Visiting Vegas? These are the Las Vegas events in December you shouldn’t miss.
Visiting Las Vegas in December? These are the best things to do in Las Vegas this December.
To help you plan your time here, we’ve put together a monthly guide of all the happenings in December and organized them by date and category.
These are all December-only and events limited to a few months, but if you want things to do available year-round, check out our ultimate Vegas bucket list, bucket list experiences, top Las Vegas shows, and indoor activities.
This post may contain affiliate links, where we receive a small commission on sales of the products that are linked at no additional cost to you. All opinions are always our own. Read our full disclosure for more info. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.
Last Updated: December 24, 2023
Weather in Las Vegas in December
- Average Temp in Las Vegas in December: high of 60° F, low of 27° F
- Rainfall: 0.5 inches
- Humidity: 46%
We love Las Vegas in December. Not only is the weather nice and cool (and even cold at times), which is perfect for outdoor adventures, but the holiday events make the city extra magical. We’ll cover some of the holiday events in this post, but be sure to check out our more detailed post here.
Early December is relatively quiet, but as you get closer to the holidays, it does get busier so hotel rates aren’t any lower.
VEGAS IN Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
Top 5 Things to Do in December in Las Vegas
These are our top 5 we recommend this month
- Bellagio Conservatory Winter Display (Nov 11, 2023 to Jan 6, 2024)
- Ethel M Holiday Display (Nov 3 – Dec 31, 2023)
- Cosmopolitan Ice Rink (Dec 2, 2023-Jan 1, 2024)
- David Blaine, Wynn (Dec 29-31, 2023)
- Bruno Mars, Park MGM (Dec 22-23, 28-31, 2023)
Holiday Things to DO in Las Vegas in December
December 2: Parade of Lights on Lake Mead, Lake Mead
December 2: Las Vegas Great Santa Run, Fremont Street Experience
December 31: Hard Rock Cafe – New Year’s Eve Party
December 31: New Year’s Eve Fireworks, The Strip
December 31: New Year’s Eve at Fremont Street Experience
December 31: New Year’s Eve at AREA 15
Here are more holiday events happening throughout December
- Bellagio Conservatory Winter Display (Nov 11, 2023 to Jan 6, 2024)
- Enchant Christmas, Las Vegas Ball Park & Resorts World (Nov 24 – Dec 31, 2023)
- Ethel M Holiday Display (Nov 3 – Dec 31, 2023)
- Glittering Lights, Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Nov 9, 2023 – Jan 7, 2024)
- Holiday Lights at the LINQ
- Ice Skating at The Park, The Cosmopolitan (Dec 2-25, 2023)
- Mystic Falls Park Winter Wonderland Holiday Display, Sam’s Town (Nov 24-Dec 23, 2023)
Things to Do on Christmas Day
Unlike most cities, almost everything on the Strip is open on Christmas Day. That gives you a ton of choices for shops, casinos, bars, restaurants, buffets, and more. Here are our top 5 recommendations. Check out this post for food recommendations on Chirstmas Day.
