The most epic Santa visits in the Greater Toronto Area
Santa comes to the Six in style.
Santa has his suit pressed and ready, the elves are hard at work, and his reindeer are practicing drills in flight academy. So what’s the CEO of holiday spirit to do in the weeks leading up to the big day? The parades and mall photos have their place, but now there are some new and downright awesome ways to get your Christmas cheer on and hang with the big man in red around the Six.
Here’s our kid-approved list of some of the most epic places to see Santa around the Greater Toronto Area.
Casa Loma
The heritage castle in downtown Toronto transforms itself into a literal Christmas wonderland for indoor and outdoor holiday experiences.
Inside the Christmas at the Castle event, the treasured landmark is covered in Christmas flair with professionally-decorated trees, ice skating shows, roaming characters, and entertainers to meet as you tour the halls. That's followed by a magical journey to Santa.
SEE ALSO: Canada's most festive places
Visitors then travel in a festive underground tunnel to meet Mrs. Claus, see singing elves, write their own Santa letter (and even have the chance to mail it in his own mailbox), before making their way to find Santa in his lavish toy workshop. After a personal visit, there are candy canes and singing reindeer in the castle stables.
Then move outdoors for the separate “Holiday Lights” event where more than 1 million lights have been expertly placed around the castle grounds along with music, art installations, social media-worthy vignettes, carolers, characters, hot chocolate, mulled wine and other tasty treats.
Both events run on select days throughout December and into early January.
For details and tickets, go to casaloma.ca.
Black Creek Pioneer Village
Our next stop on this epic Santa tour is actually a throwback to a time of Christmas past at Black Creek Pioneer Village's "Santa at the Village" event. Step back in time and see what Christmas was like in Southern Ontario in the early-mid 1800’s in this working heritage village in North York.
Tour while learning how to make ornaments from the tinsmith, taste-test fresh bread made in the wood fire oven or traditional candies and gingerbread made the old-fashioned way, and enjoy all the holiday trimmings in the village’s houses, inns, and shops. Be sure to write your letter to Santa, have a hot cocoa, and experience more festive family fun at stops all around the village.
Visit Santa in his decorated cabin in the village and spend time one-on-one making memories. Enjoy seasonal performers while waiting your turn to see the jolly old elf, or avoid the line completely with a specially ticketed VIP visit with Santa before the village opens for the day.
The Santa at the Village event runs on the weekends leading up to Christmas. Find out more at blackcreek.ca.
Mountsberg Conservation Area
The list of epic experiences continues by boarding a guided woodland horse-drawn wagon ride deep into the beautiful Mountsberg Conservation area in Halton Region for their Christmas Town event. Cuddle under blankets and see the stars overheard as real working horses take you deeper into the lit forested path to a North Pole look-alike town: the Mountsberg Christmas Town!
Each family enjoys a private visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus inside their cozy winter cabin, fully decked out with a wood burning fire, maps, toys and Santa magic. After chatting with them and posing for photos, they gift each child, with a wooden ornament from Mountsberg and let you roam around the area to check out the rest of the festive fun.
Mrs. Claus’ cookie kitchen serves up tasty treats and hot chocolate and there are glimpses of elves working in their shop. There is also a walk-through experience of the toy drop and reindeer flight academy before boarding the wagon ride back to the visitors centre where there are more child-friendly elf games and crafts waiting along with a crackling outdoor fire.
Christmas Town tickets are limited and sell out quickly when the event is posted in October of each year. It runs from mid-November until Christmas.
After Christmas, the woodland trails are transformed into a winter lights event, “Winterlit” runs between December and February and includes sustainable art installations, nighttime magic, and local musicians. More information for both events can be found on conservationhalton.ca.
Sensational Santa stops
In the end, we give these seasonal experiences a solid 5-cookie rating.
They're sure to have you requiring some Santa magic to top it next year.
We have checked our Weather Network list once and twice and determined all these Santa Visits are extra, extra nice. But here’s just one last piece of seasonal advice:
Before you dash away to catch your own glimpse of St. Nick, make sure you keep an eye on your Weather Network app when planning your Santa visit to find out if Kris Kringle will have to hold on to his hat or use Rudolph’s red nose in any winter weather when you’re with him.
From us at The Weather Network, a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!