One of my main concerns about moving to Seattle was making it through the winter. I’ve heard many accounts of people saying they couldn’t survive the cold and rainy winters in Seattle. That being said, I had a different experience my first year of living in the Pacific Northwest. The temperatures stick around the 40s and 50s throughout most of the year, and this was warm compared to the Utah winters that I was used to. I also found that it was easier for me to motivate myself to do outdoor activities in the Washington rain than in the heavy Utah snow.
The main thing that makes me miss summer is how early it gets dark it gets during the winter. There are a few months where it feels like the sun is setting around 4pm and you’re stuck in the darkness for hours. This makes it hard to do outdoor activities after work on a winter day in Seattle, and outdoor activities are my main coping mechanism when i’m feeling down. Over the last few years i’ve made an effort to find the best winter activities in Seattle, and today i’m sharing that list with you.
The Seattle Freeze
I moved to Seattle just after Christmas and was shocked by how often people were asking me if I was feeling the Seattle freeze. I remembering thinking to myself that yeah, it was cold outside but why does everyone refer to this as the Seattle Freeze? Weird. After hearing that term enough times I did a quick Google search and realized I had been wrong about it’s definition. According to Wikipedia, “The Seattle Freeze is, according to widely held belief, a difficulty with making new friends in the American city of Seattle, Washington, particularly for transplants from other areas.”
It didn’t take me long to learn that the Seattle freeze is a very real phenomenon. It’s incredibly hard to make friends out and about in Seattle, in fact for the most part people avoid all contact while out on the streets. You really have to go out of your way to seek out groups of people gathering for specific reasons to start meeting people. Back in Utah, it felt like you could go anywhere on your own and you’d come back with a new found friend. In Seattle, this tends to be harder making the winters feel especially long and grueling. I was able to break through the Seattle freeze by finding community through whitewater kayaking, joining a few hiking Facebook groups, and even hopping on apps like BumbleBFF for a while.
What Winter in Seattle Looks Like
Winter in Seattle is known for its cool temperatures and early sunsets. These span from November through February. The city’s weather during these months can be quite variable, with frequent rain and overcast skies. It’s almost unheard of to experience a fully sunny day during these months, but often you’ll get small bursts of sunshine. Here’s a breakdown of the average temperatures and sunset times for each of these months.
November
- Average temperature: 42-52°F (6-11°C)
- Sunset: Around 4:45 PM
December
- Average temperature: 40-45°F (4-7°C)
- Sunset: Around 4:20 PM
January
- Average temperature: 39-44°F (4-7°C)
- Sunset: Around 4:30 PM
February
- Average temperature: 41-46°F (5-8°C)
- Sunset: Around 5:30 PM
Top Indoor Activities to Enjoy This Winter in Seattle
I’m always looking for the best winter activities in Seattle, and honestly my list isn’t too long. I have a few tried and true ways to get through the winter like working out regularly, going on nightly neighborhood walks, and hanging out with friends during the week days. Most of these consist of being inside, and by the end of the week i’m dying for an outdoor activity. Aside from my regular indoor activities, here are a few things that I like to do when i’m feeling like the winter in Seattle is never going to end.
South Gate Roller Rink
Going roller skating is one of my favorite winter activities in Seattle. South Gate Roller Rink is a 21+ skating area that is well worth the drive to West Seattle. They have different themes each night, and on Mondays you can skate for free!
The Lazer Dome
I love visiting the Lazer Dome once or twice each winter. It’s a fantastic way to escape the house and enjoy an hour of music and lasers! Each night features a different show, so simply check their website, choose your preferred show, and purchase your tickets online in advance. It’s that easy!
Pottery Painting
Pottery painting at Paint The Town Seattle is a great way to spend an evening after work. I love getting a group of friends together and spending a few days a year at Paint The Town. It’s a fun way to get creative and then you get to use the fun things you paint!
The Best Outdoor Activities to Try This Winter in Washington
Finding outdoor activities during the winter in Seattle can be hard, mostly due to how early the sun is setting. After work activities will all be during dusk or after sunset, and on the weekend you only have a few morning and afternoon hours to enjoy your time outside. Below is a list of my favorite outdoor activities I like to participate in during the winter in Washington.
