From the scent of fresh cut trees, to the taste of decadent fudge, cakes and cookies, to the sound of festive music to the happiness felt when spending time with loved ones, the holidays provide an endless supply of magic and cheer. However, there is something about holiday lights that brings out the magic of the season in us all. Whether adorning houses or wrapped around trees, the vibrant blubs have the ability to brighten even the darkest winter evenings and turn ordinary neighborhood streets into glowing fantasy lands.
To help shed some light on where to go to see these stunning displays, we have explored everything from enchanting gardens to lavish neighborhoods. Check out our recommendation for five places to go in Seattle to enjoy holiday lights and a festive atmosphere!
1. Holiday Brews and Bulbs Tour
Delight your senses by treating your taste buds to the spices of the season while taking in some of the city’s most popular landmarks all decked out in sparkling lights. “This year our Holiday Brews and Blubs Tour is going to be focusing on the light displays down in West Seattle, which is a beautiful neighborhood many tourists (and even locals) don’t get to see,” said Seamus Hogg, Marketing Manager at Evergreen Escapes.
The trip is made even merrier with stops at three craft or microbreweries where you will be treated to behind the scenes tours and an abundance of beers to sample, including special seasonal brews such as Schooner Extract’s rich and malty Hoppy Holidays or Big Al Brewing’s toffee and milk chocolate malt Winter Warmer.
2. Wildlights at Woodland Park Zoo
Imagine yourself in another land as more than 600,000 dazzling lights recreate wild animals and wild places from exotic destinations across the globe. As you stroll through the grounds of the Woodland Park Zoo’s Wildlights be sure to keep an eye out for the seven new light-up peacocks hidden in the zoo’s famous greenery.
In addition to new light displays, you can now escape the winter chill with a visit to the Day Exhibit to check out frogs, snakes and lizards or head to the Adaptations Building to sneak a peek at meerkats, sloths and Indian flying foxes.
3. Garden D’lights
The frosty weather may have put most gardens into hibernation for the winter, but flowers and tropical animals are in full bloom at the Bellevue Botanical Garden. From November to January, the gardens blossom to life with more than half a million dazzling lights.
Wander this paradise of intricately decorated displays to experience glistening steams and ponds, vibrant fields of flowers, groves of grapes, fluttering birds and butterflies, swimming jellyfish, flowing fountains and more. The scenic grounds are perfect for a moment of quiet reflection or a romantic date. Be sure to take advantage of the stops for photo ops along the way!
4. The Lights of Christmas at Warm Beach
Travel just one hour north of Seattle to the city of Standwood, to experience a magical wonderland filled with the smell of fresh hot donuts, the joyful sound of carolers and 15 acres of lights. As the largest holiday display in the Pacific Northwest, The Lights of Christmas features an array of breathtaking displays that capture both the traditional and local flavor.
Check out the larger-than-life nativity scene as well as the spectacular, 247-foot long “Cascade Splendor” that depicts glittering snowcapped peaks rising above evergreen forests. Along with twinkling lights, the festival offers nightly family-friendly activities that run the gamut from an entertaining dinner theater to a walk-through maze made of lights that will delight both the young and the young at heart.
5. Candy Cane Lane
Adorned with strings of lights, inflatable Santas and snowmen, prancing reindeer and candy cane-striped poles, the 23 1920’s-era Tudors houses that make up Ravenna’s Candy Cane Lane look as though they have been picked out of a Christmas display. A Seattle holiday institution since 1950, the cheerful street on NE Park Road is often busy throughout the season.
Instead of slowly inching, park on a side street, get out of the car and explore the glowing wonderland by foot. Before you head out on your journey, stop by the nearby Seven Market & Café or Boulevard Grocery for a hot chocolate, hot apple cider or eggnog latte to keep you warm.
When it comes to holiday lights, Seattle really goes all out to create festive displays that will leave your whole family mesmerized. Bundle up and head outdoors for an adventure that is sure to be a new holiday tradition!