Tis the season to be jolly, and what is jollier than old St. Nicholas? For families with children, and for a good number of adults, no Christmas season could possibly be complete without a trip to visit the merry old elf who characterizes the holiday. Now, you can go to almost any mall in the month of December to see Santa for a minute and grab a quick photo, but what if you’re looking for a Santa experience that’s a little more in-depth? As it turns out, Santa has some pretty special locations in a few different places across the United States. If you’re looking for an out-of-the-ordinary Santa visit this year, consider one of these locations.
- Santa’s Village in New Hampshire. The city of Jefferson, New Hampshire, is home to a unique kind of theme park – a Santa themed amusement park called Santa’s Village. Here, you can visit Santa at home for the traditional photo session, but there’s so much more to it than that. You’ll be greeted coming into the park by Rudolph the Reindeer. Visit the Elf University and find the 26 elves located around the park. See the 3-D movie, “A Tinkerdoodle Christmas” at the Polar Theater. And of course, ride the rides. There are bumper cars and a Christmas themed Ferris wheel, as well as roller coasters like Rudy’s Rapid Transit Coaster and the Great Humbug Adventure. You also might enjoy the Peppermint Twist and the Christmas Carousel. This theme park is an excellent choice for families with children younger than 13.
- Santa’s Candy Castle in Indiana. Did you know that Santa has an entire town named after him? If not, you’re overdue for a visit to the charming city of Santa Claus, Indiana. Here you can visit Santa’s Candy Castle. This child’s fantasy land has interactive candy machines, gourmet fudge and hot chocolate, elves, and more. On Saturday mornings, you can sit in for storytime with Santa. Children who are on Santa’s good list will take home an official Good List Certificate. Best of all, admission is free. While you’re in town, drop in to the Santa Claus Museum to see their historic Santa statue and other Santa artifacts.
- Santa Claus House in Alaska. Speaking of Santa oriented towns, how about a visit to Santa’s hometown, the North Pole. While the actual North Pole may be a bit of a stretch, the United States does have our very own town of North Pole, Alaska. Here you can visit the Santa Claus House. You’ll know that you’re there when you see the nearly fifty foot tall Santa statue – known as “the world’s largest Santa” outside the building. The Santa House is also home to four live reindeer. Santa is home for visitors in December between Wednesday and Sunday from 10 am to 6pm every week (except for Christmas Day). He’s off Mondays and Tuesdays.
It’s not hard to find a Santa at Christmas time, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a more unique and interesting Santa experience than the one you’ll enjoy when visiting one of these Santa hotspots.
