United States in December

December is one of United States's weaker months (rank 11 of 12): its 171 destinations average 62/100, led by Big Bend National Park at 91 — 15°C and 1 rainy day — while Gates of the Arctic National Park is cooler at -28°C and scores 27.

#11 of 12 months for United States · 171 destinations · updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Where in United States in December

#	Place	Type	Feels-like high	Rain	Comfort	At its best
1	Big Bend National Park	National park	15°C	9 mm · 1 day	91 tier S	Yes
2	Kona	Beach	27°C	47 mm · 12 days	90 tier S	—
3	Breckenridge	Ski resort	-2°C	47 mm · 11 days	88 tier A	Yes
4	Jackson	Ski resort	-6°C	83 mm · 15 days	88 tier A	Yes
5	Lahaina	Beach	28°C	50 mm · 4 days	88 tier A	—
6	Park City	Ski resort	-4°C	83 mm · 12 days	88 tier A	Yes
7	Aspen	Ski resort	-3°C	74 mm · 11 days	87 tier A	Yes
8	Killington	Ski resort	-3°C	116 mm · 13 days	87 tier A	Yes
9	Steamboat Springs	Ski resort	0°C	77 mm · 12 days	87 tier A	Yes
10	Sun Valley	Ski resort	-4°C	58 mm · 10 days	87 tier A	Yes
11	Vail	Ski resort	-4°C	55 mm · 12 days	87 tier A	Yes
12	Honolulu	Beach	28°C	72 mm · 9 days	86 tier A	—
13	Orlando	City	22°C	57 mm · 7 days	86 tier A	—
14	Tampa	City	22°C	54 mm · 6 days	86 tier A	—
15	San Antonio	City	19°C	29 mm · 6 days	85 tier A	Yes
16	Telluride	Ski resort	1°C	67 mm · 12 days	85 tier A	—
17	Big Sky	Ski resort	-1°C	38 mm · 10 days	84 tier A	—
18	Kauai	Island	24°C	98 mm · 15 days	84 tier A	—
19	Joshua Tree National Park	National park	13°C	19 mm · 2 days	83 tier A	—
20	Key West	Beach	25°C	58 mm · 6 days	83 tier A	—
21	Mammoth Lakes	Ski resort	2°C	124 mm · 10 days	83 tier A	—
22	St. Augustine	City	20°C	67 mm · 8 days	83 tier A	—
23	Whitefish	Ski resort	0°C	80 mm · 17 days	83 tier A	Yes
24	Carlsbad Caverns National Park	National park	10°C	7 mm · 2 days	82 tier A	—
25	Fort Lauderdale	Beach	25°C	77 mm · 9 days	82 tier A	—
26	Saguaro National Park	National park	11°C	36 mm · 5 days	82 tier A	—
27	Austin	City	18°C	48 mm · 5 days	81 tier A	—
28	Houston	City	19°C	82 mm · 9 days	81 tier A	—
29	Miami	Beach	25°C	81 mm · 9 days	81 tier A	—
30	White Sands National Park	National park	10°C	9 mm · 1 day	81 tier A	—
31	Guadalupe Mountains National Park	National park	5°C	6 mm · 2 days	80 tier A	—
32	Jacksonville	City	20°C	70 mm · 7 days	80 tier A	—
33	Maui	Island	16°C	125 mm · 23 days	80 tier A	—
34	Naples, Florida	Beach	24°C	57 mm · 6 days	80 tier A	—
35	Haleakala National Park	National park	12°C	125 mm · 23 days	79 tier B	—
36	Lake Placid	Ski resort	1°C	102 mm · 15 days	79 tier B	—
37	New Orleans	City	18°C	85 mm · 10 days	79 tier B	—
38	Dallas	City	15°C	55 mm · 6 days	78 tier B	—
39	Tucson	City	15°C	32 mm · 4 days	78 tier B	—
40	Channel Islands National Park	National park	13°C	89 mm · 7 days	77 tier B	—
41	Everglades National Park	National park	26°C	59 mm · 6 days	77 tier B	—
42	Pinnacles National Park	National park	12°C	98 mm · 10 days	77 tier B	—
43	Sarasota	Beach	23°C	59 mm · 6 days	77 tier B	—
44	Congaree National Park	National park	14°C	106 mm · 11 days	76 tier B	—
45	Death Valley National Park	National park	7°C	18 mm · 4 days	76 tier B	—
46	Hot Springs National Park	National park	11°C	107 mm · 9 days	76 tier B	—
47	Los Angeles	City	17°C	87 mm · 6 days	76 tier B	—
48	Sedona	Trekking hub	8°C	57 mm · 7 days	76 tier B	—
49	Stowe	Ski resort	2°C	101 mm · 17 days	76 tier B	—
50	Biscayne National Park	National park	26°C	81 mm · 9 days	75 tier B	—
51	Grand Canyon National Park	National park	9°C	38 mm · 6 days	75 tier B	—
52	Palm Springs	City	16°C	37 mm · 5 days	75 tier B	—
53	Clearwater	Beach	20°C	57 mm · 6 days	74 tier B	—
