A Miami Tradition
I put off going to Santa’s Enchanted Forest for as long as I could. In my mind, I visualized pushy crowds, loud holiday-goers and the possibility of getting run over by a reindeer. Finally, when my daughter was five, I took the Santa plunge. After all, this popular holiday attraction is a mere five minutes from my house, and my excuses for avoiding the place were wearing thin.
It wasn’t as bad as I thought. In fact, it was fun. We even snagged a ride from the parking lot to the main entrance on a trolley. This was a good thing, because Tropical Park – which used to be a race track – has a vast parking lot.
Yes, it was crowded. And yes, you may need to park in the back-of-beyond if you go on a weekend night, or if it happens to be a “cool” Miami evening. On nights when the temps dip into the 60s, the locals like to put on their winter coats and mittens and drink hot cocoa under the palms.
And go to Santa’s Enchanted Forest with a car-load of friends.
We bought our tickets and got ready to have fun. Right off the bat, my daughter was mesmerized by the Christmas-themed dioramas at the park entrance. Her face lit up when she saw four live reindeer, quietly nibbling grass in a hay-stuffed pen beneath the stars.
“Mommy, are these the real reindeers? Like Santa’s reindeers on Christmas Eve?” she asked me with Very Big Eyes.
“Well, yes, honey. They had time to take a little Florida vacation since Christmas Eve is still 12 days away,” I replied. “It’s awfully cold at the North Pole and they wanted to warm up.”
We wound our way past about 20 more of these dioramas, which included displays of cheerful elves, the Three Kings, Rudolph and Santa, Santa and Mrs. Claus, constellations of angels, packs of polar bears, igloos and snowmen, nutcracker soldiers, a Candyland Christmas village and anything else that could remotely fall under the “holiday theme” category.
We strolled along – yes, merrily – looking up at the tall Australian pine trees strung with zillions of twinkling lights. The piped-in Christmas music is ear-splitting, as loud as any rock concert or Abercrombie & Fitch store. When we reached the carnival section of Santa’s Forest, we watched a mini-circus act with an elephant and took a ride on the big Ferris wheel. I begged off the Crazy Mouse ride, letting my husband have the pleasure. We listened to the “insult clown” hurl nasty comments at passersby, and giggled when somebody finally dunked him into the water with a well-placed fastball. We watched a high wire act where the man lost his balance and almost fell 30 feet -- with no net to catch him. Fortunately, his circus days aren’t over. He recovered his balance in the nick of time.
We ended the evening with funnel cakes and lemonade, and with the purchase of some glow-in-the-dark necklace that my daughter had her eye on. We were tired, but happy. The ticket price was worth it.
Some tips for surviving Santa’s Enchanted Forest: go on a weeknight; cut out a coupon from South Florida Parenting magazine (distributed free at local libraries) or from the web site; and bring ear plugs - unless you like to hear “White Christmas” at 160 decibels.
The bottom line is you can’t eat a powdered donut without getting some on your upper lip. And you can’t leave Santa’s Enchanted Forest without getting a dose of holiday spirit.
IF YOU GO:
Santa’s Enchanted Forest
7900 SW 40th Street
Miami, FL 33155
Tickets: Adults $21.03 + tax; kids (9 and under) and seniors $14.49 + tax. 2 and under free.
Tel: (305) 559-9689
Wheelchairs and strollers are available for rent.
MORE MIAMI HOLIDAY FUN:
Bayfront Park Tree Lighting
Nov. 24
www.bayfrontparkmiami.com/
Actors' Playhouse: Madeline's Christmas
Nov. 28 – Dec. 23
www.actorsplayhouse.org/
Holiday Arts & Crafts at Cauley Square
Dec. 2 – 3
www.cauleysquareshops.com/
Futernick Chanukah Menorah Exhibit
Dec. 7 – Jan. 11
www.alperjcc.org/
Miami Children's Chorus: Voices of Angels
Dec. 10
www.miamichildrenschorus.org/
Breakfast with Santa
Dec. 16
www.cityofhomestead.com/
Seraphic Fire: Handel's Messiah
Dec. 21
www.seraphicfire.org
Dianne Reeves - Christmas Time Is Here
Dec. 22
www.carnivalcenter.org/
Kwanzaa Fest
Dec. 29 – 30
www.miamidade.gov/parks
It wasn’t as bad as I thought. In fact, it was fun. We even snagged a ride from the parking lot to the main entrance on a trolley. This was a good thing, because Tropical Park – which used to be a race track – has a vast parking lot.
