Santa's Workshop, North Pole, NY —A Magical Trip Back in Time

Bench in entrance to Santa's Village at The North Pole

We all know that Buddy the Elf traveled through the seven levels of the Candy Cane Forest and through the sea of swirly twirly gumdrops to get to and from Santa’s Workshop in The North Pole. Lucky for us, there is a much easier way to get there. Simply program Wilmington, NY into your GPS and head for the hamlet of North Pole, NY, located in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains.

When you visit Santa’s Workshop, North Pole, NY, you will be transported to the magical world of what you imagined The North Pole to be when you were little. Santa’s Workshop opened in 1949 and was one of the very first ever theme parks. It has been maintained carefully to preserve the original atmosphere, giving you the feeling of Christmases long long ago.

Here are some things you will find during your visit to Santa’s Workshop, North Pole, NY.

Red and Green Cottage at Santa's Village at The North Pole

Rides

The rides at Santa’s Workshop are geared toward small children 48″ or under. There is, however, a carousel that can be enjoyed by the whole family no matter how big or small. Do not fret. Even if your children are too big to go on the rides, there is still so much for them to enjoy.

Bring Your Christmas Letters to Santa and Mrs. Claus

Forget the stamps and snail-mail. When you visit Santa’s Workshop, children can hand-deliver their Christmas lists directly to Santa himself. Mrs. Clause warmly greets guests as they wait in line to meet Santa. After a short wait, children will find Santa sitting by a warm fireplace waiting to spend some quality time with all of his guests.

Fresh Baked Treats and Hot Chocolate

As you stroll through the village, you will come to The Bake Shop Cottage. Be sure to stop in for fresh-baked gingerbread cookies, and other baked goods. Of course, no trip to the North Pole would be complete without hot chocolate. There are plenty of tables outside to sit and enjoy your treats.

Talking Christmas Tree and Bonfire

‘Tannenbaum’ the talking Christmas Tree loves to chat with all of the visitors to Santa’s Village. Ask her any questions, and she will respond. Conveniently located directly next to the large bonfire, you can stay warm and toasty while striking up a conversation with the friendly tree. Roast a marshmallow or two while you are there too.

Full Service Post Office

Located next to the gift shop, there is a full-service post office where you can mail letters and packages postmarked from The North Pole.

The gift shop is stocked with great gifts, souvenirs, and necessities such as thick socks, sweatshirts, and hand warmers. We quickly found that we were not dressed warm enough, even though we thought we were. We were so grateful to find these items readily available in the store. Make sure to bundle up!

Santa’s Actual Workshop

The ultimate destination every kid wants to see, Santa’s Workshop! They will get to check out where the elves do all of their hard work. A blackboard in the paint shop keeps track of how many toys the elves still have left to paint. The board also reminds them of their deadline. It is a lot of pressure being an Elf! Be sure to find the ladder that leads to a secret slide.

When you visit Santa’s Workshop you will once again feel the wonder and excitement of Christmas as it was when you were a kid, and the children of today will experience Christmas the way it was in a simpler time.

Santa’s Workshop, North Pole, NY is a time capsule preserved from the day that it was opened in 1949. That is the beauty and charm of it and what sets it apart from other theme parks. People who visited here as a child, grew up to share the magic of this wondrous place with their children and are now sharing it with their grandchildren.

For more great holiday destinations and ideas for your family, check out a few of our previous articles:

Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village

Fantasy of Lights at Lighthouse Point

20 Nature Gifts For Kids: Create, Explore and Be Outdoors