Putting together a list of the best things to do in Seattle in November was easier than you might think. Granted the days are colder, around the mid-40s-50s, and the sun sets around 4:30 PM, but the city more than makes up for it with Christmas lights and holiday spirit to boot.
As fall merges into winter, the city suddenly comes alive with local craft fairs encouraging shopping small over the holidays, and local businesses are all too eager to put on events to attract locals and holiday travelers. There’s even a fair number of hikes to do if you don’t mind layering up.
To make sense of all there is to do in November in Seattle, I’ve compiled a list of the must-do activities regardless if you’re a local or a visitor!
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Best Things to Do in Seattle in November
Save this list to Pinterest for later, as I’ll update it when I discover more of the best Seattle November events! For a snapshot of more fun activities, check out my Seattle events calendar.
Celebrate the Day of the Dead
The day after Halloween is Día de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday dedicated to celebrating passed loved ones through festivities. Here are some can’t miss Día de los Muertos festivals happening around Seattle:
- Seattle Center (Oct 31 & Nov 1, free)
- Downtown Seattle (Oct 31 & Nov 1, $45pp)
- El Centro de la Raza (Nov 1, free)
- Tacoma Art Museum (Nov 1, free)
- Phinney Ridge (Nov 7, free)
Grab a bite at a food & drink festival
Seattle is a big-time foodie city, so there’s always a food and drink festival around the corner. November is no exception. Here are some not to miss:
- Salut Mes Amis! (Nov 1) – Oysters and wine at Le Caviste
- Pour (Nov 6, ~$35pp) – Wine tasting event put on by Seattle’s urban wineries
- Brewallup (Nov 7, ~$45pp) – Puyallup brewery festival
- Snohomish Brewfest (Nov 7, ~$40+ pp) – Beer festival featuring local craft brews
- Queen Anne Wine Walk (Nov 7, ~$35pp) – Sip while you shop at participating boutiques
- Bid for Bottles Auction (online Nov 10-14) – Wine auction benefiting Seattle Children’s, WSU’s wine program, and VITAL Wines
- Winter Beer Taste (Nov 14, ~$15+ pp) – 30+ local breweries sampling their winter ales
- Seattle Salmon Week (Nov 14-21) – Try Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon at participating restaurants
- Elk’s Holiday Brewfest (Nov 21, ~$35+ pp) – Head to McMenamin’s in Tacoma for this beer festival
Go on a food crawl
There are only so many meals in a day, so knowing where to prioritize your time is crucial. Save yourself the stress and do one of my self-guided food tours. Updated regularly, they include tips on when to go and what to order, along with some fun facts and honorable mentions so you can customize your experience.
Rather have an in-person tour? Check out one of these curated food & beverage tours:
- The Original Food and Culture Tour of Pike Place Market
- The Seattle Coffee Tour
- Secret Food Tours
- Seattle Chocolate Tour
Enjoy a Thanksgiving meal
Obviously one of the best things to do in Seattle in November…hell, anywhere…is stuff your face with turkey. If you’re visiting over Thanksgiving or don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen making my famous sourdough stuffing (though you should consider it because it’s delicious), let a local restaurant do the labor for you.
Of course you can always head to Chinatown-International District or one of the many Chinese food spots in Seattle for a meal, as most are open on Thanksgiving. Or enjoy a traditional T-Day meal at one of these spots.
Take-home meals
All of these require pre-orders in advance to secure your meal.
- 13 Coins (Pioneer Square, Bellevue, Sea-Tac) – ~$220-400 spread for 4-8 (also dine in for ~$54pp)
- Bluewater Bistro (Leschi) – ~$220-320 turkey or prime rib meal for 6 (also 3-course dine in for ~$50/adult, ~$24/kid)
- Dahlia Bakery (Downtown) – A la carte dessert and sides
- DERU Market (Kirkland) – A la carte Thanksgiving entrees, sides, and desserts
- Duke’s Seafood (SLU) – ~$55 chowders to serve 12
- Fairmont (Downtown) – ~$245-430 spread for 4-8
- Hood Famous (Chinatown ID) – A la carte cheesecakes
- Jack’s BBQ (all locations) – Smoked turkey for ~$195 and a la carte sides
- Kau Kau (Chinatown ID)- Roast turkey for ~$4.50/pound
- Maddy’s Bakeshop (Queen Anne) – A la carte baked goods
- Next Level Burger & Veggie Grill (Ballard, U-District, Downtown) – ~$199 vegan meal for 4-6
- Pie Bird (Ballard) – A la carte pies
Dine-in Thanksgiving Day
- Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi (Bellevue) – ~$155/adult, $40/kid for cart brunch buffet
- Copperleaf (Sea-Tac) – ~$125/adult, ~$35/kid for buffet
- Daniel’s Broiler (Downtown, SLU, Bellevue, Leschi) – ~$100/adult, ~$10-40/kid for 4 courses
- La Loba (SLU) – ~$140/adult, $85/kid under 12 modern Thanksgiving pre fixe
- Lola (Downtown) – ~$85/adult, $45/kid for 4-course meal
- Maximilien (Downtown) – ~$110pp for 5 courses. Live accordion music from 5-7 pm.
