Seattle Hotels & Vacation Rentals for Thanksgiving

Enjoy locally sourced, seasonal produce while taking in awe-inspiring views of the Seattle skyline across Lake Washington. Past Thanksgiving feasts have included turkey with caramelized onion bread pudding and pumpkin crepes with butter ice cream.

As a port city, Seattle does seafood exceptionally well, so why not add a taste of Elliott Bay to Thanksgiving dinner? Palisade’s spectacular indoor waterfalls and glass sculptures compete with the backdrop of bay views and majestic Mount Rainier. Smoked salmon, oysters, mussels, and salt-and-pepper-crusted turkey have appeared on past Thanksgiving menus.

Seattleites are big on local, organic produce. Organic restaurant Tilth hosted its first Thanksgiving meal in 2017, serving elegant classics such as locally raised turkey, rib-eye, and pumpkin cashew-coconut cheesecake.

Honor Seattle’s strong trade links and opt for an Asian twist on Thanksgiving dinner. Past delicacies have included Malay-style roast turkey with lemongrass stuffing, wok-fried Brussels sprouts, and Madagascar vanilla bean cheesecake.

With street art and murals inspired by Seattle’s past, visitors to this colorful venue can enjoy typical Pacific Northwest flavors such as roasted heirloom squash salad, roasted turkey and duck, and wild mushroom bread pudding.

Of malls, Seattle has many, and post-Thanksgiving, these are transformed into glittering wonderlands, the atmosphere heady with festive shopping spirit. Pacific Place and Westlake Center in downtown Seattle offer well-loved stores, restaurants, and coffee shops. Across Lake Washington, Bellevue Square’s 180 stores include Macy’s, Nordstrom, and JCPenney. If that’s not enough for you, hop over the skybridge to Lincoln Square.

If you prefer your shopping independent and low key, check out Small Business Saturday, which encourages shoppers to support Seattle’s many local shops, boutiques, and markets. Browse one-of-a-kind handcrafted items such as guitars made from cigar boxes, artist-designed tees, and leather-bound journals.

Scour Seattle’s largest outlet mall for designer bargains at big names such as DNKY, Coach, and Ralph Lauren. Although they're a year-round destination, stores have extended opening hours and host big sales around Thanksgiving.

For gifts unique to Puget Sound, browse traditional Duwamish handicrafts in West Seattle. Lose yourself among native crafts, fine art, jewelry, and smoked salmon.

No Thanksgiving weekend in Seattle is complete without reveling in the holiday atmosphere as marching bands, mascots, cheerleaders, and festive animals parade downtown to Macy’s. Some Seattle hotels for Thanksgiving provide perfect vantage points from above – check in advance if this is possible from your hotel. After dark, Macy’s lights its holiday star, and fireworks illuminate the sky.

Among Seattle’s most festive ice rinks is the Winterfest Ice Rink at the Seattle Center, where you can also enjoy festive lights, ice sculptures, and Dickensian carolers. Bellevue Magic Season Ice Arena is Seattle’s biggest outdoor rink and hosts family skate events.

Astonishing light sculptures twisted whimsically into plants, flowers, birds, animals, and cascading waterfalls juxtapose with the natural beauty of Bellevue Botanical Garden. Free admission is offered on some nights – check in advance.

Give thanks to nature and leave the holiday madness behind in the peaceful surrounds of Washington State Park. Take advantage of free entry days and work off the post-turkey slump amid nature trails, mountains, parkland, and evergreen forests.