Your Guide To a Winter Break in Vegas

Every holiday season, millions of people flock to Las Vegas for a cosy winter vacation, and for good reason. While Las Vegas is known for its dynamic gaming scene and luxurious casinos, there’s plenty more to draw you to the desert for a winter break

The weather is nice, the city dresses up with holiday decorations and festivities are everywhere. According to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, more than 3 million people visited Sin City in December 2021, which was more than double the previous year. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the best winter attractions Sin City has to offer.

1. Town Square

 
CREDIT: Hermann Luyken , 2012.10.05.163511_Town_Square_Las_Vegas_Nevada.jpg, CC-Zero

Located next to the intersection of I-15 and the 215 Beltway, Town Square is a great place to visit with tons of holiday festivities to enjoy. It’s an open-air mall filled with popular brand-name stores for holiday shopping, restaurants and movie theatres. Town Square is a pet friendly area, as long as pets are kept on a leash. Every Wednesday in December, people and pets can have their photos taken with Santa Claus surrounded by snow in the Square to celebrate a White Christmas. Since Town Square is located at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip, you may want to pass by the famous Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign for a quick photo opportunity.

2. Bellagio Botanical Gardens

 
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The Bellagio Botanical Gardens is a 14,000-square-foot conservatory that transforms every season into a miraculous wonderland – and the winter season is probably the most astonishing one! A team of engineers carefully assemble a grand display which includes a tall Christmas Tree surrounded by polar bears and cute animals posing near gazebos among plants and flowers. There is no entrance fee to the garden, and it never closes, so it can be visited on any day at any time. After enjoying the garden, the Bellagio as a whole is a great location – it has one of the best poker rooms in Las Vegas, as well as a host of other casino games. You could therefore combine the winter attractions with a typical Vegas pastime if you have a free night.

3. The Ice Rink At The Cosmopolitan

 
CREDIT: Allen McGregor, The_Cosmopolitan_of_Las_Vegas.jpg, CC-BY-SA-2.0

It rarely snows in Vegas, but there is a guaranteed chance of seeing snow at The Cosmopolitan. Every November, the hotel’s famous Boulevard Pool is transformed into a 4,200-square-foot ice rink with gently falling snow for people to experience a winter wonderland. To add to the mood, visitors can listen to Christmas music while enjoying beautiful views of the holiday-themed Strip from the rooftop location. The Cosmopolitan is also known for having one of the most modern casinos on The Strip, so if you’re feeling lucky, you can always sit at their poker or blackjack tables and experience gaming in luxurious style.

4. The High Roller Observation Wheel

 
CREDIT: Roman Eugeniusz , Downtown,_Las_Vegas,_NV,_USA_-_panoramio_(6).jpg, CC-BY-SA-3.0

Take a ride on one of Vegas’s most iconic structures to witness the amazing Las Vegas skyline first hand by going on The High Roller Observation Wheel. The diameter of this giant Ferris wheel is 520ft, and it measures 550 ft tall from ground to the highest cabin – that’s 107 ft taller than the London Eye! The ride from start to finish will take approximately 30 minutes. That may be a long time, but we assure you that the gorgeous view of the Las Vegas Strip seen from the pinnacle of the wheel is breathtaking and will be worth your time. Once you’re done with the ride, you can enjoy the holiday season walking the Linq Promenade as it becomes decorated with all sorts of holiday-themed ornaments and festivities. It’s a fun place to relax, shop, and dine in an open-aired entertainment area.

The City of Entertainment always makes for a great getaway – especially in the winter. There may not be snow, but there are polar bears, ice skating, and plenty of holiday festivities to enjoy in the middle of the desert. Once you’ve visited all of these places, check out our article on ‘10 Places To Add To Your Bucket List’.