No need to hop aboard Santa’s sleigh to venture to the North Pole: Upstate, NY has exactly what you and the little ones are looking for.
Essex County’s beloved attraction, North Pole: Home of Santa’s Workshop, makes for a great family trip from NYC and will certainly entice your little elves to stay on Kris Kringle’s nice list.
There’s a lot to love about this festive theme park. You can take a spin on the mini coasters, ferris wheel, or Santa’s locomotives — to name a few — before venturing to the reindeer barn, the toy shop, and but of course, Santa’s stomping grounds. The quaint village also has an actual post office (North Pole, NY) where you can mail your annual holiday cards or send one from Santa to children in need.
Now that you know the travel accommodations won’t require Rudolph and co., here’s what you do need to know about your visit.
What is the North Pole?
The North Pole is a theme park celebrating its 75th year. It houses a small village that includes candle shops and hat shops, among other brick and mortar stores to browse ahead of December 25th. The kiddos will definitely want to stop in the candy shop and toy shop after riding in the park’s fun attractions, like mini coasters and carousel. A map of the park will show you all of the fun offerings.
Julian Reiss, a Lake Placid businessman, created the magical attraction in 1941 after his daughter begged him to catch a glimpse of the North Pole for herself, and it’s considered the first and oldest theme park. It began humbly with just 200+ visitors but grew to 14,000 by 1953. Needless to say, it’s only gotten more popular since its opening.
Where is the North Pole?
The North Pole is five hours from NYC in Wilmington, NY, along Whiteface Mountain Memorial Highway.
What’s near the North Pole?
From the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge to hikes along Whiteface Mountain, the North Pole’s surrounding area will get you in tune with Mother Nature. If you’re looking for a place to kick back at night, consider booking a room at the Cambria Hotel Lake Placid or The Hampton Inn & Suites at Lake Placid.
For more information before mapping out a trip, visit the North Pole’s website. No sleighs/reindeers required for your travels.
📍 324 Whiteface Mountain Memorial Highway
🗺️ Wilmington, New York
🚗 5 hours from NYC