Santa's Workshop
Santa's Workshop in North Pole, a hamlet in Wilmington, New York, is an amusement park that has been in operation since 1949. A drive of 3.5 mi reaches Whiteface Mountain. Pleasant highs of 64–73°F mark the mildest months, June to September.
A theme park inside Wilmington
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 4°, with about 104" of snow a year. When to go ↓
Check the season before you go
Most theme parks this far north close for the winter. Check the park’s calendar for opening days. When to go ↓
You can stay in Wilmington
Santa's Workshop is inside Wilmington, which has 26 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 64–73°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
How the seasons run
This is the year’s weather near Santa's Workshop.
Santa's Workshop
Santa's Workshop in North Pole, a hamlet in Wilmington, New York, is an amusement park that has been in operation since 1949. It was one of the first theme parks in the United States. It is open from June to December.
The idea for the village originated in a story that Lake Placid businessman Julian Reiss told his daughter about a baby bear who visits Santa Claus at the North Pole. The design of the park was done by artist Arto Monaco, of Upper Jay, and built by Harold Fortune, of Lake Placid, who also owned the site, and helped promote the park. The park drew immediate media interest, with more than 14,000 visitors on one day in September 1951.
- Type
- Theme park
- Wikipedia readers
- 3.7K a year
Lodging near Santa's Workshop
Lodging nearby is in Wilmington (26) and Lake Placid (39).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Santa's Workshop | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington 31% vacation homes | in town | — | 26 4 hotels · 2 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 9 lodges & cabins · 7 campgrounds | 1,182 | $323K |
| Lake Placid 28% vacation homes | 10 mi southwest | 15 min | 39 21 hotels · 4 motels · 10 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins | 2,258 | $400K |
| North Elba 29% vacation homes | 17 mi southwest | 25 min | 79 36 hotels · 9 motels · 16 inns & B&Bs · 13 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 4 campgrounds | 7,768 | $432K |
| Jay 33% vacation homes | 8 mi east | 10 min | 8 3 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 3 lodges & cabins | 2,472 | $197K |
| Saranac Lake | 15 mi west | 20 min | 16 7 hotels · 2 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins | 4,793 | $200K |
| Black Brook 21% vacation homes | 9 mi north | 15 min | 4 1 hotel · 3 campgrounds | 1,417 | $202K |
| Harrietstown | 22 mi southwest | 30 min | 17 4 hotels · 5 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds | 5,167 | $209K |
| Keene 50% vacation homes | 19 mi south | 30 min | 11 1 hotel · 5 inns & B&Bs · 5 lodges & cabins | 1,121 | $471K |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Other places close by
Pair a visit with these, within 56 miles.
Big draw127 mi LakeLake Champlain
23 mi MountainWhiteface Mountain
320 mi MountainMount Marcy
Big draw45 mi LandmarkFort Ticonderoga
37 mi State parkAdirondack Park
56 mi LakeLake George
421 mi LakeLake Tear of the Clouds
52 mi MountainMount MansfieldPhoto credits
Lake Champlain: Copernicus Sentinel-2, ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo · Whiteface Mountain: Mwanner, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Marcy: Daniel Tripp, Public domain · Fort Ticonderoga: Mwanner, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Adirondack Park: Original uploader was Mwanner at en.wikipedia Later version(s) were uploaded by, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lake George: Sixlocal, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lake Tear of the Clouds: TheKilimanjaro, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mount Mansfield: Original uploader was Calzarette (Joe Calzarette) at en.wikipedia, Public domain
Questions people have about Santa's Workshop
Is Santa's Workshop open in winter?
Most theme parks this far north close for the winter. Check the park’s calendar for opening days.
Is Santa's Workshop in Wilmington?
Yes. It’s inside Wilmington, NY.
When is the best time to visit Santa's Workshop?
June, July, August and September, with highs of 64–73°.
What is the closest airport to Santa's Workshop?
Adirondack Regional (SLK), about 18 miles away. The nearest big hub is Albany (ALB), about 114 miles.
Where should I stay near Santa's Workshop?
Wilmington (in town, 26 places to stay), Lake Placid (10 mi, 39 places to stay) and North Elba (17 mi, 79 places to stay).
Ask people in Wilmington
Be the first to share a tip in Wilmington’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.