- Thanksgiving Day Cruise (SLU) – ~$120/adult, $85/kid for a buffet and boat ride
- Tibbitts at Fernhill (Tacoma) – Free community meal
- Water’s Table (Renton) – ~$110/adult, ~$55/kid buffet or a la carte menu
Order uncooked meats to cook at home
If you prefer to cook at home, here are options for pre-ordering a turkey from a local business:
- PCC Markets (various locations) – Turkey, ham, roast beef, and salmon priced per pound
- Met Market (various locations) – Reserve turkey, ham, lamb, roasts and charcuterie or sushi spreads
- Don & Joe’s Meats (Downtown) – Reserve meats or Thanksgiving meals with meat plus sides
- B&E Meats (Burien, Newcastle, Des Moines) – Reserve meats from one of the best local butcher shop
Other options in November
If you have plans on Thanksgiving day, there are some options throughout the month:
- Share Our Table Friendsgiving at Salish Lodge with Sparkman Cellars (Nov 14, ~$100pp)
- Thanksgiving Community Potluck at Phinney Neighborhood Association (Nov 26)
Attend a craft fair or shopping event
Seattle is famous for celebrating local makers year round, but the holidays are especially good for discovering them because of all the Seattle Christmas markets. Here are some some of my faves that kick off the season in November:
- Best of the NW Fall Show (Nov 7-9, $15+ pp) – 115+ local artists, food trucks, and raffle prizes
- Fall Foliage Festival & Plant Sale (Nov 8) – The Rhododendron Botanical Garden’s annual sale
- Des Moines Waterfront Holiday Bazaar (Nov 8) – The area farmers market’s holiday event
- Weird Creepmas (Nov 8) – Market full of oddities and creepy gifts
- Fashion in Flight (Nov 8, ~$89pp) – A fashion show takes over the Museum of Flight
- Gobble Up (Nov 15, $2pp) – Food-focused fair with artisanal pantry staples
- Columbia City Night Market (Nov 15) – Monthly market uplifting BIPOC makers
- UW Makers Fair (Nov 18-19) – Featuring artists from the UW community
- Fremont Night Market (Nov 20) – Shop local vendors in the quirky Fremont neighborhood
- Viking Evening Market (Nov 21) – Local meadery’s monthly makers market
- Renegade Craft Fair (Nov 22-23, $5 suggested entry) – 180+ artists selling curated goodies
- Geek Craft Expo (Nov 29-30, $2+ pp) – Nerdy handmade goods for the geek in your life
Embrace the holidays with Christmas activities
True Christmas lovers know not to wait until Thanksgiving is over to celebrate the best time of the year. So one of the best things to do in Seattle in November is to start taking advantage of all the Seattle Christmas activities going on. Here’s what’s happening this month:
- Wild Lanterns (Nov 14-Jan 18, ~$35+ pp) – Explore the zoo illuminated with light sculptures
- Seattle’s Christmas Market (Nov 20-Dec 24, ~$15pp) – European-style market with 60+ artisan huts
- Julefest (Nov 21-23, ~$5+ pp) – Christmas market modeled after the ones in Nordic countries
- Festival of Trees (Nov 22, ~$350pp) – Gala for Seattle Children’s where you bid on designer trees
- Winterfest (Nov 28-Dec 31, free) – Ice skating, holiday performances, and lights
- Christmas Ship Festival Cruise (Nov 28-Dec 24, $63+ pp) – Enjoy a boat ride lit up by twinkling lights
See a performance
With theaters and venues on every corner, there’s always a live performance happening in Seattle. Here are the ones I’m excited about in November:
- Earshot Jazz (Oct 10-Nov 2)
- Chicago (Oct 22-Nov 2)
- Disney on Ice (Oct 30-Nov 2)
- Freakout Festival (Nov 6-9)
- Sleeping Beauty Light & Dance Show (Nov 13)
- The Great Gatsby Ballet (Nov 16)
- Dream Show Cabaret & Wine (Nov 18)
- 9 to 5 (Everett, Nov 18-Dec 28)
- Can Can Wonderland (Nov 20-Jan 4)
- Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Nov 22)
- Nutcracker (Nov 28-Dec 28)
Have fun at a cultural festival
Each month the Seattle Center hosts free cultural festivals as a way for the community to learn and embrace one of its many cultures. In November, there’s the Día de Muertos Festival (Nov 1-2) and the Hmong New Year celebration (Nov 8).
