Where To See Santa In Queens This Christmas Season

QUEENS — Santa Claus will be back in Queens this holiday season after a couple of years of COVID-19 restrictions that made it difficult for kids to crawl up on his lap and make their case that they’ve been good boys and girls over the last year.

Visits and pictures with Santa are at the heart of many families' holiday traditions, but the coronavirus pandemic gave them a lump of coal. Malls and other places took social distancing measures in both 2020 and 2021 to help contain the spread of the virus, moving Santa meet-ups largely online.

Virtual visits are still an option in many places, but there’s nothing quite like seeing jolly old St. Nick live and in person. In Queens, kids have several chances:

Winter Wonder at the Queens Botanical Garden (Flushing)

• When: Dec. 3 and Dec. 4
• Address: 43-50 Main Street
• Price: Free

St. Nicholas Day at the Vander Ende-Onderdonk House (Ridgewood)

• When: Dec. 3
• Address: 1820 Flushing Avenue
• Price: General Admission is $5 and FREE for children under 12

Santa Claus Visits New York Irish Center (Long Island City)

• When: Dec. 11
• Address: 1040 Jackson Avenue
• Price: $5

Queens Center Mall (Elmhurst)

• When: From Nov. 17 to Dec. 24
• Address: 90-15 Queens Blvd
• Price: Visit is free, photo packages start at $39.99

Breakfast with Santa (Bayside)

• When: Dec. 17
• Address: 79-43 Bell Blvd
• Price: Adults $10; Children $5

Photos with Santa at The Shops at Atlas Park (Glendale)

• When: From Dec. 1 to Dec. 24
• Address: 8000 Cooper Avenue, Glendale
• Price: Visit is free, photo packages start at $39.99

Miracle on 26th Avenue! (Bayside)

• When: From Nov. 25 to Dec. 18
• Address: 26th Avenue and Bell Blvd
• Price: Free

Santa arrived Nov. 12 at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Santa’s Wonderland and will hold court through Christmas Eve. Reservations are encouraged.

Santa will be at Macy’s stores in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston and Orlando.

Santa is coming to Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores in Seattle and New York City. Santa Claus will be in the NYC location on November 25. Families are invited to participate in the daily Santa Snow Shows, featuring an appearance by the jolly old elf and an indoors snowfall, at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. along the store's escalators. Santa will be joined by a cast of Make Merry performers and characters throughout the store.

JC Penney stores, including stores in Elmhurst and Oakland Gardens, are offering professional portraits with Santa through Dec. 18.