What are the dates of the Seattle Christmas Market in 2026?

November 20 to December 27, 2026, at Seattle Center. It is closed on Thanksgiving (November 26) and Christmas Day. From December 14 to 18 it opens 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., from December 19 to 23 it opens 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., on Christmas Eve 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., on December 26 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on December 27 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Entry is ticketed: the market quotes $19.99 to $21.99 for peak December visits, and children aged 6 and under go free.

What is the best Christmas day trip from Seattle?

Leavenworth, the Bavarian-style town in the Cascades lit with more than half a million lights from Thanksgiving to the end of February. Its 2026 Christmastown program runs November 27 to December 24. The Leavenworth Christmas Lights Tour from Seattle gives you about four hours in town for $295, though it has only seven reviews on Viator. The Snoqualmie Falls and Leavenworth Day Trip adds a waterfall and gives about three hours in town from $186, rated 4.3 from 221 reviews.

When is the Argosy Christmas Ship Festival in 2026?

November 27 to the Grand Finale on December 23, 2026, with the Parade of Boats on December 11. The festival has run since 1949. Each sailing on the Christmas Ship or its follow boats lasts about 1.5 hours, with a community choir performing on board, and departures leave from Seattle, Kirkland, Renton, Ballard, Edmonds and other harbors. Argosy does not publish prices on its festival page, so check the fare for your sailing when you book.

Is the Seattle Christmas Market open on Christmas Day?

No. It is closed on December 25, 2026, opens 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and reopens for its last two days on December 26 (11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.) and December 27 (11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.). Many attractions and tours also close or shorten their hours on Christmas Day, so put the big ticketed sights on December 23, 24 or 26.

What should I wear in Seattle in December?

In the city, a waterproof jacket, layers and water-resistant shoes. For Leavenworth add a warm coat, gloves, a hat and shoes with grip on ice. At Mount Rainier dress for a mountain winter: insulated waterproof boots, a waterproof shell over warm layers, gloves and a hat. Tours that supply snowshoes do not supply clothing.

Seattle in December 2026: Best Christmas & Winter Tours

Q: Is December a good time to visit Seattle?

Yes, if you come for Christmas and winter instead of summer sightseeing. The afternoon high averages 47°F, it rains on about 18 days, and the sun sets at 4:18 p.m. in mid-December. In return the Seattle Christmas Market, Winterfest and Argosy's Christmas Ship Festival are all running, Leavenworth is lit up, and Mount Rainier has deep snow at Paradise. Downtown hotels ran at 50.1% occupancy in December 2025 against 89.2% in July, so the city itself is quiet.

Q: Is Mount Rainier open in December?

Yes, but only through the Nisqually entrance in the southwest corner. The road from Longmire to Paradise closes every night; on a typical winter day the gate opens around 9 a.m., uphill traffic must pass by 4 p.m., and the park asks you to leave Paradise by 4:30 p.m. Every vehicle must carry tire chains from November 1 to May 1, including all-wheel and four-wheel drive. A guided tour removes the chains and the driving from your day.

Q: Does it snow in Seattle in December?

Occasionally, but plan for cool rain in the city. The afternoon high averages 47°F and the low 37°F, so a snowy Seattle Christmas is the exception. If snow matters, go to the mountains: Paradise on Mount Rainier averages about 640 inches of snow a year, and Snoqualmie Pass and Stevens Pass are both on the way to Leavenworth.

The Space Needle and Seattle skyline lit up after dark

December is when Seattle feels most unlike its summer self. It is cool and wet, the afternoon high averages 47°F, and in mid-December the sun sets at 4:18 p.m. It is also the month when Seattle Center turns into a Christmas hub, Argosy’s Christmas Ship Festival is sailing, Leavenworth is fully lit, and Mount Rainier becomes a snow-and-snowshoe destination.

Plan December as its own season. A good trip mixes city bookings that work in any weather (Pike Place Market, the underground beneath Pioneer Square, the Christmas events at Seattle Center) with one or two days out in the mountains, either Leavenworth for Christmas or Mount Rainier for snow. If you are here earlier, Seattle in November covers the month before.

Quick answer: For Christmas atmosphere, put Leavenworth and the Seattle Christmas Market first. For snow, book a guided Mount Rainier winter tour that includes snowshoes, and do not try to rebuild a summer Rainier itinerary. For an easier day out with fewer winter-road worries, choose Snoqualmie Falls.

