20 Best Holiday Events for Kids in Washington State (2026)

At 4 p.m. on November 13, Woodland Park Zoo opens a path lined with lantern animals and keeps it open past dark until January 17. Entry is timed, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day come off the calendar, and an adult ticket starts at $35.

Across Stevens Pass, Leavenworth leaves its village lights on from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day through February and charges nothing to walk the street. The zoo sells a slot with a time printed on it. The village sells nothing at all.

Twenty holiday events for kids in Washington State made this list. Ten come with a GetOut Washington membership, which covers 36 venues around the state for $49.95 a year. The other ten are ticketed on their own, and the Santa trains sold out weeks ago.

Buy WildLanterns and a Zoolights slot first, then work the wet afternoons into a museum or a rink. Puget Sound usually hands you one soaked week in late December, and the indoor half of this list is what survives it.

Holiday Events for Kids in Washington State at a Glance

Every event below, in the order it appears.

Light Shows Worth a Cold Night

Five displays carry the season, and only one of them keeps you in the car.

WildLanterns at Woodland Park Zoo (Seattle)

The zoo clears its paths after closing and fills them with lantern animals built at full scale, grouped by continent, with an underwater room and an interactive zone kids can set off themselves. Acrobats perform at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m., and the carousel runs until 8:30.

Dates run November 13 through January 17, 4 to 9 p.m. with last entry at 8:30. The event goes dark on November 16 to 18, 23, 26 and 30, December 7, 14, 24 and 25, and January 4 to 6 and 11 to 13. Adult tickets start at $35 and children 3 to 12 at $29, with infants ticketed free. Parking is $15 in the Otter and Lion lots, and entry is timed and non-refundable, rain or shine.

The name on the zoo's holiday calendar changed this year. Wildlights is gone, and this is what replaced it.

Zoolights at Point Defiance Zoo (Tacoma)

Two million lights cover the zoo's outdoor paths, including a tunnel, a set of Thomas Dambo troll sculptures and a Sasquatch hunt that keeps kids moving between displays. The aquariums close and the animals are asleep, so this is a lights walk with a carousel and the Plaza Cafe at the far end.

It runs November 27 through January 3, 4:30 to 10 p.m., closed December 24 and 25, with last entry at 9 p.m. Timed tickets sell online only, in limited slots, and the gate sells none. Through December 13, Monday through Thursday costs $16 for ages 3 and up, and Friday through Sunday $22. From December 14 through January 3 it is $22 every night, $11 for members, with 2 and under free. Parking costs nothing.

Garden d'Lights at Bellevue Botanical Garden

Glass and wire flowers take over the garden beds for a walk of about three quarters of a mile, lit from 4:30 p.m. until the lights go out at 9:30. Families finish in 30 to 45 minutes, which suits a toddler in a stroller and a grandparent in the same group.

The run is November 28 through January 3, open every night except Christmas Day. Adults 11 and up pay $10, and children 10 and under get in free every night. Monday through Thursday on November 30 to December 3 and December 7 to 10 drop the adult price to $5. Tickets sell online in 30-minute entry windows. Parking costs $5 in the garden lot, or nothing at Wilburton Hill Park a quarter mile east.

Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Park

A two-mile drive through 300 lit displays, with the car radio tuned to AM 1700 for the soundtrack. Nobody gets out of the car, so this works on a night too cold for a walk, and it runs on Christmas Day.

The route opens November 27 and closes January 3, nightly from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Pricing is per vehicle: $30 Friday through Sunday and December 18 to 27, $20 Monday through Thursday from November 27 to December 17, and $20 again for the final week. Buy online ahead of time, since the gate takes cards only in limited numbers and no cash. A walking preview runs November 21 and 22 at $5 a person.

The Lights of Christmas at Warm Beach (Stanwood)

Warm Beach turns its camp into a Christmas village for its 30th year, and for 2026 it is mostly a walking event. More than a million lights line the paths, with a Christmas market, a food village, the Candy Cane Express train, a light maze and cookie decorating. Santa sits for photos through December 23.

The season runs on select nights from November 27 through December 28, with entry slots from 5 to 9 p.m. Adults pay $25 and children 3 to 12 $16 on opening weekend, rising to $35 and $25 on December 12 and the nights of December 18 to 23. Ages 2 and under are free with a ticket. Drive-through nights on December 3, 10 and 17 cost $20 a car. Everything sells online in advance, and the gate sells nothing.

A Village, Two Trains, and a Fairground

These three want a ticket, a tank of gas, or both.