Ski & Snowboard at The Summit at Snoqualmie
Last year, I decided it was time for me to learn how to ski. Since I like to keep my weekends reserved for hiking and kayaking I needed to find a way to fit skiing into my weekday schedule. This led me to purchasing a night pass at the Summit at Snoqualmie. This resort is only about an hour away from downtown Seattle and is a great place to learn how to ski. I have heard that it’s not the best place to ski if you’re experienced on the slopes, but it was a great spot to start my journey.
Winter Hiking Trails
There are tons of hiking trail near Seattle that are perfect for winter hiking. A few of my favorites are below, but if you’d like full list of my favorite winter hiking trails near Seattle you can find that here.
- 45 minutes from Seattle
- 5.6 miles round trip
- 1300 ft elevation gain
The Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Trail
- 45 minutes from Seattle
- 12 miles round trip (you can make it as short or as long as you’d like)
- 1300 ft elevation gain
Winter Whitewater Kayaking
It might sound crazy to pick up whitewater kayaking as a winter hobby, but hear me out. We are so lucky here in Washington because many of the rivers are fed by rainfall. When Seattle gets the winter rain that means the rivers are rising and often times hitting perfect flows to do some kayaking. There’s a good range of rivers in the Seattle area, and a few that are great for learning on. You’ll need to make sure you have appropriate gear to kayak in the winter because the water is freezing cold, but as long as you’re prepared it’s a great way to spend time outside.
Cold Plunging
Nothing resets my mood like a cold plunge. Luckily, Seattle has a ton of options for where you can go to jump in cold water. I like to hit beaches like Warren G Magnuson, Golden Gardens, Alki Beach, or even one of the rivers close to Seattle for my cold plunges.
Thriving Through Seattle’s Long Rainy Winter: Tips and Tricks
- Join a club
- Join an indoor sports team
- Don’t forget your daily vitamin D
- Go for a daily walk, even if it’s cold and rainy
- Find a hobby that you can do indoors when it’s dark outside
Conclusion
The winters in Seattle can be long and difficult, but I hope this list has given you some inspiration on ways you can make the time go by a little faster. It’s important to remember to make time for your social life, spend as much time outside as possible, and don’t let the rain force you to stay inside!
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Seattle is a beautiful place and I always assumed it to be a very friendly place. Never heard of the Seattle freeze before but it sounds such a cool phenomenon. I studied psychology so I like social experiments and observing how different groups behave so this would make for good personal experiment.😅😂
I am so glad you got out of the Seattle Freeze! I used BumbleBFF when I moved too and met so many awesome women who have become great friends!
I’ve never made it to Seattle in winter. Not sure about the cold whitewater kayaking, but the rest looks like fun!
love the inspiration! would love to check out the falls in the winter!
What a great list of things to do in Seattle in the winter. Great way to embrace the cooler temps. I would love winter hiking.
Hello! Seattle looks gorgeous in winter! I love when it snows!
My best friend moved to Seattle and she also told me of the same situation she had of the Seattle freeze but she was able to find friends through social sites. Seattle looks beautiful in winter and I hope to visit soon.
Seattle is such a beautiful place. While I visited in early fall, I can only imagine how beautiful it is during winter. I was very interested to read about the Seatlle Freeze. Who knew there was such a thing!? Thanks for sharing all the great places to enjoy during winter in Seattle. I hope to make it back there one day soon.
Oh that looks cold! It sure is beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
This is so helpful! Thank you!
LOL the Seattle Freeze — I was thinking — how cold does it really get??
It’s great that you’ve found ways to embrace Seattle’s unique winter climate! Moving from Utah, where the winters are harsher, it must have been a relief to experience the milder temperatures of the Pacific Northwest.
I lived in Show Low Arizona for a little bit, and I hated driving in the snow. If you didn’t live in town, it’s at least a 30-minute drive and your driveway is dirt, so if you aren’t “salting” it, it’s just not getting done. A big wakeup call from being in California. I would visit Seattle when it’s not snowing lol.
Thanks for sharing. Very informative
The weather sounds a lot like what we have here in northern England. I do dread the darker months but there’s lots to do if you look in the right places! You’ve collated a great deal of good things here in your blog post.