Walking in a Texas-Style Winter Wonderland

As we stepped into Santa’s Wonderland, we were transported to what felt like Santa’s Texas headquarters. Christmas music played, twinkling lights wrapped the buildings, cozy wooden rockers and rustic stumps ringed firepits, and all the themed storefronts and food vendor booths were decked out in Christmas décor that can only be described as North Pole-chic. Alight with wonder, my kiddos’ eyes practically outshone the light displays from the moment we walked in.

We grabbed a couple of elf-sized hot chocolates and a giant, freshly baked snickerdoodle cookie for the kids, and a Christmas Bock and St. Nick’s Spiced Cider for Mom and Dad before making our way through the walkable Candy Cane Forest and light trail to Ooh and Aah at all the twinkling displays. But after hearing Santa Claus himself was in town and greeting the good little boys and girls, it was off to meet the big guy and say hello to the sweet Mrs. Claus, too.

Meet St. Nick at Santa’s Station

Up on the hill, Santa listens to Christmas wishes and takes professional photos with kids of all ages at Santa’s Station. We hopped right in line and, anticipation growing, awaited our turn to meet Texas Santa. The jolly man waits in a beautifully decorated, quiet room to give his full attention to each group he meets. Our quiet time quickly devolved into chaos when the toddler decided he did not, in fact, want to get anywhere near Santa; but my kindergartener was in awe, slowly walking up close, eyes wide, to say hello and ask for a new doll. Kind Kriss Kringle, with his big black boots and cowboy hat, let her touch his beard and posed for one heck of a picture with us.

After making memories with Santa, we wrote and mailed our letters to the North Pole, posed for pictures with larger-than-life polar bears and nutcrackers, and went to visit Tinsel the Elf at the Naughty and Nice List stand to receive our official Nice List certificates before making our way down to play in the snow.

Outdoor Winter Fun in Texas

Get ready for some frosty fun at Frostbite’s Snow Playground, featuring real snow(!) and one of just a few places where you can find snow in Texas. This was definitely the highlight of the visit for my children. We went back two times!

A giant, fenced-off area is filled with fresh powder (careful, it gets slippery!) for visitors to make snow angels, throw snowballs, and just have some good, clean fun in the snow. A separate area is sectioned off for the tiny tykes to play, and a carousel-style ride is set up to pull children around on snow tubes.

Right next door is the Santa’s Wonderland Illuminations Ice Skating Arena, the perfect place to skate under the stars. Skating on this outdoor rink costs an additional $21.95 at the gate or $16.95 online, and sessions are 45 minutes long. Some other can’t-miss outdoor attractions include Frostbite’s Mountain for tubing down a giant hill of real snow (for guests 3 or older) and giant jumping pillows.  

A word of advice: Bring some gloves and boots to keep little fingers and toes warm and dry, and don’t forget a change of pants and socks for after they’re done getting absolutely soaked. (Worth it!)

Take a Hayride Along the Trail of Lights

Once the sun went down, we headed over to the Trail of Lights for a hayride along the nearly mile-and-a-half-long path boasting more than 4 million LED lights. This trail wows with holiday scenes, patriotic displays, and whimsical shows all aglow. The leaping dolphin and Christmas train full of toys were some of our favorites, and we loved pointing out each new setup as holiday tunes and the gleeful squeals of little ones rang out.

For an additional fee, groups can book VIP Private Horse and Carriage Tours to view the iconic light trail. This cuts down on wait times in the line and ensures you get an intimate experience away from crowds.

Shops, Dining, Live Music, and More

While there’s a ton to see and do at Santa’s Wonderland, it’s not all go go go. We enjoyed kicking back around the firepits, listening to a top-notch live band belt out sing-a-long Christmas classics, and shopping for gifts, toys, and Christmas trinkets in the festive stores.

You won’t go hungry, here – Santa’s Wonderland has everything from Texas barbecue and Tex-Mex fare to Cajun eats, desserts, and more. And for an extra-special treat, visitors can purchase all the fixings for s’mores or hot dog roasting and toast their goodies over open flames. 

Visiting Santa’s Wonderland: The Details

This season, for its 25th year, Santa’s Wonderland is open from Nov. 11-Dec. 30. Hours vary depending on the day you go, but they range from as early as 3 p.m. to as late as midnight, leaving ample time for holiday magic and memorable moments. If you’re going on a weekend in December, plan for crowds and try to arrive early to beat the traffic. Parking is available in three different pay lots (the Prancer lot is a personal favorite for price and convenience), and free parking with a shuttle ride is available from Post Oak Mall in town.

Tickets range in price from $32.95-$52.95 for adults and $27.95-$47.95 for children, depending on dates and if purchases are made online or at the gate. Children 2 and under are free!

If you’re not planning to stay too late but still want to work your way through all the park has to offer, Ultimate Express Passes are available for purchase to get you out of the long lines for main attractions and include a free visit to the petting zoo.

We had an amazing time and two happy (and very sleepy) kiddos after our visit this year. We can’t wait to keep this tradition going and go back again next year for more Christmas spirit right here in the heart of Texas.

All photos are courtesy of the author.