15 Top Activities for Christmas in Utah

Utah is a magical place to be in the Winter and especially during Christmas time. There is so much to do during the holidays, but I have hand picked some of the most amazing to add to this list of top 15 Christmas activities in Utah!

Updated December 2, 2024

Where to stay for Christmas in Utah:

Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City–

I recommend this 5-star hotel in the heart of Salt Lake City.  Trolley Square is 1.7 miles from the hotel and Utah Museum of Natural History is 2.4 miles away. It’s a really nice and comfortable hotel in a great location.

Hyatt House Salt Lake City-

This is a great option for downtown Salt Lake City if you are traveling with family or just love having the comfort of your own kitchen.

Temple Square is a 9-minute walk from the accommodations, while Trolley Square is 1.6 mi away. Salt Lake City International Airport is 4.3 mi from the property.

Black Rock Mountain Resort-

We stayed at The Black Rock Mountain Resort on our recent winter trip in Utah and we highly recommend it! It’s great for everyone, but we really loved it for families.

They have suites equipped with kitchens and a living area so you can cook food and have plenty of space for your family. They also have 2 and 3 bedroom suites!

The amenities are great and they have a heated pool, hot tub and Sauna. There’s also a HUGE entertainment area with tons of TV’s, pool tables and ping pong tables. Down the hall from this area, they also have an arcade with at least a dozen games which is such a fun place to hang out after a day of cold adventures in the snow.

There is even an on-site Bar and Restaurant as well. The food at the restaurant was very good and the views of the snowy mountains can’t be best!

One last huge perk is the free shuttle they offer to ski areas and downtown Main Street which is especially useful when visiting Utah in the Winter.

1- Temple Square

Temple Square is a must for locals and visitors alike at Christmas time. Visiting around the holidays is one of my favorite traditions each year. All of Temple Square is lit up in magical lights and there are several cultural nativities placed all around the 35 acre grounds.

Often times, there are free concerts and performances. Local groups- schools, choirs, bands- you name it- perform throughout the season. (I even performed here with my high school choir back in the day).

While seeing the lights at Temple Square, I always like to stop by the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to get warm and to see the beautiful Christmas Tree they have on display- definitely one of the best ones in all of Utah!

I also like to stop in at the Nauvoo Café when I am there for a delicious hot Cocoa and if you are hungry, they serve up yummy warm soups and chicken pot pies!

If you are looking for a sit down meal- you can check out the Lion House Pantry, the Garden or the Roof.(Reservations may be required for the Garden and the Roof at this time of year.) The Roof is one of the nicest restaurants in all of Utah with a spectacular view overlooking Temple Square!

Important info:

This year’s Christmas light display began Friday evening, Nov. 29, at 4:30 p.m. MST. They will continue through Jan. 1, 2025, from 6 to 8 a.m. and from 4:30 to 10 p.m. This is also a free activity which is an added bonus.

The temple is still under renovation, but there are still a lot of lights to see and you can still walk around the beautiful grounds. This is one of the best activities to do for Christmas in Utah.

2- Christmas in Color

It’s freezing outside, but you still want to do a Christmas activity? Don’t fret, Christmas in Color has you covered. You get to stay bundled up and warm in your car while you drive through acres of more than 1.5 million lights synchronized to holiday music that you can hear right through your car radio!

You’ll see giant snowmen, Santa, arched pathways and tons more! The music synchronization is seriously super cool and it is fun for the whole family. You just pay $34.99 per vehicle and this year it is located in South Jordan, Utah. Make sure to book your time slot ahead of time.

Check out this website to buy your tickets.

3- Thanksgiving Point

Thanksgiving Point is family favorite all year long  and Christmas is no exception! During Christmas time, Thanksgiving Point sets up Luminaria– a mile long walk into an enchanted holiday world. It is such a unique experience because there are over 25 scenes and they each have their own themes!

There is even one spot where there is a really long hill and there are over 5000 luminaries set up on it! The luminaries actually light up to form a moving picture. There is also a nativity scene and also fire pits along the way to enjoy some hot cocoa or s’mores!