- Bellagio Conservatory Winter Display
- Ethel M Holiday Display
- Holiday Lights at the LINQ
- Enchant Christmas, Las Vegas Ball Park & Resorts World
- Ice Skating at The Park, The Cosmopolitan
Best Places to Celebrate New Years
- Fireworks will Launch from the Rooftops of:
- ARIA Resort & Casino
- Caesars Palace
- MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
- Planet Hollywood Resort & Casion
- Resorts World Las Vegas
- The STRAT Hotel
- TI – Treasure Island
- The Venetian
- Live Performance to Ring in the New Year
- DJ Sets for the New Year
- Lil Jon, JEWEL Nightclub at ARIA
- Steve Aoki, OMNIA Nightclub at Caesars
- DJ Pauly D, Marquee Nightclub at The Cosmo
- Illennium, Hakkasan at MGM Grand
- Tiesto, Zouk at REsorts WOrld
- T. Genasis, TAO Nightclub at The Venetian
- The Chainsmokers, XS Nightclub at Wynn
- Other New Year Parties
- AREA15 New Year’s Eve Experience
- Legacy Club Light Up the Night at Circa
- The Ice Rink’s Fireworks Viewing Part at The Cosmo
- The Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay
- Midnight in Munich at Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas
More: Your Essential Guide to Christmas in Las Vegas
Las Vegas Shows December 2023
- December 1: Depeche Mode, T-Mobile Arena
- December 1-2: Usher, Park MGM
- December 1-2, 15-16: Erika Jayne, House of Blues
- December 1-9: Barry Manilow, Westgate
- December 1-9: Carrie Underwood, Resorts World
- December 1-16: U2, MSG Sphere
- December 1-16: Garth Brooks, Caesars Palace
- December 2: Willie Barcena, Virgin Hotels
- December 2-16: Miranda Lambert, Planet Hollywood
- December 3: Armor for Sleep, Virgin Hotels
- December 3: Highly Suspect, Brooklyn Bowl
- December 6: A John Waters Christmas, Virgin Hotels
- December 7: Ryan Bingham & The Texas Gentlemen, Virgin Hotels
- December 7: Warren Zeiders, The Cosmopolitan
- December 7: Mark Chesnutt, Golden Nugget
- December 7: Pierce The Veil, Brooklyn Bowl
- December 8: Mark Wills, Golden Nugget
- December 8: Gary Allan, The Cosmopolitan
- December 8: Cody Johnson, MGM Grand
- December 8: Jeff Dunham, Planet Hollywood
- December 8: Chris Isaak, Palms
- December 8: Mammoth WVH & Nita Strauss, House of Blues
- December 8-24: Nevada Ballet Theater: The Nutcracker, The Smith Center
- December 8-9: Cody Jinks, Park MGM
- December 9: David Nail, Santa Fe Station
- December 9: Confederate Railroad, Golden Nugget
- December 9: Jon Pardi, Mandalay Bay
- December 9: Ian Munsick, The Cosmopolitan
- December 9: Nimesh Patel, House of Blues
- December 9: Clay Walker, Palms
- December 10: Ray Wylie Hubbard, Golden Nugget
- December 10: 95.5 The Bull’s Santa Jam: Parmalee & Elle King, Palms
- December 10: Randy Houser & Tracy Lawrence, Virgin Hotels
- December 10: Cotton Club Revue, Rio
- December 11: Little Texas, Golden Nugget
- December 11: Eddie Trunk’s 40th Anniversary, House of Blues
- December 12: Charley Crockett, Virgin Hotels
- December 12: Rodney Atkins, Golden Nugget
- December 13: David Lee Murphy, Golden Nugget
- December 13: Living Legends & Brother Ali, Brooklyn Bowl
- December 13-16: Lainey Wilson, Virgin Hotels
- December 14: The Bellamy Brothers, Golden Nugget
- December 14-15: Parker McCollum, The Cosmopolitan
- December 15: LeAnn Rimes, The Venetian
- December 15: Eddie Montgomery, Golden Nugget
- December 15: LeAnn Rimes, The Venetian
- December 16: Chris Young, The Cosmopolitan
- December 16, 29: Marc Rebillet, Brooklyn Bowl
- December 19: Aqua – Band, House of Blues
- December 22-23, 28-31: Bruno Mars, Park MGM
- December 23: Moein, The Cosmopolitan
- December 23-24: Grasshopper, The Venetian
