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Santa Sightings - Photos, Visits, Breakfast, Calls & More

Best Places to Take Kids to See Santa in the South Hills of Pittsburgh

By Emily Papa, Macaroni KID South Hills Publisher January 9, 2024

Have you seen Santa in the South Hills yet or are you still looking for the best place in Pittsburgh to take your Christmas photos with Santa? Or maybe you are looking for breakfast with Santa near you? From Virtual Santa visits to Santa on a boat to Santa on a firetruck to your traditional Mall Santa; we've got the list you've been looking for! Not only do we have the best places for you to spot Santa and take Santa photos in the South Hills Pittsburgh this winter, but we'll spend the season updating this list with actual photos of the Santa you can expect from each location! Do you have a favorite Santa that isn't on our list or a photo that we can share? Let us know HERE or email emilyp@macaronikid.com.





Santa Sightings all Season Long | Local Events to see Santa | Breakfast with Santa Events all Season LongLocal Breakfast with Santa Events






Santa sightings in the South Hills of Pittsburgh

Local Events Where You Can See Santa in see Santa in the South Hills (click on each link for more details):

Baldwin Holiday Festival
Beverly Brite Nite
Brookline Lights Up
Canonsburg's Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration
Caring Santa at South Hills Village Mall
Christmas Market & Light Up Night
Cookies & Cocoa with Santa
Family Christmas Party
Highmark Light Up Night
Home for the Holidays in Dormont
Joy-Thru Fairview: South Fayette
Light Up Night Brentwood
Light Up Green Tree
Mt. Lebanon Uptown Winter Market and Holiday Celebration
Pajama Days with Santa
Pajamas With Santa @ Tanger
Santa's Arrival Parade @ Washington Crown Center
Santa’s Holly Jolly Holiday Party
Ugly Sweater Days with Santa

Find the most up-to-date local Santa sightings by using the 🎅🏻 emoji to search our event calendar!

Get photos with Santa and find Santa Sightings all Season Long in the South Hills of Pittsburgh and surrounding areas:

Photos with Santa at The Waterfront

December 2 through December 21

Every Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday starting December 2 through December 21, Santa will be at The Waterfront. From 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, you can find Santa in Town Center next to Carhartt. Walk-ins are accepted along with online photo time slot reservations for $5. All proceeds will be donated to Jeremiah's Place, helping those in need within the community. For more information, visit: waterfrontpgh.com


Photos with Santa at Galleria of Mt. Lebanon

Mondays – Saturdays: noon-7pm, Sundays: noon to 5pm, Christmas Eve: 11am-5pm  

Santa will be visiting the Galleria of Mt. Lebanon from November 17th through December 24th during mall hours. Visit with Santa and have your picture taken with him. Santa does take a short break each day to feed his reindeer so if you head to the Galleria mid-day, make sure you check his schedule. Santa is located on Level 1 at Center Court and photo packages start at $39.99. galleriapgh.com


Where is Santa? at South Hills Village Mall

Photos available from November 10th - December 24th (closed on Thanksgiving)

Things to know before you go: Advanced reservations are strongly encouraged, and your child will receive a free phone call from Santa as an exclusive gift when you book online. Caring Santa will be at South Hills Village on December 3rd for children to visit Santa in a sensory friendly environment. simon.com



Santa's Wonderland at Cabela's 2022 photo provided by Kaitlin Debar

Santa's Wonderland at Cabela's

Daily November 5th - December 23rd from 10am-8pm

Experience the Magic of Christmas with a free 4x6 photo with Santa at Cabela's and a shareable video! During your visit, families can mail their letter to Santa and receive free giveaways while supplies last. Families can also enjoy the amazing aquariums and wildlife displays found in every Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s store. Reservations are required and can be made up to 7 days in advance. cabelas.com


Photos with Santa at Washington Crown Center Mall

November 16th - December 24th 

Santa arrives on Thursday, November 16th @ 6 pm with an arrival parade! Visit daily until December 24th. Cost for photos is $39.99 December/$33.99 November. Bring your fur baby for photos with Santa on pet photos nights, November 20th and December 11th and visit Sensory Santa on Sunday, December 10th. shopwashingtoncrown.com


Santa Trolley at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum

Saturdays & Sundays November 24th through December 17th

Pennsylvania Trolley Museum’s stockings are hung by the trolleys with care with the knowledge that Santa Claus will soon be there! While aboard a beautifully restored antique streetcar, visitors will get to meet Santa Claus and a few of his friends! Santa will be happy to have visitors take his picture, so make sure you remember to bring your camera. You can also stop by the museum’s large Lionel toy train layout, view the wonderful LEGO layout built by Steel City Lug, Pittsburgh Area’s Adult LEGO User Group. Children can do a holiday craft and everyone can enjoy complimentary hot chocolate and cookies. Tickets include a second festive trolley ride aboard the Yuletide Shuttle. For the first time, the Trolley Display Building will be open during Santa Trolley, so visitors can enjoy the rest of the collection as well!  Adults $20, Children $18. pa-trolley.org


