Winter can be a wonderful time in the great state of Nevada, thanks to the variety of activities and events celebrating the holidays and the winter season. Check out these 11 opportunities for a fun and exciting wintertime.
1. Ice Skating at The Cosmopolitan
The ice skating rink at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas opened on November 15. The Boulevard Pool is turned into ice for skaters to enjoy high above the Strip. You can skate across 4,200 square feet of ice, as well as toasting s’mores and enjoying seasonal food and drink. There are also special events throughout the winter, so check out The Cosmopolitan's website or social media to find one that interests you.
https://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/ice-rink
2. Bellagio Fountains, Conservatory, and Botanical Gardens
The Bellagio is one of Las Vegas's most famous attractions with its impressive fountains, conservatory, and botanical gardens, which are specially decorated for each season. Winter here is particularly beautiful with all the lights and holiday displays, including the largest Christmas tree you're likely to find on the Las Vegas Strip.
https://bellagio.mgmresorts.com/en/entertainment/conservatory-botanical-garden.html
3. Mount Rose Skiing, Snowboarding or Snowshoeing
If you enjoy skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing, Mount Rose is a great place for you.
"When the snow falls, the mountainsides become a backcountry bonanza," according to the Travel Nevada website. "The Mount Rose Wilderness includes meandering snow fields, challenging steeps, open bowls, and numerous chutes and basins. Stick on your skins, flick on your avalanche beacon, pick a line, and climb to the top. You may even want to save your lunch break until you come across the tiny, inconspicuous hut that straddles Contact Pass."
https://skirose.com/mountain-information/
4. "The Polar Express" at Carson City’s V&T Railway
The Polar Express at the V&T Railway in historic Carson City is a great family activity that is sure to put you in the holiday spirit. The train ride includes a visit from Santa, hot chocolate, a keepsake bell, and a telling of the holiday classic story The Polar Express.
The Polar Express runs from mid-November through Christmas Eve on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Get your tickets as early as possible because they sell out early.
https://vtrailway.com/train-rides/polar-express/
5. The Valley of Fire
The Valley of Fire State Park isn't a winter wonderland in the traditional sense, but it is absolutely beautiful and makes for a great winter outing because it is very hot during the warmer months. Winter is the perfect time to explore this scenic area, thanks to the much milder temperatures.
http://parks.nv.gov/parks/valley-of-fire
6. See Santa Swimming with the Sharks
Each year, Santa makes an appearance at the Shark Reef aquarium at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, and goes swimming with the sharks in his full uniform. This is another great family holiday activity that is sure to be remembered for a lifetime.
https://mandalaybay.mgmresorts.com/en/entertainment/shark-reef-aquarium.html
7. Winter Lights at the Cactus Garden
The cactus garden next to the Ethel M. Chocolate factory in Henderson features over 300 species of plants, and is beautiful year-round. However, in the winter, it is turned into a gorgeous display of holiday lights and animated characters. While you're there, take a free, self-guided factory tour, which shows how the candy is made.
https://www.ethelm.com/pages/botanical-cactus-garden
8. Magical Forest at Opportunity Village
Opportunity Village in Las Vegas has a Magical Forest holiday event on selected evenings through the end of the year. Opportunity Village describes it as "a winter wonderland with millions of sparkling lights, exciting rides, great food and endless holiday cheer." Even better, each dollar spent at the Magical Forest goes toward programs and services for over 3,000 people with disabilities at Opportunity Village.
https://www.opportunityvillage.org/events
9. Tahoe Meadows Snow Play
If sledding is your thing, or your kids' thing, be sure to visit Tahoe Meadows. The Snow Play area is a slope along Mt. Rose Highway about 6½ miles from Incline Village. It's considered to be one of the best hills in the area for sledding and sliding. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own saucers, tubes, or plastic toboggans.
http://www.sierrasnowplay.com/tahoe/tahoe_meadows.html
10. Bird Watching at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
If you enjoy bird watching and wildlife in general, visit the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, located approximately 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The Refuge protects threatened and endangered bird species, many of which occur nowhere else in the world. Encompassing over 23,000 acres of wetlands and alkaline desert uplands, it features some of the best wintertime bird watching in the United States.
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/ash-meadows
11. New Year's Eve in Vegas
If you want to attend a great party this winter, why not go all out and check out New Year's Eve in Las Vegas? What better way to close out 2022 than by heading to the Strip and enjoying the fireworks with 300,000 other people? At least eight famous casino resorts are expected to shoot off fireworks from their roofs.
https://www.vegas.com/holidays-in-las-vegas/new-years-eve/
There is plenty to do in Nevada in the wintertime. Make this winter and holiday season one to remember by taking part in one or more of these activities.
The information provided is presented for general informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal or business advice. Any views expressed in this article may not necessarily be those of Nevada State Bank. Nevada State Bank is a division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A. Member FDIC