The Most Magical Places to Take Photos with Santa in Texas
It’s impressive enough that Santa Claus can visit millions of houses worldwide in a single night — it’s even more impressive that he spends the whole month leading up to Christmas hanging out in millions of malls. But Santa’s ubiquity in December can be overwhelming for kids who are trying to find the right experience to meet him, take a photo, and put in a good word for themselves.
In Texas, there’s no shortage of opportunities to take photos with Santa. However, there are a few places around the state that go all out in welcoming Santa Claus to their holiday events. Here are three of the most epic, Texas-sized events to meet and take photos with Santa.
Sweet Eats Adventure Farm, Georgetown
Sweet Eats Adventure Farm, about 40 minutes north of Austin in rural Georgetown, is at its busiest in the autumn months, with its famous pig races, petting zoo, apple cannons, pumpkin patches, and enormous corn maze. But after Thanksgiving, the farm transforms into a Texan winter wonderland that even Santa just can’t resist visiting — every weekend after Thanksgiving and the whole week leading up to Christmas, in fact. You’ll even find him taking photos with kids from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Arrive at 10 a.m. on the weekends and enjoy a breakfast buffet with the big man himself — a good social networking opportunity for anyone desperate to get on the Nice List.
Santa’s Wonderland, College Station
College Station puts together the largest annual outdoor Christmas party in all of Texas, and Santa must be in on the planning because only magic can explain the real snow here. Snow tubing is a big hit at Santa’s Wonderland (along with hayrides, millions of lights, and all kinds of festive foods), but the big ticket item is, of course, meeting the wonderland’s namesake. Santa Claus gets so wrapped up in the enormity of this Texan celebration that he opts for a 10-gallon hat and huge black cowboy boots at his photo tent. You’ll also have the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Claus and Tinsel the Elf, who can peek at Santa’s ledger and let you know if you’re on the Naughty or Nice List this year.
Galleria Dallas, Dallas
Perhaps one of the most magical Santa meet-and-greets in all of Texas happens yearly at Galleria Dallas when the mall opens its famous Santaland. The experience begins when kids board a train that whisks them from North Texas to the North Pole, where they’ll be dropped off in a moonlit forest. Follow the signs until you arrive at Santa’s lodge, where he greets every child by name before they’ve had a chance to introduce themselves. He’ll surprise them further by revealing he knows exactly what they want for Christmas. Parents need to reserve tickets ahead of time to make this popular magic experience possible (photos with Santa in his cottage are included in the price).
Galleria Dallas is also home to one of the best ice-skating rinks in Texas, which features one of the tallest Christmas trees in the state. Attend the tree-lighting ceremony on the first weekend after Thanksgiving, and you’ll get to witness something extraordinary: Santa Claus performing backflips while ice-skating under his alter ego, “Missile Toes.” The show ends with Olympic skaters joining Santa on the ice, all to a fireworks finale. Simply put, there’s nowhere more extravagant than the Galleria Dallas to see Santa in Texas.
These three events are just the beginning — Santa’s gonna Santa and be everywhere at once all season long. Discover even more of the best family-friendly Christmas events, markets, and shows around Texas.
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