Are you looking for places to see Santa in Columbia, SC this holiday season? Wondering where to see Santa near you? Santa is visiting lots of places around Columbia in 2026.
His elves at the North Pole are sending us his appearance list as dates are announced, so bookmark this page and check back regularly. We’ll be updating almost as fast as those elves.
This list includes all kinds of events with Santa on the guest list.
Santa’s visit schedule with stops in Columbia, Lexington, West Columbia, and more across the South Carolina Midlands.
- Santa Brunches and Cookies with Santa
- Parades where Santa is expected to make an appearance
- Tree Lightings hosted by Santa in Columbia
- Places to get a picture with Santa
- Places to visit with Santa near Columbia, SC
- Holiday markets with Santa
Columbia Mall Santa and More Places to Get Pictures with Santa
Where can I take pictures with Santa in Columbia SC?
Ready for photos with Santa? If you’re looking for a place to visit Santa and get some pictures with the big man in red, this is the list you’re looking for. Find places to get professional photos with Santa in the Columbia area here.
Columbiana Centre
100 Columbiana Circle, Columbia
Reserve your appointment for photos with Santa at Columbiana Centre now. Photos with Santa returns to Belk Court for 2026, and reservations are open on the mall’s booking site. The mall has not posted a 2026 start date yet.
Free Photos With Santa in Columbia, SC
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- Where can I take my own pictures with Santa in Columbia?
- Where can I get free pictures with Santa in Columbia, SC?
Santa knows budgets are tight. We so love the totally FREE opportunities to visit with Santa around Columbia, and we love FREE pictures with Santa even more.
Free Photos with Santa at Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s: Includes a FREE Printed 4×6 photo!
Head up the road to the Bass Pro Shops stores in Greenville or Fort Mill, SC. Visit with Santa at Santa’s Wonderland and get a totally FREE photo with Santa. Bass Pro says reservations open at basspro.com/santa in early November. The photo is a professional, quality printed 4×6 photo. There are additional free activities, a letterbox to mail your list to Santa, and you can enjoy the wildlife and aquarium displays throughout the store.
Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops Free Photos with Santa at Santa’s Wonderland
Saturday, December 5th, 2026 from 10 am to 2 pm, Santa will be at Cold Creek Nurseries for Santa in the Greenhouse. It’s a day trip from Columbia: the nursery is at 398 Hitchcock Parkway in Aiken. Photos with Santa are free; reserve a spot on the nursery’s event page. Be sure to get a photo with the big jolly guy!
Events with Santa in and near Columbia, SC
Ready to bring the kids to see the red-suited jolly man and his elves? Here’s where you can see Santa Claus in Columbia, SC in 2026!
Meet Santa at the museum and enjoy holiday fun with friends and family. Santa meet-and-greets, plus Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D and the Áróra planetarium show (shows cost extra).
🎟️ Cost: Included with museum admission (adults $13, seniors $11, ages 3–12 $10, under 3 free); 4D and planetarium shows extra.
📍 Location: South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
Kick off the holidays at the State Museum as it officially lights up the planetarium dome. Meet Santa, enjoy live music from ColaJazz, make a holiday craft for the kids, stargaze in the Boeing Observatory (weather permitting) and grab food truck eats.
🎟️ Cost: Pay-as-you-may general admission; show tickets $5 ($4 members).
📍 Location: South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
Meet Santa at the museum and enjoy holiday fun with friends and family. Santa meet-and-greets, plus Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D and the Áróra planetarium show (shows cost extra).
🎟️ Cost: Included with museum admission (adults $13, seniors $11, ages 3–12 $10, under 3 free); 4D and planetarium shows extra.
📍 Location: South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
The Junior League of Columbia’s 40th annual Holiday Market brings more than 140 merchants to the State Fairgrounds, and general admission tickets are good for return visits all weekend. Shop gifts, handcrafted goods, specialty foods and holiday treats. Don’t miss Sundaes with Santa, 12–3 p.m; free photos with Santa (bring your own camera), holiday games and crafts, letters to Santa and an ice cream sundae bar.
