Photo Credit: San Diego Tourism Authority
Presents opened by breakfast and the family is already bored? If you're looking for the best things to do on Christmas Day across the nation, we rounded up what’s open on Christmas, with fun ideas for families, Christmas Day date ideas, and plenty of ways to make the holiday last well into the evening!
1. Catch a Christmas Day Movie
Going to the movies on Christmas Day is one of the most beloved holiday traditions in America, and it’s the perfect fit for the whole family, from grandparents to little ones. Most of the big theater chains stay open on Christmas, with showtimes usually starting a little later in the day. This year, Jumanji: Open World opens on December 25th, 2026, bringing back Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan for one last hilarious adventure, this time with the game breaking loose and sending jungle animals stampeding through the real world. And with Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three hitting theaters the week before, you could easily turn your Christmas Day into a movie marathon.
Movie theater chains that open on Christmas Day:
- AMC Theatres
- Regal Cinemas
- Cinemark, including its Tinseltown and Century theaters
- Marcus Theatres and Movie Tavern
- Harkins Theatres
- Alamo Drafthouse (select locations)
Insider Tip: Afternoon shows on Christmas Day sell out fast, especially for family films. Reserve seats online a few days ahead, and remember that smaller independent theaters may close for the holiday.
2. Go Bowling or Hit the Arcade
Bowling is the perfect cure for a post present energy slump. It's indoors, it's great for all ages, and nothing gets everyone off the couch quite like a little friendly competition. Wondering which bowling alleys are open on Christmas Day? These national bowling and arcade chains are good bets:
- Bowlero, Lucky Strike, and AMF: Bowlero has said its centers are open on Christmas Day. Its parent company, Lucky Strike Entertainment, runs more than 360 bowling and entertainment centers across North America under all three names, and many have arcades too.
- Round1 Bowling & Amusement: These mall based centers pack bowling, karaoke, billiards, and hundreds of arcade games under one roof, and several locations stay open on major holidays.
- Main Event: With bowling, laser tag, and arcades at locations in many states, Main Event sets holiday hours by location, so check yours before you go.
Dave & Buster's is the big exception, since most locations close on Christmas Day. Locally owned bowling alleys are worth a call too, as many open Christmas afternoon and evening with shortened hours.
Insider Tip: Reserve a lane online before you go. With so few places open, bowling alleys fill up fast on Christmas afternoon.
3. Splash Into an Indoor Water Park
Photo Credit: Great Wolf Lodge
For a fun family activity on Christmas Day, nothing beats trading winter coats for swimsuits. Indoor water park resorts are open year round, and the holidays are one of their biggest seasons.
Great Wolf Lodge has more than 20 lodges across North America, and its annual Snowland celebration runs from late November into early January. The water park stays a toasty 84 degrees, while the lobby gets daily indoor snowfall, twinkling trees, and holiday story time. Snowland activities are included with your stay and typically include a lodge wide scavenger hunt, a snowfall sing along, the Frosty Fest family dance party, holiday bingo and trivia, and seasonal crafts. Santa visits happen on select days, and times vary by lodge. Water park access is generally tied to an overnight stay, so plan on booking a room.
Kalahari Resorts bills itself as home to America's largest indoor water parks, with locations in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, Sandusky, Ohio, the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, Round Rock, Texas, and its newest resort in Spotsylvania, Virginia. Expect Santa sightings, towering Christmas trees, and holiday buffets alongside the water slides and indoor theme park rides.
Insider Tip: Christmas week is peak season at both brands. Book early, and check the daily activity schedule when you arrive so you do not miss Santa.
4. Bundle Up for ICE! at a Gaylord Resort
Photo Credit: Marriott International
If you live near a Gaylord resort, one of the most memorable things to do on Christmas Day is to see ICE!, the walk through holiday attraction carved from about 2 million pounds of ice by artisans from Harbin, China. Each attraction is kept at 9 degrees and features immersive scenes, tunnels, and two story ice slides. Don't worry, they hand you a parka at the door! The attraction runs from late November into early January, and Christmas Day has been on the ticketed schedule in past seasons.
