Every year, general contractor Anthony Mish goes all-out in his lighting display, with a bold Seahawks-centric design that’s earned his home the name “The Hawk House.” It had to go dark for one year because the bright lights and traffic were a little too much for the quiet neighborhood, but it returned after getting permits from the city of Kirkland. Part of that is limited hours for the display, so make sure to check the schedule when it’s posted.

This corridor of gorgeous Tudor Revival homes near Ravenna Park has been coordinating a major light display since 1949, called Candy Cane Lane. It’s a great chance to see a wide collection of classic house holiday lights all in one place—without snooping around your neighborhood too much.

It’s cool enough that the Woodland Park Zoo is open late into the night for a little while each year—giving non-daytime people a chance to see the sights. But a variety of festive sights and activities mingle with the animal encounters for a full winter wonderland, including a carousel and snowball fights in addition to elaborate holiday light displays.

A relatively recent addition to the Seattle holiday light circuit, this South Lake Union park has been lighting up the night since 2018. This one’s full of more modern festivities, including a grand-opening celebration with a beer garden, holiday market, DJs, and food trucks.

Freeway Park is an underrated destination for holiday-lighted walkways, with staircases and paths connecting First Hill to a wide swath of downtown, including the Convention Center. Landscape architecture enthusiasts will appreciate the clever use of a freeway lid and the iconic brutalist fountain, part of the Lawrence Halprin park design.

The Great Wheel always has some kind of festive light situation going on, and the winter holidays are no exception. Surrounded by the holiday lights of the waterfront, this massive Ferris wheel will give you a view of city lights from 175 feet.

Every year, Ivar’s takes advantage of Gene Coulon’s linear park design for a festive light-filled path along Lake Washington, in an easy-to-navigate long, paved road.

This Bellevue Botanical Garden tradition, which highlights the whimsy of its plants with holiday lights—and some surrounding garden- and nature-themed displays, like butterflies, birds, and even a twinkling waterfall.