How Crowded Is Independence National Historical Park in December?

December runs about 0.6× Independence National Historical Park's average month, which makes it a quiet month here — roughly 5% of the park's yearly visitors come in December.

In a typical December the park sees about 166,000 recreation visits, based on National Park Service monthly counts from 1979 to 2025.

That makes December the 10th-busiest of the park's twelve months, sitting between the July peak (1.6×) and the January low (0.5×).

On our Best Time to Visit score December rates 37/100 ("Poor"), versus the top-rated October at 55/100 — pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season).

Typical December weather, from 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals at the nearest station, averages a daytime high near 47°F and an overnight low around 33°F, with about 4.3" of precipitation and roughly 4" of snow.

That average of about 40°F is cool, so layers and a shorter daylight window matter.

Because June, July and August together draw about 35% of annual visitors, choosing December instead steps outside that summer crush — the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels.

You'll have about 9.2 hours of daylight in December to explore — near the year-round minimum.

Park-wide, 2025 drew 1,926,580 recreation visits, down 31.2% from 2,798,651 in 2024.

Across the past decade overall visitation has eased about 39.9%, so December may feel a touch quieter than it once did.