- December 24: Googosh, The Cosmopolitan
- December 24: Shahram Shabpareh, Caesars Palace
- December 27: Thee Sacred Souls, Brooklyn Bowl
- December 28: Derek Hough, Palms
- December 28-31: Dita Von Teese, Horseshoe
- December 29: Blue Oyster Cult, Golden Nugget
- December 29: Summer Salt, House of Blues
- December 29: Mannheim Steamroller Christmas, The Orleans
- December 29-30: Yachtley Crew, Palms
- December 29-30: Gabriel Iglesias, The Cosmopolitan
- December 29-31: David Blaine, Wynn
- December 29-31: Luke Bryan, Resorts World
- December 30-31: Black Eyed Peas, The Venetian
- December 30-31: Christina Aguilera, The Venetian
- December 30-31: Post Malone, Fontainebleau
- December 31: Demi Lovato, The Cosmopolitan
More: 9 Las Vegas Shows You Can’t Miss
Comedy & More
- December 2: Adam Sandler, Mandalay Bay
- December 2: Sam Morril, Wynn
- December 8-9: Jim Gaffigan, Wynn
- December 8-9: Jim Jefferies, The Mirage
- December 15-16: Jeff Foxworthy, The Mirage
- December 26-28: Jon Lovitz, Tropicana
- December 31: John Oliver and Seth Meyers, Caesars Palace
More: 101 Things to Do in Las Vegas Bucket List
Conventions + Events in Las Vegas in May
- November 27 – December 1: AWS Re:Invent 2023, The Venetian
- November 29 – December 1: Marijuana Business Daily – MJBizcon 2023, Las Vegas Convention Center
- November 30 – December 3: Royal Court Coronation, Alexis Park
- November 30 – December 7: IT Infrastructure, Operations and Cloud Strategies Conference, The Venetian
- December 1-9: TSA Conference 2023, Horseshoe
- December 3: Santa’s Workshop, Santa Fe Station
- December 3-5: Live Design International Show 2023, Las Vegas Convention Center
- December 4-5: Digital Signage Experience 2023, Las Vegas Convention Center
- December 4-6: Millenium Assembly 2023, Green Valley Ranch
- December 6-7: NGWA Expo 2023, Las Vegas Convention Center
- December 6-8: Nuts and Bolts, Golden Nugget
- December 7-9: World IBJFF Jiu Jitsu No-Gi Championships 2023, Las Vegas Convention Center
- December 7-16: Cowboy Christmas 2023, Las Vegas Convention Center
- December 9-10: Sneakers Are Art 2023, Las Vegas Convention Center
- December 17: Holiday Spectacular, Gold Coast
- December 20: Crafters’ Christmas, Aliante
Sports
- December 2: Legends of Basketball Invitational: Washington vs Colorado State & Gonzaga vs USC, MGM Grand
- December 2: Golden Knights vs Washington Capitals, T-Mobile Arena
- December 4: Golden Knights vs St Louis Blues, T-Mobile Arena
- December 7, 9: NBA In-Season Tournament, T-Mobile Arena
- December 7-19: National Finals Rodeo, Thomas & Mack Center
- December 10: Golden Knights vs San Jose Sharks, T-Mobile Arena
- December 10: Las Vegas Raiders vs Minnesota Vikings, Allegiant Stadium
- December 12: Golden Knights vs Calgary Flames, T-Mobile Arena
- December 14: Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Chargers, Allegiant Stadium
- December 15: Golden Knights vs Buffalo Sabres, T-Mobile Arena
- December 15: Legacy Fighting Alliance, Palms
- December 16: UFC 296: Edwards vs Covington, T-Mobile Arena
- December 17: Golden Knights vs Ottawa Senators, T-Mobile Arena
- December 23: Desert Classic: Arizona Wildcats vs Florida Atlantic Owls, T-Mobile Arena
- December 23: Las Vegas Bowl, Allegiant Stadium
- December 28: Golden Knights vs Los Angeles Kings, T-Mobile Arena
- December 29: WWE: Live Holiday Tour, MGM Grand
What to Eat in Las Vegas in December
Whether you’re looking for fruits and vegetables at the farmer’s market or you want to eat farm to table, this is what you will find in season in Las Vegas (zone 9a).
