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Snowflake Lane: Tips, Secrets, & What NOT to Do
I made all the mistakes so you don’t have to.
Snowflake Lane in Bellevue
The Ultimate Christmas Experience: And It’s Free!
My family decided we wanted to experience Snowflake lane for real this year. We, accidentally, caught the end of the parade last year, and I knew the kids would love it.
Well, as you know, December is a busy time of year! Between all the Christmas shopping (thank goodness for Amazon), the Christmas shows and plays that your kids are in, and the holiday parties, there is hardly a moment to spare.
It was the weekend before Christmas before we knew it… BAM. The LAST opportunity to see the parade.
Check the weather: 90% chance of rain. Perfect! We’re tough. We’ll bring umbrellas. It might even keep the crowds down.
You hear parking can be a nightmare. We have a solution for that too! The parade didn’t start until 7pm. We decided we’d do some last minute Christmas shopping in Bellevue Square and go out to dinner before the parade. Perfect!
This is how the day REALLY went down.
✅ We arrived early afternoon and found excellent parking in the Bellevue Square sparking garage
❌Walking around the mall was literally shoulder to shoulder. I’m lucky I didn’t lose a child.
❌The fastest restaurant wait time was 90 minutes.
✅While the line was 45 minutes long at Panda Express, they totally rocked it and got people through the line as fast as they could.
❌Because getting food took longer than expected we didn’t get to the street early enough.
❌The rain hindered no one. It was POURING.
❌Adults stood in front of children, making it impossible for my kids to see.
✅Random stranger gave us his umbrella! There are kind people out there!
✅It’s not really real snow falling from the sky. It’s soap! It was definitely magical.
❌I wish I could tell you how the parade was, but I couldn’t see very well.
Tips, Tricks, and Secrets to have a Magical Experience
Don’t procrastinate. Head to a parade early in December on a weeknight. I wen’t on a Saturday night…. NEVER AGAIN!
Arrive by 5pm and get good parking
Don’t plan on eating dinner there unless you make a reservation
Plan to be cold and wear rain gear
Head to the street early to claim a good spot
Have a meetup spot in case you get separated
Will I Go Back Next Year?
Of course I will. Yes, I did it all wrong. But, I know what NOT to do and will make seeing this parade a family tradition. I hope you do too!
