Make this Christmas a good for the kiddos! With school breaks for the holidays that makes ample time to enjoy a happy holiday season. Get your fill of festivities at the best things to do this Christmas in Houston with kids – from a real-life Polar Express to a life-sized Gingerbread Village, outdoor ice rinks, and more!
1. Classic Christmas
Head over to Memorial City Mall for 55,000 square feet of festivities at the inaugural Coca Cola Classic Christmas! Now underway, Classic Christmas is a winter wonderland with everything from ice skating, Christmas markets, live performances, and more!
November 16 – December 29
303 Memorial City Way
2. Polar Express
Go on a trip to the North Pole in the only transportation possible: the Polar Express. Stationed at the Galveston Railroad Museum, the Polar Express is a fantastic freight filled with the book’s/film’s most beloved characters – from singing chefs to Santa Claus – as well as hot chocolate, silver sleigh bells, and more.
November 8 – December 23
2602 Santa Fe Pl, Galveston, TX 77550
3. Gingerbread Village
Kicking off with its Annual Holiday Tree Lighting on December 1, City Place is bringing back its Giant Gingerbread Village this holiday season with family-friendly activities, art installations, and merry-making. The Gingerbread Village will feature a gumdrop-and-lollipop path, 16-foot gingerbread house, cookie, trees, and 12-foot windmill!
December
1250 Lake Plaza Drive | Spring, TX 77389
4. Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest
Experience the magic of the wizarding world of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films at the Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience in Austin! The spellbinding experience will feature a wonderful variety of magical characters, as well as spells, themed eats, and drinks, and much more.
November 21 – January 5
172 Colorado Cir, Cedar Creek, TX 78612, 78612
5. Zoo Lights
The wonderfully wild Zoo Lights at the Houston Zoo returns with a kingdom full of holiday cheer. In addition to returns of Zoo Lights favorites like Holiday Grove, Snowy Slopes, and Geo Prism Safari as well as introduce new features such as the Whimsical Wildlife Tree, Twinkle Trail, and cookie decorating at Cypress Circle Cafe.
November 22 – January 5
6200 Hermann Park Drive
6. ICE LAND
Enter a crystal oasis at Moody Gardens’ ICE LAND. The chilly annual event is a literal winter wonderland where visitors can bomb down arctic slides, hit the ice, embark on train rides, enjoy Christmas buffets, and more.
November 23 – January 1
1 Hope Blvd, Galveston, TX 77554
7. Santa’s Wonderland
Billed as The World’s Largest Christmas Park, Santa’s Wonderland is a massive Yuletide festival with a chimney full of attractions for the whole family. Whether taking a hayride through festive lights, engaging a friendly snowball fight at Marshall Frostbite’s Snow Playground, or snow tubing at Frostbite’s Mountain, Santa’s Wonderland is a mecca of magical entertainment!
November 15 – December 31
18898 Hwy 6, College Station, TX 77845
8. Ice at Discovery Green
Go for a skate at the foot of the Houston skyline at Discovery Green’s magical outdoor ice rink in Downtown, Houston. A fantastic thing to do this Christmas with kids in Houston, especially if you’re going on a tour of all the magical holiday lights in Downtown!
November 15 – February 2
1500 McKinney Street
9. Mayor’s Holiday Spectacular
Witness the official tree lighting of Houston this December at the Mayor’s Holiday Spectacular! On Saturday, December 7, the FREE event will feature performances from LeToya Luckett and RaeLynn as well as holiday eats and drinks, fireworks, and more!
December 7
900 Bagby St
10. Christmassy Neighborhoods
We can’t all be Clark Griswolds. But thankfully, there are many in Houston who can. Load up the van with the kiddos, get yourself a hot cocoa to-go, and go for a light drive (literally) through Houston’s most decorated neighborhoods for Christmas!
December
Multiple locations