The 2026 lineup expands to eight resorts with new themes that include Harry Potter, Home Alone, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. A few highlights:
- Gaylord Texan (Grapevine, Texas): ICE! featuring Harry Potter
- Gaylord Palms (Kissimmee, Florida): ICE! featuring The Polar Express
- Gaylord National (National Harbor, Maryland): ICE! featuring How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- Gaylord Pacific (Chula Vista, California): ICE! featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas
- JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge (Phoenix, Arizona): ICE! featuring Elf
- Gaylord Opryland (Nashville, Tennessee) and Gaylord Rockies (Aurora, Colorado) round out the Gaylord lineup
Beyond ICE!, the resorts' So Much Christmas programming includes ice tubing, Christmas carousels, character dining, scavenger hunts, and live stage shows, with ice skating at Gaylord Texan and Gaylord Opryland. Day guests are welcome, so you do not need a room to visit.
Looking for more resort Christmas experiences? Check out these holiday favorites:
- Christmas at the Princess (Scottsdale, Arizona): 10 million lights, an outdoor ice rink, and a giant Ferris wheel across 65 acres
- Hotel del Coronado (San Diego, California): Skating by the Sea, a beachfront ice rink overlooking the Pacific, runs November 20th, 2026, through January 3rd, 2027
- The Omni Grove Park Inn (Asheville, North Carolina): the National Gingerbread House Competition display, with dozens of edible masterpieces, runs November 17th, 2026, through January 3rd, 2027
Insider Tip: Tickets are timed and sold online in advance, and Christmas week sells out first. Santa photos usually wrap up on Christmas Eve, so plan on ICE! and the slides rather than a Santa visit.
5. Visit a Theme Park Open on Christmas Day
Photo Credit: Alyson Lundell | NBCUniversal
The major destination theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Universal Orlando, are open on Christmas Day, with holiday decorations, seasonal shows, and festive treats in full swing. Just know that the week between Christmas and New Year's is the busiest of the year, so expect crowds.
Regional amusement parks are a different story, so check the calendar before you load up the car. Many Six Flags parks host Holiday in the Park, with millions of lights, Christmas shows, s'mores over open fires, and rides, but operating days vary by park, and some close on Christmas Day while others have opened through the holiday. Other beloved Christmas parks, like Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, close on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and reopen on December 26th.
Insider Tip: Arrive at opening or stay late. Midday is when Christmas Day crowds peak, after families finish their morning traditions.
6. Go Ice Skating on Christmas Day
Few things feel more like a Christmas card than gliding around an outdoor rink. Many seasonal downtown rinks, shopping center rinks, and holiday villages stay open on Christmas Day, making ice skating one of the best Christmas Day activities for families and a classic Christmas date idea for couples. The most famous of them all, The Rink at Rockefeller Center in New York City, actually first opened on Christmas Day in 1936 and has welcomed holiday skaters on the 25th of December in past seasons.
Indoor ice arenas and city run rinks are more hit or miss, and some public rinks close for the day, so always call ahead before heading out.
Insider Tip: Book a timed session online if your rink offers one, and bring your own gloves. Rental skates go fast on holiday afternoons.
7. Go Skiing or Snow Tubing on Christmas Day
Here is a secret skiers love: Christmas morning is often one of the quietest days of the entire holiday week on the mountain, because most families are still opening presents. Many ski resorts run lifts on Christmas Day, sometimes with shortened hours. Utah's Snowbasin, for example, has spun its lifts from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Christmas Day, and skiers at Colorado's Breckenridge have reported light crowds on the 25th.
Not a skier? Look for snow tubing hills, which are easy for all ages and require zero lessons. And if you are in a warmer state, a local ski area may still be within a two hour drive.
Insider Tip: Some smaller ski areas close on Christmas Day, and the day after Christmas is traditionally one of the busiest of the season. Check your resort's holiday hours and buy lift tickets online ahead of time.
8. See the Christmas Lights While They Are Still in Their Prime
Photo Credit: Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
Christmas night is your last big chance to see the holiday lights in all their glory before they start coming down, so why not soak it all in? Make an evening of it with a drive through light show, a walk through a decorated neighborhood, or a stop at your city's official Christmas tree.
Many zoos and botanical gardens host light festivals, and many stay open on Christmas Day or Christmas night, while others take the holiday off. Check the zoos and light events in your area before you go to confirm their Christmas hours.
For one of the best free things to do on Christmas Day, visit your city's grand downtown Christmas tree. Most major cities light one up, and families can visit with no tickets or admission needed. The most famous examples:
- The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in New York City stays lit for a full 24 hours on Christmas Day.
- The National Christmas Tree at President's Park in Washington, D.C., a tradition since 1923, is free to visit with no tickets required and is lit every evening through the holiday season.
Find Christmas light displays, drive through shows, and tree lightings near you in our Christmas City Guides, with individual listings, dates, and details for each event.
