Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas! It's winter, when the weather is sunny and cool, and the city's always-glittering lights have gone into overdrive with the addition of festive displays everywhere from the Bellagio to the Ethel M Cactus Garden. We've got the lowdown on all the most heartwarming holiday hits, plus other great things to do around (and out of) town through January and February, from weird and wacky museums to epic Grand Canyon day trips. Our guide includes:
- The High Roller Observation Wheel
- Ice skating at the Cosmopolitan
- The Bellagio fountains
- Ethel M Cactus Garden
- The Mob Museum
- Real Bodies exhibition at the Horseshoe
- Day trips to the Grand Canyon and Lee Canyon
- ... and more!
Holiday highlights
The LINQ Promenade
The LINQ Promenade
Like many other places in Vegas, the LINQ Promenade transforms for the holiday season. Expect a veritable feast of larger-than-life holiday decorations, plus jolly music, festive magic shows and trilling carolers.
It 's also super fun to view the action from above with a ride on the High Roller Observation Wheel. Take in 30 minutes of awesome Las Vegas views from the tallest observation wheel in the Western Hemisphere, at a nail-biting 550 feet above ground. You'll be able to spot the Vegas Strip, iconic skyscraping hotels, sightseeing helicopters buzzing past, and vast stretches of the great Mojave.
Ice skating at the Cosmopolitan
In winter, the Cosmopolitan's rooftop transforms into an ice rink where visitors can partake in the most quintessential of seasonal activities, complete with manufactured snow showers. Take a spin on the ice before whiling away a few hours by the firepits, sipping Christmassy cocktails, scoffing gooey s'mores and taking your pick from holiday movies or those spectacular skyline views.
Winter wonderland at the Bellagio
The dancing fountains at the Bellagio are a must-see whatever time of year, but catch them in December for full-on festive vibes as the water jets sway in time to Christmas classics by Bing, Mariah, Brenda Lee and others. Inside, the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens gets a fab festive makeover, with supersize displays featuring tinselly polar bears, Christmas baubles bigger than your head and thousands of twinkling lights, not to mention a skyscraping Christmas tree.
Ethel M Cactus Garden
Ethel M Cactus Garden
Traditional pine trees are just so last year at the Ethel M Cactus Garden, where Christmassy cacti and spiny succulents are dressed up in festive finery for the season. Go in the evening for maximum twinkly magic, complete with festive scenes that include a cute family of animatronic reindeer. The garden stays open until around 10PM through December and might just be the most magical Christmas experience in town.
Take in a show
If you're visiting in December, you'll find plenty of shows designed to get you into the Christmas spirit. Think classic festive hits performed live, immersive performances of The Nutcracker, and Christmas-themed comedy and magic shows.
Then there are the perennial favorite that continue into January and beyond, well after the seasonal shows have packed up and flown back to the North Pole. Hot tip: several permanent shows – including Cirque du Soleil spectaculars, world-class comedy and musical tribute acts are included with the Las Vegas pass from Go City, which gets you discounted entry to dozens of top Sin City shows, tours and attractions.
Get outta town!
Winter fun at Lee Canyon
Winter fun at Lee Canyon
It's hard to believe that just one hour from downtown Las Vegas there's real snow. Head to Lee Canyon for bags of winter fun, including skiing, snowboarding, tubing and more. Go for the snow sports, stay for the aprés ski: the scene here is sociable, relaxed and offers great food, drinks and views at The Lodge.
Day trip to the Grand Canyon or Hoover Dam
If you're visiting Las Vegas in winter, be sure to tick off at least one of these awe-inspiring out-of-town attractions. The Grand Canyon needs little introduction. Embark on an epic road trip to its scenic South Rim, passing multiple major landmarks along the way – the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Black Canyon and the 900-year-old Joshua Tree Forest, to name just a few. Once at your destination, you'll get a chance to walk the rim, ogling eye-popping rock formations, colorful crevasses and fabulous flora.
A day trip to the Hoover Dam is no less inspiring. Considered the greatest dam ever built, this epic feat of 20th-century engineering is a sight to behold. On arrival, you'll get a couple of hours to explore at your own pace and walk across the dam to the Arizona side. Check out locally arts and crafts and drop by the 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.
Las Vegas Big Bus tour
Las Vegas Big Bus tour
And, if a long coach trip out of town ain't quite your bag, fear not! You can always board the Big Bus instead. Truly one of the best and easiest ways to explore the sights of the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown.
Entertaining tour guides brimming with knowledge will point out highlights along the way, and regale you with tales and anecdotes of Sin City's history. Hop off for selfies at sights including the famous 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada' sign, the legendary Golden Nugget hotel and the Bellagio fountains, or stick around for the whole 2.5-hour loop for a fun whistle-stop tour of the town.
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.
Museums and more...
Real Bodies exhibition
Real Bodies exhibition
Examine the human anatomy and get up close (like, really close) to over 20 real human bodies that have been dissected, preserved and displayed in thought-provoking and educational ways at Real Bodies exhibition at Horseshoe Las Vegas. The exhibition examines the deeper meaning of life through 11 galleries that explore the inner workings of the human body, from what it means to be alive, to the emotional and cultural associations derived from the way the body works.
The Mob Museum
Did you know Las Vegas was essentially built by notorious mobsters like Bugsy Siegel, Lucky Luciano, Frank Costello and Meyer Lansky? Well, now you do. Take a deeper dive into Sin City's notorious criminal history at the Mob Museum, where real stories are brought to life with engaging, multi-sensory exhibits, rogues' galleries and hundreds of artifacts. Don't skip the chance to visit the old distillery and secret speakeasy for an illicit moonshine or two, fedoras and pinstripe suits optional.
Tower at the STRAT
Tower at the STRAT
What's the matter? High Roller not high enough for ya? The STRAT's observation deck has your back. At more than twice the height of its wheel-shaped little bro, this experience puts you a staggering 1,149 feet above tterra firma, with unbelievable 360-degree views of the Strip, Downtown and beyond. It ain't the the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States for nothing.
For a real adrenaline rush, put your fear of heights to the test on the STRAT's thrill rides while you're there. Fly up to 1,081 feet at 45 miles per hour on The Big Shot, or ride the X Scream – a giant teeter-totter that dangles victims riders way out over the edge of the STRAT at some 866 feet above the ground. Not, in other words, for the faint of heart.
Winter in Las Vegas: a shopaholic's paradise
Winter in Las Vegas: a shopaholic's paradise
Shopping in Las Vegas is a blast year-round, but bargains often abound in winter. Get all your Christmas shopping done when the Black Friday promotions in full swing in November and December, then come back in the New Year for the best of the January sales.
A bit like casinos and hotel rooms, there's no shortage of shops to choose from in Las Vegas. Pretty much every base is covered, from ultra-high-end boutiques and designer emporia, to local independents, souvenir stores, candy kingdoms and OTT themed malls (hello, the Venetian and Caesars!). For the full rundown of Sin City faves, check out our guide all the best places to shop in Las Vegas.
In the market for things to do in Vegas for the rest of the year? Get cool ideas for what to do when the mercury soars and get stuck into Las Vegas pass attractions that save you money on food and drink.
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