The Emerald Palate

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Seasonal Activities, Things to Do ·

45 Best Things to Do in Seattle in January

woman exploring Pike Place Market, one of the best things to do in Seattle in January

Coming up with the best things to do in Seattle in January was easy. That’s because the city knows people are less inclined to go out with the weather in the mid-40s and the sun setting as early as 4:30 PM. To make up for this, there are a ton of post-holiday celebrations and activities.

With winter in full swing, you can expect to find a range of outdoor activities like snowshoeing and light festivals, along with warm indoor fun like musical performances and cooking classes. Whether you’re a local or a first-time visitor, here’s a list of all the best things to do in Seattle in January.

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Best Things to Do in Seattle in January

Save this list to Pinterest for later, as I’ll update it when I discover more of the best Seattle January events! For a snapshot of more fun activities, check out my Seattle events calendar.

Take the Polar Bear Plunge 

Any thrill seeker will tell you one of the best things to do in Seattle in January is the Polar Bear Plunge, the annual New Year’s Day tradition where people willingly run into freezing water. Most events raise money for charity, but some are just to get wild with fellow Seattleites. I prefer donating to charity without getting cold, so I’ve never done it. But my nieces and brother-in-law do it every year!

Here are some plunges happening around Seattle on January 1st:

Celebrate New Year’s Day activities

The party doesn’t stop when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Day. Here are some events not to miss:

veggie dip platter from one of the hidden gem restaurants in Seattle

Experience the Model Train Fest

website | neighborhood: Tacoma (get directions) | dates: Dec 20 – Jan 5 | price: ~$14pp | best for: model train aficionados

The Model Train Festival features room-sized layouts across every floor of the Washington State History Museum. Washington’s largest permanent model train layout is on the fifth floor, and local train operators will be on deck to answer questions. There will also be short films and a family room with toy trains and Legos.

Gawk at an art exhibit

Art fairs are a great way to connect with local and emerging artists across all mediums. Here are the ones happening in January:

  • Please Touch: Together, Breaking Barriers (Oct 3 – Jan 4) – Art show at King Street Station in the Chinatown-International District where visitors are encouraged to participate through touch
  • Fischersund: Faux Flora (Jan 2) – Immersive multimedia exhibition integrating scent, sound, sculpture, 3D graphics, and photography to capture the life of plants at the Nordic Museum in Ballard
  • Wells-Moran Landscapes at Fogue (Jan 2) – A new showing of Jolyn Wells-Moran’s oil landscapes at Fogue Studios in Georgetown

Go to a food & drink festival

There’s always a food and drink festival in Seattle, and January is no exception. This month, there’s:

Walk around Astra Lumina

website | neighborhood: West Seattle (get directions) | dates: Jan 1-31 | price: ~$40pp | best for: nighttime light exhibit

The Seattle Chinese Garden is a hidden gem in Seattle to visit during the day, but come nighttime it’s even more special in the winter. That’s when the Astra Lumina exhibit takes over the garden and offers guests and immersive light show to walk through. Expect mesmerizing lights pulsing in time to music.

woman holding a child standing in front of a huge light installation
Image courtesy of Astra Lumina

Celebrate MLK Day 

Martin Luther King Day (Monday, Jan 20) is celebrated around the city with luncheons, speakers, and family-friendly events. Here are some worth checking out:

Scout for bald eagles

Come winter, the Skagit Valley welcomes hundreds of eagles as they migrate across the state to hunt for salmon during the spawning season. It’s one of the best things to do in Seattle in January if you’re a bird enthusiast!

Arlington hosts the Eagle Festival (Jan 31-Feb 1), which includes events around town, like a chainsaw carving show, an art show, live poetry readings, and guided walkthroughs of popular eagle viewing spots. 