Yes, it was crowded. And yes, you may need to park in the back-of-beyond if you go on a weekend night, or if it happens to be a “cool” Miami evening. On nights when the temps dip into the 60s, the locals like to put on their winter coats and mittens and drink hot cocoa under the palms.
And go to Santa’s Enchanted Forest with a car-load of friends.
We bought our tickets and got ready to have fun. Right off the bat, my daughter was mesmerized by the Christmas-themed dioramas at the park entrance. Her face lit up when she saw four live reindeer, quietly nibbling grass in a hay-stuffed pen beneath the stars.
“Mommy, are these the real reindeers? Like Santa’s reindeers on Christmas Eve?” she asked me with Very Big Eyes.
“Well, yes, honey. They had time to take a little Florida vacation since Christmas Eve is still 12 days away,” I replied. “It’s awfully cold at the North Pole and they wanted to warm up.”
We wound our way past about 20 more of these dioramas, which included displays of cheerful elves, the Three Kings, Rudolph and Santa, Santa and Mrs. Claus, constellations of angels, packs of polar bears, igloos and snowmen, nutcracker soldiers, a Candyland Christmas village and anything else that could remotely fall under the “holiday theme” category.
We strolled along – yes, merrily – looking up at the tall Australian pine trees strung with zillions of twinkling lights. The piped-in Christmas music is ear-splitting, as loud as any rock concert or Abercrombie & Fitch store. When we reached the carnival section of Santa’s Forest, we watched a mini-circus act with an elephant and took a ride on the big Ferris wheel. I begged off the Crazy Mouse ride, letting my husband have the pleasure. We listened to the “insult clown” hurl nasty comments at passersby, and giggled when somebody finally dunked him into the water with a well-placed fastball. We watched a high wire act where the man lost his balance and almost fell 30 feet -- with no net to catch him. Fortunately, his circus days aren’t over. He recovered his balance in the nick of time.
We ended the evening with funnel cakes and lemonade, and with the purchase of some glow-in-the-dark necklace that my daughter had her eye on. We were tired, but happy. The ticket price was worth it.
Some tips for surviving Santa’s Enchanted Forest: go on a weeknight; cut out a coupon from South Florida Parenting magazine (distributed free at local libraries) or from the web site; and bring ear plugs - unless you like to hear “White Christmas” at 160 decibels.
The bottom line is you can’t eat a powdered donut without getting some on your upper lip. And you can’t leave Santa’s Enchanted Forest without getting a dose of holiday spirit.
IF YOU GO:
Santa’s Enchanted Forest
7900 SW 40th Street
Miami, FL 33155
Tickets: Adults $21.03 + tax; kids (9 and under) and seniors $14.49 + tax. 2 and under free.
Tel: (305) 559-9689
Wheelchairs and strollers are available for rent.
MORE MIAMI HOLIDAY FUN:
Bayfront Park Tree Lighting
Nov. 24
www.bayfrontparkmiami.com/
Actors' Playhouse: Madeline's Christmas
Nov. 28 – Dec. 23
www.actorsplayhouse.org/
Holiday Arts & Crafts at Cauley Square
Dec. 2 – 3
www.cauleysquareshops.com/
Futernick Chanukah Menorah Exhibit
Dec. 7 – Jan. 11
www.alperjcc.org/
Miami Children's Chorus: Voices of Angels
Dec. 10
www.miamichildrenschorus.org/
Breakfast with Santa
Dec. 16
www.cityofhomestead.com/
Seraphic Fire: Handel's Messiah
Dec. 21
www.seraphicfire.org
Dianne Reeves - Christmas Time Is Here
Dec. 22
www.carnivalcenter.org/
Kwanzaa Fest
Dec. 29 – 30
www.miamidade.gov/parks
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