The Best Places to Meet Santa in NYC This Year

By NYMetroParents Calendar Editor November 5, 2019

Here are some of the best places to meet Santa Claus in Brooklyn and Queens, plus Staten Island!

Between your usual Christmas activities, like cutting your own tree or getting a jump on your holiday shopping, take some time to visit the man in the red suit! Luckily, there are so many places to meet Santa in New York City, and we've put together a list of the best spots to meet and have photos taken with him in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. Plus, check out our guides for Long Island and Westchester, Rockland, and Bergen counties!

Photos with Santa in Manhattan

FREE Macy's Santaland
WHEN: Nov. 29- Dec. 24, 10am-10pm
WHERE: 151 W. 34th St., Midtown
AGES: All
WHAT: Visit the 13,000 square-foot Christmas village to meet Saint Nick (make a reservation in advance), board the Santaland Express, visit the Kinder™ Sweet Shoppe, enter the Enchanted Forest, and explore Santa’s Workshop.
WANT TO GO? 212-695-4400. www.macys.com/social/santa-land/.

Photos with Santa in Brooklyn

Santa Paws
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 1, 12-4pm
WHERE: Beyond at Liberty View, 850 3rd Ave., Sunset Park
AGES: All
WHAT: Bring your furry friend for a photo with Santa!
WANT TO GO? 929-305-3821. https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/brooklyn/index.html.

FREE Dumbo Holiday Tree Lighting
WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 5, 4-7pm
WHERE: Pearl Street Triangle, 155 Water St., Dumbo
AGES: All
WHAT: This year's ceremony includes a visit from Santa Claus, live calypso music, caroling, treats and hot cocoa, and more!
WANT TO GO? dumbo.is/lighting-the-tree.

Photos with Santa!
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 14, 10am-12pm
WHERE: The Old Stone House, 336 3rd St., Park Slope
AGES: All
WHAT: Get your family photos taken with Santa with Marc Goldberg!
WANT TO GO? $10. 718-768-3195. theoldstonehouse.org.

FREE Photos with Santa
WHEN: Nov. 7- Dec. 24, 11/7-12/11 Mondays-Saturdays, 12-8pm; Sundays, 11am-7p; 12/12-12/23 Mondays-Sundays, 10am-9pm; 12/24 10am-6pm. Closed Thanksgiving
WHERE: Kings Plaza Shopping Center, 5100 Kings Plaza, Old Mill Basin
AGES: All
WHAT: Santa will be available for photos and visits at his holiday home. Want to see Santa sooner? Get a Fast Pass to make your family’s visit even easier! Reserve online.
WANT TO GO? 718-253-6844. https://www.kingsplazaonline.com/Events/Details/530491.

Photos with Santa on Staten Island

Beastly Feast with Santa
WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 15 , 9:30-11am or 1-2:30pm
WHERE: Staten Island Zoo, 614 Broadway, Staten Island
AGES: All
WHAT: Enjoy either breakfast or lunch with Santa, see the animals, ride the carousel, and make holiday arts and crafts!
WANT TO GO? $30; $20 children ages 3-14; free for children 2 and younger. 718-442-3101. statenislandzoo.org.

Empire Outlets
WHEN: Dec. 8-24, 10am-9pm
WHERE: 55 Richmond Terrace, St. George
AGES: All
WHAT: Kids can tell Santa what they’d like for Christmas from Dec. 8-24. You can also pick up a seasonal keepsake to take home, and Empire Outlets will be collecting letters to Santa beginning Dec. 3 as well.
WANT TO GO? $29.99 and up for prints. 929-262-6710. empireoutlets.nyc.

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Photos with Santa in Queens

FREE Christmas in the Garden
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 2, 12-5pm
WHERE: Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing
AGES: All
WHAT: Enjoy live musical performances, photos with Santa, holiday crafts, tree lighting, and blowout sales at the QBG Shop!
WHY WE LOVE IT: A wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit.
WANT TO GO? 718-886-3800. queensbotanical.org.

FREE Tree Lighting Ceremony
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 6, 7pm
WHERE: Lawn South of Rivercross, 501 Main St., Roosevelt Island
AGES: All
WHAT: Holiday tree lighting ceremony includes live music, holiday performances from community groups, giveaways, raffle prizes, and Santa!
WANT TO GO? 212-832-4540. rioc.ny.gov.

Cookies with Santa
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 14, 1:30-2:30pm, 3-4pm (for kids ages 3 and younger), and 4:30-5:30pm
WHERE: My Gym Fresh Meadows, 176-60 Union Turnpike, Suite 310, Fresh Meadows
AGES: All ages
WHAT: Bring the kids to enjoy Christmas songs, dances, games, relays, cookies and milk, and pictures with Santa. Pre-registration required.
WANT TO GO? $18. 718-380-4599. mygym.com/queens.

'The Nutcracker' By The Joffrey Ballet School
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 15, 3:30pm
WHERE: LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at LaGuardia Community College, 31-10 Thomson Ave., Long Island City
AGES: 5-12, adult
WHAT: This performance is a special one-hour rendition, meet-and-greet with principle dancers, and just when you think the excitement has ended, participants can visit Santa in the magical toyland.
WANT TO GO? $20; $15 per person for groups of 4 and more. 718-482-5151. lpac.nyc.

The Nutcracker and Visit to Santa's Toyland
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 16, 3:30pm
WHERE: Laguardia Performing Arts Center Mainstage Theater , 31-10 Thomson Ave., Long Island City
AGES: 5-12
WHAT: Enjoy this charming tale of holiday adventure that follows a little girl’s journey through a fantasy world of dolls, toy soldiers, an army of mice, snowflakes, princes, and fairies, plus visit Santa in a magical toyland and receive a free gift.
WANT TO GO? $20. 718-482-5151. lpac.nyc.

Santa HQ
WHEN: Nov. 8- Dec. 24, Mondays-Saturdays 10am-9:30pm, Sundays 11am-8pm
WHERE: Queens Center, 90-15 Queens Blvd., Elmhurst
AGES: All
WHAT: Kids can meet Santa, transform into an elf at Elf Academy, explore the Workshop, and more beginning Nov. 8 at Santa HQ. You can reserve your spot to meet Santa online with a Fast Pass. Shoppers also are invited to bring an unwrapped toy and participate in Help Through Holiday Giving. Queens Center will be donating to Dare2B and other local charities serving families and children in need. Visit the Santa HQ site for days and times.
WANT TO GO? $34.99 and up. https://santa-hq.com/.