Where To See Santa In Arlington Heights This Christmas Season

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Santa Claus will be back in Arlington Heights 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 the Arlington Heights area, kids have several chances:

• 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 4 — Breakfast with Santa, American Legion Post 208, 121 N. Douglas Ave., Arlington Heights. Breakfast will be served from 9 a.m. to noon with Santa arriving at 10 a.m. and staying until noon. Find out more about American Legion Post 208 here. RELATED: Eat Breakfast With Santa This Sunday In Arlington Heights
• 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 4 — Dinner with Santa and Mrs. Claus, Peggy Kinnane's, 8 North Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. Reservations are highly encouraged. Find out more here.
• Through Dec. 15 — Santa Photo Experience, Woodfield Mall, 5 Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg. Reserve your appointment here.
• 9 a.m. Dec. 17 — Santa's Rolling Through, throughout Rolling Meadows. Participants must live in Rolling Meadows for this Rolling Meadows Park District event. Santa will visit your home. Registration is per house. Find out more here.

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. In Chicago, Santa will be at the Macy's State Street, at 111 State St. now through Dec. 24. Reservations are required and can be made up to five days in advance. Find out more here.