Christmastown in Leavenworth

Leavenworth leaves its village lights burning from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day from Thanksgiving through the end of February, which makes this the one stop on the list that works in January as well as December. The street program opens November 27, runs through Christmas Eve, and costs nothing.

Santa appears downtown from noon to 1 p.m. on weekdays. On weekends he takes the gazebo at noon and the Festhalle from 2 to 4 p.m., with story time at 1 and 3 p.m. The Festhalle doubles as a warming room with kids' crafts, letters to Santa, a gingerbread display and free gift wrapping, open noon to 4 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Parking runs on city kiosks downtown, and the free Willkommen Park and Ride behind Safeway takes the guesswork out of arriving. Link Transit is fare-free, including Route 22 to Wenatchee, and a local shuttle loops town from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Santa Trains at the Northwest Railway Museum (Snoqualmie)

The museum runs two separate trains this year. The Yuletide Express leaves Snoqualmie Depot on December 4, 11 and 18 for a 40-minute round trip, with departures on the hour from 9 a.m. Santa walks the coaches and hands every child a gift. The North Pole Limited leaves North Bend Depot on weekends from November 28 through December 20 for about two hours, with an hour at the Railway History Campus where Santa sits in Chapel Car 5 and staff hold the train until each family has had a turn.

Yuletide seats are $30 and North Pole Limited $39, with everyone 2 and up paying and under 2 free. Parking is free at both depots. Both trains were marked fully booked as of November 11, and so was the Polar Express in Chehalis, which charges $69 for a 75-minute ride and handed out its last seats weeks ago. Families who want a train next December should know how fast these go. Utah runs its own version, where Santa hands out gifts on board, and its guide to holiday events for kids in Utah covers it.

Holiday Magic at the Washington State Fair (Puyallup)

Twelve nights in December turn the fairgrounds into a lights walk with the rides still running: December 4 to 6, 11 to 13, and 18 to 23, from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. A synthetic ice rink costs $10 online or $12 at the gate, and the rides come with admission.

Admission is $25 for ages 13 and up and $20 for ages 3 to 12 online, or $27.50 and $22.50 onsite, with 2 and under free. Parking is free. Santa and Mrs. Claus sit for photos in Santa's Clubhouse at no charge, the Holiday Market fills the AgriPlex indoors, and a sensory shed gives kids a quiet room.

Winter Break Indoors, on the GetOut Membership

Ten stops below come with the Washington pass. December here is dark by 4:30 p.m. and wet more often than dry, so the indoor half of this list earns its place. Each offer is claimed in the app, and how to use a GetOut membership covers the routine.

Eagles Ice Arena (Spokane)

Public skate sessions run most days at this rink on Spokane's north side. One session comes with the pass, rental skates included, which is the line item that usually doubles a skating bill. A first-timer can hold the wall for twenty minutes and be fine. Ten minutes away, the free Riverfront Park tree lighting lands on November 28 at 6 p.m.

Blue Zoo Aquarium (Spokane)

Inside Northtown Mall, this aquarium is small enough to finish in an hour and hands-on enough for a four-year-old. Hours run 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. One general admission comes with the pass, any day. Spokane sits close enough to the Idaho line that GetOut Idaho covers the same weekend.

Players and Spectators Event Center (Spokane Valley)

A bowling alley with an arcade and a grill attached, open 1 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, and until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. It closes on major holidays. One game of bowling is on the pass, with no blackout days otherwise.

Burke Museum (Seattle)

The University of Washington's natural history museum puts working labs behind glass, and kids watch paleontologists pick at real fossils instead of casts. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, last admission at 4:30, and the doors close Mondays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and January 1. New Year's Eve it shuts at 2 p.m. A ticket normally runs $24 for adults and $16 for ages 4 to 14, and the pass covers one visit.

Smith Tower (Seattle)

Seattle's original skyscraper opens its 35th-floor observatory at noon, closing between 7 and 9 p.m. depending on the day. The view takes in the stadiums, the water and the Cascades when the sky is clear. Tickets normally cost $10 to $25, and one general admission comes with the pass any day, holiday week included.

GameWorks (Seattle)

Downtown's arcade is closed Monday and Tuesday and opens noon to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. The pass covers a $20 game card on those two days only, which matches the only weekdays the place is open. A card buys about an hour across racing games, shooters and claw machines.

Family Fun Center - Tukwila

Bullwinkle's at Southcenter carries two separate offers on the pass: 250 arcade points, and one free activity of your choice covering laser tag, mini golf, the ropes course or a ride. Both work Friday through Sunday. The arcade and laser tag sit indoors.

Big Air Trampoline Park (Auburn)

An hour of jump time on the pass, Monday through Thursday only. The Auburn floor holds a main court, dodgeball, a ninja course and a zip line. Friday through Sunday are blacked out, which makes this a school-night stop.