54	Dry Tortugas National Park	National park	25°C	51 mm · 7 days	74 tier B	—
55	Hawaii Volcanoes National Park	National park	19°C	236 mm · 18 days	74 tier B	—
56	Las Vegas	City	11°C	16 mm · 4 days	74 tier B	—
57	Petrified Forest National Park	National park	5°C	26 mm · 5 days	74 tier B	—
58	Phoenix	City	19°C	36 mm · 4 days	74 tier B	—
59	Scottsdale	City	16°C	36 mm · 4 days	74 tier B	—
60	Savannah	City	16°C	107 mm · 9 days	73 tier B	—
61	Charleston	City	15°C	124 mm · 9 days	72 tier B	—
62	Gateway Arch National Park	National park	6°C	62 mm · 9 days	72 tier B	—
63	Canyonlands National Park	National park	1°C	19 mm · 6 days	71 tier B	—
64	Mammoth Cave National Park	National park	8°C	117 mm · 10 days	71 tier B	—
65	Moab	Trekking hub	4°C	29 mm · 7 days	71 tier B	—
66	Taos	Trekking hub	1°C	31 mm · 6 days	71 tier B	—
67	Arches National Park	National park	1°C	32 mm · 6 days	70 tier B	—
68	Zion National Park	National park	2°C	52 mm · 6 days	70 tier B	—
69	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	National park	7°C	129 mm · 13 days	69 tier C	—
70	Albuquerque	City	5°C	17 mm · 4 days	68 tier C	—
71	Shenandoah National Park	National park	3°C	88 mm · 9 days	68 tier C	—
72	Wind Cave National Park	National park	-1°C	17 mm · 3 days	68 tier C	—
73	Capitol Reef National Park	National park	-1°C	21 mm · 4 days	67 tier C	—
74	Laguna Beach	Beach	18°C	68 mm · 6 days	67 tier C	—
75	New River Gorge National Park	National park	6°C	119 mm · 14 days	67 tier C	—
76	San Diego	Beach	16°C	60 mm · 6 days	67 tier C	—
77	Badlands National Park	National park	-1°C	20 mm · 3 days	66 tier C	—
78	Great Sand Dunes National Park	National park	-1°C	18 mm · 4 days	66 tier C	—
79	Raleigh	City	13°C	101 mm · 9 days	66 tier C	—
80	Indiana Dunes National Park	National park	1°C	66 mm · 9 days	65 tier C	—
81	Atlanta	City	11°C	118 mm · 10 days	64 tier C	—
82	Cuyahoga Valley National Park	National park	2°C	84 mm · 12 days	64 tier C	—
83	Destin	Beach	18°C	114 mm · 9 days	64 tier C	—
84	Hilo	City	27°C	388 mm · 26 days	64 tier C	—
85	Memphis	City	11°C	129 mm · 10 days	64 tier C	—
86	Napa	City	13°C	136 mm · 12 days	64 tier C	—
87	Santa Barbara	Beach	18°C	93 mm · 8 days	64 tier C	—
88	Charlotte	City	11°C	115 mm · 11 days	63 tier C	—
89	Gatlinburg	City	12°C	112 mm · 11 days	63 tier C	—
90	Kansas City	City	9°C	43 mm · 5 days	63 tier C	—
91	Pensacola	Beach	18°C	127 mm · 10 days	63 tier C	—
92	San Francisco	City	12°C	126 mm · 12 days	63 tier C	—
93	Asheville	City	8°C	92 mm · 10 days	62 tier C	—
94	Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park	National park	-1°C	41 mm · 10 days	61 tier C	—
95	Nashville	City	10°C	133 mm · 10 days	61 tier C	—
96	Richmond	City	12°C	113 mm · 9 days	61 tier C	—
97	Sacramento	City	14°C	161 mm · 11 days	61 tier C	—
98	St. Louis	City	9°C	58 mm · 9 days	61 tier C	—
99	Flagstaff	City	7°C	42 mm · 7 days	60 tier C	—
100	Louisville	City	10°C	97 mm · 11 days	60 tier C	—
101	Mesa Verde National Park	National park	-2°C	61 mm · 9 days	60 tier C	—
102	Denver	City	3°C	20 mm · 5 days	59 tier D	—
103	Hilton Head Island	Beach	17°C	109 mm · 9 days	59 tier D	—
104	Bryce Canyon National Park	National park	-4°C	39 mm · 6 days	58 tier D	—
105	Monterey	Beach	14°C	120 mm · 11 days	58 tier D	—
106	Myrtle Beach	Beach	14°C	102 mm · 10 days	58 tier D	—
107	Washington	City	7°C	119 mm · 9 days	58 tier D	—
108	Bozeman	Trekking hub	-3°C	26 mm · 7 days	57 tier D	—
109	Santa Fe	City	2°C	23 mm · 5 days	57 tier D	—
110	South Lake Tahoe	Trekking hub	1°C	199 mm · 12 days	57 tier D	—
111	Boulder	City	6°C	25 mm · 5 days	56 tier D	—
112	Cincinnati	City	8°C	93 mm · 10 days	56 tier D	—
113	Redwood National Park	National park	9°C	276 mm · 17 days	56 tier D	—
