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 2023. 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.
Check back soon for more 2023 events!
- 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
- Santa’s visit schedule with stops in Columbia, Lexington, West Columbia, and more across the South Carolina Midlands.
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. Appointments are available beginning November 16th, 2023
Pancakes and PJs with Santa: Photos by Lovejoy Photogrpahy
St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 119 N Church St, Lexington
Friday, December 8th from 5:30 to 7 pm
$20 per child (one free adult per child) $10 per additional adult or child.
Enjoy pancakes in your PJs with Santa and get professional photos with Santa taken by Lovejoy Photography. Each child will also get a craft.
Pancakes and PJS with Santa Event
Santa Experience at Beechcreek Farm
The Santa Experience at Beechcreek Farm is a private 30 minute Santa experience with a professional photographer. Cost is $250 and includes 10 professional images. More information at Beechcreek Farm facebook page including how to message them to book a spot. December dates are: December 9, 9 to 4:30, December 10 1 to 4:30, December 11, 12:30 to 4:30, December 16, 9 to 4:30, and December 17, 1 to 4:30.
Free Photos With Santa in Columbia, SC
- 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 the SC State Farmers Market –November 4 & 5, 2023: Bring your camera and take free photos with Santa at the SC State Farmer’s Market from 1 pm to 4 pm.
November 26, 2023 from 8 to 9 am, Breakfast with Santa at Flying Biscuit Cafe: eat breakfast at Flying Biscuit Cafe in Five Points and get a free photo with Santa. (There is no cost for a photo with Santa, breakfast menu is at regular cost. )
November 28, 2023: Pets take pictures with Santa for free, and kids and families are welcome to join in. Sponsored by Make a Friend in Animals. This event is at the White Knoll Veterinary Hospital.
November 28, 2023: Santa arrives at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Take free photos with him from 4 pm to 7pm, bring your own camera. There will also be cookie decorating, ornament making and hot cocoa!
December 2nd, 2023: PJs With Santa at Providence Presbyterian Church from 9 am to 11 am. Enjoy a photo station with Santa, plus opportunities for games, crafts and the Nativity story shared at 10 am. FREE
December 2nd and 7th, 2023: Free photos with Santa at the Mast General Store, 12 pm to 3 pm on December 2nd, and 5 pm to 8 pm on December 7th. Bring your own camera!
Devember 2nd, 2023: Free Photos with Santa and His Friends, 4 pm to 7pm with Cayce’s Best Summer Camp & After School, and TNT Martial Arts. 1330 Knox Abbot Drive, Cayce
December 5th, 2023, 6 to 8 pm: Free Photos with Santa and the Grinch at Century 21 803 Realty, RSVP at the Facebook link above.
December 14th, 2023: Santa at Top Dawg Tavern, no cost for photos. Santa will be visiting from 5:30 to 8:30 pm and there will be food and beverage deals in addition to the regular menu. Village at Sandhill
December 15th, 2023: Cookies with Santa 2 pm to 5 pm, get your photo taken with Santa and enjoy cookies at Mingo’s Cookies and Bubble Tea in Lexington.
December 15th, 2023: Visit with Santa at Papa Tony’s Pizza from 6 to 8 pm. Consider bringing a non-perishable food item to donate to Christian Assitance Bridge.
December 18th, 2023: Santa at Bruegger’s Bagels from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. Bring your camera for free photos.
Free Photos with Santa at Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s: Includes a FREE Printed 4×6 photo!
Head up to the road to Greenville or Fort Mill, SC to Cabela’s. Visit with Santa and get a totally FREE photo with Santa at Cabela’s. 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
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 2023!
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 and Me at EdVenture Children’s Museum benefits the Prisma Health Children’s Hospital. Kids can visit with Santa and take a photo, make a special plate with Mad Platter, decorate ornaments to donate to the children’s hospital and more. The tickets are $20. November 19, 2023 12 pm to 4 pm
Santa will also be at Riverbanks Zoo Wild Lights November 17th through December 23rd, 2023.
Ride a train with Santa the first 3 Saturdays in December at the South Carolina Railroad Museum. There are a number of train rides with tickets still available throughout each Saturday, December 2, 8 and 16th, 2023. Tickets start at $17 for ages 3 and up. 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 2024! 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!
