Las Vegas

10+ Things to Do in Las Vegas in Winter

Spend the holiday season in Vegas - there's plenty of magic to be found here.
By Casey Makovich

Are you not entertained? Despite being in the desert, Sin City has winter activities galore, from fascinating circus shows to unique museums and side trips to the stunning Hoover Dam.

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas! We’ve put together a list of our favorite events and activities going on in the city and the surrounding areas in winter. This way, you can make the most of your trip over the festive season. From seasonal attractions to day trips worth checking out, you'll have no problems keeping busy.

Check out our list of some of the best holiday activities, attractions, and things to do in Las Vegas in the Winter.

Holiday magic at the LINQ Promenade

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See the LINQ Promenade transformed for the holiday season. There will be a plethora of magnificent Christmas decorations (and you just know they’ll be larger-than-life – like everything in Vegas), plus festive music. You can also be blown away by a holiday magic show and holiday carolers, on select dates and times.

It is also super fun to view the lights from above with a ride on the High Roller Observation Wheel! Get 30 minutes of Las Vegas views from the world's tallest observation wheel (taller than the London Eye!) at 550 feet above ground. You'll be able to see the Vegas Strip, iconic landmarks, and much more.

REAL BODIES at Bally's

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Examine the human anatomy and get up close to over 20 real human bodies that have been dissected, preserved, and displayed in thought-provoking and educational ways at Real Bodies at Bally’s Las Vegas. This exhibit examines the deeper meaning of life through 11 galleries that explore the inner workings of the human body, from literally what it means to be alive, to the emotional and cultural associations derived from the way the body works.

These breathtaking exhibitions reveal the synergy between breathing, hunger, the rhythm of the heart, love, motion, thought, and medicine.

Hop On Hop Off Big Bus Las Vegas tour

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Truly one of the best and most fun ways to get around Las Vegas and explore the sights of the Las Vegas Strip while learning about all things Sin City is on the Hop On Hop Off Big Bus.

Your entertaining tour guides who brim with knowledge will point out highlights on the Las Vegas Strip and downtown. Sights include the famous 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas' sign, the Golden Nugget hotel, and casino at Fremont Street, the Miracle Mile, malls, museums, monuments, and more.

Check out our guide for more info on one of the best ways to get around while in Vegas.

Tour the Hoover Dam

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Check out the Hoover Dam, the number one sightseeing attraction in Las Vegas. Nearly 1,000,000 people tour the dam every year. You'll see why this engineering marvel is often referred to as the "greatest dam ever built."

Along the way, your guides will provide entertaining and informative narration and then you'll have a couple of hours to explore at your own pace and walk across the dam to the Arizona side. Visitors can check out locally crafted works of art, see the information video in the theater, exhibition halls, power plant, observation deck, and visitor's center.

Insider tip: Walk the Mike O'Callaghan - Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge for the best views of the Hoover Dam and the Colorado River.

Day trip to the Grand Canyon

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Get away from the Las Vegas strip and go on a full-day guided bus tour to the west or south rim of the Grand Canyon. You'll see a ton of sights along the way, including the Hoover Dam, the Bypass Bridge, Lake Mead, the Bighorn sheep habitat, Black Canyon, and the 900-year-old Joshua Tree Forest.

Once at the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon, you'll get a chance to explore the rustic wilderness of the area and walk along the rim, drink in the epic views, and get that perfect panoramic snapshot.

Please note: This tour is only available on the All-Inclusive pass.

Stratosphere Observation Deck

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Get the best views of Las Vegas from the iconic Stratosphere Observation Deck, the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States. At 1,149 feet above the ground, you'll get unbelievable 360-degree views of the Strip, downtown, and beyond.

For an adrenaline rush, test your fear of heights on the thrill rides at the top. Fly 160 feet in the air at 45 miles per hour on The Big Shot; ride the X Scream - a giant teeter-totter 866 feet above the ground. Insanity is a massive mechanical arm extending out the edge of the Stratosphere Tower at over 866 feet, spinning you at speeds of up to three 'G's!

Check out the Mob Museum

Did you know that Las Vegas was essentially built by notorious mobsters like Bugsy Siegel, Lucky Luciano, Frank Costello, and Meyer Lansky? Truly immerse yourself in the city’s criminal history at the Mob Museum, where real stories are brought to life with engaging, multi-sensory exhibits and hundreds of artifacts.

The history of Sin City is full of jaw-dropping, sinister facts and folklore and nobody tells it better than The Mob Museum.

Gene Woods Racing Experience

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Get behind the wheel of a super-fast kart. Enjoy a day full of high-octane excitement, and competition on the tracks at the Gene Woods Racing Experience. You'll learn everything you need to know about maneuvering the tracks safely at top speeds, including tips for edging out the competition like a pro.

