# Christmas break with kids in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, 2026

> What to do with kids in Miami and Fort Lauderdale over Christmas break, from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day. We read the holiday hours posted by four museums, zoos and play places: four say they’re open on Christmas Day and four on New Year’s Day. Plus two dated outings on Christmas Eve and the days in between.

- Last checked: 2026-10-29
- 4 places’ holiday hours; 6 dated outings
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/miami/christmas-break/
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/miami/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/miami/llms.txt

## Open or closed: Dec 24, Dec 25 and Jan 1

- **Zoo Miami**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day Dec 24: open, closing at 4pm for Zoo Lights; Dec 25: noon–5pm; New Year’s Day Open 10am–5pm. Their page says: “Open every day of the year, 10am–5pm. Christmas Day noon–5pm. Closes at 4pm on Zoo Lights nights, including Dec 18–23 and Dec 26–30” Source: https://www.zoomiami.org/tickets (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Miami Children’s Museum**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day Dec 24: closes at 4pm; Dec 25: closed; New Year’s Day Opens at 1pm. Their page says: “Daily 10am–6pm; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; closes at 4pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve” Source: https://www.miamichildrensmuseum.org/plan-your-visit (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS)**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day Dec 24 and Dec 25: open; New Year’s Day Open. Their page says: “Open seven days a week, 363 days a year: Mon–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun noon–5pm. Closed Thanksgiving Day and for one October fundraiser” Source: https://mods.org/visitor-info/ (checked 2026-10-29)
- **Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day Dec 24: open; Dec 25: closed; New Year’s Day Open 10am–5pm. Their page says: “Daily 10am–5pm including all holidays except Dec 25” Source: https://fairchildgarden.org/faq/ (checked 2026-10-29)

## Between Christmas and New Year’s (Dec 26–30)

- **Zoo Lights Miami** at Zoo Miami, 12400 SW 152 Street, Miami, FL 33177. When: Nov 27 – Dec 30, 2026, select nights. Time: 6:30–10pm. Price: Separate ticket; daytime admission doesn’t include it. Over a million lights and a 26-foot LED tree. Open Nov 27–28 and Dec 4–5, 11–12, 18–23 and 26–30; the tree lighting is opening night at 7pm. Official page: https://www.zoomiami.org/zoo-lights (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Christmas Wonderland at Tropical Park** at Tropical Park, Tropical Park, Miami, FL. When: Nov 12, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027. Time: Evenings; see the site. Price: Ticketed; weekday tickets cost less. Rides, shows and light displays, with a Santa’s Enchanted Forest: Memory Lane section of original displays. Santa photos cost extra. Official page: https://miamiwonderland.com/ (checked 2026-10-28)

## New Year’s Eve and Day

- **Noon Year’s Eve at MODS** at Museum of Discovery and Science, 401 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 10am–5pm; ball drop at noon. Price: Included with museum admission. Music, dance-offs, hands-on science experiments, party gear to make and a bubble-wrap dance floor. Kids can add a New Year’s resolution to the gallery wall before the noon countdown. Official page: https://mods.org/event/2026noon-years-eve/ (checked 2026-10-29)
- **New Year's Afternoon at Westchester Regional Library** at Westchester Regional Library (Miami-Dade Public Library System), Westchester. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 11am–12:30pm. Price: Free. An all-ages program that starts with New Year stories about wishes, then moves on to themed crafts and music before a mini countdown. Official page: https://mdpls.libnet.info/event/17394216 (checked 2026-10-30)
- **Happy Noon Year Kids' Party at Plantation Walk** at Plantation Walk Plaza, 321 N. University Dr., Plantation. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 11:30am–1pm; confetti blast at noon. Price: Free admission and parking; RSVP through the event's Eventbrite page. A DJ, sing-alongs, bubbles and party favors on the plaza, with a confetti blast when the clock hits noon. Official page: https://plantationwalk.com/events/happy-noon-year/ (checked 2026-10-30)
- **Christmas Wonderland at Tropical Park** at Tropical Park, Tropical Park, Miami, FL. When: Nov 12, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027. Time: Evenings; see the site. Price: Ticketed; weekday tickets cost less. Rides, shows and light displays, with a Santa’s Enchanted Forest: Memory Lane section of original displays. Santa photos cost extra. Official page: https://miamiwonderland.com/ (checked 2026-10-28)

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
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## FAQ

### What’s open on Christmas Day in Miami and Fort Lauderdale with kids?
Zoo Miami (Dec 24: open, closing at 4pm for Zoo Lights; Dec 25: noon–5pm), Miami Children’s Museum (Dec 24: closes at 4pm; Dec 25: closed), Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) (Dec 24 and Dec 25: open), Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (Dec 24: open; Dec 25: closed) post that they’re open on Christmas Day.

### What’s open on New Year’s Day in Miami and Fort Lauderdale?
Zoo Miami (Open 10am–5pm), Miami Children’s Museum (Opens at 1pm), Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) (Open), Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (Open 10am–5pm).

### What can we do with kids on New Year’s Day in Miami and Fort Lauderdale?
On the calendar for Jan 1: Christmas Wonderland at Tropical Park. Check each one’s own page before you go, since holiday hours can change.

### What is there to do with kids between Christmas and New Year’s in Miami and Fort Lauderdale?
Zoo Lights Miami and Christmas Wonderland at Tropical Park. Check each one’s calendar for the exact nights; some close on certain days.

### How do you check these holiday hours?
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 29, 2026, and we recheck them in early December and again the week before Christmas. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).