Insider Tip: Pack hot cocoa and let the kids wear their new Christmas pajamas for the drive through light show. Popular displays draw crowds on Christmas night, so go early in the evening.
9. Eat at a Restaurant Open on Christmas Day
Skip the dishes and turn Christmas dinner into the main event. A growing number of restaurants are open on Christmas Day with holiday menus, and many are made for groups, whether that is the whole extended family or a few couples who want a festive night out. Chinese food on Christmas is also a cherished American tradition, and many local Chinese restaurants stay open all day.
Steakhouses and special occasion dinners:
- Fogo de Chão: every U.S. location has opened on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with a holiday menu, and it offers special rates for parties of 15 or more
- Ruth's Chris Steak House: takes reservations for Christmas Day dinner with takeout available too
- Morton's The Steakhouse: open for Christmas dining, with a three course Chateaubriand holiday dinner
- Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse: open with its full menu plus a Wagyu Chateaubriand holiday special
- McCormick & Schmick's: serves a two course Christmas menu alongside its regular seafood and steaks
- Chart House: open every Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with holiday meals
Great for groups and families:
- Benihana: hibachi tables double as dinner and a show for big groups
- Buca di Beppo: family style Italian platters meant for sharing, with reservations strongly recommended
- Red Lobster: every location opened for dine in and to go last Christmas
- Romano's Macaroni Grill: opened from noon to 8 p.m. on Christmas Day last year
- Shoney's and Boston Market (select locations): traditional Christmas dinner, buffet style or plated
Always open, any hour:
- Waffle House and Denny's are open 365 days a year, Christmas included
- IHOP, Huddle House, Golden Corral, and Perkins open at many locations
Insider Tip: Christmas Day reservations at steakhouses and family style spots book up weeks ahead, especially for large parties. Reserve early, and use OpenTable to find local restaurants taking Christmas Day bookings.
10. Explore a National Park on Christmas Day
Yes, many national parks are open on Christmas Day, and a holiday visit can mean quiet trails, snowy views, and a lot more elbow room than usual. It is a great pick for groups, since there is no reservation to juggle at most parks and everyone can go at their own pace.
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee and North Carolina) is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and charges no entrance fee (a parking tag is required to park for more than 15 minutes). Its visitor centers close on Christmas Day, but the roads, overlooks, and trails stay open as weather allows.
- Grand Canyon National Park keeps its South Rim open year round, making Christmas Day sunrise at the rim a bucket list holiday tradition.
- Yellowstone National Park stays open in winter around Mammoth Hot Springs, where the hotel, dining room, and visitor center operate through the season, so you can spend Christmas watching bison and elk in the snow.
The main thing to know is that the National Park Service typically closes its buildings on Christmas Day, including many visitor centers, museums, and historic homes. Some sites close completely, such as Alcatraz Island in San Francisco and smaller monuments and memorials. Outdoor areas, scenic drives, and trails are what stay open.
If a national park is not within driving distance, city parks, greenways, and nature trails work just as well for a Christmas walk. Just know that some state park systems close on Christmas Day (North Carolina's state parks, for example).
Insider Tip: Pack lunch, water, and layers, since park restaurants and stores may be closed, and check the park's alerts page for winter road closures and weather issues before you go.
Heads Up: What Is Usually Closed on Christmas Day
Not everything is open on Christmas Day, so save yourself a wasted trip. These popular spots have typically closed on December 25th:
- Topgolf: all venues close on Christmas Day
- Dave & Buster's: most locations close, though a few have opened Christmas evening
- Restaurants: Cracker Barrel, Chick-fil-A, Olive Garden, Chipotle, and Bob Evans
- Big box stores: Walmart, Target, Costco, Home Depot, and Lowe's
- Museums: the Smithsonian museums and National Zoo in Washington, D.C. close only one day a year, and it is on Christmas
If you need a forgotten battery or a last minute gift card, CVS pharmacies and many convenience stores stay open, often with reduced hours.
Plan Your Christmas Day Outing
Remember that holiday hours change every year and vary from city to city, so always check your local listings to confirm that wherever you are headed to celebrate on this jolly holiday is open. With so few places open on December 25th, movie seats, bowling lanes, ICE! tickets, and restaurant tables fill up fast, so book ahead whenever you can. And to find more things to do on Christmas Day near you, check your local Christmas City Guide for listings, dates, and what to expect. And however you spend it, we hope that your Christmas Day is merry, bright, and anything but boring!