Then, you can take your turn battling it out side-by-side with family and friends over 15-18 laps on a challenging half-mile track. Lucky visitors might even get the chance to meet three-time racing champion Gene Woods himself. This living legend is spotted at the tracks most days giving tips and telling stories about his experiences behind the wheel.

Richard Petty Driving Experience: Ride-Along

Prefer to leave the high-speed racing to the pros? Gear up for a front-seat ride around three expertly handled race track laps from the safety of the passenger seat and embark on a thrill ride alongside a professional driving instructor at the Richard Petty Driving Experience. You’ll ride shotgun and reach extreme speeds of up to 165 mph in a 600-horsepower, 2-seat NASCAR race car.

Go ice skating at the Cosmopolitan

The Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan turns into The Ice Rink where visitors can partake in the most quintessential of seasonal activities - ice skating! After you take a spin on the rink, you can enjoy relaxing by a fireplace with refreshments - a truly delightful festive experience where you can enjoy the magic of winter in the middle of the desert. What's more, they even create light snow showers every 30 minutes during select times.

Insider tip: Try one of the yummy s'more-flavored martinis after you skate and check online for information about skate rentals and reserving a fire pit.

Enjoy the winter outdoors at Lee Canyon

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It's hard to believe that just one hour from downtown Las Vegas there's real snow. Head to Lee Canyon for lots of winter fun, including skiing, snowboarding, lessons, tubing, and more. Go for the skiing, stay awhile for the aprés ski....! Not an expert skier? No worries! Perfect your skills with a local coach or just get some pointers on your technique. Lee Canyon provides fun for every level of ability.

Check Out Downtown Container Park

Downtown Container Park is a new urban concept in Las Vegas that features lots of shops and restaurants. It hosts a variety of fun regular and seasonal events each week, including a family-friendly silent disco, jazz sessions, art shows, and entertainment every second Sunday of the month. Check their events calendar in advance to see what's going on.

Go shopping

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There's no shortage of shops to choose from in Las Vegas. Whether you're looking for high-end boutiques, souvenirs for the kids, or more affordable alternatives, be sure to check out our list of top places to shop in Las Vegas. Where better to shop ‘til you drop than the most extravagant city in the world!

Free entertainment at Circus Circus

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Hotel/casino by night, Circus Circus by day is home to the world’s largest permanent circus. It’s fun for all the family at this mind-blowing Cirque de Soleil-style attraction including, jugglers, unicyclists, trapeze artists, acrobats, contortionists, and much more. Each act lasts about 10 minutes and they take place every half hour (on most days) starting at 11 a.m. Best of all, watching the show is free!

Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Bellagio Fountains

See the famous Bellagio Fountains right outside the Bellagio Hotel. Then head inside to see their spectacular Conservatory and Botanical Gardens decked-out for the holidays. Their "Majestic Holiday Magic" exhibit featuring nostalgic icons and over-the-top decor is sure to get you into the holiday spirit.

Insider tip: Head there at night, the fountains are prettier to watch when lit up.

A winter wonderland in Las Vegas

So there you have it — our list of the best things to do in Las Vegas in the winter. We hope you're inspired to add a few of these fun options to your winter vacation itinerary. So go grab a Las Vegas attraction pass and make the most of the colder months!

Please note, winter events taking place at some of these attractions may be separately ticketed and not included with the Go City Las Vegas passes. 