- Fruits in season – pomegranates
- Vegetables in season – beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsnips, peas, radish, salad greens, spinach, swiss chard, turnips, winter squash
More: 49 Best Places to Eat in Las Vegas
The Best Farm to Table Restaurants in Las Vegas
Here are some of the best farm-to-table restaurants in Las Vegas to check out:
- Sparrow + Wolf, Chinatown (New American, 💰💰💰)
- Honey Salt, Westside (New American, 💰💰)
- Carson Kitchen, Downtown (New American, 💰💰)
- CRAFTkitchen, Anthem (New American, 💰💰)
- The Black Sheep, Southwest (New American / Vietnamese, 💰💰)
- Yardbird, The Strip (Southern / New American, 💰💰)
- True Food Kitchen, The Strip (Vegan / New American, 💰💰)
- Kitchen Table, Henderson (Breakfast & Brunch, 💰💰)
Tips for Visiting Las Vegas in December
- Want to avoid crowds? Weekdays and early mornings, in general, are quieter than nights and weekends.
- Pack layers – it will get cool at night, and AC is always pumping indoors. I keep a light jacket in the car year-round.
- Don’t forget sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, or any other gear for sun protection if you’re doing outdoor activities. We don’t plan on being back in Red Rock until October for hiking and November for climbing.
- Visiting on a budget? These are the top 25 free things to do in Las Vegas.
- Buy tickets early to popular shows and events. They sell out quickly!
- Save money on last-minute tickets at Tix4Vegas booths at Bally’s Grand Bazaar Shops, Showcase Mall, and Casino Royale if you’re flexible with shows (most likely not the popular ones). Tickets on Demand has permanently closed.
- Read all the fine print before you go. Some shows have limitations on what you can bring in (for instance, no large bags).
- Stay on the Strip if you want a quintessential touristy Vegas experience. Here are the top things to do on the Las Vegas Strip.
- Stay in Downtown Vegas if you want to hang out with locals in East Fremont. Here are the top things to do in Downtown Las Vegas (DTLV)
- Arrive early at the shows/events. Casinos can be a maze to navigate. In addition, it usually takes longer than you think to get from one spot on the strip to another.
What to Wear in Vegas in December
It’s cold in December, but if you’re in the sun, it can still be warm, so layers are key.
- Bring layers – layers are essential for visiting Las Vegas. As the temperatures get hot outside, they crank up AC inside. These are our favorite travel jackets.
- Dressy clothes – pack them if you plan on clubbing or eating at nicer restaurants. You will see a mix of tourists in casinos dressed both up and down.
- Shoes – If you’re going out at night, you’ll probably bring heels or dress shoes, but make sure you bring a pair of comfortable travel shoes. The casinos are massive, and you walk a lot to get from place to place.
Looking for what to wear to the airport? These are our ideal airport outfits and in-flight essentials.
Best Places to Stay in Las Vegas
Is December the Best Time to Visit Las Vegas?
If you’re mostly going to be indoors on the Strip, visit any time of the year since the temperature won’t matter.
For outdoor activities like hiking and climbing, you should visit between November and March. But if you’re here for the pool parties and lake life, this is the time!
VEGAS IN Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
Planning Checklist
- Get comprehensive insurance for your trip.
- Download these helpful language apps.
- Find a great deal on Las Vegas hotels.
- Arrange a rental car for your trip.
- Book a tour for your visit.
- Get airport lounge access.
- Buy a travel charger to keep your devices charged.
- Get a new backpack for your trip.
- Buy a Las Vegas travel guide.
- Pack the appropriate shoes for your trip.
- Don’t forget your in-flight essentials.
- Save money on attractions with Go City.
Do any of these things to do in Vegas in December interest you? Let us know if we missed anything! If you’re holding an event and would like to be added, please email us at hello [at] localadventurer.com.
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“Discovery consists not of seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes” – M. Proust
Esther + Jacob
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Las Vegas.
Follow on Instagram (E + J), YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest.