December is here folks, which means ’tis officially the season. There are plenty of merry and bright things to go around in the ATL this holiday season.
Keep scrolling to find out the most fun and festive things to do in Atlanta this December, and fill yourself with some much-needed holiday cheer!
1. Hit the ice at one of Atlanta’s incredible ice-skating rinks!
One of the best winter traditions is definitely trying your hand (or feet, I guess) at ice-skating! Lucky for us ATLiens, there’s an awesome selection of rinks to choose from. From the rooftop rink at Ponce City Market to Avalon’s dazzling Rockefeller-inspired rink, you’ll have plenty of options for wear to break in your skates!
Check out some recommendations below or see the full list of rinks.
- Avalon on Ice, Avalon in Alpharetta
- Skate The Station, Atlantic Station
- Skate The Sky, Ponce City Market
2. Take an enchanting stroll through the Winter Lantern Festival
You definitely don’t want to miss the Winter Lantern Festival! Celebrate the artful culture of Chinese lanterns, and experience the glowing majesty of their lights and colors!
Immerse yourself a world of lights and lanterns, all lovingly handmade by artisans (some with over two decades of experience)! Attendees will learn all about the culture and craftsmanship of the traditional Chinese lantern festivals and enjoy a dazzling sky of lanterns and creatures made of lanterns!
Celebrate a beautiful tradition: get your tickets for Winter Lantern Festival in Georgia!
3. Get cozy at this dazzling gathering in Buckhead!
Buckhead’s newest upscale food hall, Citizens Market, is hosting a classic night of music, drinks, and holiday magic: Twilight Sips & Serenades! Set to the soothing, beautiful music of local artists like Lilac Wine and Ruby Velle Duo, enjoy a delicious holiday drink and yummy s’more around the firepit! Expect classy holiday decor all over The Green at Phipps Plaza, including sparkling reindeer, glowing globes, and dazzling trees!
This free event will take place on December 2nd, 9th, and 16th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Address: 3480 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30326
For all the information on Twilight Sips & Serenades, check out our article!
4. Get saucy with The Empire Strips Back: A Burlesque Parody
You read that right! This incredible parody show was previously sold out, but is back open to the public! See all of your favorite Star Wars characters scantily clad and live on stage!
Take a trip to your dark side with comedy and allure, loving detail, and hilarious parody! The Empire Strips Back drops classic Star Wars characters into the world of burlesque.
Guests should expect some seriously sultry Stormtroopers, a dangerously enticing Boba Fett, some tantalizing Twi’leks, a delightfully luke-warm Taun Taun, a lady-like Skywalker, the Droids you are looking for, and much, much more!
To grab your tickets, check out The Empire Strips Back!
5. Experience an enchanting Candlelight concert
December is the Candlelight concert series’ busiest month of the year, because there are so many concert options.
With festive additions to their already stellar line-up, there’s an awesome collection of orchestral concerts, all completely bathed in dazzling candlelight.
Check out this month’s recommendations below, or visit Fever’s website for the full list.
-
Candlelight: Holiday Special featuring “The Nutcracker” and More
- Candlelight: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac
Expect magical concerts dedicated to the best in music, movies, and entertainment.
You could also purchase a gift-card if you’re searching for the perfect gift for music-lovers.
6. Check out Atlanta’s dazzling holiday light shows!
Atlanta is officially LIT for the festive season, with several light shows taking over iconic ATL venues. From the annual spectacle at the Atlanta Botanical Garden to drive-thru light shows. Check out our recommendations for December below or check out the full round-up.
- Garden Lights, Holiday Nights, Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens
- Stone Mountain’s Dazzling Light Show
7. Get immersed in the amazing world of Van Gogh
If you’ve ever dreamt of stepping right out of the world and into a painting, you’ll love this awe-inspiring journey into the artistic world of Vincent Van Gogh! Explore his world: his life, his work, and his secrets, all while walking through cutting-edge 360-degree immersive digital projections of his art.
You can also expect a one-of-a-kind VR experience, and a light and sound show to delight your senses.
This unique experience brought to you by Exhibition Hub has thrilled millions of visitors in the United States already.
Don’t delay, grab your tickets now for Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience!
8. Paint the town red (and green!) at Atlanta’s boozy holiday pop-ups
Holiday pop-ups are all the rage, and there’s no shortage of festive bars in Atlanta for the most wonderful time of the year.
From cozy igloos to winter wonderlands to Santa’s workshop, Atlanta has it all! You do not want to miss out on all the fabulous holiday pop-up bars in Atlanta this December.
9. Find the perfect holiday gifts at these festive markets in Atlanta
Everyone knows that giving and receiving gifts is one of the most fun parts of the holiday season!
And where’s the best place to grab a gift? One of our iconic holiday markets of course! You’ll definitely wanna check out a holiday market (or three) this year. Whether you’re looking to treat yourself or get your holiday gifts sorted, check out our holiday market roundup! Or one of our recommendations below!
- Atlanta Christkindl Market
- Indie Craft Experience’s Holiday Market
- Stilwell Holiday Market
10. See the only pandas in the U.S. right now
Zoo Atlanta is an iconic zoo located right in the heart of the city. Its mission is to preserve wildlife, and just by visiting, you’re contributing to the cause! At the zoo you can see sleepy sloths, slithering snakes, a rare white rhino named Mumbles, great apes… and for a limited time, the last giant pandas in the entire United States.
With the departure of the pandas from Smithsonian’s National Zoo back to China, Atlanta now has the last giant black and white creatures in the United States. Our precious Pandas, Lun Lun, Yang Yang, Ya Lun and Xi Lun, which are on loan from China for research will return back after the agreement lease is up in early 2024. No specifics have been discussed for their return quite yet, but if you want to see a giant panda, you better hurry!
Get tickets to Zoo Atlanta here!
11. Check out some amazing art around the city!
Atlanta is well known for its commitment to the arts and thriving arts scene. We’ve got everything from the High Museum of Art, with all of its incredible masterpieces, to some of the coolest local art and graffiti in the world.
Check out all the cool art happenings this December!
12. Eat or drink at Atlanta’s unique eats & bars!
From beloved restaurants that’ve gone over the top with the holiday decorations to an indoor garden wonderland, there are so many unique bars in and restaurants in Atlanta.
You can’t go wrong with a night out on the town to one of these fun, weird, interesting and of course delicious unique bars and restaurants!
13. Learn all about the young Pharaoh, King Tut, at the impressive Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures
King Tut is a legend that nearly everyone has heard of before… but do you know his real life (and death) story? Explore thousands of beautifully recreated artifacts, and learn all about the young pharaoh and his legacy! Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures is a treat for sure, spend the evening surrounded by gold and history!
Get your tickets for Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures now!
14. Get your game on with this huge interactive gaming experience
Activate is a new way to game; it’s a combination of high-tech games and physical activity that’s meant to challenge a team or single-player’s mental and physical agility! Players can choose from hundreds of combinations and difficulty levels, with each game lasting from one to three minutes!
Guests can expect laser mazes, arcade-style basketball hoops, and so much more. There are tons of rooms to play in, and with all the combo options, the experience is unique every single time.
For all the details, check out Activate in Buckhead!
15. Try one of Atlanta’s Michelin-rated restaurants
These Atlanta staples all received a Michelin Star, a very special accolade in the food industry! If you want to try some truly mouthwatering food, you’ve got to check out one of these five spots!
And check out the other restaurants who received a Michelin recommendation, even if they didn’t receive a star rating!
16. Take a day trip to Georgia’s German Alpine village
Did you know that there’s an authentic German Alpine village nestled in North Georgia? If not, then the holidays are the perfect time to visit. With gorgeous decorations and a Christmas parade, you don’t want to miss Helen during the festive season!
Get all the information you need before you go!17. Go to a hilarious spin on the Christmas classic A Christmas Carol at Dad’s Garage
Every year, Dad’s Garage, Atlanta’s best-known improv theatre, puts on a hilarious rendition of the classic Christmas story, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
Every year, the cast “rehearses a (relatively) faithful” version of the well-known story and then… adds a twist! Each night of the show, the story is “invaded” by a random character, which is a surprise to the cast and audience alike! Then the cast must continue to tell the story of A Christmas Carol, while incorporating that new character.
It’ll knock your socks off it’s so funny, and downright impressive too!
