The best Christmas lights in Las Vegas

6 displays · 2 free · Nevada

Las Vegas treats Christmas the way it treats everything: as a production. A casino conservatory gets a full holiday makeover, a chocolate factory wraps half a million lights around a cactus garden, and a motor speedway runs one of the largest drive-through light shows in the country. Even the desert plays along, with crisp clear December nights made for being outside.

The season starts early here, with the speedway and cactus garden glowing by early November, and runs into the first days of January. The smart move is mixing the big ticketed spectacles with the surprising amount of free stuff on and off the Strip.

1.Glittering Lights

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Drive-through$35 to $60 per car

More than 6 million lights along a 2.5-mile course at the speedway, making it one of the biggest drive-through shows in the country. Tunnels of light and giant animated scenes roll past your windshield for a solid half hour. Weeknight pricing is meaningfully cheaper than peak weekends.

Season: Early November through early January

2.Holiday Cactus Garden

Ethel M Chocolates, Henderson

Walk-througharound $5 per person

The Ethel M chocolate factory drapes half a million lights over its three-acre botanical cactus garden, a tradition running more than 30 years. Glowing saguaros are a photo op you will not get anywhere else. Admission is just a few dollars, and the hot cocoa from the chocolate shop is the right call.

Season: Early November through early January

3.Enchant Christmas

Las Vegas Ballpark, Summerlin

Ticketed eventaround $30 to $50 per person

A giant illuminated maze billed as the world's largest, built across the outfield of the Las Vegas Ballpark, plus ice skating, a holiday market, and light sculptures. It is the splurge option, so look for off-peak dates. The Downtown Summerlin shops next door are decked out too.

Season: Late November through late December

4.Magical Forest

Opportunity Village, near the Strip

Ticketed eventaround $20 per person

A 2.5-acre holiday park with lit-up trees, carnival rides, a train, and mini golf wrapped in lights, all benefiting Opportunity Village's programs for people with disabilities. It has been a Vegas family tradition for decades. Your ticket money genuinely goes somewhere good.

Season: Late November through New Year's

5.Bellagio Conservatory Holiday Display

The Strip

Walk-throughFree

The Bellagio's glass-roofed conservatory gets a lavish holiday build each December, with towering trees, animated figures, and floral sculpture on a casino budget. It is free, open around the clock, and steps from the fountains, which add holiday songs to their rotation. Go late at night to dodge the crowds.

Season: Early December through early January

6.Mystic Falls Park Winter Wonderland

Sam's Town, Boulder Highway

Walk-throughFree

The indoor atrium park at Sam's Town runs a free nine-minute laser and light show set to holiday music several times nightly, with more than 26,000 lights around the waterfall. It is a locals' favorite well off the tourist path. Santa appears at the gazebo on select December nights.

Season: Late November through New Year's

Local tip

Hit Glittering Lights on a Monday through Thursday early in the season. The per-car price drops, the line at the speedway gate shrinks from an hour to minutes, and the show is identical. Then swing by Ethel M on the way back into town, since both sit on the same side of the valley as Henderson traffic allows.

Displays and prices are researched from recent seasons and stated approximately; hours, routes, and admission change year to year, so check an event's official page before you drive out.

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Common questions

When do Christmas lights go up in Las Vegas?

Earlier than almost anywhere. Glittering Lights at the speedway and the Ethel M Holiday Cactus Garden are both glowing by early November, while Enchant and the Magical Forest open around Thanksgiving. Most displays run into the first week of January.

Where can I see free Christmas lights in Las Vegas?

The Bellagio Conservatory's holiday display is free and spectacular, and the fountains outside play holiday songs all season. Off-Strip, the Mystic Falls Park light show at Sam's Town costs nothing, and casino lobbies across the Strip compete on decorations every December.

Is Glittering Lights worth it?

For sheer scale, yes. Six million lights over 2.5 miles is one of the biggest drive-through shows in America. The value swings a lot by night though, so aim for a weekday early in the season when car prices are lowest and the entrance line is short.

What Christmas lights are best for kids in Las Vegas?

The Magical Forest at Opportunity Village is built for them, with rides, a train, and mini golf among the lights, and proceeds support a great cause. The Ethel M cactus garden is an easy, cheap win too, and kids find glowing cacti hilarious.

Does it feel like Christmas in Las Vegas in December?

More than you would expect. Nights drop into the 40s, the mountains around the valley often have snow, and between the speedway, the cactus garden, and the resort displays, the city commits hard. Just do not expect a white Christmas on the valley floor.

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