Where To See Santa In Napa Valley This Christmas Season

NAPA VALLEY, CA — Santa Claus will be back in Napa Valley 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 Napa Valley, kids have several chances:

• Dec. 4 & Dec. 10: Charles Dickens Christmas with Santa at the Ackerman Heritage House
• Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1-23: Santa Train Jolly Journeys on Napa Valley Wine Train
• Saturdays, Dec. 3, Dec. 10 and Dec. 17, 9 a.m.- 11 a.m.: Breakfast With Santa at Silverado Resort
• Friday, Dec. 9, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.: Santa in St. Helena
• Saturday, Dec. 10, 5 p.m.- 8 p.m.: Meet with Santa for pictures after the Napa Christmas Parade
• Saturday, Dec. 17, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.: Take pictures with Santa during the Holiday Open House at Oakville Grocery
• Saturday, Dec. 17, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.: Pictures with Santa during the Holiday Open House at Calistoga Depot.

Santa will be at Macy’s stores in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Boston and Orlando. In San Francisco, Santa is at Macy's Union Square on the sixth floor through Dec. 24. Reservations are required at least five days in advance.

Select JC Penney stores, including in Sacramento, Citrus Heights and Roseville, are offering professional portraits with Santa through Dec. 18.