Temple Square's lights are the reason most Utah Valley families drive to Salt Lake City in December, and they have their own guide: Temple Square in December From Provo. But the city's Christmas is bigger than the square. This guide covers the other four evenings that bring Utah County north, with the dates from the 2025 season as a guide to 2026, and a note on how to pair them so one drive covers two.
ZooLights at Hogle Zoo
Hogle Zoo, on Sunnyside Avenue at the mouth of Emigration Canyon, turns into ZooLights on select nights from late November to early January, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. In the 2025 season it ran from November 28 to January 4, mostly Wednesday through Sunday, with Santa visiting through December 23 and a sensory-friendly Silent Night, with lower sound and lighting, on December 26. Most of the animals are inside for the night; the lights are the show.
The zoo posts each season's dates and tickets in the fall, and buying online ahead is its own advice. It is about 50 miles and an hour from downtown Provo.
The Grand America's holiday windows
The Grand America Hotel, at 555 South Main Street, dresses its windows each season in storybook displays, with a life-size gingerbread display inside, and the Holiday Window Stroll is free. In the 2025 season it ran from November 1 to January 3. The hotel's holiday tea, served through December into early January, is a separate paid reservation for a more formal afternoon.
It is about 45 miles and 53 minutes from Provo, and it pairs easily with downtown: the Gallivan Center's outdoor ice rink is a few blocks north; see Ice Skating in Utah Valley and Along the Wasatch Front.
Ballet West's Nutcracker
Ballet West's Nutcracker, first staged in 1944 and now designated a Living Historic Landmark by the state of Utah, the first ballet so named, runs at Ballet West's home, the Capitol theater at 50 West 200 South. In 2025 it played from December 5 to 27, after a Thanksgiving-weekend run in Ogden, with tickets starting around $30. It is recommended for ages 4 and up, and children under 4 are not admitted.
Utah Valley has its own Nutcrackers too, a few minutes from home; see Every Nutcracker on the Wasatch Front.
Christkindlmarkt
Salt Lake City's German-style Christmas market, Christkindlmarkt, runs for four days in early December at This Is The Place Heritage Park, at 2601 Sunnyside Avenue, next door to the zoo. In 2025 it ran from December 3 to 6, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The park's own lot fills early, so plan on the off-site lots and shuttles; the Temple Square guide has the details.
Pairing them from Utah Valley
- Christkindlmarkt and ZooLights. They sit side by side on Sunnyside Avenue, so an afternoon at the market can roll into the lights after dark, on one of the market's four days.
- The Nutcracker and the Grand America. Both are downtown, a few blocks apart, for a matinee and a walk past the windows.
- Temple Square and the ice rink. Downtown after dark, with the lights and the Gallivan Center rink.
Getting there
By car, Salt Lake City's Christmas sits 45 to 50 miles from downtown Provo. By train, FrontRunner takes about an hour to Salt Lake Central, with TRAX downtown from there, which works for the Grand America, the Capitol theater and Temple Square; the zoo and the heritage park, up Sunnyside Avenue, are easiest by car. FrontRunner does not run on Sundays.
Practical notes
- Check the 2026 dates in the fall. The zoo, the market and the ballet post them ahead of the season.
- Pair by neighborhood. Sunnyside Avenue for the market and zoo, downtown for the ballet and windows.
- Book the Nutcracker early. The December weekends go first.
- Mind the Sundays. FrontRunner does not run.
Related Guides
- Temple Square in December From Provo
- Every Nutcracker on the Wasatch Front
- Christmas Village in Ogden and the Midway Ice Castles
- Light the World in Utah Valley
- The Christmas Devotional and Conference Center
- Ice Skating in Utah Valley and Along the Wasatch Front
Frequently Asked Questions
When is ZooLights at Hogle Zoo?
Is the Grand America's Christmas display free?
When is Christkindlmarkt in Salt Lake City?
When is Ballet West's Nutcracker?
How far is Salt Lake's Christmas from Provo?
Is there a sensory-friendly night at ZooLights?
Can I do Christkindlmarkt and ZooLights in one trip?
Can I take the train to Salt Lake's Christmas events?
