Las Vegas at Christmas 2026: Lights, Ice Rinks, Shows and Tips

Las Vegas at Christmas is one of the city's best-kept secrets. The desert is cool and clear, the resorts put up some of the most elaborate holiday displays in the country, and the weeks before Christmas are often the quietest and cheapest of the year on the Strip. The catch is that December fills up fast around rodeo week and New Year's Eve, so timing matters.

This guide covers the 2026 season: the free displays worth a detour, the light shows and ice rinks, holiday shows, Christmas Day dining, and when to book. If you're new to the city, start with our Las Vegas Strip map with every hotel in order to see how the resorts below line up.

Free holiday displays on the Strip

You can see the best of Christmas in Las Vegas without spending a cent. These are all free and walkable.

Bellagio Conservatory

The Bellagio Conservatory's winter display is the city's headline holiday sight: a towering tree (around 42 feet in recent years), thousands of flowers and a new theme every season. It is open 24 hours a day and free. In 2025 the display opened on November 14 and ran to January 3, so expect a mid-November opening for 2026. Go early in the morning or after midnight to avoid the crowds.

Wynn Las Vegas

Wynn Las Vegas fills its atrium and conservatory with poinsettias, decorated trees and oversized ornaments. Past seasons have used more than 8,000 poinsettias. Pair it with a walk through Encore next door.

The resort lobbies along the way

Most big resorts decorate their lobbies and casino floors, so a slow walk from Bellagio north to Wynn doubles as a holiday lights tour. Our Las Vegas Strip walking distances guide tells you how long each stretch takes.

Holiday lights beyond the Strip

The biggest light shows are a short drive from the Strip. A rental car or rideshare makes these easy.

Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Las Vegas Motor Speedway turns its grounds into a 3-mile drive-through display with more than 6 million lights. The 2026 season runs November 6, 2026 to January 3, 2027. You pay per car, and a Fast Pass skips the long queue on busy nights. In 2025 a standard carload was $39. Book ahead on the Glittering Lights website for the best price.

Ethel M Chocolates Holiday Cactus Garden

The Ethel M Chocolates factory in Henderson wraps its botanical cactus garden in more than a million lights. In 2025 it ran from November 6 to January 3, from 5 to 10 p.m., closed on Christmas Day. Entry became $3 per person in 2025, with part of the money going to local charities. Leave time for the chocolate shop.

Opportunity Village Magical Forest

The Magical Forest is a long-running local favorite, raising money for Opportunity Village, which supports people with intellectual disabilities. Expect a lit forest, rides and holiday treats. 2026 dates run from November 27, 2026 to January 1, 2027 on selected nights, closed on Christmas Day. Tickets started at $25 in 2025, and children 3 and under are free. Check the Opportunity Village website for the 2026 schedule.

Ice skating in Las Vegas

Skating under palm trees is a very Las Vegas way to spend a December evening.

• Fontainebleau Oasis Ice Rink: Fontainebleau Las Vegas sets up a real-ice rink on its pool deck from November 19, 2026 to January 17, 2027. It is billed as the largest real-ice rink on the Strip. Entry to watch is free; skating sessions start at $30 plus fees, with cheaper sessions for Nevada residents on selected dates. Details are on the Fontainebleau website.

• The Rock Rink at Downtown Summerlin: Downtown Summerlin has run an outdoor rink beside a 40-foot tree, with a free holiday parade on Friday and Saturday evenings. In 2025 it opened in mid-November.

Note that The Cosmopolitan's rooftop rink is gone. It closed after the 2024–25 season, so ignore older lists that still recommend it.

Christmas shows and December events

The Nutcracker at The Smith Center

Nevada Ballet Theatre stages George Balanchine's The Nutcracker every December at The Smith Center Downtown. In 2025 it ran December 13 to 28. Expect a similar mid-to-late December run in 2026, and book early for weekend matinees.

Holiday concerts on the Strip

Several residencies and touring acts add holiday dates each December. For 2026, Lindsey Stirling's "Snow Waltz" holiday show is listed at The Venetian Theatre on December 16, 18 and 19. Check the venue websites for confirmed dates before you buy.

National Finals Rodeo (December 3 to 12)

The National Finals Rodeo fills the Thomas & Mack Center for ten nights, December 3 to 12, 2026, and brings a big cowboy crowd to the city. Hotel prices rise that week, especially Downtown and near the Strip's south end. If you just want holiday lights and a quiet Strip, avoid these dates.

The Fremont Street tree lighting

The Fremont Street Experience holds a free tree lighting under its LED canopy in early December (December 5 in 2025). It is a good excuse to explore Downtown, covered in our Downtown Las Vegas and Fremont Street guide.

Christmas Day in Las Vegas

Las Vegas never closes, which makes it an easy place to spend Christmas Day. Casinos, most restaurants and the big shows keep going, although a few attractions (like the Ethel M garden and the Magical Forest) close for the day.

Many visitors book a holiday buffet or a special menu. The Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace and The Buffet at Wynn both run holiday service, usually at higher holiday prices and with reservations recommended. Resort steakhouses and Italian restaurants often offer set Christmas menus too. Our best restaurants on the Las Vegas Strip guide has more ideas. Book a few weeks ahead, because Christmas Day tables go quickly.

When to book, and what it costs

Here's the pattern that matters for your budget:

• Early December to about December 22: often one of the cheapest stretches of the year on the Strip, outside rodeo week (December 3 to 12, 2026).

• Christmas week: a little busier, still far cheaper than New Year's.

• December 29 to January 1: the most expensive nights of the year. Rates can be several times higher than the week before. Our New Year's Eve in Las Vegas guide covers that night in detail.

December weather is mild by day and cold at night. Bring a warm jacket for the evening light shows and the rink, and see our best time to visit Las Vegas guide for how December compares with the rest of the year.

Plan your holiday trip on the map

Open the interactive 3D map to see where the displays are in relation to your hotel. Tap the Bellagio Conservatory, Wynn and Fontainebleau to plan a holiday walk along the Strip, then zoom out to find the Speedway and Ethel M for an evening drive.