10 Things to Do in Seattle in November

The city of Seattle, located in the northwestern United States, is a city with a very special combination of elements. Its lush, forested landscapes most of the year, coupled with the almost endless humid weather, create an atmosphere that calls for introspection and shelter, but also for innovation and creative escape.

This land, to which the Vikings once migrated, maintains a natural setting of breathtaking beauty, attracting millions of tourists year after year.

Visiting in the penultimate month of the calendar means going out in waterproof clothing, fewer daylight hours, a sometimes shivering temperature and panoramas surely dulled by the humid air. But it also means fewer lines, pre-Christmas festivals, museums and beautiful snow-capped mountains - don't miss out on all the great sites and activities Seattle has in store for you this season!

The pre-Christmas season in Seattle brings with it a festive atmosphere. One celebration you can't miss is Magic in the Market, which takes place at one of the city's most iconic venues: Pike Place Market.

Get in the pre-Christmas spirit with carolers, take pictures with Santa under the market' s famous clock, or stay for the traditional countdown to the lighting of the beautiful Christmas tree at the main entrance.

There is no more iconic place in the city to celebrate the pre-Christmas season than Pike Place. This market, already famous and recognised as "the heart and soul of the city," really picks up the pace in November.

As a tourist, I won't invite you to go shopping for a Christmas tree (although if you can, do it!), but you'll certainly find other options, and if you're especially looking to sample the food that's prepared here, a food tour is an excellent option. The best tours that will take you inside the market are priced from 55 euros.

On the tours, you will have the opportunity to taste various dishes and preparations, talk to the authors and, of course, have a great time with other members of the tour, eating and sharing stories.

I recommend starting your tour with a good meal on the food tour and then looking forward to the evening caroling and the rest of the evening festival.

At the end of November, around Thanksgiving (fourth Thursday in November) the holiday spirit begins to creep into the city. Lighting takes centre stage at night in neighbourhoods, businesses and public spaces, creating a cosy and nostalgic atmosphere ideal for sightseeing.

If you think you've seen everything in pre-Christmas lights, I invite you to take a tour of Wildlanterns, a one-of-a-kind exhibit at Woodland Park Zoo.

Wildlanterns is an immersive experience with large-scale illuminated animal sculptures representing different wild regions of the world. The festival starts in November and runs until the beginning of the following year, however, as it is an outdoor exhibit, visiting this month is best if you want to stay as dry as possible.

If you are a "light-up" romantic or, if you are travelling with little ones, this event will delight them.

You can see more details of this exhibit at the following link.

Thanksgiving is when the best end-of-the-year feasts begin, and since then many have already forgotten about diet and exercise. If you don't want to sacrifice the bountiful feasts, you have the option of participating in a race: the Seattle Turkey Trot.

It's a 5 km race for the whole family that takes place on Thanksgiving Thursday morning. The course starts at the intersection of NW 85th St and 32nd Ave NW in the Sunset Hill neighbourhood and ends at Golden Gardens Park.

The average ticket price is between 15 and 40 euros. You can register and get more information about the race on their website.

It's a charity race... Another reason why it's worth attending!

With the weather begging for shelter at times, and with so many museums waiting to showcase the city's culture, I recommend setting aside a day to attend the National Nordic Museum.

In case you didn't know, Seattle has a strong Nordic heritage. This widely distributed community was initially centred in the Ballard neighbourhood, where this museum is located.

In the museum's galleries, you'll find dozens of artifacts and other objects from the everyday life and culture of the Nordic region (which, by the way, is not the same as Scandinavia), from the migratory adventures of the Vikings over 10,000 years ago to the modern contemporary art for which this European region is noted today.

In November, the weekend before Thanksgiving, the museum hosts the Julefest Festival. In the style of a traditional open-air Christmas market, at this festival you'll find all kinds of Nordic crafts and traditional dishes to try, while the scene is enlivened by live music and dance performances. Come along! You'll love it.

Here's a link to the museum's website so you can plan and take advantage of these two pre-Christmas events in one visit.

Practical information

• Where: the festival takes place at the National Nordic Museum. 2655 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107
• Price: free
• When: The weekend before Thanksgiving (4th Thursday in November).

Another event to breathe in the approaching holiday air is the lighting of the Christmas tree at Westlake Center, one of downtown Seattle's busiest venues.

This decades-old tradition takes place the Friday after Thanksgiving and attracts thousands of visitors to witness the countdown to the lighting of the huge tree. Afterwards, the spectacle continues with fireworks and a colourful carousel that will complete the evening.

Take advantage of a shopping trip to one of Seattle' s most traditional Christmas shopping malls while you prepare for the light show. You'll have the option to ride the city's famous monorail, as one station arrives right at the site.

Practical information

• Where: takes place at the West Lake Center. 400 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101
• Price: free
• When: Held on the fourth Friday in November.