If you’d prefer a tour, here are some worth checking out:

Experience Cirque du Soleil

website | neighborhood: Redmond (get directions) | dates: Jan 19-Mar 2 | price: ~$65pp | best for: family-friendly acrobatics show

If you’ve ever wanted to experience a Cirque du Soleil show, now’s your chance. It comes to Seattle every winter, so it’s one of the best things to do in Seattle in January. This year’s show, KOOZA, tells the story of a naïve clown seeking his purpose as his life gets turned upside down by an enigmatic trickster.

woman floating on balloons on a stage at a Cirque due Soleil show

See a performance

Winter is the perfect time to don your fancy clothes, dine at a fancy restaurant, and catch a show at the local theater. Here are the best shows happening in January:

Have fun at Zoo WildLanterns

website | neighborhood: Phinney Ridge (get directions) | dates: Nov 15-Jan 9 | price: ~$30-50pp | best for: zoo lights

One of my favorite holiday pastimes is taking my nieces to see the zoo lights, but sometimes I can’t make it in before Christmas. Luckily WildLanterns goes into January while they’re still on break from school. Each exhibit is brought to life with brightly lit landscapes and illuminated animal sculptures designed to replicate the day-to-day of the zoo animals.

Zoo WildLanterns
Image courtesy of WildLanterns

Enjoy light displays 

Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the final few weeks of Christmas light shows. In January, there’s the Fantasy Lights in Spanaway Park (Nov 29-Jan 5), Tulalip Lights and Ice (Nov 23-Jan 12), and the Point Defiance ZooLights (Nov 29-Jan 5).

Attend an orchestra concert by candlelight

Enjoy a romantic evening with your significant other while listening to orchestra cover performances of your favorite musicians. There are more than 15 different performances in January, including 90s music (Jan 10 & 29), Adele (Jan 16), The Beatles (Jan 22 & 28), Fleetwood Mac (Jan 30), and Mozart and assorted composers (Jan 30).

pianist surrounded by candles on a stage
Image courtesy of Fever

Celebrate Lunar New Year

Most Asian cultures celebrate the coming of spring through Lunar New Year. This year it’s on January 29, 2025 and there are a few ways to celebrate in January before the majority of the events begin in February.

For example, the Wing Luke Museum is having a Lunar New Year Fair on January 18. There will be vendors, food, a lion performance, and plenty of family-friendly activities.

Similarly the Museum of Flight is celebrating the Year of the Snake January 2-29. You’ll get a chance to learn about Lunar New Year traditions and stories of Asian and Asian American people who have contributed to aviation and aerospace. There will also be the opportunity to create your own paper lanterns, kites, and fortune tellers.

Cultural street performance, one of the best things to do in Seattle in August
Image courtesy of Alabastro Photography

Have fun at Tết Festival

website | neighborhood: Queen Anne (get directions) | dates: Jan 25-26 | price: free| best for: ringing in the new year

Celebrate the Year of the Snake at the Tết Festival as part of Seattle Center’s Festal World cultural program. The Tết Festival celebrates the Vietnamese Lunar New Year through unique and captivating performances, food, and live music.

Rock out at Oly Funk Fest

website | neighborhood: Olympia (get directions) | dates: Jan 31-Feb 2 | price: ~$149pp | best for: music festival

Celebrate Olympia’s second annual Oly Funk Fest, a three-day festival celebrating electrifying funk music. It’s hosted by the Ecstatic Sound Collective and will take over three iconic Olympia music venues. Expect food trucks, band merch, and numerous family-friendly activities spilling over into the streets of downtown Olympia.

person biking by the Capitol Theater in Olympia, WA

See a band

Celebrate Seattle’s music scene and catch a live performance from headlining musical talent. Here are some performers that caught my eye:

Catch a game

Winter is the perfect time of year to catch cheap tickets to your favorite sports teams. There’s the Seahawks for pro football, the Huskies for college football, and the Kraken for professional hockey.

Watch the Harlem Globetrotters

website | neighborhood: Queen Anne (get directions) | dates: Jan 26 & 31, Feb 1 | price: ~$44pp | best for: family-friendly entertainment

I’ll never forget going to my first Harlem Globetrotters game when I was a kid. They’re an American pop icon made famous for being part basketball game and part comedy show, with audience interaction, scripted moments, and yes, plenty of dunking.