114	Baltimore	City	9°C	137 mm · 10 days	55 tier D	—
115	Indianapolis	City	7°C	76 mm · 10 days	55 tier D	—
116	Outer Banks	Beach	13°C	97 mm · 8 days	55 tier D	—
117	Philadelphia	City	5°C	119 mm · 11 days	55 tier D	—
118	Theodore Roosevelt National Park	National park	-5°C	17 mm · 4 days	55 tier D	—
119	Big Sur	Beach	16°C	167 mm · 12 days	54 tier D	—
120	Virginia Beach	Beach	10°C	99 mm · 9 days	54 tier D	—
121	Columbus	City	7°C	91 mm · 11 days	53 tier D	—
122	Pittsburgh	City	4°C	94 mm · 13 days	53 tier D	—
123	Acadia National Park	National park	-1°C	151 mm · 12 days	52 tier D	—
124	New York	City	4°C	118 mm · 11 days	52 tier D	—
125	Santa Cruz, California	Beach	15°C	189 mm · 13 days	52 tier D	—
126	Reno	City	6°C	97 mm · 9 days	51 tier D	—
127	Rocky Mountain National Park	National park	-6°C	43 mm · 10 days	51 tier D	—
128	Boise	City	1°C	48 mm · 10 days	50 tier D	—
129	Cleveland	City	6°C	84 mm · 13 days	50 tier D	—
130	Kings Canyon National Park	National park	-4°C	122 mm · 10 days	50 tier D	—
131	Sequoia National Park	National park	-3°C	140 mm · 10 days	50 tier D	—
132	Chicago	City	1°C	68 mm · 9 days	49 tier F	—
133	Detroit	City	1°C	58 mm · 9 days	48 tier F	—
134	Great Basin National Park	National park	-8°C	41 mm · 7 days	47 tier F	—
135	Lassen Volcanic National Park	National park	-2°C	214 mm · 13 days	47 tier F	—
136	Crater Lake National Park	National park	-2°C	186 mm · 19 days	46 tier F	—
137	Salt Lake City	City	0°C	55 mm · 9 days	46 tier F	—
138	Boston	City	2°C	148 mm · 11 days	45 tier F	—
139	Isle Royale National Park	National park	-7°C	66 mm · 11 days	45 tier F	—
140	Milwaukee	City	-1°C	60 mm · 8 days	45 tier F	—
141	Yosemite National Park	National park	-3°C	238 mm · 12 days	45 tier F	—
142	Bend	City	5°C	80 mm · 14 days	44 tier F	—
143	Madison	City	3°C	51 mm · 7 days	44 tier F	—
144	Portland	City	6°C	205 mm · 19 days	44 tier F	—
145	Grand Teton National Park	National park	-7°C	80 mm · 15 days	43 tier F	—
146	Voyageurs National Park	National park	-9°C	48 mm · 9 days	43 tier F	—
147	Traverse City	City	3°C	66 mm · 13 days	42 tier F	—
148	Burlington	City	3°C	86 mm · 14 days	41 tier F	—
149	Bar Harbor	City	4°C	151 mm · 12 days	40 tier F	—
150	Minneapolis	City	-5°C	56 mm · 8 days	40 tier F	—
151	Seattle	City	5°C	203 mm · 19 days	40 tier F	—
152	Yellowstone National Park	National park	-11°C	71 mm · 15 days	38 tier F	—
153	Glacier National Park	National park	-10°C	76 mm · 16 days	37 tier F	—
154	Nantucket	Island	8°C	139 mm · 13 days	37 tier F	—
155	Newport	Beach	7°C	152 mm · 11 days	37 tier F	—
156	Hyannis	Beach	7°C	142 mm · 11 days	35 tier F	—
157	Olympic National Park	National park	-3°C	366 mm · 21 days	33 tier F	—
158	Katmai National Park	National park	-7°C	196 mm · 21 days	30 tier F	—
159	Mackinac Island	Island	1°C	64 mm · 13 days	30 tier F	—
160	Mount Rainier National Park	National park	-10°C	260 mm · 21 days	28 tier F	—
161	Gates of the Arctic National Park	National park	-28°C	24 mm · 7 days	27 tier F	—
162	Denali National Park	National park	-18°C	46 mm · 10 days	26 tier F	—
163	Glacier Bay National Park	National park	-6°C	604 mm · 25 days	26 tier F	—
164	Kobuk Valley National Park	National park	-22°C	44 mm · 9 days	26 tier F	—
165	North Cascades National Park	National park	-10°C	280 mm · 20 days	26 tier F	—
166	Lake Clark National Park	National park	-16°C	147 mm · 17 days	25 tier F	—
167	Wrangell-St Elias National Park	National park	-16°C	135 mm · 18 days	25 tier F	—
168	Anchorage	City	-8°C	106 mm · 16 days	24 tier F	—
169	Fairbanks	City	-15°C	33 mm · 6 days	24 tier F	—
170	Kenai Fjords National Park	National park	-9°C	360 mm · 22 days	20 tier F	—
171	Juneau	City	-1°C	314 mm · 22 days	19 tier F	—