The city is quiet: downtown hotels ran at 50.1% occupancy in December 2025, against 89.2% in July. The busy spots are the Christmas events themselves, especially at weekends. Prices below were read on October 16, 2026, and the live calendar shows what your date costs.

Best Seattle December experiences at a glance

GetYourGuide ratings were refreshed live on October 16, 2026. Viator figures combine Viator and Tripadvisor reviews and were read from Viator’s product data the same day.

Experience	Best for	Time needed	From	Rating	Why book it in December
Leavenworth Christmas Lights Tour from Seattle	A Christmas day trip	9–11 hours	$295	3.9 (7)	About four hours in Leavenworth
Seattle: Snoqualmie Falls and Leavenworth Day Trip	Two sights in one winter day	8–10 hours	$186	4.3 (221)	A waterfall, then the Christmas village
Mt. Rainier National Park Highlights Tour	A snow day	10–12 hours	$150	4.8 (3,687)	Snowshoeing and sledding included in winter
Guided Hike on Mt. Rainier	An active winter day	10–11 hours	$179	4.9 (681)	Snowshoes, crampons and poles supplied
Seattle Christmas Market	Christmas in the city	1–3 hours	$19.99	—	Open to December 27
Argosy Christmas Ship Festival	The waterfront at Christmas	1.5 hours	Check Argosy	—	Lit boat and a choir on board, to December 23
Guided Underground Walking Tour	A rainy hour	1 hour	$31	4.6 (2,620)	Works whatever the mountains are doing
Pike Place Market Chef-Guided Food Tour	Food	2 hours	$75	4.9 (1,117)	Covered market halls and hot food

Other experiences you might enjoy

In the city, December centers on Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square and the Christmas Market at Seattle Center; out of town, Leavenworth and Mount Rainier.

Leavenworth Christmas Lights Tour: the best Christmas day trip from Seattle

If Christmas atmosphere is why you are in Seattle in December, Leavenworth is the day trip to take. The Bavarian-style town is covered in more than half a million lights, switched on daily from Thanksgiving through the end of February, and its 2026 Christmastown program runs to December 24.

The Leavenworth Christmas Lights Tour from Seattle runs nine to eleven hours from $295 and is timed for the holiday. The itinerary:

pickup in Seattle or Bellevue
a scenic drive through the Cascades
Gold Bar
Deception Falls
Stevens Pass
around four hours in Leavenworth
the drive back to Seattle

You are paying for the four-hour stop. Regular Leavenworth day tours often give two or three hours in town. At Christmas, four hours leaves time for food, the shops, Santa, the holiday activities and the lights after dark.

The trade-off

The tour has very few reviews: 3.9 from seven on Viator, against hundreds for Seattle’s established day tours. It gives you the most time in town, but it is not a proven product. Our Leavenworth Christmas tours guide compares it hour by hour with the other options.

Best for: visitors whose main goal is Leavenworth at Christmas.

Snoqualmie Falls and Leavenworth: the best two-in-one December day trip

On a first trip to Washington, this combination gives you more to see than a straight run to Leavenworth. The Seattle: Snoqualmie Falls and Leavenworth Day Trip combines:

Snoqualmie Falls
Cascade scenery
Leavenworth
roughly three hours of free time in town

It runs eight to ten hours from $186 and rates 4.3 from 221 reviews on Viator. Winter departures run only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, so check your dates first.

Why it works in December

Snoqualmie Falls can be excellent in winter. Rain raises the river, and low cloud does not spoil a waterfall the way it hides Mount Rainier. Then you carry on to Leavenworth for the Christmas atmosphere: two different reasons to spend the day out of the city.

The downside

Every minute at the falls is a minute you are not in Leavenworth. If seeing the town after dark is your priority, the Christmas Lights Tour fits better. If you want the best all-round Washington day, take this one.

For a shorter day without Leavenworth, the Snoqualmie Falls and Twin Falls Guided Tour takes about four hours from $75 and rates 4.9 from 235 reviews on GetYourGuide.

