In a city of spectacle, you can certainly splash out for some pretty fabulous events —or you can make like a local and take in some of the most interesting happenings for free or almost free.
Visit more than 450 light displays—gratis
The community-sourced and curated Las Vegas Christmas Lights Map is back and bigger than ever this year, with scores of verified private displays around town for a fun driving adventure and alternative to ticketed events.
Visit underwater Santa Claus
Visiting a diving Father Christmas at the Silverton’s free aquarium is a yearly tradition. Through Dec. 22, visitors on Saturdays and Sundays can share their wish lists and snap pics with the big guy. Tap once on the glass if you’ve been a good boy or girl. (Actually, don’t tap on the glass.) Stick around for Saturday story time with the famed Silverton Mermaids. He’s not the only SCUBA-certified Santa in town. A visit with a diving Santa costs the $29 price of admission at Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef Aquarium during its “Santa in the Shipwreck”-themed days (Dec. 15 and 21-24 at 4 p.m.), but kids four and under enter free.
Head downtown to help save Christmas
Fremont East’s quirky Container Park isn’t just one of the city’s most unique shopping destinations—it’s also home to one of the valley’s most fun, family-friendly (and free) holiday performances, the No Snow Santa Show, on Dec. 21 and 22 at 2pm. The clue’s in the name: there’s no snow in Las Vegas, and Santa needs your help to make some.
Hop on the hay wagon at Las Vegas’ favorite farm
Over a century ago, before Las Vegas as we know it was a glimmer in the eye of the city fathers, Gilcrease Orchard was doing what you might think the impossible in the Vegas Valley—farming fruit and vegetables. Today, the farm is a beloved family destination, with a few specials for the holidays. Just $5 gets you in for wagon rides through the decked-out fruit orchard, live music, visits with Santa, and more.
Celebrate—with chocolate—in a beloved cactus garden
For more than three decades, the locally-cherished Ethel M chocolate company has been decking out the three-acre cactus garden at its workshop for the holidays (with over one million lights) and opening the doors to an outdoor wonderland featuring plenty of entertainment, visits with Santa and, naturally, some very good hot cocoa. It’s $3 to get in, 100% of which goes to local charities.
Take the obligatory Bellagio Conservatory selfie
The seasonal display at the conservatory and “botanical garden” at Bellagio is often a first festive stop in town for good reason. This year, the lavish display is inspired by Clement Clarke Moore’s classic poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” TikTok wasn’t invented—neither were smartphones—when this photo-ready spot first made its Strip debut, so you can make up for lost time—at no charge.