Casey Makovich
Go City Travel Expert

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Las Vegas in January

Party season may be over but, while Sin City nurses its massive holiday hangover, there are still stacks of fun things to see and do here in the city that quite literally never sleeps. Bonus: it’s less busy than usual, making the Strip and its many attractions much easier to explore. Dive in to our expert guide to discover why you should visit Las Vegas in January. Visiting Las Vegas in January Average Temperature: 48°F • Average Rainfall: 6 days/mth • Average Sunshine: 8 hours/day Being one of the hottest cities in the States doesn’t mean Las Vegas can’t also get chilly, particularly at night when desert temperatures have been known to plummet as dramatically as Celine Dion hitting an unexpected bass note on stage at Caesars Palace. Daytime highs at this time of year are around 57°F which, to be fair, is pretty darn pleasant for January especially when compared to, say, New York. But you might still be left wondering if the locals you see wandering around in shirt sleeves and shorts have been hitting the sauce a little too hard over the holiday season. We recommend layering as a safe bet to cover all bases. Think jeans, top and light jacket during the day with maybe an extra jumper or even a scarf on the chillier evenings, especially if this is when you plan to stroll the Strip to see the Bellagio fountains in action, or the erupting volcano outside the Mirage which, spectacular though it is, is unlikely to warm you up much. It’s a great time to visit Vegas, for many reasons. Such as the January sales: you could easily spend days losing yourself in the supersize malls here (though your bank manager might not thank you for it). Then there are the casinos, restaurants and shows. As Las Vegas is way less busy this time of year, you’ll likely find it much easier to get that reservation at Robuchon, or the best seats in the house for Cirque du Soleil. Flights into Vegas are also traditionally cheaper at this time of year, with most hotels lowering prices too, though note that you should expect a significant hike during the massive Consumer Electronics Show near the start of the month. Things to do in January The holiday party season may be over, and pool season proper won’t start until March, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still find yourself a daybed and chill with cocktails by the pool someplace. Many of the major hotels here have heated pools that remain open throughout winter. These include the main pool at the MGM Grand, the palm-fringed pool deck at ARIA, and Resorts World with its enormous pool deck and infinity pool overlooking the Strip. However, to access others including Mandalay Bay and the Cosmopolitan you’ll need to be a guest, as day passes are unavailable. From relaxing poolside to screaming your head off on some of the planet’s scariest thrill rides, there’s a January activity here to suit all tastes. Take a ride on Insanity, 900 feet above the Strip atop the Strat’s SkyPod observation tower. Soar through the skies on the Fly LINQ Zipline. Loop the loop on the Big Apple Roller Coaster. Or try the relatively sedate (but no less terrifying) High Roller Observation Wheel – at 550 feet, it’s the second highest on the planet. After a couple of days spent enjoying Vegas’s non-stop assault of high-octane rides, high stakes casinos, high-priced steaks and endlessly mesmerizing neon lights, you may find yourself hankering for something a bit more... down to earth. Answer the call of the wild with a hiking trip to Red Rock Canyon, just south of the city. This sprawling conservation area is filled with towering sandstone peaks, waterfalls and Native American petroglyphs, and guided tours of its paths are available. Or steel yourself for a ramble up Mount Charleston, Clark County’s highest. The strenuous 16-hour round-trip to the mountain’s (probably snow-capped) summit is rewarded with unbeatable panoramic views of Death Valley, the Sierra Nevada, and Las Vegas itself. A journey almost as lengthy (but considerably more comfortable) is a coach trip out east of the city to some of the Nevada-Arizona state line’s finest natural and manmade wonders. You can pause at the Hoover Dam for spectacular views of the Colorado River from hundreds of feet up, or drive through the Joshua Tree National Park to the Grand Canyon’s West Rim where further awe-inspiring views await. Heck, why not just combine all three for the ultimate day trip out of Vegas? What’s on in January? One of the surprise treats that awaits visitors to Vegas in January is the proliferation of festive attractions that remain open. Soothe your holiday hangover with a trip to the Glittering Lights extravaganza at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Here, a whopping five million lights (give or take) create a dazzling drive-through show packed with Christmas scenes and Vegas icons. There’s even an accompanying festive radio station to tune into in your car. Meanwhile over at the Bellagio, you still have time (for the first week of January, at least) to view the displays at the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Expect holiday decorations made from flowers and plants, giant polar bears and trees festooned with tinsel and baubles. Head to the Cosmopolitan rooftop for firepits, s’mores and a massive ice-skating rink complete with regular snow flurries. There’s plenty of Christmas spirit left up here and the views of the Paris resort’s neon-lit Eiffel Tower are second to none. Also worth looking out for in January is the parade in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. The biggest in the state, it draws tens of thousands of participants annually, all eager to see its colorful floats and live performances. Hot enough to melt the snow that blankets Mount Charleston’s highest peaks, the AVN Adult Entertainment expo also rolls into town at this time of the year, raising temperatures and offering fan meet and greets with some of the industry’s hottest stars. And if there’s an event more ‘Sin City’ than a porn convention, we’ve yet to hear of it... Save on attractions in Las Vegas Save on admission to Las Vegas attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Bright red baubles hanging from a cactus in the Mojave Desert near Las Vegas
Blog