There is also a new Tree of Life Garden this year and an incredible Fire and Light show!

And to top it all off, there are even interactive Christmas games for kids to play. Luminaria is $24 a ticket per adult so it isn’t the cheapest activity, but it will definitely be a memorable one.

Buy your tickets here!

I also love going to the front entrance area of Thanksgiving Point during Christmas time because there are also reindeer’s and cool ice sculptures around! I also really like the café there, they have really delicious home made sandwiches. Another favorite thing to do is visit the farm area and hang out with goats, llamas and more.

Important Info: Open from 4-9 PM nightly, closed Sundays

$24 per adult, $17 per children and under 3 is free.

Interested in other fun things to do in Utah in the Winter, check out this post

4- Gardner Village

Located just 12 miles south of downtown Salt Lake, lies Gardner Village, the cutest historic shopping plaza. Gardner Village has something to do in every season and Christmas is no exception. Gardner Village was even recently featured on a Hallmark movie starring Lindsay Lohan.

Gardner Village is so fun because it is an adorable and quaint village with cobblestone roads with plenty of cute shops, including a chocolate shop, a bakery and even a full restaurant called Archibald’s which serves up some really yummy comfort food.

Gardner Village goes all out for Christmas in Utah and decorates the entire place with cute little elf figurines. They even have little scavenger hunt forms so that you can take your little ones and try to find all of them.

The elves are so cute and funny and they have done the best job setting up different displays and themes with them, each one telling a different story. Trust me, it’s adorable!

There are also just really cute Christmas decorations everywhere so it’s a really great place for taking pictures as well. Other fun Christmas events include breakfast with Santa (a ticketed event) and their Escape room becomes a Grinch theme. “Home for the Holidays” Music Dinner Show,  “Magic of the Season” multi-course meal and magic show, Snowball Express train rides, relaxing spa visits, holiday shopping and so much more.

Click here to find out more about Gardner Village at Christmas time.

5- The Grand America Windows

My family has visited the Grand America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City for their special Christmas windows for many years now. The kids get really excited to see all of the different themes! The Grand America puts on a Grand Christmas Holiday Window Stroll and they showcase 14 different enchanting displays capturing the joy of the holidays.

Every year the theme is different and in 2024, the theme is about Chuck the snowball and his Yeti  friends and it looks pretty cute.

The Grand America is also decked out for the season and there are several beautiful Christmas trees inside as well as a beautifully displayed tree in the outside courtyard. The café at the Little America across the street is delicious and is perfect for dinner or dessert.

They also have special holiday meals and a Christmas themed afternoon tea at The Grand America, which would make a great addition to seeing the holiday windows.

Important Info:

Hours-

Nov. 1 – Dec. 20
Sunday – Wednesday:
12 PM – 9 PM
Thursday – Saturday:
12 PM – 5 PM
Dec. 21 – Jan. 1
12 PM – 10 PM

Click here to find out more about Holidays at The Grand America

6- The Annual Christmas Carol Sing Along

The Annual Christmas Carol Sing-a-long is back in 2024 and is definitely one of the best activities to do for in Utah. One of the best parts? It’s free!

Thousands of people gather together at the Delta Center to sing carols and enjoy wholesome Christmas entertainment including a visit from Santa Claus himself! A lot of families get really into the event and get all dressed up in Christmas costumes or matching Ugly Christmas Sweaters in hopes that they will make it on the Jumbo-tron.

The Jazz Bear is also there to celebrate running throughout the crowds and throwing free SWAG to the crowd. Each year there is a different guest performance and it is always really good! This year will feature Calvary Baptist Church Choir, Jon Schmidt of the Piano Guys and Donny Gilbert and the West Valley Symphony.

My family had an absolute blast at this event and it was so nice to come together with so many other Utah families and just celebrate the holidays and sing Christmas carols. Another bonus? They always give out free donuts!

Important Info: The event takes place on December 17th at 7:00 PM.

