# Breakfast with Santa, Santa photos and Santa trains in San Francisco Bay Area, 2026

> We found 6 Santa outings for little kids in and around San Francisco Bay Area with 2026 dates: 1 breakfast or brunch, 4 photo spots and visits and 1 Santa train. One is free, and one is already sold out. The first visits start Nov 6. Each listing has the time, price and a link to book.

- Last checked: 2026-10-30
- 6 listings with 2026 dates; 0 without posted dates
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/bay-area/santa/
- Christmas lights (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/bay-area/christmas-lights/index.md
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/bay-area/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/bay-area/llms.txt

## Breakfast and brunch with Santa

- **Breakfast with Santa at The Westin St. Francis** at The Westin St. Francis, 335 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. When: Sat Dec 5, 2026. Time: Not listed. Price: Ticketed; see the hotel's holiday page. A breakfast buffet on Union Square with holiday crafts, treats for the kids and photos with Santa. The hotel's Sugar Castle display is in the lobby all season. Official page: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/sfouw-the-westin-st-francis-san-francisco-on-union-square/experiences/holidays/

## Santa photos and visits

- **Santa at Glowfari, Oakland Zoo** at Oakland Zoo, Rides Area, 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland, CA 94605. When: Fri–Sun Nov 6–15, then nightly Nov 20 – Dec 23, 2026 (on Glowfari nights). Time: 6–9pm; line closes 8:45pm. Price: Included with a Glowfari ticket (adults $26, kids 2–14 $22, under 2 free). Santa sets up in the zoo’s Rides Area during the lantern festival. He may head back to the North Pole early if it rains. Official page: https://www.oaklandzoo.org/programs-and-events/glowfari-2026-27/
- **Black Santa at Fairy Winterland, Children’s Fairyland** at Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610. When: Dec 12–13, 19–20 and 26–27, 2026. Time: Noon–7pm. Price: Adults $23, children $21, seniors $20, members half price. Black Santa returns to Fairyland’s winter festival, and this year he stays through the weekend after Christmas. Free hot cocoa, a snowball fight on Play Island and puppet shows at 2, 4 and 6. Official page: https://fairyland.org/event-calendar/fairy-winterland/2026-12-12/
- **Free photos with Santa at Christmas in the Park** at Christmas in the Park, Plaza de César Chávez, Plaza de César Chávez, downtown San Jose, CA. When: Every night Nov 28 – Dec 24, 2026. Time: Evenings; the park is open noon–10pm. Price: Free. Santa sits for free photos every night from opening night through Christmas Eve, inside a park full of decorated trees and animated displays. Official page: https://christmasinthepark.com/events/
- **Santa at Stanford Shopping Center** at Stanford Shopping Center, 660 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, CA 94304. When: From Nov 6, 2026. Time: During mall hours; reserve a photo time online or walk up. Price: Photo packages priced at the booking site. Reserving a time online skips most of the line. Walk-ups are welcome when slots are open. Official page: https://whereissanta.com/mall/0352

## Santa trains and the Polar Express

- **Train of Lights at Niles Canyon Railway** at Niles Canyon Railway, Niles and Sunol stations, Niles Station, 37029 Mission Blvd., Fremont, CA 94536. When: Nov 20–23 and 28–29; Dec 2, 4–6, 9, 11–13, 16, 18–21, 23 and 27–30, 2026. Time: Departs Niles 4:30pm and Sunol 7:30pm; about 1.5 hours round trip. Price: $40–$70 (general seating to first class), ages 3 and up; sold out for 2026. SOLD OUT. Antique coaches and open cars covered in lights roll through Niles Canyon at dusk, with music and refreshments on board. Every 2026 ticket is gone, so this one is for next year's calendar. No trains on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Official page: https://www.ncry.org/ride/train-of-lights/

## Santa visits that come back every year

- [Black Santa at Fairy Winterland, Children’s Fairyland](https://littlesweekly.com/bay-area/events/black-santa-at-fairy-winterland-childrens-fairyland/): next dates Dec 12–27, 2026

## Christmas trains near San Francisco Bay Area

- [Christmas train rides near San Francisco Bay Area](https://littlesweekly.com/bay-area/christmas-trains/index.md): Santa trains, Polar Express rides and more, 4 with 2026 dates, ages, prices and booking notes.

## More holiday outings in San Francisco Bay Area

- [The Nutcracker with kids in San Francisco Bay Area](https://littlesweekly.com/bay-area/nutcracker/index.md): 6 shows with 2026 dates, run times, ages and sensory-friendly performances.
- [Christmas markets in San Francisco Bay Area](https://littlesweekly.com/bay-area/christmas-markets/index.md): 3 markets and winter wonderlands with 2026 dates, hours and stroller notes.

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
- Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list.
- How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote.

## FAQ

### Where can we see Santa for free in San Francisco Bay Area?
One of this year’s Santa listings is free: Free photos with Santa at Christmas in the Park. A few others come with admission you may already have. Bring your own camera where the listing says so.

### Which Santa visits are best for babies and kids under 3?
Babies and young toddlers get in free at Santa at Glowfari, Oakland Zoo (under 2 free). A morning visit before nap usually goes better than an evening one.

### Is there a Polar Express or Santa train near San Francisco Bay Area?
Yes. Train of Lights at Niles Canyon Railway runs in 2026. Check each card for departure times and pick one that fits nap.

### How do you check these Santa listings?
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page, and links to it. We list dates, times and prices only when that page shows them for 2026; anything without posted dates goes in “Dates not posted yet” instead. These were last checked Oct 30, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).