Perhaps you’re like me: My childhood encounters with Santa were relegated to the local mall. These visits, albeit hugely important in my kid universe at the time, always seemed a bit stressful and rushed for something that should have been much more … magical.
Now that I’m a mama to a three-year-old daughter with a colorful imagination and budding wanderlust, I’m seeking Santa encounters that go beyond the mall visits. In fact, I am making a list (and checking it twice) of Santa visits that could anchor an entire winter vacation. My goal is to curate a list of travel-worthy holiday opportunities that might pique my daughter’s wide-eyed wonder and my own.
Here are some of the best that I’ve found. May they inspire a future ho-ho-holiday vacation for you.
LAPLAND, FINLAND
Meet Santa in his storybook hometown on the Arctic Circle
This is the bucket list trip to meet Santa. Finland’s northernmost region, Lapland, is a snow-covered wonderland that is home to one of the most remote towns in Europe that also happens to be the official hometown of Santa Claus: Rovaniemi. A visit here is like stepping into a Christmas fairy tale.
The experience centers around Santa Claus Village, which is a cheerful, Lapland holiday hamlet filled with stores, attractions, and accommodations. Meeting Santa here is the highlight, of course, but numerous other opportunities make this a multi-day holiday experience of a lifetime. Enjoy reindeer sleigh rides, dog-sledding tours, snowmobile adventures, working alongside the elves at Elf Hat Academy, and overnighting in a snow hotel or glass igloo—something sure to provide dazzling views of the northern lights.
If the thought of DIY-ing this journey is intimidating, ask your AAA Travel Advisor about packaged round-trip tours from London, as these typically bundle accommodations, activities, and flights.
WALT DISNEY WORLD, FLORIDA
Celebrate with Santa in the “Happiest Place on Earth”
An already magical place to visit any other time of year, Disney goes all out during the holiday season. Its theme parks and resorts offer a family-friendly array of experiences, with the most popular being “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.” This separately ticketed event is hosted in Disney’s Magic Kingdom on select nights leading up to Christmas and features dance parties, character meet-and-greets (including “Santa Mickey,” “Santa Goofy” and Santa Claus), complimentary treat stations, and a holiday-themed parade with fireworks.
Over at EPCOT, the World Showcase pavilions feature storytellers who share holiday traditions from across the globe. Some of these storytellers are Santas from different countries, such as Père Noël in France, Barn Santa in Norway, and Father Christmas in the United Kingdom.
NORTH POLE, ALASKA
Visit Santa and his reindeer in the real North Pole
Tee up the best kid brag ever: “I visited Santa in the real North Pole!” This colorful Alaskan town is 15 miles east of Fairbanks and celebrates Christmas year-round. Journey down streets with names such as Kris Kringle Drive and Santa Claus Lane to discover holiday decorations, ice sculptures, and candy cane-striped light poles.
You’ll find your way to the Santa Claus House, which is home to a holiday gift shop, sweet shop, and post office. This special destination boasts a 42-feet-tall fiberglass Santa statue out front—the largest in the world. Of course, grabbing a photo with the real Santa Claus is a highlight, and he’s here welcoming visitors over the holidays and during the summer months. So are his reindeer. Step inside the reindeer pen for interaction, feedings and photos at Antler Academy (of Flying Reindeer Games).
Stop by the post office, too. Among other things, it’s where you can drop your Christmas greeting cards off to secure the town’s postmark—a little something extra to impress friends and family back home.
HAWAII
Say “Aloha” to Santa as he canoes to the shore
In Hawaii, you can find Santa taking a well-deserved beach vacation. On select December days, Santa trades in his sleigh for an Outrigger canoe to surf the waves of Waikiki onto the beach of the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort on Oahu. Donning a Hawaiian shirt, flip-flops, and shorts, Santa mingles with guests for pictures and conversation.
Over at the Wailea Beach Resort on Maui, Santa has been a Christmas Day tradition for more than 40 years. He dramatically arrives on the beach via canoe to participate in an “elf” parade back to the resort, where all have the chance to meet Saint Nick while enjoying milk and cookies.