Bags are not allowed inside. Diaper and medical bags will be allowed if they are no larger than 14”x14”x6”. Clutches will be allowed but must be no larger than 4”x6”x2”.

7- City Creek Center

City Creek Center is another must for Christmas in Utah. It can be added on with your visit to Temple Square, the Grand America Windows or the Annual Christmas Carol sing along as it is very close to these other activities.

In fact, I recommend parking here in the parking garages for your visit to Temple Square as well. If you don’t have a car, the public transportation system TRAX is great for visiting downtown. Another way to get around downtown for the holidays is on the Jingle Bus. 

The Jingle Bus is a holiday-themed trolley circulating between the Gateway, Temple Square, City Creek Center, Eccles Theater and the Capitol Theater. It runs from 5-10 PM 7 days a week and it is free to use which is really amazing.

One of my favorite things to do at City Creek Center is to see the Macy’s candy window displays. They are so intricate and incredibly made out of candy! They are different every year and seeing them is a real treat- no pun intended. 🙂

There are many different fun Christmas events at City Creek Center through out the season including live performances and choir concerts, (new this year) a fun event for your favorite furry friends, photos with Santa and even breakfast with Santa at Kneaders.

Click here to find out more about Christmas in Utah at City Creek Center

8- Visit Sundance Mountain Resort

Sundance Mountain Resort around the holidays is like walking into a snow globe and it is absolutely magical! There were lights hanging everywhere, festive wreaths and other decorations that really just set the scene for this rustic Christmas in Utah.

There are tons of walking paths near the ski slopes that are fun to explore and it feels like you walked into a Winter Wonderland or the set of a Hallmark movie. A big bonus is the fire pits everywhere, helping you to stay warm.

The river through the resort was so beautiful and there were trees with huge lighted-lanterns. It started snowing while we were there and I was seriously running around like a little kid- I was so happy!

They also have a really cute general store and a little café where you can get some hot cocoa! There is also an art studio there where you can sign up for different art classes including pottery. The studio looked so cute and quaint with a Christmas tree inside, I would love to do this next time!

Their pastry team also showcases their talent with a charming Gingerbread Village set up outside the Foundry Grill! So fun! Another highlight of Christmas at Sundance is the Tree Lighting Celebration on December 15th, from 5:30-6:30 PM. There will be hot chocolate and cookies and of course- Santa Claus will be there! There will be more fun December 16th from 8 am to 2 pm for a Brunch with Santa Claus.

For more info about Christmas at Sundance, click here

9- Zoo Lights

Another one of my favorite events for Christmas in Utah is Zoo Lights at Hogle Zoo. I’ve been to this event a few times now and I love it every time. The Zoo gets all decked out for this family friendly event.

There are over 200 lighted animals and different holiday-themed displays through out the Zoo grounds. You can enjoy dinner at their restaurant Beastro and warm up with some hot chocolate or s’mores around a fire. It’s always really cold at Zoo Lights so make sure to bundle up!

Luckily, they have a lot of heated lamps everywhere so you can keep warm. One of the coolest parts is the 10 life-sized animal shaped lanterns! I like these because they are so unique and you won’t find them at any other Christmas event in Utah. Of course, one of my favorite parts is seeing the animals. Some of the animals are much more active at night and it’s super fun to watch them! However, you won’t be able to see most of the animals at night.

10- Christmas Lights all over Utah

This is possibly one of the coolest activities for Christmas in Utah and you can do it year after year and go to all different locations! This activity is perfect for a date night, family activity or friend outing. There are hundreds of houses/locations all over Utah that go all out for the Christmas season, whether it be incredible yard displays or thousands of lights all over a house that are synchronized to music.

You can check out the KSL map on your phone for their Utah Christmas Light Displays and when you click on their map, it automatically syncs to Google Maps on your phone. It is the coolest thing ever! Then hundreds of Christmas trees appear all over the map of Utah.

