Christmas in Washington State

Visitors will immediately feel the festive spirit in Washington state.

The pine trees that cover the Evergreen state exude that winter wonderland feel and it celebrates the festive season with parades, unique festivals, ice skating and much more.

It’s the perfect destination for the holidays especially for those who crave outdoor adventures.

There is cross country skiing, snow biking and even solstice lantern walks. Here is the best of Christmas in Washington State:

Bellevue Christmas traditions

Bellevue takes the festive season seriously, celebrating with a nightly parade during the month of December in the town’s main street. ‘Snowflake Lane’ is free to attend, and visitors will enjoy marching bands, dancers, lights, some guaranteed snowfall and kids will even get the chance to meet their favourite snowflake lane characters.

Embrace the snow in Winthrop 
With more than 200 kilometres of trails, Winthrop is recognised as one of the best cross-country skiing areas in North America. The area offers plenty of activities for all abilities and ages including child-friendly valley-bottom loops and mountainside traverses. There are options for all-day excursions. Visitors can also enjoy horse drawn sleigh rides from the 18 -24 December.

Winter solstice on Bainbridge Island

As well as Christmas, Bainbridge Island also celebrates the Winter Solstice, Bloedel Reserve is normally closed at night but from  18 – 20 December visitors can take a guided walk during sunset through the reserve. There are sessions for families to enjoy with younger children and sessions for visitors to practise silent meditation, lanterns are provided for when the sun goes down, to celebrate the longest nights of the year.

Discover the magical Leavenworth village

A two-hour drive from Seattle sits an unexpected winter wonderland in Washington State. Leavenworth is a Bavarian style village set in the picturesque Cascade Mountains. Inspired by their surrounding alpine hills, in 1960 town leaders decided that Leavenworth would be completely transformed into a German Bavarian village. Today the village transports visitors to a Christmas wonderlust with seasonal decor, authentic German cuisine and vibrant festivities.

Northwest Winterfest in Spokane 

Visitors to Spokane are in for a treat as the city is decorated for the festive season with Spokane Valley hosting The Northwest Winterfest. The Northwest Winterfest is a winter wonderland with a twist, visitors will set sights on  displays of larger-than-life Chinese lanterns, handcrafted and painted with some being  as high as 26 feet and as long as 140 feet. With free admission for children 10 years and under, it’s the perfect day out for the whole family to enjoy.