Things to Do in Montgomery in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
December Weather in Montgomery
Long-run averages for December
61°F (16°C)
High Temp
44°F (6°C)
Low Temp
5.1 inches (130 mm)
Rainfall
75%
Humidity
8
Rainy Days
3
Sunny-Day UV
Making the most of December in Montgomery? Browse tours and activities in Montgomery on GetYourGuide.
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + December in Montgomery is blessedly quiet. The summer heat that can press down like a wool blanket is long gone. A chill takes its place. Sharp enough to feel. Not biting enough to trap you indoors. You can walk the Civil Rights Memorial and the Rosa Parks Museum without the usual sheen of sweat. The brick sidewalks underfoot stay cool and damp.
- + The holiday season layers the city with a specific kind of light. Downtown, the massive live oak trees on Dexter Avenue get strung with thousands of tiny white bulbs. Their gnarled branches turn into constellations against the darkening sky. The air smells of cold earth and woodsmoke from fireplaces.
- + This is when you can get a table. The lines at Chris' Famous Hot Dogs thin out. This downtown institution has stood since 1917. Its chili recipe has not changed since the 1940s. You can slide into a worn vinyl booth. Hear the grease sizzle on the flat-top. Eat a chili dog with a side of onion rings. No rush.
- + The lower humidity means the sky is often a clear, pale blue. Good for seeing the city's scale. From the steps of the Alabama State Capitol, you can look down Dexter Avenue. Past the church steeples and government buildings. You can see for miles.
Considerations
- − That 5.1 inches of rain is not a gentle mist. It tends to come in cold, grey, day-long soakers. The red clay soil turns to slick mud. Outdoor plans become a washout. The damp chill can seep into your bones if you are not dressed for it.
- − December is when a lot of Montgomery simply closes up shop for the holidays. Smaller museums might have reduced hours between Christmas and New Year's. Some of the best soul food spots might take a week off. The kind run by families. You need to call ahead. Do not assume.
- − The days are short. The sun sets by 5 PM. If you want to explore the outdoor history, plan accordingly. The Freedom Rides Museum at the old Greyhound station. The riverfront. Do it by mid-afternoon. The long nights are great for cozy dinners. They limit your sightseeing window.
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Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
December air in Montgomery snaps sharp over the brick façades; 61 degrees feels like freedom after the swampy summer. Ten rainy days all month. Locals reclaim the riverfront, coffee cups in hand, while tourists stay home. Walk anywhere without a parka. Low sun throws long shadows across Dexter Avenue, and church bells carry for blocks. This is the season to move slowly, to let the city's story settle on your skin. Hotels drop their rates. Streets stay quiet. You will smell woodsmoke, hear magnolia leaves crunch, feel cold bronze under your fingers, then taste slow-simmered stew at supper. The whole downtown clusters tight enough to cover on foot.
Montgomery Civil Rights Walk of Freedom Self Guided (GPS) Walking Tour
walking_tourHands you the map. Start at Court Square where Rosa Parks stepped onto the bus, end at Dr. King's pulpit. Headphones feed first-hand accounts while you stand on the actual pavement.
Arrive after the dew dries. Sound stays crisp and foot traffic stays thin.
Insider tip: Arrive after the dew dries. Sound stays crisp and foot traffic stays thin.
3hr Private Driving Civil Rights Tour
guided_experienceReaches sites too far to walk. You glide from the Equal Justice Initiative's memorial to the tiny houses where organizers plotted. Leather seats cushion you. History does not.
Ask the guide to spotlight the plain churches and cinder-block halls whose walls still hold strategy.
Insider tip: Ask the guide to spotlight the plain churches and cinder-block halls whose walls still hold strategy.
Sip-n-Cycle Pedal Cruise in Montgomery
cruiseTrades solemnity for laughter. Up to fifteen riders power a rolling bar along the Alabama River while music pumps and skyscrapers slide past.
Pack layers. Once the sun sinks, river wind bites harder than you expect.
Insider tip: Pack layers. Once the sun sinks, river wind bites harder than you expect.
6 Hours Private Civil Rights Tour of Montgomery
guided_experienceGives you space to breathe. Stand among the 805 steel slabs at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, then talk through the impact over lunch. Six hours of names, dates, context.
Bring a notebook. The detail piles up fast.
Insider tip: Bring a notebook. The detail piles up fast.
Private 6 Hour Tour of Selma and Montgomery Civil Rights Sites
guided_experienceLinks the two cities forever fused by the 1965 march. Crunch gravel outside Selma's interpretative center, then stride across the Edmund Pettus Bridge yourself.
You will see the same rural miles the marchers covered, all 54 of them.
Insider tip: You will see the same rural miles the marchers covered, all 54 of them.
Astonishing Montgomery Scavenger Hunt: History & Heroes
otherTurns downtown into a game board. A phone app nudges you toward overlooked plaques, faded murals, and tiny statues. Solve a clue, punch the code, move on.
Play only on clear days. Constant screen-checking and alley-hunting hate rain.
Insider tip: Play only on clear days. Constant screen-checking and alley-hunting hate rain.
Where to Stay in Montgomery in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
★★★★
Mid-Range
DoubleTree by Hilton Montgomery Downtown
From $142 / night
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★★★
Luxury
Embassy Suites by Hilton Montgomery Hotel & Conference Center
From $206 / night
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Public Holidays in December
Dates that affect opening hours, transport and crowds
Christmas Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Christmas Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
New Year's Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Christmas Day
Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Packing Checklist
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View Montgomery Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
The best hot chocolate in town isn't at a chain. Head to the café inside the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts in Blount Cultural Park. It's rich, not too sweet, and you can sip it while wandering the galleries, which are always quiet and free.
On the first Friday evening of the month, many downtown art galleries on Montgomery and Clay Streets stay open late. It's a locals-only scene with cheap wine and good conversation, a world away from the history trails.
For a real taste of December in Montgomery, go to a high school basketball game. The gyms are packed, overheated, and loud with the squeak of sneakers and the roar of the crowd. It's pure, unfiltered local life.
If it rains, skip the crowded cafes and head to the old Carnegie Library, now part of the Alabama Department of Archives and History. The main hall, with its marble floors and echoing quiet, is a magnificent place to read or plan your next move, and it's almost always empty.
Avoid These Mistakes
Underestimating the damp cold. That 16°C high can feel like 10°C when combined with humidity and wind. Tourists from up north laugh until they're shivering in a cotton hoodie by the river.
Not checking holiday hours. Assuming that because it's a weekday, everything is open. Between Christmas and New Year's, the operating hours for many sites are a complete patchwork. Always verify before you go.
Trying to do too much in the short daylight hours. Packing your schedule with outdoor sites for a 4 PM visit is a recipe for disappointment. Schedule outdoor activities before 3 PM.
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