Cookies with Santa

December 2 and 3

Be here when Santa makes his first stop – and get Santa Photos at Zoo Atlanta!

Bring the family for a personal visit with Santa and a professional photo to remember the moment.

While you’re here, enjoy cookies with Frosty, hot chocolate with Rudolph, holiday crafts with the Elves, and of course, holly jolly photo opportunities for all! 

Cookies with Santa requires an individual ticket for each member of your party age 3 years and up. Children under 3 are free.

Ticket includes:

  • Professional photo: Each ticketholder will receive (1) one printed 4” x 6” photograph with Santa and instructions to download a digital copy after the event.
  • Festive sights and sounds: While you wait, snap a few photos with Frosty and Rudolph and enjoy all your favorite holiday songs with the family.
  • Sweet treats: No visit with Santa’s elves is complete without a cookie and a cup of hot chocolate! Holiday treats are while supplies last.
  • Cheerful crafts: Create a holiday craft that’s worthy of the top of the tree!  
  • Admission to Zoo Atlanta: Before or after your visit with Santa, wish “happy holidays” to giant pandas, elephants, Sumatran tigers and more! Keep in mind the last entry into the Zoo is permitted 1.5 hours before scheduled closing time.

FAQs

The ARC allows us more space for more fun! Not only will families enjoy a personal visit with Santa, but they’ll also spend time with their little ones enjoying activities, crafts, chocolatey treats and more! When it’s their turn for photos, there’s guaranteed smiles all around.

To help Santa and his elves prepare, a Cookies with Santa ticket is required for each member of your party regardless of if they plan to be photographed. Those 3 years of age and older require a paid ticket. Those under 3 years old are free.

We cannot make any special concessions for family members who do not have event tickets. Family members without tickets will need to wait outside the ARC building if the event has sold out. 

No. Pets are not permitted in the Zoo with the exception of service animals. Read more about Zoo Atlanta’s Service Animal Admittance Policy here.

Cookies with Santa has sold out in the past! We encourage all guests to purchase tickets in advance. Additional tickets will not be available at the door should the event sell out.

To best manage Santa’s time and his cookie breaks, we require each guest to reserve one 2-hour timeslot during the ticket purchase process. Guests may enter the building anytime during the first 1.5 hours of their time slot. Wait times to visit with Santa may vary.

Yes, however, to maximize the space for fun, we ask that strollers and wagons park in the designated space outside of the building.

We will limit the number of guests permitted in the event area at one time. We ask all guests to arrive on time for their Cookies with Santa reservations.

Tickets for signature events like Cookies with Santa are non-refundable. If you cannot attend for unforeseen circumstances, we encourage you to gift your ticket to friends or family.

Metered parking is available in the parking lot on Cherokee Avenue and in the Grant Park Gateway parking facility on Boulevard. Parking areas are owned by the City of Atlanta and managed by AAA Parking. Event registration does not include parking validation. To learn more about parking, click here.

Yes! A Cookies with Santa ticket includes same-day admission to Zoo Atlanta during operational hours. Members should bring their Membership card. Keep in mind the last entry into the Zoo is permitted 1.5 hours before scheduled closing time.

Zoo Atlanta Members can make a reservation for any time slot as the experience for all guests will be the same level of merry! Non-Members will only be able to make a reservation for the 11:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. time slots.

After parking, enter Zoo Atlanta from the front gates OR the Conservation Education Gate from the Cherokee Avenue parking lot. Scan your ticket with a Zoo Atlanta staff member. Those 3 years of age and older in your party will receive a timed wristband. You MUST wear this wristband to access Zoo Atlanta and the Cookies with Santa event. You may remove this wristband for your photo with Santa. At your designated time slot, follow signs or instructions from Zoo Atlanta staff to Cookies with Santa. 

Yes! Seating will be available. We anticipate guests rotating to various activities so seating may be limited at times.

We will have various types of festive sugar cookies to choose from on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note the cookies are made at an off-site facility, so we are not able to guarantee that they are completely free from nuts, dairy, or gluten. One cookie per guest while supplies last.

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