Vancouver · Canada
December
Whistler at its best, Christmas market in Vancouver — the Pacific Northwest winter strategy.
Worth considering
#10 of 12 months
There are better months for Vancouver — see the full ranking below.
See when to go instead →Climate
High
7.1°C
Low
2.1°C
Rain
161mm
Sun
2hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How December scores in Vancouver
Weather
Below average
Value
Very good
Crowds
Excellent
Events
Good
Atmosphere
Very good
What you gain in December
- ↑December is peak Whistler season — the full resort is open, the snowpack is building toward January and February maximum, and the village Christmas atmosphere (carol singers on Village Stroll, outdoor skating rink, the Whistler Village Market) is genuinely excellent. The 2-hour drive from Vancouver makes a 2-night Whistler stay an easy addition to a Vancouver base trip.
- ↑The Vancouver Christmas Market at Jack Poole Plaza (early November through late December) imports the German Christmas market format with impressive fidelity — over 80 vendor huts selling European craft and food, mulled wine, and roasted chestnuts in a waterfront setting with the North Shore mountains as a backdrop. It's the best Christmas market in Canada.
- ↑Christmas week and New Year's Eve in Vancouver are celebrated with Granville Island events, New Year's Eve fireworks at Canada Place, and the general warmth of a multicultural city that celebrates the season collectively. The First Night celebration on December 31 is family-friendly, arts-focused, and free.
What you sacrifice
- ↓December weather is indistinguishable from November in terms of rainfall (161mm) and sunshine (2 hours daily). The city is grey and wet, and the mountain views are entirely absent on the typical December day. The saving grace is that December's cultural calendar provides indoor alternatives that November lacks.
- ↓Christmas and New Year's travel periods drive airfares to their winter maximum — December 22–January 2 flights to Vancouver from most origins are priced at summer-comparable levels even though the destination delivers winter conditions.
How December compares to September (best month)
| Factor | December | September ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 3 | 8 |
| Value | 7 | 6 |
| Crowds | 8 | 6 |
December in other destinations
Lisbon (14.4°C)Barcelona (13.8°C)Tokyo (12°C)Bali (30.3°C)Santorini (14.5°C)Paris (6.9°C)New York (5.1°C)Marrakech (18.1°C)Amsterdam (6.4°C)Maldives (30°C)Rome (11.7°C)Bangkok (30.4°C)Istanbul (9.4°C)Vienna (3°C)Seoul (3.7°C)Dubrovnik (11.6°C)Rio de Janeiro (29.5°C)Kyoto (11.3°C)Phuket (31.8°C)Cape Town (25.6°C)Prague (3°C)Amalfi Coast (13°C)Mexico City (21°C)Medellín (28°C)Fiji (30°C)London (8°C)Sydney (26°C)Iceland (2°C)Tulum (28°C)Dubai (25°C)Singapore (30°C)Hoi An (24°C)Chiang Mai (27.5°C)Miami (25.6°C)Florence (9.8°C)Queenstown (21°C)Madrid (9.5°C)Porto (14°C)Edinburgh (7°C)Copenhagen (5°C)Budapest (5°C)Kraków (2°C)Tbilisi (7°C)Palawan (29°C)Hanoi (20°C)Osaka (11°C)Goa (32°C)Cusco (20°C)Buenos Aires (29°C)Mykonos (14°C)Zanzibar (31°C)Sri Lanka (30°C)Costa Rica (25°C)Cancun (28°C)Krabi (32°C)Athens (14°C)Seville (15°C)Cartagena (31°C)Siem Reap (28°C)Havana (26°C)Split (11°C)Taipei (20°C)Kuala Lumpur (32°C)Valletta (16°C)Ho Chi Minh City (31°C)Hawaii (27°C)Cappadocia (6°C)Dominican Republic (28°C)Jamaica (30°C)Tanzania (27°C)Seychelles (30°C)Nepal (17°C)Jordan (14°C)Azores (18°C)Bora Bora (30°C)Los Angeles (20.4°C)Cairo (20.8°C)Kenya (26°C)Jaipur (22.8°C)Las Vegas (14.7°C)San Francisco (13.8°C)Madeira (20°C)Muscat (27.8°C)Lima (24.2°C)Cinque Terre (12°C)Kotor (11°C)Tel Aviv (19°C)Santiago (29°C)Bogotá (18°C)Bruges (6.8°C)Penang (30.9°C)Lombok (30.9°C)Cape Verde (26.8°C)Fez (15.2°C)Kerala (31°C)Kigali (26°C)Hong Kong (19°C)Oslo (2°C)Auckland (22°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Vancouver, not across destinations. Methodology →