18. See the Atlanta Ballet’s gorgeous performance of The Nutcracker
From December 8th-26th, you can watch in awe as Atlanta’s premier ballet company puts on the holiday classic! This show is perfect for audiences young and old!
The larger-than-life production will be a dazzling spectacle, with classic favorites like Marie and the Nutcracker Prince, and the gorgeous dance of the sugarplum fairy, but also, with new and exciting elements!
Amplified by traditional stage magic and state-of-the-art technology, Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker is an unmissable holiday classic!
19. Grab a Festive holiday coffee!
Skip Starbucks this holiday season and grab a local treat for your holiday cravings! Atlanta is full of delicious coffee shops. Go for the classic favorites, like a yummy hot peppermint mocha, or try something a little more unique, like Dancing Goats’ white chocolate cranberry matcha!
Our recommendation? Try 404 Coffee’s vanilla gingerbread iced latte! Check out the full list of delicious coffees to try this December!
20. Play in the snow, right here in Georgia!
Okay, okay. We know what you’re thinking. It doesn’t snow in Georgia (well, not really, anyway). But hear us out! There’s a snow park where you can make all your wildest snow activity dreams come true: License to Chill Snow Island!
From snow tubing to ice skating to having a real-deal snowball fight, there’s so much to do at License to Chill Snow Island!
Get all the details before you go!
21. Step right into Jurassic World!
If you love Jurassic World, you can’t miss out on this insanely fun experience! Take your family or friends to see life-sized dinosaurs and interact with the world of Jurassic Park! Check out the ferocious beasts… and their adorable little baby dinos! All in one spot!
For tickets and more information, check out the website here!
22. See Alliance Theatre’s iconic take on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
All season long, the Alliance Theatre is showing their annual classic, A Christmas Carol on the Coca-Cola Stage!
This year, theatre-goers can get excited for a completely reimagined set design and stunning new costumes!
Get ready to be transported to the streets of London to revisit the timeless story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey to redemption, told with beautiful live music and an all-star cast.
Check out the Alliance Theatre’s website for more information!
23. Step into a forest of dazzling lights at Fernbank’s WildWoods: AGLOW
Fernbank’s winter classic, WildWoods: AGLOW is back, baby! Through some pretty incredible cutting edge technology and the absolute wonder of nature, you can explore the beautiful woods right in Fernbank’s backyard. You’ll be in awe of the natural flora and fauna, and of course the breathtaking lights that set the woods, well, AGLOW!
This glowing exhibit is truly unlike anything else in the city, WildWoods: AGLOW shines a light on fascinating natural phenomena, and asks questions you’ve probably never even considered! For example, you’ll be able to answer questions you never knew you needed the answer to, like what mushrooms would sound like if they could sing, to reveal the vast underground Mycorrhizal network of the ecosystem.
For more information, check out WildWoods: AGLOW!
24. Save Christmas at this amazing Escape Room!
Immerse yourself in a Christmas conundrum! Saving Christmas in Atlanta is a holiday-themed escape room mystery where you’ll become Santa’s last hope at bringing Christmas cheer this year, think of yourself as the star of a classic Christmas film!
You’ll be able to test your problem-solving skills in this intense mystery! Oh… and did I mention you only have 60 minutes to figure it out?
Work alongside your team to try and save the holidays. Don’t miss out on this chance to be a detective and get your tickets now!
25. And end December with a bang!
Fever’s Crawl ‘Til The Ball Falls: Atlanta NYE Bar Crawl 2024 will help you ring in 2024 right!
Get ready to experience the best bars that Atlanta has to offer—all in one epic New Year’s Eve crawl!
There will be plenty of champagne toasts to go around, and you can also watch the televised ball drop in times square, all while listen to the best music across all of Atlanta’s hottest venues.
You’ll be able to enjoy drink specials all night for an incredible time without breaking the bank. You’ll receive a wristband that’ll grant you entry into all of the participating bars and clubs around Atlanta, so you don’t have to worry about paying for covers. Welcome 2024 in style. Hurry and get your tickets for Crawl ‘Til The Ball Falls: Atlanta NYE Bar Crawl 2024!
This month will be something special in Atlanta! And there’s definitely plenty of things to do in Atlanta this December!