Cheer on the Jet City Roller Girls

website | neighborhood: Edmonds (get directions) | dates: Jan 18 | price: ~$85pp | best for: roller derby knockouts

If you’ve never been to a roller derby game, I can’t recommend them highly enough. It’s cathartic to watch the derby girls ride and aggressively protect their jammer as they rush to the finish line. Your ticket buys you access to two bouts, and there’s a beer garden, concession stands, and free parking.

Go ice skating 

Ice skating is perfect after the holidays if you’re not a confident skater and want to wait until the crowds thin out to get on the ice. There’s public skating at the Kraken practice arena on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:15 AM, Snoqualmie on January 1, or Bellevue Downtown Ice Rink until January 12.

Embark on a food crawl 

One of the highlights of living in or visiting Seattle is exploring the abundant restaurant scene. My self-guided food tours include a list of my favorite restaurants across three foodie neighborhoods. I update each tour regularly and include tips on what to order and when to visit to avoid crowds, as well as some backups so you can customize your tour.

Self-guided Seattle food tour of the Ballard neighborhood
Ballard Tour
Fremont Seattle Food Tour
FREMONT TOUR
person diving fork into colorful layered cake from a restaurant on The Emerald Palate's self-guided Seattle food tour of the Georgetown neighborhood
Georgetown Tour

Or, take advantage of one of these in-person guided tours:

Play at the Board Game Festival

website | neighborhood: SeaTac (get directions) | dates: Jan 10-12 | price: ~$70pp | best for: board game lovers

The Board Game Festival is a weekend event dedicated to highlighting marginalized voices in tabletop games. There will be board games, card games, and role-playing games available to play and purchase, along with demo tables for unreleased games and competitions.

Have fun wine tasting or on a brewery crawl

Seattle’s wine and beer scene comes alive during the winter months as locals descend and tourists go back home. The city has more than its fair share of urban wineries, craft breweries, and beer bars. My favorite spot for craft beer is the Ballard neighborhood. For wineries, I highly recommend a day trip to Woodinville.

person holding cup of beer

Visit the museum on their free days

One of the best free things to do in Seattle, especially when it’s cold outside, is to spend the day in a museum. Most museums in Seattle that offer free days do so the first Thursday of the month, and many are free everyday. Here are the museums that offer free admission on the first Thursday (January 2):

These museums offer free admission every day:

inside an exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum, one of the best free museums in Seattle

PacSci Laser Dome

website | neighborhood: Queen Anne (get directions) | dates: daily, with night shows Thurs – Sun | price: ~$16pp for night shows, inc. with museum admission for daytime shows | best for: light show timed to music

The Pacific Science Center hosts psychedelic light shows in its huge planetarium-like dome. There are daytime shows that run all day during museum hours, but they also have some of the most popular stars’ music at night every Thursday through Sunday. It gives you the chance to lay back and enjoy mesmerizing light shows in time to the beat of songs from the likes of Pink Floyd, Charlie XCX, Taylor Swift, SZA, and more. There’s a live DJ who interacts with the crowd, so it’s a ton of fun!

Laugh at the Comedy Festival

website | neighborhood: Belltown (get directions) | dates: Jan 3-5 | price: ~$65.50pp for single day ticket | best for: comedy show

The Wet City Comedy Festival promises to be a weekend full of laughs, with headline performers like Maria Bamford alongside local and regional talent. There will be shows in all three rooms, and seating is first come, first served.

Stay warm at the Volunteer Park Conservatory 

website | neighborhood: Capitol Hill (get directions) | dates: every Tuesday-Sunday | price: ~$6pp | best for: conservatory

The Volunteer Park Conservatory is located on the north side of Volunteer Park, one of Seattle’s best parks. It’s modeled after the London Crystal Palace, with gorgeous glass windows hiding a secluded oasis with tropical plants, cacti, and succulents, to name a few.

