Tree decorated? Check. Gifts bagged and tagged? Check. What's next on the list? An
evening drive filled with fantasy-like holiday light sightings with the family certainly sounds like something worth checking out...
Seattle is famous for a Ravenna neighborhood called—what else?—Candy Cane Lane. Making its first appearance in the 1940s in response to a city-wide decorating challenge, this fantastic neighborhood has since become a holiday must-see for Seattle families. It's location - the Christmas light display can be found at NE Park Road, off 20th Avenue NE and Ravenna Boulevard, near Ravenna Park - makes it an ideal spot to visit if you're in the mood for a night of shopping, food, entertainment, and of course, great views.
Stop by at nearby University Village a get a little bit of shopping done before heading out. If you're more interested in a snack, be sure to pick up a coffee, hot cocoa, and/or a winter treats from the area's broad selection of cafes and restaurants before heading off for either a drive or walking tour. Sleighs, reindeer, and a large display of mechanical decorations in the traffic circle island beguile visitors; traffic flows in a one-way direction, and back-ups normally last only a few minutes, so feel free to explore the area at your own pace. It is also possible to park and meander through the displays to get an up close and personal look at the amazing festivities -- so grab those parkas just in case!
About 23 homes in the area are adorned with every type of Christmas decoration imaginable - holiday music wafts through the air, lights-a-plenty sparkling from rows of cozy houses that look like something out of a gingerbread village. Decorations usually share a single, predetermined theme; past events have centered on holiday classics such as the Nutcracker. The ornamentation itself has recently started to incorporate a new, multi-cultural approach to the traditional; the sidewalk is lined with signs reading 'peace' in almost every language that springs to mind. Santa makes surprise appearances periodically; the jolly old elf usually turns up fairly regularly on weekends, handing out candycanes to kids and grownups alike, so be sure to time your visit accordingly!
Festivities start early, usually on or around December 10, 2011 and run throughout the holiday season until December 31, 2011 from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm. daily. If you feel the need to visit a slightly less crowded event, Seattle's Olympic Manor (Start at Northwest 85th Street and 23rd Avenue Northwest) boasts a similar but much more spread out array of fantastically decked out homes. For a hilltop view, hit Queen Anne's Kerry Park Viewpoint— gaze down at a city resembles nothing so much as a huge sprawled-out Christmas tree.
—Matina Fresenius
