Holidays

Knott's Merry Farm brings glad tidings, Snoopy skating, and Ghost Town twinkle

'Tis the season for festive decorations, themed goodies, stage shows, and Santa's Christmas Cabin.

Knott's Berry Farm

What to Know

  • Knott's Merry Farm at Knott's Berry Farm
  • Buena Park
  • Nov. 22-Jan. 5, 2025
  • Included with theme park admission

We can't say we've ever pored over the architectural schematics for the North Pole, nor have we come across a fancy photo layout featuring Chateau Claus, the sort of posh pictorial you find in a pricy magazine.

But we imagine the North Pole palace to be a rather grand and glacial place, a suitable spread for a busy icon who puts in the hours all year long and the miles to match on Christmas Eve.

This is why Santa needs a cozy cabin in his portfolio, the sort of woodsy abode you might find tucked away in an old and atmospheric California ghost town. Luckily, the Jolly Old Elf has a Western cottage set-up at a theme park that knows how to celebrate the season: Knott's Berry Farm.

The Buena Park destination transforms into Knott's Merry Farm over several fall and winter weeks each year, sweetly summoning all sorts of winsome wonders including decorations, a nightly tree lighting, musical stage shows, Victorian carolers, and, yes, the chance to visit Santa's Christmas Cabin.

Knott's Berry Farm
Head to Calico Ghost Town for the nightly tree lighting at Knott's Merry Farm.

It all begins in 2024 on Nov. 22, giving Knott's visitors a cheerful chance to jumpstart their Noël in November.

Highlights, beyond the chance to conference with Kris Kringle in his well-appointed cabin, include the Christmas Crafts Village, the vintage-sweet "Home for the Holidays" musical revue, the beloved "Snoopy's Night Before Christmas" ice show, and Snow & Glow in the Ghost Town, brrr.

Knott's Berry Farm
Santa's Christmas Cabin is a time-honored Knott's tradition.

Your Knott's admission gets you into the gleeful doings, but be sure to stow some bucks in your satchel if you're keen to try the theme park's limited-time seasonal treats and drinks.

The Scene

Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.

Sashay into a festive pop-up bar, where ‘yule cool' rules

Ovation Hollywood has free holiday tunes and character meet-and-greets

True, you'll find plenty of boysenberry bites, because that's the sweet Knott's symbol, but the holiday season is very much about tempting tastes that find festive inspiration in the yuletide.

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