# Christmas break with kids in Portland, 2026

> What to do with kids in Portland 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 five dated outings on Christmas Eve and the days in between.

- Last checked: 2026-10-29
- 4 places’ holiday hours; 9 dated outings
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/portland-or/christmas-break/
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/portland-or/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/portland-or/llms.txt

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

- **Oregon Zoo**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day Dec 25: closed; New Year’s Day Open daily Dec 18 – Jan 3. Their page says: “Dec 1–17: Fri–Mon only; Dec 18 – Jan 3: daily” Source: https://www.oregonzoo.org/visit (checked 2026-10-28)
- **ZooLights**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day Dec 25: closed; New Year’s Day Runs through Jan 3. Their page says: “Nightly from 4:30pm, Nov 20 – Jan 3” Source: https://www.oregonzoo.org/zoolights (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Oregon Rail Heritage Center**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day Dec 25: closed; New Year’s Day Closed on New Year’s Day. Their page says: “Thu–Sun 1–5pm” Source: https://orhf.org/visit-us/ (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Portland Japanese Garden**: Christmas Eve not posted; Christmas Day Dec 25: closed; New Year’s Day Closed on New Year’s Day. Their page says: “Closed Tuesdays; fall and winter public hours 10am–3:30pm, with an hour after closing to walk the garden. Also closed Thanksgiving.” Source: https://japanesegarden.org/hours-admission/ (checked 2026-10-29)

## Christmas Eve

- **Holiday Express at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center** at Oregon Rail Heritage Center, 2250 SE Water Avenue, Portland, OR 97214. When: Nov 27 – Dec 27, 2026. Time: Departures 10am–7pm. Price: Adults $35, kids 3–13 $25, under 3 free on a lap; family pass $105. A steam train ride with Santa aboard. Strollers can’t go on the cars, so plan to carry little ones. Official page: https://orhf.org/holiday-express/ (checked 2026-10-28)

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

- **ZooLights at the Oregon Zoo** at Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Road, Portland, OR 97221. When: Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027. Time: Nightly from 4:30pm; closed Nov 17–19, Nov 24–26 and Dec 25. Price: Adults $13–$35, youth $13–$30 by date. Prices change by night, so weeknights early in the run are cheapest. A sensory-friendly night is set for Nov 16, and tickets include TriMet rides. Official page: https://www.oregonzoo.org/zoolights (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Christmas Festival of Lights at The Grotto** at The Grotto, 8840 NE Skidmore St., Portland, OR 97220. When: Nov 27 – Dec 30, 2026; closed Christmas Day. Time: 5–9:30pm. Price: Online $17.95 ages 12+, $8.95 ages 3–11; 2 and under free. Lights around the sanctuary grounds, an hourly puppet show and free parking. Value nights are Nov 30–Dec 3 and Dec 7–10. Official page: https://www.thegrotto.org/christmas-festival-of-lights (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Peacock Lane**, SE Peacock Lane, Portland, OR 97214. When: Dec 15–31, 2026. Time: 6–10pm. Price: Free. A block of decorated houses in Southeast Portland. Dec 15 and 16 are pedestrian-only nights, and there’s free cocoa Dec 15–24. Official page: https://www.peacocklane.org/ (checked 2026-10-28)
- **OMSI On Ice** at OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave., Portland, OR 97214. When: Nov 14 – Jan 3. Price: See OMSI’s ticket page; ages 5 and up. Official page: https://omsi.edu/visit-omsi/ (checked 2026-10-28)

## New Year’s Eve and Day

- **Noon Year’s Eve Party at Hollywood Library** at Hollywood Library, 4040 NE Tillamook Street, Portland, OR 97212. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 11:15am–noon. Price: Free. A short party for kids and families that ends with a countdown at noon. Official page: https://multcolib.libnet.info/event/16959011 (checked 2026-10-28)
- **Noon Year’s Eve Party at Capitol Hill Library** at Capitol Hill Library, 10723 SW Capitol Highway, Portland, OR 97219. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 11am–noon. Price: Free. The Southwest Portland version, for kids and families. Official page: https://multcolib.libnet.info/event/17215489 (checked 2026-10-28)
- **¡Fiesta de Año Nuevo! Noon Year’s Eve Storytime** at Fairview-Columbia Library, 1520 NE Village Street, Fairview, OR 97024. When: Thu, Dec 31, 2026. Time: 10:30am–noon. Price: Free. A bilingual storytime that counts down to noon. Official page: https://multcolib.libnet.info/event/17318590 (checked 2026-10-28)
- **ZooLights at the Oregon Zoo** at Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Road, Portland, OR 97221. When: Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027. Time: Nightly from 4:30pm; closed Nov 17–19, Nov 24–26 and Dec 25. Price: Adults $13–$35, youth $13–$30 by date. Prices change by night, so weeknights early in the run are cheapest. A sensory-friendly night is set for Nov 16, and tickets include TriMet rides. Official page: https://www.oregonzoo.org/zoolights (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 Portland with kids?
Oregon Zoo (Dec 25: closed), ZooLights (Dec 25: closed), Oregon Rail Heritage Center (Dec 25: closed), Portland Japanese Garden (Dec 25: closed) post that they’re open on Christmas Day.

### What can we do with kids on Christmas Eve in Portland?
On the calendar: Holiday Express at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center.

### What’s open on New Year’s Day in Portland?
Oregon Zoo (Open daily Dec 18 – Jan 3), ZooLights (Runs through Jan 3), Oregon Rail Heritage Center (Closed on New Year’s Day), Portland Japanese Garden (Closed on New Year’s Day).

### What can we do with kids on New Year’s Day in Portland?
On the calendar for Jan 1: ZooLights at the Oregon Zoo. 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 Portland?
ZooLights at the Oregon Zoo, Christmas Festival of Lights at The Grotto, Peacock Lane and OMSI On Ice. 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/).