Mount Rainier Highlights Tour: the best December snow day

Mount Rainier in December is not the summer trip: no summer roads, Reflection Lakes or long hikes. Most park roads close for winter. The only way in is the Nisqually entrance, toward Longmire and Paradise, and the road above Longmire closes every night and opens each morning only after the park has checked the weather and the road.

That is why a guided winter tour earns its price here. The Mt. Rainier National Park Highlights Tour runs ten to twelve hours from $150 and rates 4.8 from 3,687 reviews on Viator. Its operator says snowshoeing and sledding are included in winter and spring at no extra charge.

On a normal day the tour works around the places winter leaves open:

Longmire
Christine Falls
Narada Falls
Paradise
old-growth forest stops

The exact day depends on snow and the road. If you would rather book on GetYourGuide, the Mount Rainier National Park Guided Tour costs from $187.70 and rates 4.9 from 516 reviews, with a minimum age of five.

Why December is interesting

Paradise sits at 5,400 feet and gets about 640 inches of snow in an average year. You are not going for wildflowers or summer trails. You are going for:

snow-covered forest
frozen or partly frozen waterfalls
winter mountain scenery
snowshoeing
a Mount Rainier that summer visitors never see

What can go wrong?

The weather. Cloud can hide the mountain all day, and the Longmire-to-Paradise road can open late, close early or stay shut because of snowfall, avalanche risk or the state of the road. No tour can promise Paradise. Book this if you want a winter mountain day, not a fixed list of stops. For the full winter picture, see Mount Rainier in winter.

Mount Rainier snowshoe hike: the best choice for active travelers

If snowshoeing sounds better than sightseeing from a minibus, look at the Guided Hike on Mt. Rainier, ten to eleven hours from $179 and rated 4.9 from 681 reviews on Viator. From November to June the operator switches from hiking to snowshoeing whenever the snow needs it.

The listing includes:

snowshoes
crampons
trekking poles
transport from Seattle
guided short hikes or snowshoe routes

You do not need to have snowshoed before. The tour suits someone who wants to do something in the snow, not just photograph it.

Who should choose this?

Book it if:

you are reasonably active
snow is part of the point
you want guided winter walking
you are happy to spend most of the day outside

Skip it if you mainly want a relaxed scenic drive with short stops; the Highlights Tour above fits that better.

Seattle Christmas Market: Christmas without leaving the city

You can have a proper Christmas evening without leaving Seattle. The Seattle Christmas Market runs at Seattle Center from November 20 to December 27, 2026. It is a ticketed, European-style market with:

festive food and hot chocolate
Glühwein
gift stalls
Santa
live entertainment
a carousel
daily snow showers
a walk-through Christmas tree
photo spots

December is the heart of its season. From December 14 to 18 it opens 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., from December 19 to 23 it opens 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and on Christmas Eve 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The market quotes $19.99 to $21.99 for peak December visits, against $6.99 to $10.99 in late November, and children aged 6 and under go free. Details are on the market’s own site.

Best way to combine it

Pair the market with the attractions next to it:

They all sit in the same corner of the city, which makes this the best plan for a wet day: you move between indoor galleries and the outdoor market instead of committing to hours outside.

Seattle Center Winterfest: the free holiday add-on

Seattle Center’s Winterfest runs from November 27 to December 31, 2026. The Winter Train & Village is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Armory, carvers make ice sculptures every Saturday from noon, there are live performances on the Armory Stage every weekend to December 27, and the free New Year’s Eve celebration includes a Fountain of Light show at 9 p.m. Program details are on Seattle Center’s Winterfest page.

Winterfest does not replace a booking, but it sits beside the Christmas Market, the Space Needle and Chihuly, so it fits easily into the day. A good December afternoon:

Chihuly → Space Needle → Winterfest → Seattle Christmas Market after dark

That fills a whole day without leaving Seattle Center.

Argosy Christmas Ship Festival: Christmas on the water

The Argosy Christmas Ship Festival sails from November 27 to the Grand Finale on December 23, 2026, with the Parade of Boats on December 11. The tradition dates back to 1949.

The Christmas Ship is decorated with hundreds of white lights and visits waterfront communities around Puget Sound and Lake Washington, with a community choir singing on board for passengers and for people gathered on shore. Each sailing lasts about 1.5 hours, and departures leave from Seattle, Kirkland, Renton, Ballard, Edmonds and several other harbors. Argosy does not publish prices on its festival page; check the fare for your sailing on Argosy’s Christmas Ship page.

