# Photos with Santa at Crabtree Valley Mall

> Event for families in the Raleigh–Cary area (NC). Times are Eastern Time.

- When: Nov 6 – Dec 24
- Where: Crabtree (Crabtree Valley Mall) — Center Court, Lower Level, 4325 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh, NC 27612
- Ages: All ages
- Price: A visit with Santa is always free; photo packages available for purchase
- Organizer: Crabtree (Macerich)
- Official page: https://whereissanta.com/mall/0624
- Last checked: Tue, Oct 27

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 2, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-01), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/raleigh/activities/photos-with-santa-at-crabtree-valley-mall--listing-cea12273a1b544927424d914

## About

Santa takes up residence in a winter-wonderland set in Center Court on the lower level of Crabtree, Raleigh's large indoor mall on Glenwood Avenue, from early November until Christmas Eve. Children can sit with Santa, share their wish lists with him and his helpers, and have a photo taken. The visit itself is free; photo packages are sold for those who want prints or digital copies, and buyers get extras such as discounted Shutterfly prints and a digital greeting card. The mall recommends booking a time online through its Santa reservation partner, which lets families skip the line and sends a free personalized video message from Santa (Portable North Pole) before the visit, but walk-ins are always welcome. Santa's hours change through the season, with shorter weekday afternoon hours in November and longer daily hours closer to Christmas, so check the schedule before you go. Pet owners can bring their animals on Monday Pet Nights. Being indoors, it is an easy outing with babies and toddlers on cold or rainy days.

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