GameOn NW (Everett)

Laser tag in a mall storefront off Everett Mall Way, with one free game on the pass. Every day works except Saturday. Rounds run short, so two kids usually get in twice inside an hour.

Chicky Play Museum (Vancouver)

A play museum built for the under-six crowd, with a coffee bar for the adult who drove. One admission comes with the pass, any day, and it sits inside Vancouver Mall. Portland families cross the Columbia for it, and GetOut Oregon covers their side of the river.

New Year's Eve, Early or at Midnight

Two ways to mark the night, one starting at 10 a.m. and one at midnight.

KidsQuest Countdown (Bellevue)

KidsQuest runs four countdowns on December 31, at 10 a.m., noon, 2 and 4 p.m., so a four-year-old gets the whole ritual and still naps. The museum stays open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with activities every hour and 25 exhibits to roam between them. Tickets are $18 for every child and $18 for non-member adults, or $10 for member adults.

New Year's Eve at Seattle Center

The Armory fills with a live band from 8 p.m. to midnight, the International Fountain runs a light show from 9 p.m., and the Space Needle fireworks go up at midnight, all free and with no ticket. This one is built for families whose kids can stay up. The Monorail goes out of service from 10:30 p.m. to 12:20 a.m., and the blocks closest to the Needle close to foot traffic from 4:30 p.m.

Every Date and Price in One Place

The same twenty, sorted by dates, weather, and whether you buy ahead.

Plan Around the Closed Days

Washington's holiday calendar has holes beyond Christmas Day. The Burke Museum skips Mondays and closes January 1. GameWorks stays shut Monday and Tuesday all year. Big Air opens its pass window Monday through Thursday only.

Zoolights and WildLanterns both go dark on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Garden d'Lights closes only on the 25th, Fantasy Lights runs straight through, and Leavenworth keeps its lights on into February. A family staying home on the 25th still has a drive-through and a mountain village to pick from.

Most GetOut offers run once a year. GameWorks and Big Air are the ones to slot into a specific weekday before the break ends. If the holiday takes you to Salt Lake instead, GetOut Utah holds a week of indoor stops for the same weather.

Compare the Choices

Start with the constraint and work backward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which holiday events in Washington State are free for kids?

Christmastown in Leavenworth costs nothing to walk, and Garden d'Lights lets children 10 and under in free every night. Holiday Magic is free for ages 2 and under.

What is open for kids on Christmas Day in Washington?

Fantasy Lights runs its regular 5:30 to 9 p.m. schedule on December 25. Leavenworth keeps its lights on, with the Festhalle shut and the street lit. WildLanterns, Zoolights and Garden d'Lights all close for the day, and so does the Burke Museum.

When do the light displays open in Washington State?

WildLanterns opens first on November 13. Zoolights and Fantasy Lights start November 27, the same night Leavenworth's street program opens. Garden d'Lights waits until November 28, and Holiday Magic begins December 4.

Where can kids celebrate New Year's Eve before midnight in Washington State?

KidsQuest in Bellevue runs its first countdown at 10 a.m. and its last at 4 p.m. on December 31. Seattle Center's free party starts at 8 p.m. and counts down at midnight. The Hands On Children's Museum in Olympia holds a noon ball drop the same day.

Which of these sell out in advance?

Both Northwest Railway Museum trains were fully booked by November 11, along with every 2026 date on the Chehalis Polar Express. Zoolights sells timed slots in limited numbers and takes no gate sales, and WildLanterns and Garden d'Lights sell timed entry that cannot be refunded.

Which of these work on a wet day?

The Burke Museum, Smith Tower, GameWorks, Eagles Ice Arena, Blue Zoo, Players and Spectators, Big Air, GameOn NW, Chicky Play and KidsQuest are all indoors. Family Fun Center is mostly indoors. WildLanterns, Zoolights, Christmastown and The Lights of Christmas sit under open sky, while Fantasy Lights keeps you in the car.

Start With the Wet One

Pick the night that suits the forecast. A clear evening belongs at Zoolights or on the Leavenworth street. Rain belongs at the Burke, the rink in Spokane, or a bowling lane in Spokane Valley.

String two stops into one trip where the map allows. Southcenter stacks Family Fun Center with a meal, and Spokane holds three of these inside a twenty-minute drive. Families heading south for the holiday can compare notes with holiday events for kids in Oregon, and a winter pass works harder with five tips for making the most of it.

GetOut Washington covers ten of the twenty, which leaves ten to book. WildLanterns and a Zoolights night are the two that will not wait.

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