These Towns in The Pacific Northwest Come Alive in Winter
There is no better place to bundle up and head out for thrilling seasonal adventures in the crisp air and occasional snowfall than the Pacific Northwest (PNW). When it is time to escape the snow, you can head to the southern part of the region or spend a day along the vast beach on a peninsular knob in Sandpoint. Explore the pebbly shores with a fringe of a Christmas tree selection of proud cedar and fir trees in Port Townsend, just 12 miles from Canada!
These charming small towns come alive in winter and celebrate big holiday festivities in local style over bonfires, decorating contests, markets, and shopping. If Astoria doesn't captivate you with its columns, waterfront, and brewing scene, you can combine your love for wine, Christmas train rides, and frozen beaches on a road trip through the PNW. If you seek a white Christmas, head for the higher elevations, like the Cascades, or the coastal areas for strolls in milder temperatures.
Astoria, Oregon
Like a true lady, Astoria, where the river meets the Pacific, is lively yet quaint, charming you along the waterfront on a bike ride, boutique shopping downtown, and the colorful hillside homes, particularly vibrant against chance snowfall! With vestiges of longtime Nordic connections, Finn Ware is a charming store with quality products you can buy for your home or gift to others. Trudge up the steps to Astoria Column, with murals and spherical views, and treat yourself to the luxurious Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa, with waterfront views of the giant cargo ships off to Portland. You can take the 2.4-mile Fort to Sea trail or, not for the faint-hearted, the 6.5-mile hike worth celebrating over at the Silver Salmon Grille or flavorful vegetarian dishes at Busu.
Where Lewis and Clark’s party spent a desperate winter at the nearby Fort Clatsop Park from 1805 to 1806, you can stay warm amid fascinating facts at the local museums, the Columbia River Maritime Museum, and the Clatsop County Historical Society’s Heritage Museum. Grab a Caprese panini at Gaetano’s Market & Deli for a circle around Coffenbury Lake at Fort Stevens State Park. You can likewise savor it over craft on a terrace at Astoria Brewing Company Taproom, while the Star Wars fans in your gang will love the futuristic Galactix, a taphouse/arcade with vintage games! Hanthorn Cannery Museum nods at the Astoria salmon-packing boomtown past in the 20th century with its bustling fish cannery, now featuring shops and restaurants.
Hood River, Oregon
Hood River is a glorious PNW weekend destination in the company of Lewis and Clark—at least the spirits of—made even more charming around the holidays! You can enjoy family-friendly trails to explore the history, ending the day with friends over at Grateful Vineyard. Its popular Grateful Feast Tasting Experience offers up beer, cider, wine, pizza, and more to go along with Mount Hood views. Without the three locks and four dams today, the rapids were a formidable danger for Lewis and Clark's canoes in late 1805. You will hear echoes of how hundreds of Native Americans gathered along these banks to "watch the white men drown themselves," but the company of an enslaved man saved them from doom.
The river, a summertime playground, is fantastic for wintertime strolls past the glorious scenery of the frozen Multnomah Falls and across the Bridge of the Gods. Hood River kicks off the season in the historic downtown area, which glows long after the parade and cheers around the tree-lighting ceremony on December 1. You can still catch Cascade Locks at Brigham Fish Market, as well as two of Oregon’s best breweries, like the nationally recognized PFriem Family Brewers with Belgian-influenced artisanal beers. The next year's tree lighting will be a real Winter Wonderland festival complete with vendors and a window decorating competition for the most festively decorated window display.
Leavenworth, Washington
The holiday spirit takes over this little Bavarian village from the day after Thanksgiving into February, turning into a magical scene of lively art performers, carolers, and holiday characters like Santa Claus greeting the kids! You can take a traditional horse-drawn sleigh ride through the Bavarian village—a revered pastime—both traditional and insightful. Few know that in 1965, Leavenworth was on the verge of becoming deserted, but staying decidedly German, the town turned into one of PNW's most popular destinations instead of a ghost town.
Home to around 2,500 residents, Leavenworth welcomes upwards of 200,000 December visitors alone, starving for the European village vibes, while the winter wonderland scenery follows you around on a stroll through the snow-covered mountains. Stick after the holidays for lower crowds, sales, and the best photo opportunities, where the city's code dictates that new buildings be built in Germanic style, which makes it look like a fairyland! Leavenworth, a Hallmark Christmas movie come-alive in the Cascade Mountains during the season, features events like the most famous Christmas Lighting Festival with over half a million twinkling lights!
Port Townsend, Washington
Here in the historic harbor in the Salish Sea, tidal sways fold daily into the powerful Pacific Ocean along the Strait of Juan de Fuca, separating the United States and Canada by 12 miles. Port Townsend's unique geography and balanced ecosystem make it unlike any other, where giant mammals start to migrate south for the winter between April and October. In winter, you can see the elements specific to the region, like the fringe of the proud cedar and fir trees along the pebbly shores, making for a stormy impression in the dead of winter, February. Take a coastal stroll with bird sights and preserved island habitats, or a boat tour with interesting areas, and see the town's holiday glow from the water.