Season's Greetings Saturdays at National Aviary

Saturdays in December from 10am - 3pm

Get your wish list and cameras ready… Santa and his penguin help are coming to the National Aviary! Saturdays before Christmas, visitors will have the opportunity to take photos with Santa AND a penguin! Bring your camera for a new twist on this fun holiday tradition. aviary.org


Saturdays with Santa at Heinz History Center

Saturdays starting November 18th from 10:30am - 1:30pm

Visit Santa this holiday season every Saturday at the History Center. Stop by the History Center’s A Very Merry Pittsburgh for a photo with Old Saint Nick sitting in an exact replica of the chair from Kaufmann’s Santaland, then explore artifacts that highlight the region’s holiday traditions. Santa visits are included with regular museum admission. heinzhistorycenter.org


Santa Fun Cruise and Tour on the Gateway Clipper

Saturdays & Sundays in November & December

This special Pittsburgh holiday tradition includes a meet-and-greet with Santa Claus while enjoying a 2-hour cruise sailing the Three Rivers! Aboard this holiday Pittsburgh riverboat tour, the kids will enjoy a DJ dance party and a special treat from Santa Claus! Cost is $32/adults and $20 for children up to age 12. gatewayclipper.com


PGH Santa Claus virtual

A live visit with Santa from the comfort and safety of your own home! 

More Info: WEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK


Breakfast with Santa (and Lunch and Dinner with Santa) in the South Hills of Pittsburgh

Local Breakfast with Santa Events in the South Hills area this Holiday Season:

Breakfast with Santa & Mrs Claus
North Strabane Breakfast with Santa
Mt Lebanon Winter Guard Pancake Breakfast with Santa
Breakfast with Santa @ Christ United Methodist Church
Breakfast with Santa @ Canon - Mcmillan Middle School

Breakfast with Santa events happening all season long:



Family photos with Santa at the Hard Rock Cafe Pittsburgh

Breakfast and Lunch with Santa at The Hard Rock Cafe

Saturdays and Sundays December 2nd through 23rd 9am and 12:30pm 

The Hard Rock Cafe welcomes SANTA back for this Pittsburgh holiday tradition of breakfast and lunch with Santa at the Hard Rock Cafe. Don’t miss this special Christmas event as Santa spends special moments with every child and his list of the good little boys and girls during their fabulous buffet spread. We've attended in previous years and our kids LOVED talking to Santa in awe as he told them exactly what was on their wish lists! Adults 13 years old and up are $36.90 and children 12 years and under are $28.26. Book your reservations through Open Table. opentable.com/hard-rock-cafe-pittsburgh





Dinner with Santa at Kennywood's Holiday Lights

This is an additional add-on to Holiday Lights tickets, but it is so worth it and quite possibly one of the most underrated Santa experiences in Pittsburgh!


Breakfast or Lunch with Santa at the Zoo

Saturdays & Sundays in December; Breakfast 9:30-11am and Lunch noon - 1:30

Enjoy a delicious breakfast or lunch buffet, meet ambassador animals, write a letter to Santa, and deliver it to him right at the Zoo! pittsburghzoo.org


Santa Shopping

Everyone wants to know where they can find the best Santa to take their kids to so we're helping you "Santa Shop" by providing you with photos of Santa from various locations and events. Please note this is designed to be a fun starting point for your holiday adventures and while we will always share the most recent information we are given, we can NOT guarantee that you will have the same Santa experience. If you would like to submit your Santa photo to be featured, you can do that HERE


Chapon's Greenhouse Santa
Photo by Kelly Caruso

Shady Elms Farms Santa, 2022
Photo by Kelly Caruso

More Santa Fun

💌  Letters to Santa Bethel Park

Write your letter to Santa and stick it in this outdoor mailbox located in Bethel Park. Leave your address and a SASE and you may receive a reply back!


Alexa Santa engagements:

Call Santa - enable this skill and say “Alexa, call Santa” and Alexa will connect you to Old St. Nick and all his friends at the North Pole.

Santa Claus - enable this skill and say “Alexa, start Santa Claus.” Alexa will ask your kid a series of questions to determine whether they are on the naughty or nice list!

Christmas Countdown - enable this skill and ask “Alexa, how many sleeps until Christmas?” to launch the Christmas Countdown Skill where she will tell you how many sleeps until Christmas and your kids will receive an update from Santa himself!

The Night Before Christmas - enable this skill and say “Alexa, Open The Night Before Christmas” to hear a three-minute version of the poem by Clement Clarke Moore


Get your FREE printable personalized letter from Santa HERE!


Where is your favorite place to visit with and get your picture taken with Santa in the South Hills? Do you have a favorite Santa? If he's not on our list, please let us know! Email emilyp@macaronikid.com with SANTA in the subject line, and we'll update our list ASAP! If you have a photo you'd like to include for other parents to see Santa before the visit, we'd love to include that too!