When you click on the Christmas tree, it tells you a little explanation about the house and then directs you to the house. I’ve done this for so many years in many different parts of Utah. So, say you live in South Jordan and just want to stay in that location, you can just click on all of the Christmas trees in the South Jordan area and it will guide you to the houses.

Check out the KSL Christmas map here.

11- Aquarium Lantern Festival

I think I just found the best new Christmas activity in Utah! This activity is so worth it and magical in the Winter time, just make sure to get bundled up with lots of layers.

This new Christmas activity in Utah is at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper, Utah. It’s 9 acres of towering lanterns, some reaching up to 20 feet and honestly- it was incredible!

This was a very family friendly activity in Utah and perfect for Winter or Christmas. There were many different interactive displays including a fun bubble machine, little games and light up swings.

It is open until January 6th open daily from 5:30 PM-10 PM. Aquarium access is included on select nights until 9 PM which makes this activity even more worth it.

Tickets start at $18 per adult, $15 per teen, $12 per kid and kids 2 and under are free.

For more info, click here!

12- Christkindlmarkt SLC

I haven’t been to Christkindlmarkt in many years, but this is a beloved Christmas in Utah tradition. It is inspired by the world famous German Christmas markets and it’s mission is to serve and connect the Utah community through magical German celebrations.

It’s a really unique holiday shopping and cultural experience. There are little wooden vendor booths with really unique gifts to buy and also delicious foods. There are over 90 + vendor booths. There are other activities including a visit to St. Nikolaus Haus, storytelling, a petting zoo and a scavenger hunt. There’s entertainment including music, dancing and a parade and live nativity.

Imporant Info:

December 4th-7th 11 AM-8 PM at This is the Place Heritage Park

For more info, click here

13- Festival of Trees

Festival of the Trees is a really great holiday tradition for Christmas in Utah. This event is completely run by volunteers who create and donate the most beautiful extravagant trees, wreaths and gingerbread houses. All of these displays are bid on in a silent auction.

The funds that they raise from this auction support Primary Children’s Hospital, helping families and children in need. There are also shops with cute unique things to buy and yummy food to eat including:

• Scones & Sweet Rolls
• Sweet Shoppe
• ELF Emporium
• Gift Shoppe
• Kid’s Korner
• Live Performances
• Santa Land

Important Info:

Pricing is $10 for adult and $7 for kids

Event Times
Wednesday, December 4 – Friday, December 6
10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday, December 7
10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Location
Mountain America Exposition Center
9575 State St, Sandy, UT 84070

Parking
Free parking available at Mountain America Expo Center.

For more info and to buy tickets, click here

14-Lightwalk

We loved this Christmas activity and light display and it was really well done. Stroll through over 8 acres of light displays and festive atmosphere. Santa will be here in a life-size gingerbread house and there will be holiday beverages and treats as you explore a lighted walk-thru tunnel.

Make sure to check it on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a special family fun event. You get to enter the magical world of Santa’s Workshop inside a Gingerbread House to decorate a cookie.

You can actually get $3 off when you bring a non perishable food item to donate to the Utah Food Bank! Offer available Sunday through Thursday.

Important Info: Adult: $17.95
Child: $13.95
Infant (Under 2): FREE
Tracy Aviary members receive $5 OFF each ticket!

Open from 5:30-8:30 PM

Lightwalk is designed for you to enjoy the holiday lights and grounds. There will be no opportunities to see any birds.

 

For more info and tickets, click here

15-World of Illumination

Another fun Christmas activity in Utah is the World of Illumination. Similar to Christmas in Color, this is a drive through light show. This year’s theme is Reindeer Road and there is a whole story line and everything. Join Ranger Reno on a trek down the Reindeer road.

You get to drive past mountainous terrains, glacial peaks and explore the northern ice caves and drive through the northern forests until you make your way to Santa’s Workshop.

Important Info:

UTAH STATE FAIRPARK  Starting at $39.99 per car

155 N 100 W., SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84116

Read next: Utah in the Winter | 11 Magical Things to Do

So there you have it! Christmas in Utah!

What do you plan to do this Christmas season?

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