One of the most fascinating things about Seattle is its verdant landscapes, with which it has aptly earned the title "Emerald City." In November, the hues have changed to the autumnal palette: yellows, reds, oranges... quite a natural spectacle to behold!

The Seattle metropolitan area has many natural spaces to enjoy these scenes. This season, I especially recommend the Bellevue Botanical Garden, across Lake Washington in the town of Bellevue. It's a chance to see another city, independent yet part of greater Seattle.

Walk the fairytale paths of this beautiful place, discover its Japanese garden and enjoy its spaces. You will also see the original residence of the former owners, who donated this little paradise in the early 1980s.

Taking up the theme of "the little lights", from the end of November and December, this place offers a light show, the "Garden of Lights". Take a look at their programme which you might like.

One of the most popular tourist attractions in Washington State is Mount Rainier. This national park, a mountain or more specifically an active volcano over 4,300m high, is an unavoidable part of the city's skyline.

Millions of people visit this park annually to connect with nature, engage in a variety of activities and take advantage of the postcard-perfect backdrop. Although, as I've been telling you, in this part of the world the scene changes a lot throughout the year.

In November, the golden and red autumnal colours of the park's vegetation remain, with the tamarack and its yellows particularly striking. With snow falling in the middle of the month, the surfaces gradually turn white, creating beautiful landscapes suitable for guided walks and winter sports.

For this reason, especially lovers of sports such as mountaineering, skiing and snowboarding begin to arrive in the park this month to take advantage of the white blanket for recreation.

Due to the snow conditions, some of the park's entrances and trails have been restricted since November. However, this does not prevent you from accessing areas and trails that will captivate you with their autumnal scenes, with the advantage that by this month, the crowds will have thinned significantly.

From Seattle, there are several different tours that depart to the park. I recommend an all-day tour that starts at 150 euros and will take you on a comfortable bus with a guide to discover this wonderful natural park in depth.

It's no excuse, but the November weather in Seattle invites you to stop by a coffee shop every now and then...so, you have to do what you have to do, right?

Seattle is a city with a great reputation for coffee worldwide. While this became known globally after the opening in 1971 of a small shop called "Starbucks" (that's right, you'll find the first operating shop here), the truth is that many other coffee shops, present for decades before, attracted locals and visitors like children in a toy store.

The establishments of the 60s and 70s in the "U-District" area, were the ones that started this tradition. A relaxed and welcoming atmosphere that was like a magnet for art and culture inspired these and, over time, many other coffee shops in the city.

Today, you can see examples of this legacy in establishments such as Allegro, Monorail Espresso and Uptown Espresso

It's true, November in Seattle may bring more rain than you'd expect. But, that doesn't have to keep you out of the hotel... the city and its people are still active and, as I said before, it's a season you can take advantage of especially if you don't want to wait in long lines.

And precisely because of the high probability of rain, why not do it on a city tour? There is one that I recommend that is done in minibuses, which will help keep you dry while they take you to the different attractions that give personality to this city, usually including Pike Place Market and the Space Needle, as well as Lake Union, Kerry Park, among other stops.

With a price starting at 77 euros, it is a 2 hour tour that you can't miss.

Exporting figures to the art world such as Jimi Hendrix and Pearl Jam, as well as being the birthplace of grunge music, Seattle had to have a special place to show it off to the world: the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop).

This museum, designed in 2000, is very much focused on music (which, with artists of such stature, you can imagine how much there is to show here), although it also contains other exhibits covering memorable moments in pop culture, from video games and tattoos to unique objects from film productions.

The architecture of the museum is also very attractive. The building stands out in the area as if it's out of place, you'll notice it right away.

To save on your visit to this museum and also have the opportunity to visit other attractions such as the Chihuly Garden and Glass, boat rides on the bay or the Seattle Aquarium at a better price, I recommend you purchase the Seattle City Pass.

In this link you can get more details about the exhibits and tickets to the museum.

If you're planning a visit to Seattle in November, you 'll need to be prepared for the rain that will frequently accompany you on your travels. Seattle is one of the rainiest cities in the United States and November is one of the three wettest months of the year. So, the first thing you should pack is a light rain suit and an umbrella.

Also, with an average temperature ranging from 5 to 10 degrees Celsius in this month, you will need to travel warm.

As a tourist, if you visit Seattle in November you should go with the idea that you will not be able to get a good deal of rain:

• In all likelihood, it will not be possible to get sharp, clear photographs of the scenery.
• Some mountain excursions may be cancelled due to weather conditions.
• Museums will be your ally when you have to change your plans in extreme cases. Don't worry, there are plenty of them! And weather permitting or not, you have to visit at least one of them.
• There are not many people in the city. An advantage for those who want to save time to get to know it and, with the reduced rates for accommodation and other services, save money at the same time.

Here I close my tips and recommendations if you visit Seattle in November. I hope you find the information useful and that you will soon be packing your suitcase to end the autumn in this North American city.