Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Santa’s Christmas Tree Forest in Eustis, FL

Does the thought of strolling through a wintery forest to carefully choose your own Christmas tree sound like the ideal holiday to you? While I can’t promise a snowy wonderland, there is a spot in Florida that allows you to cut your own Christmas tree, plus tons more fun to get your family in the holiday spirit.

Holiday Things to Do in Florida

Santa’s Christmas Tree Forest in Eustis is what I imagine Santa’s vacation home in Florida to be and is absolutely brimming with holiday cheer. Now through December 22, hunters of the perfect tree are welcome to visit the farm and cut their own Choctawhatchee sand pine, red cedar or Arizona cypress. These trees grow well in our state’s sandy soil and made for a truly Floridian Christmas.

The 17-acre field has over 17,000 trees to choose from and Santa’s Farm provides the saw at the entrance to the field, as well as complimentary netting and drilling. All of the you-cut trees, no matter if they’re two or 20 feet tall, are just $45 – that’s a heck of steal and friendly on your Christmas budget!

If manual holiday labor isn’t your game or you’re looking for a northern variety of tree, a large assortment of trees from Michigan and North Carolina up to 13 feet tall, including an assortment of spruce, fir and pine, are available to take home. These trees are as fresh as they come, and arrive on a refrigerated truck with snow still on their branches.

Activities at Santa’s Christmas Tree Farm

What makes this farm worth the drive into the country this winter is all they have to offer in addition to the beautiful trees. My family spent a full day exploring, and could have easily spent more time if we didn’t have a toddler worn out from so much fun! Avery spent as much time as she could visiting the animals in Jack’s Barnyard Petting Zoo and moseying around on a pony at Santa’s Happy Trails.

General admission is a real bargain, but for families, it’s worth the upgrade to include Jolly Acres in your visit. This opens up the back half of the farm for even more jolly fun, including a watery hand-pump duck race game, multiple elf mazes, large sand play pit and slides – even an enclosed Nerf gun “arena” for epic battles! An enormous bounce pillow is the place to be for sugared-up kiddos to release their endless energy (it’s a blast for parents, too!). Avery really enjoyed the mini barrel tram ride around the field, being her first solo “big kid” ride and we all got to share a hay ride around the tree field together.

Zipline tickets can be added on to your experience as well to get you flying high like one of Santa’s reindeer. Rides are unlimited with this option and include a larger line zipping over Jolly Acres, and a smaller kid-friendly line lower to the ground for younger elves and those nervous with heights.

After you’ve browsed to find your perfect tree, Santa’s Village serves up plenty of fuel to keep your day going with a grill and assortment of snacks and beverages. The Thirsty Elf is also available for a cup of cheer, offering an assortment of craft beers and wine to really get you in the spirit. Santa’s gift shop has a selection of handmade gifts and wreaths to check off your holiday shopping list.

Tree purchase is not required to enjoy all this farm has to offer, and I strongly advise getting there as early as possible to beat the crowds. Everywhere you look on this festive farm, there is something fun to do and see, even mountains of hay to climb and conquer! Scott and I agree – Santa’s Farm has definitely made it onto our list of annual holiday traditions, and I bet it will end up on yours, too!