Where to see Santa in Wichita

He sees you when you’re sleeping.

He knows when you’re awake.

And man, is he making a lot of visits in and around Wichita in the next few weeks.

Santa Claus is at dozens of locations throughout the rest of the month, listening to Christmas lists and posing for pictures. And you’ll completely understand why he has a belly like a bowlful of jelly when you see his schedule full of pancake breakfasts and barbecue suppers.

But then again, he also has the chance to work off some of those carbs by skating and bouncing on trampolines.

Here’s a roundup of where you can find Santa over the next few weeks, to state your case why you should be on the “nice” list:

Santa visits every night from 5:30-8:30 p.m., through Dec. 31. You won’t find him Christmas Eve and Christmas Day when he is far too busy. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for children 3-12 years and $7 for Botanica members. Botanica is at 701 Amidon in Riverside.

Billed as “Kansas’ own North Pole,” visitors can see Santa’s workshop, sleigh and reindeer. The substation is open 6-9 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, through Dec. 23 at 1841 S. Glenn.

Get your picture taken with Santa through Christmas Eve. Santa will be there during mall hours, roughly 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Towne East is at 7700 E. Kellogg.

Santa photo ops begin Dec. 13 and continue through Christmas Eve during mall hours. Check townewestsquare.com/hours for Santa’s specific time schedule. Towne West is at 4600 W. Kellogg.

A visit with Santa is part of a light display, synced to holiday music, to benefit Heartspring Pediatric Services. A $5 donation is requested. Santa’s hours are 6-10 p.m. Thurdays-Sundays through Dec. 9 and daily from Dec. 13-23. The Heartspring Hospitality Center is at 8700 E. 29th St. N.

Have pancakes and sausage with Santa in this fundraiser from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8 at Chisholm Trail Elementary School, Park City. Cost is $6 for adults, $4 for children 4-12 years.

A train ride at the park takes visitors to Santa’s workshop and to see his sleigh and reindeer. The cost is $15, and adults must accompany children. Advance registration is requested at Wichita.gov, or 529-9940. Most sessions are sold out, but the city is taking a waiting list. The Polar Express runs Dec. 8-9, 15-17 and 22-23 at Watson Park, 3022 S. McLean Blvd.

Santa’s workshop welcomes visitors, while the family can enjoy the lamp-lit, carol-filled streets of Cowtown. Regular admission prices apply of $7.95 for adults; $6.50 for seniors ages 62 and older, $6 for youth ages 12-17 and $5.50 for children ages 4-11. Victorian Christmas runs 6-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 8-9, Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 Museum Blvd.

Presented by the EAA88 Experimental Aircraft Association, the breakfast ($6 adults, free for 12 years and younger) includes scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage, coffee and juice. Santa arrives in EagleMed’s helicopter between 9-9:30 a.m. There will be young builders’ activities for kids and free introductory solo flights for youth 8-17 years. 7-11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 at 3612 N. Webb Road.

Kids get free pancakes and a chance to talk to Santa from 8-11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 at Nancy’s A-Maize-N Sandwiches, 5125 N. Maize Road, Maize .

Make a free mini wooden snowman and get your picture taken from 8-10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 at Chick-fil-A, 21st and Maize.

Free pictures with Santa are part of the daylong celebration in Rose Hill. Santa will be there from 8-11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 at the Rose Hill Recreation Commission, 400 S. Rose Hill Road.

Two of Wichita’s YMCA branches are offering breakfast with Mr. Claus on Saturday, Dec. 9. West Branch YMCA, 6940 Newell, has free breakfast from 9-10:30 a.m. Northwest Branch, 13838 W. 21st St. N, serves from 9-11 a.m., at a cost of $6 for members and nonmembers.

Santa will pose for pictures and hear wish lists 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, through Dec. 23. It’s free, but donations are requested for “reindeer food.” Prairie Pines, 4055 N. Tyler Road, Maize

Especially for children 6 years and younger, enjoy toys, a bounce house and age-appropriate games 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 at Carousel Skate Center, 312 N. West. The cost is $10.75.

Free pictures with Santa are offered at the outdoors store from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 9 and 16. Cabela’s is at 2427 N. Greenwich Road.

Put on your skates and glide along with Santa. Admission is $5, with a nonperishable food item donation for the Kansas Food Bank. Noon to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 9 and 16; noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23 at the Wichita Ice Center, 505 W. Maple.

Enjoy live music and make Christmas crafts along with meeting Santa in the Old Town Square, 2nd and Mead. Santa is there noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 9 and 16.

Meet Santa in the lobby of Exploration Place, 300 N. McLean Blvd. Bring your camera for free pictures from noon to 2 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 9 and 16.

Kids can get free photos with Santa, as well as cocoa and cookies, ornament decorating and Christmas card coloring, while grownups get free gift wrapping from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 at Twister City Harley-Davidson, 5427 Chuzy Drive.

Besides watching the Illuminations display, kids can discover surprises in their stockings, join in holiday songs, enjoy stories of the season, create an art project and give their lists to Santa while enjoying a meal with their parents. The menu is catered by a different Wichita restaurant each night, with Blue Moon (chicken fingers and mac-and-cheese) on Sunday, Molino’s (nachos and burritos) on Monday, Carrabba’s Grill (spaghetti, breadsticks and salad) on Tuesday and Rib Crib (pulled pork and chicken sandwiches and mac-and-cheese) on Wednesday. The cost is $16 for adults and $14 for children 3-12 years, with a $2 discount for Botanica members. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday, Dec. 10-13, Botanica Gardens, 701 Amidon St.

Dogs, cats and other pets can get their pictures taken with Santa from 6:30-8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10 on the lower level center court at Towne East, 7700 E. Kellogg.

Visit Santa, decorate Christmas cookies and jump in the bounce house from 6-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11 at Carousel Skate Center, 312 N. West. Admission is $10 per person, including parents.

A very special guest dressed in red is being promised from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 14 at Chik-Fil-A at Central and Rock Road.

Canned goods, unwrapped toys or a cash donations gets visitors in to see Santa from 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14 at Central Park, 1607 E. Central Ave., Andover. All proceeds will go to Caring and Sharing, which provides meals and presents for families.

A pancake dinner includes watching Kris Cakes flip pancakes across the room, as well as a chance to talk to Santa, 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14 at Urban Air Wichita, 8545 W. Irving. Jumping packages are an additional fee.

Christmas, Santa and joy are the themes of this free party, which includes a special visitor from the North Pole, 7-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14 at Blue Baboon Books, 2357 N. Maize Road.

The extension service’s monthly game night includes a red-clad visitor from 6:30-9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15 at the Sedgwick County Extension, 7001 W. 21st St. N. Free.

Enjoy breakfast with Santa Claus, from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16 at the East branch, 9333 E. Douglas. $6 for members and nonmembers.

A pancake bar breakfast or chicken nugget and macaroni-and-cheese lunch awaits Cowtown visitors, along with crafts, Christmas music and a reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Breakfast is from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16. Lunch from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16. Tickets are $14 for all 16 years and older, $12 for youth ages 4-15 years, with a $2 discount for Cowtown members, at wichitatix.com.

This story was originally published December 8, 2017 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Where to see Santa in Wichita."