The port city's pristine architecture features commanding Victorianas, a nod at its colorful and complicated maritime legacy. Uniting a mix of attractions, nature, and seafaring culture, Port Townsend is an interesting town to wander in the salty air with elegant architecture from the 1890 era along the stately Water Street. You can take a stretch of the new čičməhán 12-mile trail—a coming together of native tribes and locals—with every one of its 18 significant sites offering historical insights. On the way to becoming the premier city in the state during the late 19th century until the 1892 recession, that is, the legacy remains in the quaint downtown and the world-famous Wooden Boat Festival in September. Make a stop at Better Living Through Coffee for a one-of-a-kind experience along a pebble beach, and celebrate the season over a mouth-watering fine dinner at Finistere!
Sandpoint, Idaho
Sandpoint is a cross-country skiing destination at the gateway to Farragut State Park. With easy access to over 9 miles of trails, you can explore the park and its wonder along the southern Lake Pend Oreille waterfront, with its frozen beaches and glittering lake views. Just across the bridge from Panhandle Cone & Coffee via Bridge Street, a peninsular knob offers a unique atmosphere for a merry holiday day spent. You can explore the vast Sandpoint City Beach Park, complete with Trinity at City Beach, a cafe, or head back to dine at top-rated Joel's downtown Church Street.
Inspirational biking adventures on a fat tire bike are a popular wintertime activity in Sandpoint, with access to the many trails to get the most out of sightseeing under a light snow dust cover. Greta's Segway is great for showcasing wildlife and seasonal views, while Round Lake State Park is just 10 miles south of Sandpoint along the highway to play in the snow with your kids!
Shelton, Washington
Shelton is a Christmastown USA, embracing inner Puget Sound's Hammersley Inlet. As a historic forestry town, it is no wonder that Shelton doubles up as the Christmas Tree Capital of the World and holds the 2019 Guinness World Record for Most Lit Christmas Trees in One Display. Offering plenty of shopping, lodging, and dining choices throughout the year, you can visit antique stops and enjoy bonfires with roasting marshmallows, as well as ride the Kiddie Train on Railroad Ave.
Shelton combines impressive landscape views of winter and water, where dominating mountains and forests of colossal cedar, spruce, and fir trees create a cozy atmosphere. From quaint downtown shops to a tree lighting ceremony at the Post Office Park on the first Saturday of the month, Shelton hosts the Christmastown Market in the second week of December. With unique handcrafted gifts and holiday-themed events all month long, you can browse themed eateries and decorated storefronts. For a cozy Christmas experience, this hidden gem creates a tree maze with 797 lit fir trees in a labyrinth formation, open for free every night in December!
Sumpter, Oregon
Home to just over 200 people, this historical mining town is a kid-friendly destination during the holiday season. Sumpter Valley Dredge offers an idyllic heritage area to explore on a hike with about 1.5 miles of trails, including ranger-led tours, wetlands, and a showcasing of the region’s diverse history. The popular 106-mile loop along the Elkhorn Scenic Byway features the unique geology of the Elkhorn Mountains, gorgeous viewpoints at every turn, and opportunities for hikes. The 2,235-acre Phillips Lake Reservoir is open year-round for strolls and views of the Mason Dam, while the Sumpter Valley Railroad highlights every eastern Oregon trip.
Culminating in a magical experience over the Sumpter Valley Railroad Christmas Train, you can hop aboard a steam-powered or diesel train on select dates in December for a ride along the pages of the classic Christmas picture book, The Polar Express. This nostalgic journey through snow-covered landscapes unlike anywhere else on a vintage locomotive ride from Sumpter to McEwen combines the best sights of Oregon’s gold country with a crystal-white winter wonderland, a free hot beverage, and even a Santa Claus. Open year-round, the adorable Sumpter Stockade Motel from the 19th century features themed rooms and a decorated communal area with old country music and an open fire!
Walla Walla, Washington
Mixing art with wine and vestiges of Lewis and Clark’s journey, Walla Walla is a spectacular wintertime getaway for every taste of adventure and relaxation! After the fall's shimmering gold fields and verdant vineyards, the town gets a second wind to celebrate the generous harvest. There's no better place to ring in the new year with bottles of wine from the previous season. Divided into six winemaking districts with 120 wineries, the Walla Walla Valley reaches slightly into Oregon, with nearby Reininger, L’Ecole No. 41, and Pepper Bridge Winery. The Inn at Abeja is a 38-acre vision of Norman Rockwell’s turn-of-the-century farm, with superb dining, wining, and a luxurious feel with your own veranda.
Foundry Vineyards features a big patio and gallery space, while Seven Hills Winery is an acclaimed production winery in a century-old wood mill with robust reds. Just part of the burgeoning food scene in town, Walla Walla has a pairing reputation for a real wine connoisseur through the thriving downtown of restaurants, shops, and more than 30 wine-tasting rooms. You can stop by the Fort Walla Walla Museum with a diorama of the Corps’ gift exchange with a local Native American chief and visit the local creamery, Monteillet Fromagerie, with delicate and flavorful sheep and goat’s milk cheeses.
These picturesque villages create a truly enchanting winter holiday atmosphere that lasts well into February, like a white Christmas in the Bavarian town of Leavenworth. From Washington to Oregon and Idaho, you can experience coastal, mountainous, and snow-covered landscapes.
You can take a Christmas train through the crystal winter wonderland in Sumpton, visit Walla Walla, a wine destination, or trudge in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark in the Hood River.
