Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
With the holiday season here it's time to make cherished memories with your families and friends. Although it's tempting to ride out the rest of the winter season indoors at home, there are plenty of holiday destinations throughout Utah County.
Whether you're into outdoorsy activities and fresh air, twinkling light displays, or anything involving a cup of hot chocolate in your hand, Utah County is full of events you'll love. These family-friendly activities promise to create magical moments that will be treasured for years to come.
Sundance
Sundance is known for its world-famous skiing and snowboarding. With new lifts and runs, plus night and Nordic skiing options, your family will have a blast shredding the slopes. But Sundance has more than snow — the resort also hosts many holiday-themed activities your family can attend.
To kick things off, the tree lighting celebration takes place Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m. Visitors can celebrate the season at the ceremonial lighting of the tree at the village near the ski lift.
Stick around for time with Santa, plus cookies and hot cocoa! That same night from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. guests can enjoy a unique opportunity to see a different side of Sundance with Nordic Night Owling. Night owling is a professionally guided snowshoe tour presented by the Great Basin Wildlife Rescue.
On Dec. 16, have brunch with the big guy himself. The Santa Clause brunch is held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and features a fabulous buffet and what are sure to be magical memories for all. Be sure to reserve your spot early as they sell out quickly.
The resort also serves both a Christmas Eve and Christmas day brunch at the Foundry Grill.
Payson Community Creche
The Payson Community Creche is a free event Dec. 1-2 featuring a live outdoor nativity, indoor nativity displays and musical performances. Begin your experience at the south end of Memorial Park by viewing the live nativity scene.
Then cross the street and head into Hope Baptist Church to see a nativity presentation followed by special musical performances. These performances will be held roughly at 6 p.m., 6:45 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. You can browse through hundreds of nativities loaned to the event by community members. Afterward, enjoy a delicious cup of hot chocolate from Dutch Bros. and warm yourself by the fire.
Thanksgiving Point Luminaria
Thanksgiving Point is full of fun attractions during the holiday season, but Luminaria tops them all. Luminaria is an enchanting walk through Ashton Gardens that transports you to another world with all the sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of the holidays.
A one-way path guides you past millions of twinkling lights in 28 themed areas and the iconic luminaire hill — a light and music show on 6,500 programmable luminaries. Songs and shows incorporate the iconic 120-foot-tall Christmas tree.
Luminaria runs through Jan. 6 every Monday-Saturday excluding Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Get your tickets ahead of time to avoid sold-out nights.
CLAS Ropes Course Christmas Cruise
You might not picture Christmas activities when you think of a ropes course, but one Utah County destination is changing that.
Every December, CLAS Ropes Course in Provo transforms into a holiday wonderland with their Christmas boat rides on the Provo River. You'll take a cruise boat that seats up to 40 people on an approximately 20-minute journey as you take in the twinkling lights and holiday scenes along the shore. Santa also makes an appearance to pass out Christmas candy!
Tickets are $10 Monday through Thursday and $12 on Fridays and Saturdays. Visit the CLAS Ropes Course website to book your tickets in advance.
See a Christmas play in Provo or Orem
There is no shortage of fantastic theater productions to be seen in both Provo and Orem. This is true year-round but especially true during the holidays.
The Hale Center Theater puts on a beloved production of "A Christmas Carol" every year, so keep the tradition going by attending one of the performances that runs until Dec. 23.
At Orem's SCERA theater, follow Ralphie's hilarious story in a musical version of the classic movie "A Christmas Story." The play runs through Dec. 16.
Head a bit further south to Provo's Covey Center for the Arts for an enchanting performance of "The Nutcracker," presented by the Utah Metropolitan Ballet. You can go along on Clara's journey through the land of sweets and fairies Dec. 9-20.
Traverse Mountain Gingerbread Village
Lehi's Traverse Mountain Outlets get in the festive mood every year. At the Grand Gingerbread Village, visitors can stroll through a life-size village of gingerbread houses and marvel at the nearly 30-foot-tall gingerbread tower.
The indoor display is perfect for small children, while older children and adults alike can get some holiday shopping checked off the list. You'll also have the chance to take a photo in front of the massive Christmas tree set up in the middle of the outlets.
More winter activities and destinations
These are just a fraction of the available activities and destinations in Utah County. To learn about other events around the valley, visit the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce website.
