Every Family’s Northwest Bucket List

• Christmas Ship Parade of Boats. Gather on a dark beach for live music broadcast to shore from decorated ships and (if you’re lucky) enjoy a bonfire. Boats pass by locations all around Puget Sound, Dec. 1–23. You can book a tour on the boat, but it’s free to stand on the shore, watch the parade of ships and enjoy the music.
• Gingerbread Village. This beloved cookie-and-candy fest takes place at the Sheraton Grand Seattle. The best things about this holiday tradition are that it’s free, it’s open nearly all of the time (even on Christmas Day), and its creations are brand new every year. Sweet!
• Santa Train excursions.  Make some ho-ho-holiday memories by riding in a train to meet Santa. Trains typically run weekends from late November through mid-December. Buy your tickets early, as they often sell out.
• Model Train Festival. More trains! The Washington State History Museum has one of the largest model train displays in the region, and it celebrates all things choo-choo during this December festival — with Santa himself in attendance on select days.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published a few years ago and has been updated most recently for events in 2024.