Volunteer Park Conservatory | Best Things to Do in Seattle in January
Photo courtesy of Curtis Cronn

Take a hike on free admission day

In honor of New Year’s Day, all state and national parks will be free to enter, as well as on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 20) for all state parks. That means it’s time to pack a puffy and beanie and get to exploring the best hiking spots near Seattle! Starting the year with some movement is one of the best things to do in Seattle in January and for your health.

Visit the Amazon Spheres 

website | neighborhood: South Lake Union (get directions) | dates: first and third Saturdays | price: free | best for: conservatory

The Amazon Spheres consist of three massive, uniform spheres located at Amazon Headquarters. They each contain conservatories and are open to the public on the first and third Saturday of each month by reservation. When you’re finished, grab a pizza at Willmott’s Ghost, one of the most Instagrammable restaurants in Seattle, or take a dip into one of Seattle’s speakeasy bars hidden downstairs, Deep Dive.

Amazon Spheres | Best Things to Do in Seattle in January
Image courtesy of GotoVan

Soak in a hot tub boat

website | neighborhood: Northlake (get directions) | dates: every day | price: ~$400 for 2 hours | best for: unique hot tub experience 

One of my favorite Seattle water activities in the winter (which, granted, are few) is renting a hot tub boat. It consists of a cozy, bubbling hot tub fit for up to six that slowly cruises around Lake Union. There are Bluetooth speakers available by request, and you can tack on Epsom salts for added romance.

hot tub boats
Image courtesy of Hot Tub Boats

Visit a floating lake sauna

website | neighborhood: Kirkland (get directions) | dates: every day | price: ~$40pp for communal sauna or $700 for private sauna | best for: sauna with a view

If you enjoy a sauna now and then, do yourself a favor and book a seat on this floating sauna along Lake Washington. On board, there’s a changing room with lockers, a hot room for steaming, and a secluded deck for cooling off in between sessions.

Cozy up at an indoor spa

I’m always up for a spa experience, and luckily there are quite a few in Seattle for every service and budget. Here are some of my favorites:

relaxation room at a hotel spa in Seattle
Le SPA de l’hôtel LOTTE

Stay warm at an exercise class

If your New Year’s resolution is to move more, take advantage of the countless fitness classes offered in the city. Groupon is a great place to get discounts if you’ve been eyeing something new. Here are some options:

Try a craft or cooking class 

I tend to gift experiences for the holidays in lieu of physical gifts, and one of my favorite experiences is buying my loved ones a cooking or craft class. Here are a few I’m considering:

Enjoy afternoon tea 

Not many people know Seattle has a tea culture, and it’s one of my preferred ways to spend an afternoon when I’m not in the mood for coffee. Here are some hidden gem tea rooms in Seattle:

  • Queen Mary Tea Room – Dainty, Victorian-era tea room with full restaurant and pastries
  • Miro Tea – Modern tea house with French bites and artisanal teas
  • Tea Republik – Relaxed, frills-free tea shop with a coffee shop vibe
  • Perennial Tea Room – Cozy shop close to Pike Place with a vast selection
  • Fairmont Olympic – The OG fancy (and pricey) afternoon tea downtown

You can also make a day trip up to Willowbrook Manor in Sedro-Wolley, WA to get afternoon tea and explore more of the best things to do in Skagit County.

Fine china tea cups and pot from afternoon tea spot in Victoria, British Columbia

Attend a home & garden show

A new year always brings aspirations of home renos, so one of the best things to do in Seattle in January is get some inspiration from a home show. The Puyallup Home and Remodeling Show (Jan 3-5) will feature demonstrations on home remodeling and new home ideas for 2025, an expansive nursery, and landscaping exhibits.

For the green thumbs in your life who can’t wait until summer to start planning their gardens, the official Tacoma Home and Garden Show (Jan 30-Feb 2) will feature hundreds of innovative products and experts on everything from landscaping to roofing and home improvement.