Can you book it on GetYourGuide or Viator?

No. Book the Christmas Ship with Argosy directly. A standard harbor-cruise ticket is not the Christmas Ship.

Regular Argosy harbor cruise

If the Christmas Ship schedule does not fit, Argosy’s one-hour harbor cruise has heated indoor seating as well as open decks. The Seattle Harbor Cruise with Local Guide costs from $42.54 and rates 4.8 from 741 reviews. Argosy does not publish a winter timetable for it, so check the booking calendar for your date. Our Argosy harbor cruise guide covers the boats and piers.

Beneath the Streets: the best rainy-day backup

You need at least one booking that works whether or not the mountains are visible. That is Beneath the Streets, the one-hour history tour of the old street-level passageways under Pioneer Square. On GetYourGuide it is sold as the Guided Underground Walking Tour, from $31 and rated 4.6 from 2,620 reviews.

It works well in December because:

it is largely protected from the weather
darkness and rain suit the setting
it combines easily with downtown sightseeing
it does not depend on snow, views or road conditions

If you wake to heavy rain and low cloud, book this before you force a scenic day trip. Our Seattle underground tour guide compares it with Bill Speidel’s original tour.

Pike Place Market food tour: the best December food experience

The Pike Place Market Chef-Guided Food Tour is another easy December booking: two hours with a chef through the market, tasting at nine vendors, from $75 and rated 4.9 from 1,117 reviews on GetYourGuide. It works in any weather.

December suits Pike Place because:

the covered halls matter more
hot food and coffee feel right for the season
the crowds are smaller than in summer
you can pair it with downtown Christmas shopping

For the market on your own, see our Pike Place Market guide.

Is December a good time to visit Seattle?

Yes, if you want Christmas and winter instead of classic summer Seattle. December is good for:

Christmas markets
Leavenworth
holiday lights
food tours
Pike Place Market
underground tours
winter Mount Rainier trips
snowshoeing
Snoqualmie Falls
indoor museums and attractions

It is less good for:

guaranteed mountain views
long hiking days
outdoor-only itineraries
whale watching as the main reason for a trip
summer-style island touring

Flexible plans work best. For the month-by-month weather, crowds and seasonal schedules, see the best time to visit Seattle’s attractions.

Does it snow in Seattle in December?

It can, but do not plan a Seattle Christmas around snow in the city. With an average high of 47°F and a low of 37°F, downtown Seattle gets cool rain far more often than snow that settles.

The mountains are different. If snow matters, go to:

Mount Rainier
Snoqualmie Pass
Stevens Pass
Leavenworth and the Cascades

Even there, fresh snow on a given day is never guaranteed.

Is Mount Rainier open in December?

Yes, with limited access. The park is open all year, but most roads close for winter. The winter route is through the Nisqually entrance to Longmire; above Longmire the road to Paradise closes every night. On a typical winter day the gate opens around 9 a.m., uphill traffic must pass by 4 p.m., and the park asks you to leave Paradise by 4:30 p.m.

Every vehicle entering the park must carry tire chains from November 1 to May 1, including all-wheel and four-wheel drive. That rule alone is a good reason to take a guided tour instead of renting a car for a December mountain day. The National Park Service keeps the current rules on its winter travel page.

Leavenworth or Mount Rainier in December?

Both are winter trips, but they suit different travelers.

Choose Leavenworth if:

Christmas atmosphere is the priority
you are traveling with children
you want shops, food and lights
you do not want an active day
the forecast is cloudy

Choose Mount Rainier if:

snow and nature are the priority
you want to snowshoe
you are comfortable with winter conditions
your group cares more about landscapes than Christmas shopping

If you only have one free day

On a Christmas trip, take Leavenworth. On a Pacific Northwest winter trip, take Mount Rainier.

Snoqualmie Falls or Mount Rainier in December?

Snoqualmie Falls is the easier choice.

Snoqualmie Falls advantages

much shorter travel time
lower elevation
the waterfall stays visible under cloud
a half day instead of 10–12 hours
easy to combine with Leavenworth or Seattle sightseeing

Mount Rainier advantages

a much bigger winter landscape
deep snow
snowshoeing
a real national-park day

The difference is reliability. A grey day can still be excellent at Snoqualmie Falls. A grey day at Mount Rainier can mean you never properly see the mountain.

