Santa's Land: Enjoyment for All Ages in New England

With the myriad of attractions scattered about the North East, wouldn't it make perfect sense to stumble upon one of those hidden gems. Their are aquariums, beaches, ski resorts, historical houses, parks and landmarks, Old Sturbridge Village, Plymouth Mass. and the list goes on and on. However, I bet many of you were not aware that Santa was as close as your back yard, so to speak, in Bellows Falls situated in the beautiful foothills of southern Vermont. Fresh, crisp sweet apples, pumpkins, maple sugar, honey, cheese and home-made fudge are standard here in the North East and go hand in hand just as hot dogs and baseball. The same can be said about Santa as the month of December and Christmas draw near as both kids, and kids at heart are familiar with the jolly white bearded man with the red suit complete with his elves and nine magical reindeer, headed by, of course, Rudolph. For those that love the Christmas season, have kids or love to get out and sample all that New England has to offer, Santa's Land is one of those gems in the rough.

For over 50 years, Santa's Land has been capturing the hearts of kids and kids at heart, with all that it has to offer. Dating back to August 10,1957 Santa's Land has been on the map ever since. What began as a dream by founder, Jack Poppele of New Jersey, who also co-founded the radio station WOR out of New York, desired to create an amusement park that had a Christmas theme to it. After traveling the Southern New England States, he fell in love with the areas along route 5 just north of Putney, Vermont. Opening-day admission back then was 19 cents! Poppele and his daughter owned and ran the park for over a decade before selling the park to a local family, the Brewers, that carried on the legacy for over 30 years since that transaction.

Santa's Land has alot to offer in a small area that can turn any frown into a happy face, no matter how much of a scrooge you are. The North Pole Village is a quaint little village out of a fairy tale story, complete with a school house known as the Ding-Dong School House, where you can sit and watch various Christmas films, and it also offers a nice break and place to relax after touring the grounds of Santa's Land.

If sweets and goodies tickle your fancy, Santa's Land has a great cure for that with Santa's Sweet Shoppe. Complete with Breyer's ice cream, homemade fudge, assorted candies, drinks and other yummy goodies, those of you that think that sweets represents one of the basic food groups will not be denied or sent away disappointed due to not getting their fill of treats.

Just over Santa's Sweetheart Bridge lies Mistletoe Mill Book Shoppe which is another unique and cute shop that sells books, toys, collectibles and other trinkets to bring home with you as a reminder of your trip to Santa's Land. Reading is a very important element of a children's growth and learning and what better way of encouraging this that by picking up a book or three at the Mill Book Shoppe from the vast array of story time characters available.

The Candy Cane Cupboard offers a nice selection of food and beverage for lunch or just as a snack to refuel before setting off again to explore the grounds.

Their is even an arcade filled with various games for kids to compete and have fun with. With all the computer games, Play station, Wii, X-Box and other fun games that have got their start with the creation of the arcades, I don't think anyone would be unfamiliar with this concept and name. Anyone will have fun in the arcade testing their skill while being entertained at the same time.

Ever had the chance to explore Santa's House? Well you can do it at Santa's Land! Just one more reason to visit Santa's Land and find out how Santa lives.

Now, if you think that this represents just another shopping event like the dreaded trips and hours spent at the local mall, you are very wrong! Beautiful scenery, especially as the seasons change before your very eyes, can be witnessed as a glamorous backdrop to Santa's Land. Moreover, as the deciduous trees get ready for old man Winter's harshness, they create a picturesque beauty with their leaves changing colors rivaling anything you have ever seen before as this foliage will definitely take your breathe away. Not that visiting Santa's Land, other than during the Fall season shouldn't be done, it just offers an amazing Kodak moment.

Animals, we all love animals, right? Well, a petting zoo, featuring Santa's reindeer, Llama's, toy ponies, goats, Emu's, turkeys, pot belly pigs and even Bill, the camel can be seen. Spend some time petting, watching and feeding the animals.

If this weren't enough and you still need more reasons for visiting Santa's Land, Rides and slides, oh my, are also able to be experienced. Various sized slides like the play scape and North Pole Iceberg slides, the giant slide is a huge rendition of the slides at other amusement parks where you ride down the bumps on a burlap sack. A Merry-Go-Round, kiddie rides, and Santa's Alpine Train are also featured to offer diversity and fun. The alpine train is not the Polar Express, but could be a close second to it, if you ask me and you will still have alot of fun exploring the grounds and breaking up the walking you will be experiencing at Santa's Land.

Why not make it wintertime, Christmas and visit Santa other than during the Christmas season from Thanksgiving, leading up to December 25th! Santa's Land affords anyone a nice change of pace and a alternative to the ordinary!