If you grew up in Southern California, you probably went to Santa’s Village at some point. For many residents, a trip to Lake Arrowhead and a visit to Santa’s Village was a yearly family tradition.
Built in 1955 as a family amusement park on the mountaintop, the park and Santa’s Village have been closed for some time. Some things are too cherished not to bring back. Young parents were waxing nostalgic and wishing for a place like Santa’s village to bring their own kids to, and finally that wish is being granted.
SkyPark at Santa’s Village is a North Pole-themed outdoor adventure park nestled deep in the San Bernardino National Forest. With attractions, restaurants and shops clustered in an historic log cabin village, SkyPark is where Santa lives year-round!
Sky Park at Santa’s Village will be opening as an expanded adventure park in 2017, a place where you can experience the wonder of nature as you pedal, zipline, hike or climb at SkyPark.
But you don’t have to wait until next year, this holiday season you can behold the magic of Santa’s Christmas Village as SkyPark is transformed into a winter wonderland of fun for the whole family.
I had a sneak peek at the park and got to meet some of the Elves, observe Elf Training, hear a few Tall Tales and meet Santa’s pet Wolf dog, Arrow, who is the hero of an all new themed ride in the park. The “real life” Arrow is pretty amazing as well.
The park features a massive climbing tower, and loads of fun for kids & the young at heart, including:
- Themed rides
- Dance parties
- Live music performances
- Elf training
- Santa visits
- Cookie decorating
- Holiday shopping
- Balloon animals/crowns
- Character meet and greets
- Photo ops galore
- Sweet treats and great eats for all!
Check out the Skypark site for more information on when the park will be opening (announcements some time in the next week) and pricing.
We can’t wait to see the rest of the park when it opens in 2017!
Some facts about Santa’s Village:
5,910’ – The elevation at the “Top of the World” (the highest elevation in the park).
230 acres – The total acreage of SkyPark at Santa’s Village.
15 acres – The acreage used by Santa’s Village.
May 28, 1955 – Opening day of the original Santa’s Village.
1000’ – The length of the SkyPedal Monorail track. Constructed in 1962 by American Crane & Hoist, the original Bumblebee Monorail at Santa’s Village was the test-bed for the larger-scale suspended monorail at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.
32’ by 17’ – The size of the “Caterpillar 777” dump truck which is the centerpiece of Santa’s Dumptruck Playground where children can play around the truck that helps Santa’s elves transport toys from their workshop to Santa’s sleigh before his Christmas Eve flight.
18 – The number of historic log buildings in the park that were renovated from the original Santa’s Village.
6,000 – The number of indigenous trees planted at SkyPark during the 2016 reforestation project in partnership with CalFire and several other conservation organizations.
12 months – The amount of time taken for the construction of Santa’s Village in 1955.
30 months – The amount of time taken for the restoration/transformation of Santa’s Village to the present-day Skypark at Santa’s Village.
60’ by 100’ – The size of the Silver Bells Skating Pond. The first full-sized, public ice rink in the San Bernardino Mountains since the Ice Castle in Blue Jay, CA which closed after its roof collapsed in 2001.
More Things to See and Do in San Bernadino County:
- Experiencing Fall at Oak Glen Village
- A Taste of Colonial Life at Riley’s Stone Soup Farm
- Spending The Night at an Oasis in Joshua Tree
- Where to Express Your Artistic Self in Joshua Tree
- Taking a Walk in the National Park at Joshua Tree NSP
- Where to Eat Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner in Joshua Tree
- Where to Watch the Sun Set & Moonrise in Joshua Tree
- Horseback Riding Along the Pacific Crest Trail
- The Alpine Zoo of San Bernadino
- Shopping at Lake Arrowhead Village
- A Visit to Santa’s Village at Skypark
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