meadow lands, dramatic sea cliffs, forest groves, active sand dunes, thickets and streams.

On the Eastside, The Bellevue Collection returns to the roots of its annual, festive Snowflake Lane experience. Think colorful lights, joyful music, intermittent snowfall, between Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square, and a nightly parade lined with performers and holiday floats that happens at 7 p.m. from November 26 to December 24. For more information, visit snowflakelane.com. When guests book a Snowflake Lane Getaway at one of three local hotels, they'll receive a $100 Bellevue Collection Gift Card for each night they stay, good at all Bellevue Collection shops, restaurants and entertainment venues. (Also, enjoy access to a VIP Passport with offers and specials upon arrival, plus receive an additional $20 Bellevue Collection Gift Card for becoming a Be. Rewards member. Each getaway package includes a pass for complimentary admission for four to the nearby KidsQuest Children's Museum.)

This year Seattle Theatre Group brings many in-person seasonal productions and other inspiring events back to The Paramount, Moore and Neptune Theatre. Shows like "The Hip Hop Nutcracker featuring Kurtis Blow, Virtual Student Matinee," however, can still be enjoyed from the comfort of home, via virtual streaming. At Paramount, check out musical events like Thundercat (December 4), Bela Fleck & Friends (December 8), "Nirvana - Live at the Paramount 30th Anniversary Screening" (December 12) and Courtney Barnett (December 14), comedian Jim Gaffigan (December 15 through 19). STG & Broadway at The Paramount present "My Fair Lady" from December 28 through January 2.

As part of a favorite wintertime tradition, The Triple Door once again hosts "Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker," an award-winning spectacle that gives the traditional ballet a bawdy makeover. Lily Verlaine and Jasper McCann bring back their award-winning wintertime show from December 8 through 29, featuring the return of Verlaine's Sugar Plum Fairy, the light-juggling magic of Babette La Fave, the lovable Snowflakes and "the swingiest band in the Land, The Nutcracker Nonette." The production also features top-notch dance talent, opulent bespoke costuming and original choreography from classically trained, internationally recognized artist Verlaine. Loyal fans are thrilled to return to this intimate downtown dinner theatre space for in-person concerts and shows, plus tasty food and drink brought to them in their assigned seats.

Throughout the five weeks of Winterfest at Seattle Center (November 26 through December 31), those in search of uplifting seasonal celebrations will find both in-person and virtual cultural performances, activities highlighting holiday traditions and kid-centric activities. During these weeks, connect to a world of sparkling lights, amusements and spirited entertainment, between November 26 and December 31. Be sure not to miss the Winter Train & Village (a late 19th-century model train display, installed inside the Armory Food & Event Hal) ice sculpting demos by master cavers that take place every Saturday at noon and the annual campus lighting display, too.

The Woodland Park Zoo's WildLanterns returns, featuring large-scale animal and nature-scape lanterns representing wild places from around the globe. Presented by BECU, WildLanterns offers a larger-than-life, immersive event that "wows" every guest, as hundreds of thousands of colorful LED (energy efficient) lights illuminate trees and landscapes found throughout the property. To sweeten the deal even further, festive food offerings will be available for purchase at several locations around the zoo. The experience is available Tuesday through Sunday, from 4 to 8:30 p.m., through January 30, 2022, and is closed Mondays (except for December 20 and 27), November 25 and December 24 and 25.

Pike Place Market captures the magic of the holidays throughout the season with festive decor and local vendors and artisans ready to sell their beautiful and delicious goods. The Market's annual holiday celebration takes place November 27 and is filled with joyful entertainment, a visit from Santa Claus, craft vendors and Market holiday lights, which remain illuminated through December. Visit https://pikeplacemarketfoundation.org/charitablemarketplace/products/ to learn about the Pike Place Market Foundation's CharitableMarketplace.org, which features 100-plus local businesses and products that all support Pike Place Market's small business recovery program. (Care to send a loved one, anywhere in the nation, some of the magic of Place Place? Order a Savor Seattle box, which features regional eats and treats, and helps support local vendors and farmers at the same time.)

The Seattle Kraken is a brand-new, Seattle-based professional ice hockey team that competes in the National Hockey League as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Root them on during energy-filled home games at the groundbreaking Climate Pledge Arena, a dazzling, eco-friendly venue that aims to be "the most progressive, responsible and sustainable arena in the world." This multi-purpose live entertainment venue, built for NHL hockey, live music and events, WNBA and future NBA basketball games, can be found not far from the Space Needle on the 74-acre Seattle Center campus. With the mantra of "Release the Kraken" already reverberating around town, and tens of thousands of fans donning the hues of Kraken blue, it's already apparent that this city was ready for a new hockey team to support and celebrate.