Things to Do With Kids During the Holidays in Greater Philadelphia for 2020

November 8 – December 30, 2020 (select dates)

All aboard for winter fun! On these seasonal adventures, guests board a train (pulled by either a steam or diesel locomotive) and ride the rails of the 150-year-old New Hope Railroad line all the way to the North Pole. On the one-hour trip, passengers enjoy cookies, carols and live music before a visit with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Advanced tickets are required, so plan ahead and peruse the railroad’s safety guidelines before heading north.

This Bucks County shopping destination’s charm and beautiful, festive decorations help ring in the season during Holidays in the Village — as do the attraction’s 1 million twinkling lights that cover the spot’s buildings and trees. Families can participate in the new-for-2020 Elf on the Stealth, an outdoor walking tour where visitors join Mrs. Clause in search of a missing elf (November 20, 2020 – January 10, 2021, weekends only).

November 20 – December 30, 2020 (select dates)

Elmwood Park Zoo adds even more to the millions of LED lights that illuminate its 16 acres over the holidays during the Wild Lights programming. Visitors can take a stroll through the Oh Christmas Tree display, where they’ll be surrounded by a glistening forest, or visit the big cats in Trail of the Jumping Jaguar. Each night of the festival features live entertainment, animal encounters, holiday music and a chance to see Santa himself.

Kennett Square’s world-renowned Longwood Gardens transforms into a winter wonderland during the popular A Longwood Christmas, now an outdoor-only experience through January 10, 2021. What to expect: 500,000 lights glittering in trees; a whimsical toy train racing around its railway; and spectacular fountains and fire pit flames dancing to seasonal music. Timed tickets are required, so plan ahead!

Where else but the official, Bucks County-based theme park of Sesame Street would kids get to enjoy A Very Furry Christmas, transforming the park with millions of twinkling lights? Guests can hop aboard the Sesame Place Furry Express for a train ride and tour of The Twiddlebugs’ Gingerbread Factory or reserve a time slot for a socially distanced pic with Santa or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Plus, the all-new Furry & Bright Christmas Drive-Thru allows guests to experience the best of Sesame Place from their cars on Tuesdays and Wednesdays through December 23, 2020. Note that reservations are required!

At this Bucks County farm, visitors drive or, if weather permits, ride in wagons past after-dark displays: illuminated tunnels and just about every imaginable Christmas icon rendered in 3 million tiny bulbs. Guests can also do some holiday shopping in the market, purchase their Christmas tree, and warm up with cocoa and s’mores. Timed tickets are required.

Responsible for some of the region’s most celebrated snack foods, Herr’s lights up its factory in Nottingham during its annual (and free) light display. Guests drive through the impressive arrangement, which features more than 600,000 lights (90% of which are LED lights) situated throughout the complex.

Christmas Around the Farm at this popular Delco attraction means wagon rides to cut-your-own Douglas or Canaan fir and visits from Santa every December weekend, where kids can speak to the Big Man over the socially distanced (and adorably named) Noelziphone. Linvilla’s market offers holiday shoppers pies and other baked goods; the Garden Center has pre-cut Christmas trees, poinsettias, mistletoe, Christmas roses and more; and the gift shop sells oodles of festive decorations.

November 8, 2019 – February 23, 2020 (dates vary by attraction)

Pop ups abound in Dilworth Park during the holidays. Folks can:

• embrace the holiday cheer by cruising around the Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink, offering timed, 90-minute skating sessions for 2020-21 (November 6, 2020 – February 28, 2021)
• stroll through the Wintergarden on the Greenfield Lawn, an open-air wonderland of lights, topiaries and rustic décor perfect for photo ops (October 31, 2020 – February 28, 2021)
• shop the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market, selling handmade trinkets, treats and crafts galore created by local makers (November 21, 202 – January 1, 2021)
• relax in the Rothman Orthopedics Cabin, where seasonal cocktails and food await in a converted open-air set up (November 6, 2020 – February 28, 2021); or
• take in the free Deck the Hall Holiday Lights, where technicolor projections — synchronized to sound effects and played continuously on a 30-minute loop to discourage crowding — animate the western façade of City Hall nightly for another holiday season (November 23, 2020 – January 1, 2021).