🎟️ Cost: General admission $10 for adults, Sundaes With Santa event children are $8.
(General admission for children 12 and under is free during regular shopping hours- not the special Santa events), parking $5
📍 Location: Goodman and Cantey buildings, South Carolina State Fairgrounds, 901 George Rogers Blvd, Columbia, SC (park at Gate 6)
👉 Read more
Meet Santa at the museum and enjoy holiday fun with friends and family. Santa meet-and-greets, plus Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D and the Áróra planetarium show (shows cost extra).
🎟️ Cost: Included with museum admission (adults $13, seniors $11, ages 3–12 $10, under 3 free); 4D and planetarium shows extra.
📍 Location: South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
Meet Santa, share your wish list and snap a festive photo. Enjoy holiday cheer and a magical moment with the jolly man in red.
📍 Location: Gaston Branch Library, 214 S. Main Street, Gaston, SC 29053
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: Families with children
Santa and Mrs. Claus are making a special visit to meet children of all ages. Bring your camera to capture your own holiday memories.
📍 Location: Swansea Branch Library, 199 N. Lawrence Avenue, Swansea, SC
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: Families with children
Meet Santa at the museum and enjoy holiday fun with friends and family. Santa meet-and-greets, plus Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D and the Áróra planetarium show (shows cost extra).
🎟️ Cost: Included with museum admission (adults $13, seniors $11, ages 3–12 $10, under 3 free); 4D and planetarium shows extra.
📍 Location: South Carolina State Museum, 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29201
👉 Read more
🧒 Ages: All ages
Santa’s elves promised to update us as they added new appearances to Santa’s schedule. So, bookmark our list and check back soon.
Santa will also be at Riverbanks Zoo Wild Lights, which runs select nights from November 20, 2026 to January 10, 2027, 5 to 9 pm. Santa visits run through December 23. Tickets go on sale November 2.
Ride a train with Santa the first 3 Saturdays in December at the South Carolina Railroad Museum in Winnsboro (110 Industrial Park Road). Santa’s North Pole Express departs Saturday, December 5th, 12th, and 19th, 2026 at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 2:00, and 3:00. Choose Coach Class or the Dining Car. Ticket prices will vary based on the car you select. Purchase tickets for SCRM Santa Trains online
Photos with Santa at Wild Lights
We got to check out Wild Lights and it was awesome! Here’s the Wild Lights Review. While we were there we got to visit with Santa, see how it went in the video below!
Track Santa on Christmas Eve
Didn’t see Santa yet this year? Don’t worry! There are a couple of ways for you to track him on his Christmas Eve journey.
NORAD Tracks Santa
In 1955 a young man accidentally called the Continental Air Defense Command asking if they had seen Santa flying through the sky. While the child had meant to call a Santa Hotline, the person who answered the phone that Christmas Eve just happened to be the Commander in Chief, Colonel Harry Shoup. He instructed his team to keep looking for Santa on the radar screens and ever since NORAD has been tracking Santa annually.
The NORAD Santa Tracker
To track Santa on Christmas Eve night, join the team at NORAD, and you will be able to watch them track “Big Red 1” in real-time as he makes his way across the world.
I Heart Radio’s North Pole Radio
The I Heart Radio streaming service has a station dedicated to all things Christmas, It includes 24/7 Christmas music, plus Santa will be checking in with listeners on Christmas Eve with updates!
After Christmas! Winter Break and New Year’s
Once Santa has returned to the North Pole, how will you fill the rest of the holiday season? We have some ideas, of course!
Winter Break is Coming.
Stay busy with activities and camps.
Winter Break Bucket List!
Time to celebrate the start of 2027! How will you celebrate with your family in Columbia this year? We have 7 family-friendly celebrations for New Year’s in Columbia, plus a few more ways you can ring in the New Year!
- Christmas and Holiday Events Around Columbia, SC
- Where to See Christmas Lights in Columbia SC
- Holiday Shopping: The Ultimate Gift List
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