Visit the Washington Sportsman Festival

website | neighborhood: Puyallup (get directions) | dates: Jan 29-Feb 2 | price: ~$15pp | best for: fishing & hunting aficionados

The Washington Sportsman Festival is the largest of its kind in the northwest. There will be hundreds of fishing and hunting exhibitors, guides and outfitters, newly released gear, boats, and talks from public lands advocate Randy Newberg.

Have fun at the Reptile Show

website | neighborhood: Puyallup (get directions) | dates: Jan 25-26 | price: ~$15pp | best for: exotic animals & reptiles

The Pacific Northwest Reptile and Exotic Animal Show is the largest of its kind in the northwest. There will be over 100 vendors selling reptiles and exotic animals alongside educational displays the beginner and advanced hobbyists.

Go to the Seattle Boat Show

website | neighborhood: SoDo (get directions) | dates: Jan 31- Feb 8 | price: ~$20pp | best for: boat exhibits & accessories

Any boat nerd will tell you one of the best things to do in Seattle in January is the Seattle Boat Show. There will be indoor and outdoor exhibits, with boats on display inside the Lumen Field Center along with hundreds of vendors selling boat accessories, and boats will be afloat at the Bell Harbor Marina.

Seattle Boat Show | Best Things to Do in Seattle in January

Immerse yourself in the Medieval Faire

website | neighborhood: Monroe (get directions) | dates: Jan 25-26 | price: ~$30pp | best for: medieval fair

If you’ve ever wanted to experience an immersive medieval fair, the Ursulmas Medieval Faire is one for the ages. There are captivating displays of armored warriors, fencers, and archers, along with a bustling marketplace filled with unique treasures. There’s even a youth armored combat program where kids learn the noble arts of chivalry and friendly competition.

Seek out snow

Sometimes one of the best things to do in Seattle in January is to get out of the city to find some wintry fun. From Seattle you’re only a short drive from the perfect winter getaway in Washington. Depending on what you’re into, a resort or ski hill is likely only a short drive away. Here are some of the best Washington ski resorts perfect for a winter day trip from Seattle:

woman snowboarding on Blackcomb Mountain | Best Things to Do in Seattle in January

Experience a Monster Truck Show

website | neighborhood: Tacoma Dome (get directions) | dates: Jan 17-19 | price: ~$20pp | best for: monster trucks

There’s nothing quite like a monster truck show, and the Monster Jam pulls no punches. There are high-flying stunts, a pit party where you can get up close to the trucks, and post-driver meet and greets.

Watch Nat Geo Live

website | neighborhood: Downtown (get directions) | dates: Jan 12-14 | price: ~$27-55pp | best for: behind-the-scenes nature documentary

I have yet to do this, but it’s high on my list to try. Rather than watch from your TV screen, you’ll be up close and personal, hearing behind-the-scenes stories straight from National Geographic’s photographers, scientists, and filmmakers. The theme for January is Dividing the Great Barrier Reef.

Find comfort in a bowl of soup 

One of the most quintessential winter things to do is to cozy up with a bowl of warm soup, and Seattle has more than its fair share of soup restaurants. Here’s a shortlist of where to find the best soup in Seattle:

  • Arashi Ramen – Authentic Japanese ramen with quick service and rich broths
  • Oriental Mart – Overlooked spot for Filipino sinigang soup in Pike Place Market
  • Secret Congee – The best congee I’ve had to date
  • Rubenstein Bagels – Jewish bagel shop with excellent duck fat matzo ball soup
person picking up matzo ball that's been bitten with spoon

More things to do in Seattle

After you explore the best things to do in Seattle in January, check out my other guides to wintry fun.

Join the club

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Comments

  1. Ashley Urke | Domestic Fashionista says

    This is such a great list! Thank you so much! These are such wonderful activities to get through the dreary rest of winter.

    I met you at The Lodge at St. Edwards back in October! It was so nice to meet you and I so appreciate all your wonderful suggestions to this newbie to the PNW! 🙂

    • Adria Saracino says

      I’m so happy to be able to share the PNW with you. Thank you for your kind words!

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