Christmas in Las Vegas

Towering fir trees festooned with tinsel and shiny baubles, magical festive scenes and nearly as many fairy lights as there are stars in the sky. Christmas in Las Vegas is every bit as flamboyant and OTT as you’d expect from the neon capital of the world. And here, as every day in Sin City, you’ll find everything (and we mean everything) open as usual: that includes all shops, restaurants, bars, casinos and thrill rides. As the song says: ‘Christmas in Las Vegas, it’s a trip!’ So dive in and check out our guide to some of the best things to do in Vegas during holiday season, including: Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Ice skating at The Cosmopolitan Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Speedway Flamingo and LINQ Promenade Ethel M Botanical Cactus Garden The Magical Forest The Great Santa Run The Bellagio at Christmas The Bellagio’s dazzling dancing fountains are a spectacle at any time of year, but be sure to catch them during December when the huge water plumes soar and sway to Mariah, Bing, Wham! and other Christmas party bangers. Inside, the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens gets a marvelous festive makeover, with decorations made from plants and flowers and supersize displays featuring sparkly polar bears, massive Christmas baubles, thousands of lights, and that all-important skyscraping Christmas tree. Best of all, it’s completely free and – unlike elsewhere in the Bellagio – children are welcome. Ice Skating at the Cosmopolitan High above the Strip lies a winter wonderland par excellence in the shape of the Cosmopolitan’s rooftop which – glitzy enough at the best of times – really ramps up the tinsel factor in December. Expect cozy Christmas vibes aplenty thanks to sparkling trees, blazing firepits, gooey s’mores, festive cocktails (snowball, anyone?) and romantic views of the neon-lit Eiffel Tower over at Paris Las Vegas. Better yet, a 4,200 square foot ice rink replaces the pool up here during the holiday season, complete with fake snowflakes. So pull on your mittens, wrap your scarf tight, strap on your skates, hit the ice and let it snow! Drive-Through Light Show Rev up your engine and hit the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Glittering Lights, one of the biggest and best light shows in the country. Every December, the 2-5-mile course is festooned with somewhere in the region of five million – yep, that’s five MILLION – lights, each contributing to spectacular festive scenes and other Vegas-themed displays, meaning you’re as likely to see a hip-wiggling house-sized Elvis as a jolly Santa Claus. Pile the family into the car (with a hot chocolate each), tune into the custom radio station that plays carols and other Christmas favorites, and brace yourselves for the light show of a lifetime. Winter Parq Have you been dreaming of a... pink Christmas? Look no further than the Winter Parq – the promenade connecting the Flamingo and LINQ hotels where, by the Flamingo at least, bright pink decorations are de rigueur. Take in the glittering lights, giant snow globe and kitschy Christmas ornaments at the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat before strolling to the LINQ for live entertainment and Christmassy cocktails under the towering tree. Afterwards, warm up and take in panoramic views of the Neon City aboard the High Roller Observation Wheel which (you’ll be unsurprised to learn) is, at 550 feet, one of the tallest on the planet (second only to the Ain Dubai). Those who suffer from vertigo need not apply. Ethel M Cactus Garden If there’s anything more ubiquitous than Christmas trees in Vegas in December, it’s Christmas cacti. You’ll see these bristly beauties bedecked with festive baubles nearly everywhere you go, but nowhere more so than in the grounds of the legendary Ethel M Chocolate Factory. Here, the three-acre cactus garden receives an annual festive revamp that incorporates hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights, Christmassy scenes aplenty, and even a family of animated reindeer. We recommend visiting in the evening when the garden's at its most magical and, of course, combining your visit with a chocolate-tasting experience. It would be almost rude not to! Take in a Show There can be few quicker ways of getting right into the Christmas spirit than an evening spent watching classic Las Vegas shows that have been tweaked for the holiday season. Think classic Christmas rock and pop hits (as well as a few carols) from the Legends in Concert, immersive performances of The Nutcracker, and Christmas-themed magic and comedy shows. As Christmassy as your dad’s Rudolph sweater. Christmas Tree Trail December in Las Vegas sees Christmas trees sprouting up here, there and everywhere, each more fantastically bejeweled than the last. Take advantage of this free spectacle by visiting some of the major hotels to see how many stops have been pulled out to get one up on their neighbors. At over 40 feet, the Bellagio’s is inevitably among the most spectacular but the trees at Wynn’s Winter Wonderland, the Fashion Show Mall and the Venetian are no slouches either. Take a tour with your camera and make your Instagram feed the envy of all your Christmas-loving buddies back home. The Magical Forest A stalwart of the Vegas Christmas scene, the Magical Forest is just that: a woodland wonderland crammed with twinkling lights and festive decorations. This one is a must-do if you’re traveling with kids: they’re going to absolutely love the carousel, giant slide and cute train rides on the Forest Express. Plenty of live performances, food trucks and funnel cakes should keep the grown-ups happy too. Santa Claus! A visit to Las Vegas in December might almost make you believe there's more than one Father Christmas. He certainly gets around. Meet him at the aforementioned Magical Forest or head to Tivoli Village for a few memorable family snaps in his beautifully decorated grotto. You can even see the man in red swimming with sharks at the Mandalay Bay Shipwreck! If that’s not enough for you, go all in and dress up as Santa yourself: the Great Santa Run takes place in downtown Vegas and sees thousands of wannabe Santas take to the streets for a 5k fun run (or walk, if you prefer) every December. Ho ho ho and viva Las Vegas! Save on attractions in Las Vegas Save on admission to Las Vegas attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak

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