What about Snoqualmie Pass snow activities?

Snoqualmie Pass is much closer to Seattle than Leavenworth and is one of the city’s main winter playgrounds, known for:

skiing
snowboarding
snowshoeing
tubing
winter hiking

GetYourGuide and Viator sell very few packaged trips there, so a Snoqualmie Pass day usually means driving up yourself, with chains in the car. If you want snow without organizing any of that, a Mount Rainier winter tour includes the transport and the snowshoes.

What to wear in Seattle in December

For Seattle itself:

a waterproof jacket
layers
water-resistant shoes
a warm hat for evenings
gloves if you feel the cold

For Leavenworth:

a warmer coat
gloves
a hat
waterproof footwear
shoes with grip

For Mount Rainier:

proper winter layers
a waterproof outer shell
insulated footwear
gloves
a warm hat

Clothes that work downtown are not enough at Paradise.

A three-day Seattle itinerary for December

Day 1: Christmas in Seattle

Start at Pike Place Market, ideally on the food tour. Spend the afternoon at Seattle Center: Chihuly and the Space Needle, then the Seattle Christmas Market after dark.

Day 2: choose your winter day trip

For Christmas atmosphere: the Leavenworth Christmas Lights Tour
For nature and snow: a Mount Rainier winter tour
For the easier scenic option: Snoqualmie Falls

Day 3: underground and waterfront

Take Beneath the Streets in Pioneer Square. If your date matches the schedule, add the Argosy Christmas Ship Festival in the evening. Otherwise, spend the day on museums, the waterfront or another indoor attraction.

Is Seattle crowded in December?

The city sees nothing like summer numbers, but the Christmas events draw concentrated crowds. Expect the busiest times at:

the Seattle Christmas Market at weekends
Leavenworth at weekends
the last two weekends before Christmas
events at Seattle Center
the main holiday shopping days

Leavenworth gets especially busy in December. Book Christmas day tours earlier than you would book an ordinary city tour.

Is Christmas Day a good sightseeing day?

Be careful with December 25. The Seattle Christmas Market is closed on Christmas Day in 2026, and many attractions, restaurants and tours close or run reduced hours. If your trip includes December 25, plan it before you arrive.

Use December 23, Christmas Eve or December 26 for the big ticketed attractions. The Christmas Market opens 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve and reopens on December 26 and 27, its last two days.

Is Seattle worth visiting in December?

Yes, as long as you treat December as its own season, and do not expect the summer version of the attractions. Come for:

Leavenworth at Christmas
the Seattle Christmas Market
Winterfest
the Christmas Ship Festival
snowshoeing at Mount Rainier
waterfalls after winter rain
Pike Place Market
underground Seattle
warm food, coffee and indoor attractions between outdoor stops

For most first-time December visitors, this is the booking order we would use:

Leavenworth Christmas Lights Tour: the Christmas day trip
Mount Rainier winter tour: the snow day
Snoqualmie Falls and Leavenworth: the varied day trip
Pike Place Market food tour: the city booking that works in any weather
Beneath the Streets: the rainy-day hour
Seattle Christmas Market: the evening addition
Argosy Christmas Ship Festival: the waterfront evening, when the schedule fits

December in Seattle works best when you plan for winter. Check the dates for each booking before you travel, because seasonal schedules change from year to year.

Useful official links

How we checked

The Seattle Christmas Market’s 2026 dates, hours and ticket prices come from the market’s own site, Winterfest’s program from Seattle Center, the Christmas Ship dates from Argosy, and Leavenworth’s Christmastown dates and lights from leavenworth.org, all read on October 16, 2026. Mount Rainier’s winter road rules, chain requirement and snowfall figure come from the National Park Service.

Viator ratings, review counts and from-prices were read from Viator’s Partner API on October 16, 2026; they combine Viator and Tripadvisor reviews, so they are not directly comparable with the GetYourGuide counts beside them. GetYourGuide ratings were refreshed live from each listing, and prices come from this site’s offers data. The climate, sunset and hotel occupancy figures are the ones used throughout the best time to visit Seattle’s attractions.