In addition to the Seattle Center events, there’s also:
- Polish Fall Bazaar (Nov 1) – Food, activities, and performances
- Bunka no Hi (Nov 2) – Japanese culture day of fun festivities
- Odunde Festival (Nov 14-16) – Celebration of African music, dance, and food
Attend an orchestra concert by candlelight
Celebrate the holidays in style with a candlelight orchestra featuring your favorite cover band. Catch covers of Queen x ABBA (Nov 13 & 30), Bad Bunny (Nov 22 & 29), and The Beatles (Nov 23).
See a band
Embrace Seattle’s music scene and catch a live performance from your favorite musical talent. Here are some that are on my list to watch for:
- The Faint (Nov 4)
- Portugal the Man (Nov 9)
- DOECHII (Nov 10)
- Jack’s Mannequin (Nov 19)
- Kottonmouth Kings (Nov 20)
- Bryan Adams (Nov 21)
Go leaf peeping
As fall nears to a close, there’s still time to hunt for the best fall foliage in Seattle. While hike for larches is over by this time of year, there are still plenty of fabulous fall colors in November.
Catch a game
While summer sports season is cloed, it’s not too late to catch a Kraken (hockey), Seahawks (pro football), or Huskies (college football) game. Tickets sell out quickly around this time of year, so get them in advance!
Take a hike on a free admission day
In honor of Veterans Day (Nov 11), both state and national parks will be offering free admission. State parks will also have free admission on November 29 for Autumn Day, so grab a puffy and plan your hikes around Seattle!
Go wine tasting or on a brewery crawl
Seattle knows their way around craft beer bars, and even when the weather is less than optimal, many breweries make up for it with heated outdoor seating and winter-inspired ales. Check out my guide to the best Seattle breweries for ideas of where to go, or go on a crawl of my favorite Ballard breweries.
If you’re up for a short drive, you can spend the day wine tasting at any of Woodinville’s 130+ tasting rooms.
Visit a museum on their free days
I’m always on the hunt for free things to do in Seattle. Most museums offer at least one free day a month so visitors can get a dose of culture without spending an arm and a leg. These museums offer free admission on the first Thursday of every month (November 7):
- Seattle Art Museum
- Seattle Asian Art Museum
- National Nordic Museum – Must be reserved in advance
- Museum of History and Industry – 5-8 PM
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
- Henry Art Gallery – Suggested donation of $20 on other days
- Museum of Flight – 5-9 PM
- Volunteer Park Conservatory – Also on the first Saturday (Nov 2) for kids under 12
- Washington Park Arboretum Walking Tour – 11:30 AM-1 PM
- Seattle Japanese Garden – Free tour at 1 PM
These free Seattle museums that charge no admission every day:
- Frye Art Museum
- Olympic Sculpture Park
- Center for Wooden Boats
- The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center
- Klondike Gold Rush Museum
- Center on Contemporary Art
Want to visit a children’s museum sans kids? Camp Yelp lets adults feel nostalgic with camp activities at Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett on November 3. Entry is free!
Forage for mushrooms
When you have nearly nine months of rain, you gotta reap the rewards somehow. In this case, it’s Seattle’s abundance of wild mushrooms.
Forage Seattle offers guided tours around the Seattle area. You’ll learn how to identify edible mushrooms and differentiate them from tricky lookalikes. Plus, you’re guaranteed to walk away with at least a handful of shrooms (even if you don’t find any).
Attend a cat convention
website | neighborhood: Downtown (get directions) | dates: Nov 1-2 | price: ~$28+ pp | best for: cat lovers
This convention is for the crazy cat lady in your life. It’s a weekend dedicated to celebrating all there is to love about cats. There will be food vendors, education booths, retailers, and, yes, actual cats.
Geek out at Geek Girl Con
website | neighborhood: First Hill (get directions) | dates: Nov 8-9 | price: ~$45pp (kid discounts availble) | best for: celebrating girls in gaming & tech
Geek Girl Con is an inclusive environment celebrating the legacies of women in science, technology, comics, art, and gaming. There will be panels, retailers, and a DIY Science Zone for kids to conduct experiments with the help of legit scientists.
Learn at the Children’s Business Fair
website | neighborhood: Renton (get directions) | dates: Nov 22 | price: free | best for: educational kids activity
Citizens Academy is hosting the Children’s Business Fair, a chance for kids to learn the ins and outs of running their own business. They’ll have the chance to develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and finally open for customers at the one-day marketplace.
Visit the Seattle Auto Show
website | neighborhood: Downtown (get directions) | dates: Nov 14-16 | price: ~$20pp | best for: car lovers
If you’ve been dying to know what’s new in the car world, mark your calendars for the Seattle Car Show. It’s geared toward (sorry, no pun intended) what’s new in the industry, especially advancements in electric vehicles. There will even be a career fair for people looking for a career in automotive technology.
More to do around Seattle
After you check out all the best things to do in Seattle in November, check out my guides for more ideas.
