Las Vegas Christmas: A Big Party In Las Vegas For The Whole Family

Did Santa pack a Las Vegas Christmas vacation for your family this year? If you’ve been saving up for a family getaway, keep in mind that Vegas makes for an affordable winter break because businesses go all out with holiday décor, free outdoor festivities and hotel offers. Don’t be shy about rounding up the kids and painting the town red. (Just make sure it matches the color of Santa’s jacket.)

There’s plenty to see and do — much of it free — during a Las Vegas Christmas. Of course, if you do want to score tickets to see the top Las Vegas shows, look for discount tickets in advance at Viator Las Vegas.

Also, remember that Las Vegas can be colder in winter than visitors expect. So pack wisely. While you may get a heat wave, bring outerwear and carry a sweater for the icy cold air-conditioned hotels and restaurants. Lay out your holiday finest, choose your most stylish walking shoes, throw in some mittens, and you’ll be all set to take advantage of our guide to the best Las Vegas Christmas holiday activities for families.

Get Your Family Hooked Up At The LINQ

The LINQ is the most prominent of Christmas festivities! This development houses the famous Ferris wheel, High Roller, that towers 550 feet over The Strip. Hop into one of 28 heated pods for a sky-high view of the lights below. Spend some time wth the High Roller lesson plan to turn this fun event into a STEM educational experience. You don’t have to shell out anything to enjoy the development’s transformation into Winter PARQ.

The entire promenade is doused with free nightly “snowfalls” accompanying a light show using 2,000 lights syncopated to music. Brave the zip line, order a mocktail at the Ice Bar and visit the Museum of Selfies. Window shoppig and some of the retail fun is free. Plus, it’s a great place for families to take each other’s Christmas Card photos. Try standing by the 35-foot holiday tree with lights and ornaments adorning the Fountain Stage. There are more great photo ops at the adjacent Flamingo Hotel, where the hotel’s Flamingo Wildlife Habitat adds a touch of rosy pink to the holiday snowfall and lights.

Holiday Dining Spots For Families Near The Las Vegas Linq

The LINQ is easily accessed via the city’s Monorail stop, Harrah’s/The LINQ. In addition to the LINQ Hotel and Casino, there are shops and Brooklyn Bowl – considered more of a music venue than a bowling alley. It does, however, serve food from Blue Ribbon Sushi, which teens will love.

Pause for a meal at restaurants to suit every taste and wallet. Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen & Bar, Gordon Ramsay’s Fish & Chips and the patio at Chayo Mexican Kitchen + Tequila Bar are fun for families. Hash House A Go Go is a favorite for its huge breakfasts and exotic menu.

Kids at heart should head to any branch of Sprinkles, a cupcake shop that delivers tiny treats after hours through an ATM machine.

Las Vegas’s Best Free Christmas Family Festivities

Snow also falls on Town Square Park and a 45-foot Christmas tree. During November and December, catch the falling snow and community concerts performed by local school choirs. A 50-foot- tall tree under a spectacular canopy of lights transforms the free Fremont Street Experience downtown. Plan to be there for the Grand Menorah Lighting Ceremony.

Round out your holiday trip to Las Vegas with a good, old-fashioned Holiday Cactus Garden. See one this winter at the Ethel M Chocolate shop’s famous cactus collection, a 3-acre display doused in more than a million Christmas lights. Holiday lights glow nightly from 5pm-10pm while the shop and factory remain open. It’s always been a free attraction and this year, you’ll contribute a $2 entry fee to feed local families. Leave time to take a (delicious) self-guided chocolate factory tour and help Santa stuff some stockings.

Free Christmas Decor and Family Attractions At Top Las Vegas Hotels

Stop at the Bellagio Hotel entry to catch the famous fountain of dancing waters, a family attraction highlight any time of year. For the holidays, the Bellagio Conservatory in the hotel complex changes its garden display to floral arrangements featuring seasonal colors and decor. Take more selfies at the holiday tree embellished with twinkling lights and ornaments. If you can’t wait to get a peek, watch the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens live cam before departure! It promises to delight.

The same hotel group’s horticulture team transforms the Wynn Las Vegas public spaces into Wynn’s Winter Wonderland. The atrium becomes a winter village that recalls the novel Gulliver’s Travels. Best yet, it’s all free. It’s a Las Vegas Christmas experience you don’t want to miss.

Las Vegas Ticketed Christmas Lights Festivities

If you don’t have a car for your Las Vegas Christmas, call an Uber to see Glittering Lights at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Featuring more than 3 million lights along a 2.5-mile course intertwined with the speedway, this paid event is a family favorite for locals. Upgrade to a premium ticket and hop the Santa Tram for an eco-friendly ride, photo op with Santa, hot chocolate and popcorn. It’s open the first week in November through the first week in January. Midweek nights are the best value.