During Winter at Franklin Square Presented by Citizens, the Electrical Spectacle Holiday Light Show presented by PECO makes this historic square twinkle, with free shows featuring more than 100,000 lights (more than ever!) dazzling socially distant viewers every night through January 10, 2021. (New for 2020/2021: The lights will remain up, but without the shows, through February 28, 2021.) Also on offer through the end of February: mini-golf on the Chilly Philly Mini Golf course. To keep the festivities safe, look for reduced capacity at the park attractions, sanitizing stations and expanded seating options.

The European wonderland that is Christmas Village in LOVE Park returns for 2020 with 60 different vendors (half the number from previous years). On offer: handmade toys, winter apparel and crafts, plus edible and drinkable treats. The City Hall courtyard houses the Holiday Carousel. To keep visitors safe, the village has adopted a new socially distanced layout as well as a new separated food area.

At Adventure Aquarium, kids marvel at both the world’s tallest and smallest underwater Christmas trees, part of the attraction’s Shark Realm. Alongside thousands of twinkling lights and colorful shells and coral, visitors get the chance to see Scuba Santa and his “elfish” helpers swimming beneath the surface and celebrating the season.

Calling all choo-choo lovers! The annual Holiday Garden Railway brings a mini-winter wonderland to the historic Morris Arboretum, with a quarter-mile of track where G-scale model trains chug along loops, through tunnels and over bridges, past perfect little replicas of beloved Philadelphia landmarks. On Saturday and Sunday evenings throughout the display’s run, guests enjoy the railway amid thousands of twinkling lights during Holiday Garden Railway Nights. Lighted trees and other colored lights make the garden even more magical. Advanced tickets are required.

For the first time ever, the Wells Fargo Center’s ample parking lot is filled with 193 larger-than-life sculptures and displays in celebration of the season during the new Winter on Broad Street programming. There’s a 25-foot reindeer, a 20-foot ornament, an enchanted forest with more than 45 trees, glowing tunnels and winding icicle paths. Add to that photo sessions with Gritty Claus and holiday-inspired sweets and treats, along with a Mistletoe Marketplace selling hand-crafted ornaments, custom artwork, wintertime clothing and decor. Timed tickets are required to access the attraction, which has been set up for one-way, linear traffic to permit social distancing.

Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest — one of Philly’s favorite winter traditions — has brought the holiday spirit back to the Delaware River waterfront. The winter wonderland offers guests a chance to go ice-skating at the city’s largest outdoor rink, cozy up at one of the warming cabins and fire pit stations, and gaze at the twinkling lights and holiday tree — all of it while overlooking the Delaware River. New for 2020: boardwalk games and Ferris wheel rides. Advanced tickets are encouraged.

Songs, stories and art await during The African American Museum in Philadelphia’s two-day Kwanzaa celebration, which moves to Franklin Square for 2020. Celebrate the winter harvest, light the kinara and more.

For 2020, the dancing lights of the iconic Macy’s Christmas Light Show move online with a brief video tour of the iconic display. What hasn’t changed: the soundtrack from the Wanamaker Organ and the cost (free!). The store’s classic Dickens Village display also goes virtual for 2020. Head to Macy’s official Santaland site to experience these holiday favorites from home.

Also moving online for 2020: Independence Seaport Museum’s annual Parade of Lights. In addition to a pre-recorded presentation of illuminated boats making their way down the Delaware River, the virtual event also includes holiday activities that can be done at home, recipes for mocktails (and cocktails for the adults), and more.

Varies by event

Philly’s classic holiday performances and new-for-2020 concerts can be enjoyed from the comfort of your couch this year, including:

• George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker from the Pennsylvania Ballet, complete with virtual Tea Parties with cast members for the kiddos(December 16-25, 2020);
• Favorites from The Nutcracker, a family-friendly concert from The Philadelphia Orchestra (December 17-31, 2020)
• A Philly POPS Christmas: Spectacular Sounds of the Season, a festive and free virtual concert with Hamilton’s Mandy Gonzalez as well as The Philly POPS Festival Chorus, The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas Gospel Choir, and The Philadelphia Boys Choir (December 18, 2020 – January 1, 2021)

The National Museum of American Jewish History’s annual Being ___ at Christmas celebration transitions online with lots of fun for everyone in the family. On the docket for 2020: a live performance from the Emmy Award-winning Alex & the Kaleidoscope, music and info about Sephardic culture from Sarah Aroeste, Beatbox Dads (!) and more. New for 2020: treat package from Neuman’s Kitchen, available for pickup or delivery before the big online event.