SkyPark at Santa’s Village is a magical little place that a lot of people might have heard about but many are not quite exactly sure how to define. We here at MouseInfo are big fans of the small local park in Skyforest, CA (near Lake Arrowhead) and we’re hoping to help demystify exactly what the experience of visiting this outdoor adventure park will actually entail.

Is it a theme park?

We typically shy away from referring to SkyPark at Santa’s Village as a theme park and tend to refer to it as an outdoor adventure park.

In the strictest sense of the word, yes, SkyPark at Santa’s Village IS a theme park — it’s a village where Santa and his magical friends live, work, and play. However, theme parks are traditionally associated with carousels, roller coasters, and rides which are NOT a feature of this outdoor adventure park.

If you visited the park at any point during its former existence from 1955 – 1997, the experience offered now is NOT like that. The park formerly existed much more like a traditional locals amusement park with simple flat rides, spinners, petting zoo, etc. When the park reopened in 2017, it shifted its focus to being a year-round park centered on outdoor activity that ALSO specializes in Christmas during the winter months.

Are there rides?

There are not traditional rides that one might expect in a theme park. There’s no log flumes, bumper cars, or Ferris wheels. Instead, the focus at SkyPark at Santa’s Village is on outdoor adventure. Pristine hiking trails, well-maintained bike trails, rock climbing and bouldering, zip lines, and fishing are some of the hallmark outdoor experiences that are the focus here. In the winter, there’s ice skating — which turns into roller skating during the warmer months of the year.

More low-tech activities that you’ll be able to enjoy include archery, axe-throwing and a sharp shooting range with BB guns. The park also has plans to add “The B Rail” which will offer self-propelled pedal seats that will traverse a track suspended as high as 45 feet off the ground meandering through the village offering a bee’s-eye view.

Other activities available in the park include the Northwoods Express Train Ride which is akin to a mall train but this one travels through a beautiful Meadowland Trail with a cute narration of the sights from the train. There’s also Arrow’s Adventure and Magic Portal featuring self-propelled pedal cars which are set on a short track and the Santa’s Toy Test Track where little ones can hop aboard a miniature electric-powered vehicle to run through Santa’s workshop garage and test his newest toy creations. There are a few options for little ones with Discovery Playscape areas that offer mini zip lines, balance walks, sand pits, climbing, and slides plus a Balance Trail with strider bikes.

Just about everything offered in the park is done without additional cost — even skate rentals are included with your paid admission. There are a few other upcharge offerings like crafts at Santa’s Workshop Exploratorium and panning for rock candy colored stones at Santa’s Mining Co. Bike rentals will also incur an additional fee but you are free to bring your own equipment without charge!

Is it good for kids? Will adults be bored?

As you can see from our description of the rides above, a lot of the park’s offerings tend to be either fairly adult-focused or primarily child-focused. That’s an important thing to note here is that there’s not a lot of in-between options here that will be suitable for the whole family to do together.

Adults visiting without children or teens visiting with their families in particular might be the biggest challenge as many offerings and all entertainment are geared towards younger visitors. So once again, the focus turns to what the park does best… outdoor adventure. With the mindset of taking full advantage of what the great outdoors has to offer, it should be easy to make a full and rewarding day out of the visit. Armed with trail maps from Santa’s Workshop Exploratorium, the park’s expansive hiking and biking trails offer a great escape for couples looking to spend the day together or teens looking for some autonomy to explore nature on their own.

For adults age 21 and older, the Pedal Pub is also a fantastic spot for some…. spirited libations.

Is it just photo-ops?

One of the biggest critiques that we see for the park is that “there’s nothing to do” and that the place is really just good for photo-ops. The park is absolutely picturesque, that’s true, but you have to understand the park and its intent to really know what to expect from this experience.

Yes, photo-ops are a huge draw as the charming park is rustic and absolutely breathtaking from just about any angle. But if you’re expecting intricate stage shows and high-tech E-ticket attractions then you have the wrong expectations for what SkyPark at Santa’s Village has to offer.

Is it open all year? Is it always Christmas?

While the park might be closed select week days, it is open mostly all year round. But it’s not always a Christmas celebration. With the park’s mission statement shifting from its original model of roadside amusement tourist trap to a new model of being a low-tech outdoor adventure park for the whole family, it helped give the park purpose beyond the winter months when everyone’s attention is on Santa and his friends.

The park’s clever name helps cement the park’s ability to shift focus. During the winter season, the park is SkyPark at SANTA’S VILLAGE where as during the rest of the year it’s SKYPARK at Santa’s Village. It helps create the sense that there is life here beyond the snowflakes and Christmas trees that come for a few months during the year. The park also has smaller scale celebrations for St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, and Halloween plus other experiences including summer concerts and a fall renaissance fair.

Is it worth it?

We absolutely love visiting this place. While we often are invited by the park with hosted admission, we have also made visits with friends to just have a great day outdoors.

We’ve gone during the coldest weeks of winter and we’ve visited during the hottest days of summer and the park always has special touch of magic — whether Santa is around or not. As with anything, your mileage will obviously vary and a park of this sort is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea — or to stay in theme — everyone’s mug of hot cocoa. Admission into SkyPark at Santa’s Village is NOT cheap so it’s important to know what you’re getting when you decide to visit.

If you have decided that a visit to this alpine wonderland is something you’d be interested in, you’ll want to check out our pro guide of tips and tricks to maximize your day.

MORE INFO: KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: How to maximize your time at SkyPark at Santa’s Village

See it for Yourself

SkyPark at Santa’s Village is open year-round but their special holiday season takes place November 16, 2023 – January 7, 2024.

How much?

Access to SkyPark at Santa’s Village gives you access to all of the park’s features and amenities.

• Adult (age 13-59): $79 per person
• Child (4-12): $69 per person
• Senior (age 60-74): $69 per person
• Under age 3 and over age 75 are free of charge!
• Parking: $10 per vehicle

MORE INFO: Check out all of our coverage of SkyPark at Santa’s Village