Comfort is SeasonMap's 0–100 score; each place is judged through the lens that suits it — beaches on beach weather, ski resorts on snow. "At its best" means December is one of that place's own top three months. Feels-like highs fold in humidity, wind and sun.

What's on in United States in December

Elk on the National Elk Refuge · Jackson and 1 more place · 15 Dec – 5 Apr (usually)
Humpback whale season · Lahaina and 5 more places · 15 Dec – 15 May
Christmas and New Year peak · Park City and 2 more places · 20 Dec – 3 Jan
Christmas and New Year · Vail and 4 more places · 20 Dec – 3 Jan
Triple Crown of Surfing · Honolulu · 12 Nov – 20 Dec (usually)
Honolulu Marathon · Honolulu · 13 Dec
River Walk holiday season · San Antonio · 26 Nov – 6 Jan (usually)
Nights of Lights · St. Augustine · 21 Nov – 31 Jan (usually)

Seasons in force

Peak crowds at 46 of United States's 106 well-known places this month.

Better months for United States

May · 79/100 April · 78/100 October · 77/100 Weakest: January · 61/100

← United States in November United States in January →Best time to visit United States, month by month Compare: Big Bend National Park vs Kona in December

More about December

Best places in the world in December Best places in North America in December Places to avoid in December What season is it in December?