Las Noches de las Luminarias

Las Noches de las Luminarias

Each December the Desert Botanical Garden glows for Las Noches de las Luminarias, when hundreds of hand-lit luminaria bags and thousands of twinkling lights line the trails winding through the cactus. It's a fixture of the Phoenix holiday season.

The garden takes on a completely different character after dark — softly lit paths, live music at stops along the way, and the desert silhouettes glowing against the night. It's romantic, family-friendly and unmistakably Sonoran, a world away from a snowy Christmas.

This is a hugely popular event and tickets regularly sell out well in advance, so book as early as you can once dates are announced. Evenings are cool in December, so bring a jacket, and give yourself time to linger over a warm drink.