# Breakfast with Santa and Santa photos in Cleveland, 2026

> We found 9 Santa outings for little kids in and around Cleveland with 2026 dates: 1 breakfast or brunch, 5 photo spots and visits and 1 Santa train, plus two worth the drive. None are free on their own, though some come with admission you may already have. The first visits start Nov 6. Each listing has the time, price and a link to book.

- Last checked: 2026-10-19
- 9 listings with 2026 dates; 0 without posted dates
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/cleveland/santa/
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## Breakfast and brunch with Santa

- **Breakfast with Mr. Kringle** at The Burnham Restaurant, Hilton Cleveland Downtown, 100 Lakeside Ave. E, Cleveland, OH. When: Sat Nov 28; Sat Dec 5, 12, 19; Sun Dec 20, 2026. Time: Seatings 8:30, 9, 9:30, 10:30, 11, 11:30 a.m.; 60 minutes. Price: Adult 13+ $68; child 2–12 $42; under 2 free (tax, gratuity, self-parking included). Buffet, meet & greet, roaming characters, cookie decorating, letter writing; pajamas encouraged. Official page: https://mrkringle.com/breakfast-with-santa/

## Santa photos and visits

- **Photos With Santa at Crocker Park** at Santa's Village, Crocker Park (near Trader Joe's), 149 Market Street, Westlake, OH 44145. When: Starts Nov 21, 2026. Official page: https://crockerpark.com/news/santa/
- **Santa Photos at Beachwood Place** at Beachwood Place, 26300 Cedar Road, Beachwood, OH 44122. When: Nov 20–Dec 24, 2026 (closed Thanksgiving). Time: Most days 2–7 p.m.; Dec 24 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; hours change by day, full schedule on the booking page. Price: See photo packages on the booking page. Walk-ups welcome; booking a 15-minute slot online is encouraged (a few families share each slot). Official page: https://whereissanta.com/mall/0583
- **Santa Photos at SouthPark** at SouthPark, 500 Southpark Center, Strongsville, OH 44136. When: Nov 6–Dec 24, 2026 (closed Thanksgiving). Time: Most days 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; Dec 24 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; hours change by day, full schedule on the booking page. Price: See photo packages on the booking page. Sensory: Sensory-friendly session (Sensory Santa): Sun Dec 13 9–10 a.m.; reduced lights and music, smaller crowds, advance registration required, no purchase required to book. Walk-ups welcome; booking a 15-minute slot online is encouraged (a few families share each slot). Pet photo nights on 2 evenings (Nov 22, Nov 29). Official page: https://whereissanta.com/mall/1118
- **Santa Photos at Great Lakes Mall** at Great Lakes Mall, 7850 Mentor Avenue, Mentor, OH 44060. When: Nov 13–Dec 24, 2026 (closed Thanksgiving). Time: Most days 2–7 p.m.; Dec 24 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; hours change by day, full schedule on the booking page. Price: See photo packages on the booking page. Sensory: Sensory-friendly session (Sensitive Santa): Sun Dec 6 9:30–11 a.m.; reduced lights and music, smaller crowds, advance registration required, no purchase required to book. Walk-ups welcome; booking a 15-minute slot online is encouraged (a few families share each slot). Pet photo nights on 1 evening (Dec 7). Official page: https://whereissanta.com/mall/1335
- **Santa Photos at Petitti Garden Centers** at Petitti Garden Centers (Avon, Bainbridge, Bath Twp. and Strongsville), Avon, Bainbridge, Bath Township and Strongsville stores. When: Sat & Sun Nov 28–29, Dec 5–6, 12–13 and 19–20. Time: Noon–5pm. Price: Visit is free; photo packages $25–50 (your own camera is fine with any package). Ages: All ages. Strollers: Indoor garden center. Hold a place in line in the Petitti app (or its web version) from 11am on visit days, then show up when it says. No pets. Official page: https://www.petittigardencenter.com/santa-photos-visits/

## Santa trains and the Polar Express

- **North Pole Adventure** at Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Rockside Station, 7900 Old Rockside Road, Independence, OH 44131. When: Nov 13 – Dec 22, 2026. Time: 5 p.m. (returns 6:30) or 7:55 p.m. (returns 9:25). Earliest start: 5 p.m. departure back by 6:30. Price: $60–$110 per person. 90-minute Christmas train, all ages; on sale since Sept 29; ticket tracker for remaining seats. Official page: https://www.cvsr.org/excursions/north-pole-adventure/north-pole-adventure

## Worth the drive from Cleveland

- **Santa at Deck the Hall** at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 North Portage Path, Akron, OH 44303. When: Nov 27 – Dec 23, 2026. Time: 4–8 p.m. Price: Included with Deck the Hall admission. Drive: About 50 minutes (Akron). Official page: https://stanhywet.org/events/deck-hall-0
- **Santa Express Tour** at Akron Zoo, Akron, OH. When: During Wild Lights season (reserve 48+ hours ahead). Time: Before public opening. Price: See zoo. Drive: About 50 minutes (Akron). 40-minute elf-led golf cart tour, Wild Lights admission, s'mores and cocoa, private 15-minute Santa meet-and-greet. Official page: https://www.akronzoo.org/wild-lights

## 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

### Is there a free Santa visit in Cleveland?
None of the 2026 visits we found is free on its own. Santa at Deck the Hall is included with Deck the Hall admission, so it costs nothing extra if you’re going anyway. We add free visits as soon as their dates are posted.

### What’s the cheapest breakfast with Santa in Cleveland?
Of the breakfasts and brunches with posted 2026 prices, the lowest is Breakfast with Mr. Kringle (Adult 13+ $68; child 2–12 $42; under 2 free (tax, gratuity, self-parking included)). Prices are from each venue’s own page.

### Which Santa visits are best for babies and kids under 3?
Babies and young toddlers get in free at Breakfast with Mr. Kringle (under 2 free). To skip a long line with a toddler, look at reserved or timed visits: Santa Express Tour, Santa Photos at Beachwood Place and Santa Photos at SouthPark. A morning visit before nap usually goes better than an evening one.

### When is the best time to see Santa with a toddler who goes to bed early?
Two listings start in the morning, including Breakfast with Mr. Kringle and Santa Photos at SouthPark. Four are evening visits (5 p.m. or later), which work best on a late-nap day.

### Is there a sensory-friendly Santa in Cleveland?
Santa Photos at SouthPark: Sensory-friendly session (Sensory Santa): Sun Dec 13 9–10 a.m.; reduced lights and music, smaller crowds, advance registration required, no purchase required to book. Santa Photos at Great Lakes Mall: Sensory-friendly session (Sensitive Santa): Sun Dec 6 9:30–11 a.m.; reduced lights and music, smaller crowds, advance registration required, no purchase required to book.

### Is there a Polar Express or Santa train near Cleveland?
Yes. North Pole Adventure 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 19, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).