At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season
Las Vegas in December — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Las Vegas in December offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for families, live music & festivals. Expect temperatures of 4–14°C, around 3 days of rain, and high crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around $165–480 for mid-range travellers. Book accommodation two to three months ahead — the most popular rooms sell out fast during peak visiting windows.
Contents12 sections
December is the loudest month and the most expensive week. The first half belongs to the National Finals Rodeo, which brings a crowd the city sees at no other time of year and fills the hotels with it. The last week belongs to the holidays, and New Year's Eve on the Strip is the single largest night Las Vegas stages.
Between the two there is a genuine lull, and it is one of the better-kept pieces of timing in the Las Vegas calendar.
#Weather in Las Vegas in December
Las Vegas in December averages 4–14°C (39–57°F) with around 3 days of rain, and crowds are high.
December is the coldest month alongside January: afternoons around 14°C and nights near 4°C.
Rain averages three days, which is as wet as it gets here.
The dry air makes the evenings feel colder than the figure. Snow does not settle in the valley in a normal year, though the mountains around it hold it and are clearly visible from the Strip.
Days are at their shortest, so the lights come on early and the city spends more of the month in the mode it does best.
#What to Do in Las Vegas in December
The rodeo, in the first half. The National Finals Rodeo is held in Las Vegas each December and it transforms the city for its run: different crowd, different bars busy, western wear everywhere. Even if you do not attend, it is the most distinctive week the city has.
The holiday lights. The resorts compete at Christmas and the displays inside the larger properties are genuinely worth the walk, which is convenient given the temperature outside.
New Year's Eve. The Strip closes to traffic, the fireworks launch from multiple casino rooftops at once, and several hundred thousand people stand in the road to watch. It is the city at maximum spectacle and maximum price.
The desert, still. Red Rock and Valley of Fire remain good in December, with the shortest daylight of the year to plan around.
#Getting Around
Comfortable for walking by day and cold after dark. The Deuce and the monorail run as always.
Two exceptions. Rodeo week concentrates demand hard, and New Year's Eve closes Las Vegas Boulevard to vehicles entirely, which means no rideshare, no taxi and a long walk in whatever you chose to wear on one of the coldest nights of the year.
#Budget & Costs
December holds the most expensive days of the Las Vegas year. The Christmas-to-New-Year stretch is the peak, and rodeo week is not far behind.
The middle of the month, roughly between the two, is a genuine lull and among the better value stretches of the winter.
The resort fee and 13.38% room tax apply on top of whatever rate you booked, and on a New Year rate they are a substantial number in their own right.
#Food & Dining
The middle of the month is easy. The first and last weeks are not: rodeo week fills the steakhouses, and the Christmas-to-New-Year stretch moves nearly everything worth eating at to a fixed menu booked well in advance.
Chinatown on Spring Mountain Road remains the best value in the city and the most reliable option in a week when the Strip is committed.
#Nightlife
Busy at both ends of the month and quiet in the middle. New Year's Eve is the largest club night of the year with pricing to match, and tickets for the bigger venues sell out well ahead.
Downtown runs its own New Year celebration under the Fremont canopy, which is ticketed and cheaper than the Strip equivalents.
#Shopping
The holiday season runs at full price until the day after Christmas, when the discounting starts and continues into January.
Sales tax is added at the till.
#Culture & Etiquette
Tipping is structural: fifteen to twenty per cent at a table, a dollar or two a drink, cash for housekeeping.
Casino floors are built to keep you on them, and dress codes are enforced.
December has one etiquette point worth more than the others: on New Year's Eve the Strip becomes a pedestrian space with several hundred thousand people in it. Agree a meeting point rather than relying on a phone signal, and dress for standing outside for hours rather than for the party.
#Essential Local Phrases
| Term | What it actually means |
|---|---|
| The rodeo | The National Finals Rodeo, held here each December and unlike anything else in the calendar |
| Resort fee | A compulsory nightly charge on top of the room rate |
| Comp | Given free by the property, usually earned through play |
| Coat check | A staffed cloakroom, essential in December |
| Locals casino | An off-Strip property aimed at residents, cheaper at almost everything |
| The Deuce | The double-decker bus running the length of the Strip |
#Packing List
- A proper coat, not a jacket, for evenings
- Layers, since interiors run warm and outdoors is genuinely cold
- Comfortable shoes that will stand hours of standing on New Year's Eve
- Gloves and a hat if the last week is the plan
- Moisturiser and lip balm for very dry air
- Something that meets a dress code, which December enforces more than most months
- A bag that can carry a coat once you are inside
#Safety & Health
The cold is mild by most standards but the evenings are long and the air is dry, which catches out visitors who packed for a city they think of as hot.
New Year's Eve is the specific risk: very large crowds, a closed road, several hours outside in the cold, and a lot of alcohol. Eat properly, dress for the temperature rather than the photographs, and agree where to meet if a group separates.
On the desert day trips, the shortest daylight of the year means starting back earlier than feels necessary.
#Backup Plans (Cold, or a Sold-Out Week)
- The resort holiday displays, which are indoors and free
- The connected resort interiors
- A show matinee
- Chinatown for a long lunch
- Downtown's New Year event, which is cheaper than the Strip and easier to leave
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is on in Las Vegas in December?
Two things dominate and they are at opposite ends of the month. The National Finals Rodeo is held here each December and transforms the city for its run, bringing a crowd it sees at no other time. The last week belongs to the holidays, and New Year’s Eve on the Strip is the largest single night the city stages.
When is the cheapest time to visit Las Vegas in December?
The middle of the month, roughly between the rodeo and the holiday build-up. It is a genuine lull and among the better value stretches of the winter, with easy restaurant reservations and cheap midweek show seats, sitting between the two most expensive periods of the year.
What happens on the Strip on New Year’s Eve?
Las Vegas Boulevard closes to vehicles, which means no rideshare, no taxi and a long walk in whatever you chose to wear on one of the coldest nights of the year. Fireworks launch from multiple casino rooftops at once and several hundred thousand people stand in the road to watch. Agree a meeting point rather than relying on a phone signal.
How cold is Las Vegas in December?
It is the coldest month alongside January: afternoons around 14°C and nights near 4°C. The dry air makes evenings feel sharper than the number suggests, and the days are at their shortest, so the lights come on early and the city spends more of the month in the mode it does best.