Your family might prefer Enchant Las Vegas, a relative new-comer to the holiday lights scene. This is a walk-through attraction with an enormous maze of lights formed into sculptures of animals and holiday characters. It’s easy to pause for photos or a warm-up snack. Book tickets ahead.

Affordable Holiday Attractions At Top Las Vegas Family Hotels

Families with preschoolers really enjoy the indoor Adventuredome amusement park at Circus Circus. The five-acre theme park also puts on a festive face, and hosts special performances by bands, dancers and carolers. Guests can also enjoy holiday drinks and treats. The Casino Hotel welcomes you free of charge, but you’ll have to pay for whichever rides the kids choose to go on.

Overlooking the heart of Las Vegas Boulevard, The Ice Rink at The Cosmopolitan sends chills up our spine with its amazing skyline views reflected off more than 4,200 square-feet of real ice. In addition to a transformation of the hotel’s Boulevard pool, visitors will find rental skates, a fire to roast S’mores over, scheduled snow showers, and a few stylish places to enjoy seasonal treats and beverages.

One way to avoid chilly nights with an experience the kids won’t forget is the New York, New York Big Apple Arcade. It has over 10,000 square-feet just for arcade fun. Your kids will have a chance to win their own prizes like candy and stuffed animals. Plus, several family ticket packages include the famous outdoor Big Apple roller coaster so you can start there and catch your breath in the arcade.  

Splurge On These Las Vegas Special Family Holiday Shows

Action-packed drama and holiday magic come to life at the Excalibur Hotel for its Twas the Knight Tournament of Kings dinner show. See knights and princesses take the arena among a medieval winter wonderland with music, faux snow and plenty of holiday costumes and cheers. Families feast on meals fit for a king while Knights joust and perform below. The transformation occurs between Thanksgiving and Christmas. As a bonus for the Dec. 31st crowd: We found the non-holiday themed dinner show a lively alternative to the adult scene on New Year’s Eve.

Other family-favorite performances include Cirque du Soleil where a world of fantasy delights kids of all ages. Get ready for an unforgettable night of live theater. I’ve heard other families say that “O” is their favorite among this extraordinary acrobatic / circus group’s repertoire.

Families love the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, which has a great family pool as well as its own aquarium. Shark Reef Aquarium, that undersea oasis, boasts 2,000 animals including sawfish, stingrays, a rare golden crocodile and, at our visit, Santa! Guests 12 and under had a scheduled time to meet Santa and his sidekick Jaws, snag a photo, and get a complimentary treat. Then, he donned a scuba suit and waved goodbye. I’m hoping he’s back for your family’s Las Vegas Christmas visit.

Family Christmas Travel Tips for Doing Las Vegas Right

Need a discount hotel for your Las Vegas Christmas? Click Here for the Best Las Vegas Hotel Deals!

Simplify Checkin: Take Advantage of the Airport’s Hotel Check-in Kiosks

Many of the big hotels have kiosks right in the airport so be sure to check in there, where the lines are much shorter. To save time, let one adult wait for the luggage while the other checks in. You’ll be given your key and can go directly to your room at the hotel.

Wear Comfortable Shoes, You’ll Need Them! And Maybe Bring a Stroller

It’s a must to wear comfortable walking shoes or sneakers at all times. There’s so much to see here that you’ll tend to put on lots of mileage. For some families, this is your cue to bring a stroller in case little ones are in that sticky zone between loving to walk and wanting a ride!

Clip Coupons, Activate Bar Codes, Look For Social Media Links

Check out all the free magazines and bar code offers in your hotel and around town. There are discounts on almost everything, so look for coupons IRL and on social media to save money at many shows, buffets, and attractions. If you see someone on line with a better coupon than yours, ask where he or she got it and try to get your own (sometimes they’ll have extras and offer to share). Many of the information desks in the casinos also offer discount coupons.

Call Ahead To Double Check Las Vegas’ Holiday Hours and Age Restrictions

Wherever you go for a Las Vegas family Christmas, be a cautious parent and call ahead. Things move and change quickly in Las Vegas. Some kid-friendly attractions, like the Stratosphere, become age 21 and up on New Year’s Eve.

Ask the Locals And Local Families Too

It’s also wise to ask your own hotel what events they recommend, and which to steer clear of. They’re staffed by locals with gems of insider knowledge you won’t find anywhere else.

Ask The Family To Map Out Plans Each Day

Ask your hotel for a free map. Focus on one geographic area of The Strip at a time so you’re not overwhelmed. Tackle one area in the morning and then go back to your hotel for a swim or a nap. Head in another direction in the evening. Don’t be fooled, a hotel that looks right next door to another could be a half-mile or more away.

Plan Your Las Vegas Family Christmas Visit Today

There’s more to see and explore beyond a Las Vegas Christmas adventure. See more holiday light celebrations and fun across the country with our Top Holiday Lights and Christmas displays in America.