Make it Christmas in July at Santa’s Land Near the Smokies

Travel along the winding turns of Newfound Gap Road, deep through the lush, green forestry of the Smoky Mountains to the magical village of the North Pole to Santa’s House! Santa’s Land peacefully resides in the historic Native American city of Cherokee, North Carolina. Take the well-worth, beautiful drive through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Gatlinburg, Tennessee!

Fun For the Whole Family

For 50 years, Santa’s Land Fun Park and Zoo has welcomed hundreds of thousands of kids and families to this magical Christmas wonderland tucked away into the mountains. One admission price lends visitors unlimited rides on the paddle boats, Rudicoaster, the zoo, and so much more! Tons of photo opportunities are scattered throughout the park. The kids can climb into the pouch of momma kangaroo, pretend to navigate Santa’s sleigh, and pose in front of the giant Easter Bunny. Snap pictures you will cherish for years as you and your teens and little ones explore the unique and magical wonder of Santa’s Land!

Santa’s House
Watch warm-heartedly with a big smile as the kids excitedly run towards the perfectly charming red log cabin with the bright green roof. Santa’s House is quietly nestled under the evergreen pines where ‘ole Saint Nicholas spends his days leading up to the big night. Through the red and green doors, kids are greeted by Mrs. Claus with her husband sitting by the fireplace behind her. While visiting with Santa, the kids receive a “good conduct diploma” to encourage their continued good behavior ‘til the magical night of Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve!

The Exotic Zoo of Saint Nick’s Village
The magic of Santa Land extends beyond your kids’ wildest dreams with live animals from exotic jungles and the outback of Australia! Face to face, your little ones will be dazzled by the sights and sounds of kangaroos, porcupines, exotic birds, and monkeys!

Classic Arcade Fun
With a bag of change, you and the kids can have a great time playing all the classic arcade games like SkeeBall and air hockey in the Santa’s Land arcade! After petting the deer and feeding the exotic animals, shoot some hoops and catch your rubber ducks as the family laughs and plays together!

Bumbling Baby Bears
While the exotic animal zoo is an exciting learning experience, Santa’s Land treats its visitors to a special experience with the Smoky Mountains’ most famous native furry face: the black bear! Watch the fuzzy bundles of fun prance around, play with one another, and sip milk from their baby bear bottles with wildlife experts just a few feet in front of you!

Tasty Treats
Tons of tasty options await you in Santa’s Land! Head to Mrs. Clause’s Kitchen to enjoy savory favorites like burgers and pizza or squeeze in a quick snack at the Depot Diner with some cheesy nachos or warm, salted jumbo pretzels. Lick all the powdered sugar off your fingers after delicious bites of funnel cake topped with strawberries while dining at Kris Kringles’! What’s Christmas without a little bit of snow? Enjoy a sweet snowcone at Whitebeard’s Lake!

Tickets

Adults and Children over 2 years: $23.25 + tax

Address
571 Wolfetown Rd.
Cherokee, NC 28719

Christmas Year-Round

Love the Christmas season so much you could live it year-round? The Smoky Mountains is home to a Christmas store with everything yuletide you could dream of!

The Incredible Christmas Place Store
Visit the South’s largest store totally dedicated to the North Pole, Santa, and everything you love about the most wonderful time of the year! Find the most beautiful glass ornaments to wow guests during Christmas gatherings with top brands such as Christopher Radko. Let the kids pick out their own personal touches to the miniature Christmas village from the intricate and detailed LEMAX Collection. Create your dream Christmas home or office while perusing the thousands of decorative lights, designer trees, and one-of-kind personalized ornaments.

Not sure how to pull your dream together? Visit Christmas Place’s HOME service cabin on-site to work with experienced designers and create a classic, vintage-themed living room or a contemporary Christmas look for the office. Christmas Place HOME can even assist you with your exterior lighting!

Address
2470 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN 37868 

Host This Year’s Christmas in the Smokies!

While touring your neighborhood’s Christmas lights may seem exciting to little eyes, step into the winter wonderland of the Smoky Mountains to find yourself in just as much awe and wonder, too! During Smoky Mountain Winterfest the 3 cities leading into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg, cover the towns with millions upon millions of dazzling light displays. Momentous parades float through each downtown Parkway after daytime festivities with live music, games, and much more!

Holiday Shows of All Kinds
During the day, attend any number of Christmas theatrical shows in Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, Sweet Fanny Adam’s Theater, and Country Tonite! Local businesses and attractions dive head-first into the holiday season for a surreal Christmas affair the whole family will adore!

Christmas Trolley Rides
Don’t drive and gaze! The Parkway of downtown Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg experience heavier traffic during the holidays. While your eyes want to linger on the impressive tunnel of lights on The Old Mill bridge and the whimsical icicle lights along the roofs of Alpine-style buildings in Gatlinburg, you have to stay safe and pay attention to the road!

The driver does not have to miss out on all the Christmas light gazing, however; hitch a ride on the Trolley of Lights in Gatlinburg and the Pigeon Forge Trolley. It’s the perfect ride to catch glimpses of all the beautiful, hypnotic displays along the downtown Parkway operating from late November through January!

Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas
Smoky Mountain Christmas, springing to life November to January, transforms Dollywood from a warm-hearted mountain town to a whimsical winter wonderland filled with holiday shows, North Pole friends, and a nightly Parade of Many Colors. Watch holiday classics, such as It’s A Wonderful Life and ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, come alive onstage after riding the Tennessee Tornado and the FireChaser Express! Delicious holiday treats and magical glowing displays of over 4 million lights await your family this Christmas in Dollywood!

A Smoky Mountain Cabin Christmas
Book a cabin already decked out in holiday cheer to host a special family gathering! From large, fully loaded kitchens and spacious floor plans to entertaining amenities, you can cut out most of the stress of hosting a Christmas gathering by escaping to the Smokies with family and friends. Spend days enjoying all the yuletide enchantments of Smoky Mountain Winterfest and nights playing games, fellowshipping, and exchanging gifts in front of a picturesque fireplace with blankets of snow laid over the mountains outside. Bring the entire family to a large group cabin for ample accommodations without all the hassle of hotels or multiple housing locations during the holidays!

Enjoy views of icy rivers, snow-covered forests, or peaceful snow-capped mountains through your cabin windows in front of a warm fire. Watch all the holiday classics with the kids on large flatscreen TVs or enjoy a quiet Christmas as a couple in the cabin hot tub watching steam rise from the warm, bubbling waters. Whoever you want to share Christmas with this year, experience the winter wonderland of the dreamy Smoky Mountains, together in Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg cabin vacation.