We found 5 Santa outings for little kids in and around Birmingham with 2026 dates: 1 breakfast or brunch, 2 photo spots and visits and 2 Santa trains. None are free on their own, though some come with admission you may already have. The first visits start Nov 13. Each listing has the time, price and a link to book.
Last checked · none is free on its own · How we choose
Shaded days fall inside at least one listing’s dates (check each card for days off and hours). Dots mark set dates, like breakfasts and one-day visits.
1 breakfast · Dec 5
Samford University Rotunda Club · Homewood, AL
Checked Oct 18 · Homewood Chamber listing
Report a problem1 daytime spot · Nov 20 – Dec 24
Riverchase Galleria · 3000 Riverchase Galleria, Hoover, AL 35244
Checked Oct 19 on the official page
Report a problem1 evening spot
Birmingham Zoo · Birmingham, AL
Checked Oct 18 on the official page
Report a problem2 train rides · Nov 13 – Dec 20
Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum (Calera Depot) · Calera, AL
Checked Oct 18 on the official page
Report a problemHeart of Dixie Railroad Museum · Calera, AL
Checked Oct 18 on the official page
Report a problemSee all 2 light displays in and around Birmingham with 2026 dates, sorted for little kids, with early start times.
Christmas lights in Birmingham →
None of the 2026 visits we found is free on its own. Santa at Glow Wild Holiday Village is included with Glow Wild ticket, so it costs nothing extra if you’re going anyway. We add free visits as soon as their dates are posted.
To skip a long line with a toddler, look at reserved or timed visits: Santa Photos at Riverchase Galleria. A morning visit before nap usually goes better than an evening one.
Three listings start in the morning, including Christmas at the Station, Breakfast with Santa presented by Samford University and Santa Photos at Riverchase Galleria. Two are evening visits (5 p.m. or later), which work best on a late-nap day.
Yes. North Pole Express and Christmas at the Station run in 2026. Check each card for departure times and pick one that fits nap.
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 19, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. How we choose and check.
Keep planning: This week in Birmingham · Birmingham city guide · Visiting Birmingham
One short email every Friday morning with what works for ages 0–6 in Birmingham that weekend, including the Santa and light-show dates worth knowing.