Q:
We will be staying at Caesar's Dec 23-25th and were wanting to know what to see and do in Vegas at Christmas. We will have a car so would like to see any special Vegas Christmas decorations or programs.
A:
While not every casino goes all-out for the holiday season, and a number of production shows go "dark," there are plenty of family-friendly attractions to be seen around town. Here are some of this year's highlights.
The finishing touches were completed on Bellagio's famous annual display in the Botanical Gardens and Conservatory, which this year features an eco-friendly theme. It takes a team of more than hundred gardeners, engineers, carpenters, and painters working around the clock for five days to build the winter wonderland, which features a giant rocking horse, polar bears fabricated of white carnations which are recycled into mulch when they need to be replaced, the ever-popular animatronic penguins, 10,000 poinsettias, and a 45-foot tree decorated with 10,000 LED lights. The famous dancing fountain display also switches to a repertoire of holiday songs for the holidays.
"Winter in Venice" is already underway at Venetian/Palazzo, running through January 6, where you can enjoy the festive floral displays inside, or you take a gondola ride through the icicle-festooned canals. Outside features a spectacular nightly light show, a massive 65-foot LED tree, and skating on the synthetic rink. There's also a schedule of holiday concerts and events (some free, others not).
For the first time this year, the Cosmopolitan also has a real ice rink, with views overlooking the Strip, while the skating rink returns to Lake Las Vegas, too.
The Ethel M Chocolate Factory in Henderson once more has decorated its 3-acre cacus garden with LED lights, with regular visits from Santa, local carolers, and the chance to snag some free chocolates while you're there. The free attraction, open daily from 5 to 10 p.m., runs through January 1.
Springs Preserve is also lighting up its botanical gardens in an array of LED lights for the annual Holiday Spectacular, which also features reindeer rides, carolers, and holiday arts and crafts. It's open from 5 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 8 and 9 and again from Dec. 15-23, with tickets priced at $8 for adults, $5 for children ages 5 to 12, and free for kids 4 and under.
Opportunity Village's Magical Forest features hundreds of decorated trees, oversized gingerbread houses, the Forest Express train, and Santa in his workshop and is open through January 6. General admission is $9 for children and $11 for adults (rides are extra) and it's open nightly from 5:30 p.m.
The holiday displays at Wynn/Encore this year include gingerbread replicas of both resorts, 30 holiday trees, 10,000 multicolored poinsettias, 21 mirrored obelisks, 33 wreaths, 2,500 feet of garland, 120 floral sculptures, and six ornate menorahs. Like those at Bellagio and Venetian, they're free to enjoy.
We haven't checked it out in person yet, but have heard that this year's Glittering Lights drive-through attraction at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is particularly spectacular. The displays, comprising more than 2 million LED lights, feature tributes to Las Vegas icons including Elvis and Liberace, plus you can warm up with hot chocolate and munch on kettle corn sold by local Boy Scouts. It's open daily from 5:30 p.m. through Jan. 6, with tickets at $15 per car Monday through Thursday and $20 on the weekend.
For something a little different, check out the "submerged Santa" swimming with the sharks in Silverton's awesome 117,000-gallon saltwater tank from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday until Christmas, while the Zombie Apocalypse Store on Spring Mountain will be home to a "Zombie Santa" starting soon (call for confirmation on days/times).
Crystals designer shopping mall at CityCenter is decorated with hundreds of seasonal plants, plus white LED Christmas trees draped in crystal as well as numerous massive traditional trees imported from Oregon.
Downtown, you'll find a massive tree on Fremont Street, plus the annual 12-day Holiday Festival featuring millions of twinkling lights, a classic Santa accompanied by a bevvy of sassy showgirls, and live nightly free festive entertainment.
The Mystic Falls attraction at Sam's Town, which is extensively decorated for Christmas, features a 15-minute laser light hourly from 5 to 10 p.m. through Jan. 1, with appearances by Cowboy Santa from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and from noon to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Four Seasons is home to the annual Gingerbread Village, comprising twenty gingerbread structures and a working carousel made entirely of chocolate and sugar, with holiday cooking classes for kids to create a replica gingerbread house and decorate cookies and ornaments.
Other venues worth checking out for their holiday displays include Fashion Show Mall, Town Square, Tivoli Village, and the District at Green Valley Ranch.
Keep an eye on "Today's News" for additional attractions and festive events as the holidays approach. Plus, each year the R-J posts listings of the most spectacular neighborhood displays, inviting residents to write in and nominate their neighbors, so we'll be posting a link to this year's top (and over-the-top) houses when they're announced.
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