MALDIVES
Cheer as Santa shows off aerial and underwater skills
Santa flies high above the idyllic Maldives without the help of his reindeer. On Christmas Day, guests staying at the Anantara Kihavah Maldives villas can watch Santa parasailing over the ocean waves. Red and white smoke streams from Santa’s parachute into the sky before he makes a daredevil landing on the beach, where he greets children and passes out small gifts.
But it doesn’t end there. Santa then dons his scuba suit to dive beneath the ocean and wave to diners at the underwater SEA restaurant. Watch Santa swim among the sharks, turtles, and tropical fish viewable from the glass windows throughout. Talk about a tropical sea-and-sky Santa experience!
ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
Watch Santa rappel from a massive cliff
This is the largest chimney Santa will have to descend. Watch him bravely rappel down the 315-foot Chimney Rock, a massive granite monolith in North Carolina’s Chimney Rock State Park, which is about 25 miles southeast of Asheville. This holiday spectacle typically takes place in early December, making it a perfect time to train for the millions of chimneys he’ll have to climb down on Christmas Eve. The Santa on the Chimney event is included with park admission and also includes live music, the opportunity to hike with elves and meet animal ambassadors, and photo opportunities with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
THE GRAND CANYON AND THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS
Ride “The Polar Express” to meet Santa
All aboard, true believers! Santa makes an appearance on one of the most magical train journeys of the holiday season: “The Polar Express.” The 90-minute train adventure, which is offered in destinations across the country, theatrically recreates the beloved holiday story on board the train as it travels to the North Pole (wink, wink).
The journey includes holiday caroling, dancing, hot chocolate—and Santa moving through the coaches to greet each child and bestow the first Christmas gift of the season. The “Polar Express” train adventures take place seasonally in destinations such as the Grand Canyon and the Smoky Mountains, making it easy to bundle it into a comprehensive winter vacation in a destination that begs further exploration.
BANFF, CANADA
Ski alongside Santa
Each holiday season, Santa likes to hit the slopes at three mountain resorts in Banff National Park. You can catch him skiing at Banff Sunshine Village and Lake Louise Ski Resort. Santa and Mrs. Claus are even known to surprise guests on the bunny slopes. Plus, on Christmas Day, anyone dressed up as Santa or Mrs. Claus can ski or snowboard for free at Mt. Norquay.
Not all Santa encounters require skis or snowboards, however. At the Banff Christmas Market, a European-style holiday market that’s been described as “living in a Hallmark movie,” Santa visits guests in his reindeer stables. And if you’re staying at Fairmont Banff Springs, you can arrange to have a private “Goodnight Visit” from Santa to your room.
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA
Take a sleigh ride with Santa
Allow Santa to take you for a spin on his giant red sleigh across the streets of downtown Greenville, a bustling town nestled at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and recently highlighted in the New York Times’ “52 Places to Go in 2023.” The sleigh (a converted 1993 Ford Aerostar) can seat up to 15 people for the 15-minute journey through downtown Greenville, which is decked out in festive lights for the season. Book early to secure your seat in Santa’s sleigh.
ACROSS THE USA
Discover a diverse array of Santas
Most of the time, you’ll meet a Santa who is white. After all, his legacy originates in Europe, borrowing from the Dutch Sinterklaas, the British folklore character Father Christmas, and Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek bishop in modern-day Turkey.
Representation, however, can be incredibly impactful for the youngest believers. There is a special magic in children walking up to the bearded legend in a red suit and seeing themselves reflected in that person. Hence, the growing demand for Santas of color. With the magic of Google, it’s now easier to find these opportunities that might inspire a bigger winter vacation.
Cultural institutions are a popular space for these meet-and-greets. For instance, the Cincinnati Art Museum and the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City have been known to offer visits with a black Santa and an indigenous Santa, respectively. Black Santas have also begun appearing in Disneyland and Walt Disney World. For those living in or traveling to Houston, Pancho Claus makes regular appearances across the city as Santa’s cousin from the South Pole, bringing Chicano flair to the role in his red zoot suit and fedora. Truly, there is a version of Santa out there for everyone.
