What to Expect at Enchant Christmas at Tropicana Field in St. Pete
Enchant Christmas is back at Tropicana Field in St. Pete through December 31, 2023, with millions of twinkling lights, a new story-“Reindeer Games”, a holiday village with local shopping and treats, ice-skating, and visits with Santa.
This ranks as one of our favorite holiday events in Tampa Bay because there is truly something for everyone in the family. Honestly, it makes for a great date night too.
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We purchased tickets for opening weekend to experience this year’s event with our kids so we can bring you the details about what to expect. So, let’s dive in!
What is Enchant Christmas?
Enchant Christmas is a beautiful light maze and Christmas village that covers 10 acres of Tropicana Field in millions of twinkling lights. It truly is a magical experience.
We love that you don’t have to worry about the weather outside since this event is completely indoors…even though you’ll feel like you’ve stepped inside a magical winter wonderland--minus the freezing temperatures, of course!
When you first walk into Enchant Christmas, the light displays will leave you in awe. The shining star is the 100-foot-high Christmas tree! It’s a sight to see.
But, the magic doesn’t end there. There’s also an ice-skating trail, falling snow, a Christmas Market, music, a Magical Night Sky on the Trop’s dome that makes it feel like nighttime all day long, and more!
How much are tickets for Enchant Christmas?
2023 Enchant Christmas tickets start at $34 for adults and $25 for kids ages 3-17. There is also a family 4-pack of tickets package starting at $94.40 which is what we purchased for a Sunday night visit.
Ice skating is an additional $15 for adults and $10 for kids with other upgrade options available as well. You can also pre-purchase parking for $15 during the checkout process which can speed up the process when you get there. You will receive a QR code in your email which can be scanned for parking and event entry. Easy peasy!
You can purchase tickets and upgrades here.
Tip: If you can make a Sunday evening work, we found that to be a sweet spot. It wasn’t overly crowded and we were able to get plenty of pics without a lot of other people in them. We booked the 6:30 pm timeslot when we purchased our tickets and arrived at 7 pm. A weekday is another option to consider. This is literally a tip that applies to every holiday event in Tampa Bay and beyond.
Things to do at Enchant Christmas with the kids:
There are so many awesome things to do with kids at Enchant Christmas. From visits with Santa to a magical scavenger hunt, kids( and kids at heart) will love exploring this year’s event. Here are some of our favorite things from our night at Enchant.
The scavenger hunt
Our kids (ages 10 and 8) are always up for a challenge and absolutely loved the scavenger hunt. We had a hard time keeping up with them!
Since this year’s theme is Reindeer Games, you are challenged to save Christmas and find all of the magic reindeer bells that are hidden throughout the maze by mischievous forest animals.
Once you enter the light maze, some friendly elves will give you a scratch-off card to complete as you navigate your way through the maze to find each forest animal with missing magic bells.
There are small tables with coins attached to a wire at each location, so there’s no need to bring your own coins for the scratch-off card. There’s something exhilarating about a scratch-off car when you’re a kid!
As you can see below, each stop makes for an awesome photo! In fact, everywhere you turn at Enchant Christmas is an opportunity to take an amazing picture.
Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus
Santa is ready to hear your Christmas wishes and pose for holiday photos! You’ll find him near the entrance to the light maze by the Village. Since we just visited with Santa over the weekend, we decided to skip this part of the night.
Tip: You can purchase a VIP ticket which will get you to the front of the line among other perks, so this is something to look into if you are attending on a busier weekend night.
You will also have a chance to meet Mrs. Claus during storytime near the Kid Zone in the main hallway before you enter the event space.
Ice Skating Trail
There’s nothing quite like ice skating along the lighted ice trail at Enchant Christmas! It’s so pretty. There is an extra fee of $15 for adults and $10 for kids. We recommend purchasing your ice-skating tickets and reserving a time slot so you don’t miss out.
Write a Letter to Santa
There are adorable mailboxes for your letters to Santa at the end of the light maze. Kids can write their wishes on the back of their scavenger hunt card or on one of the provided sheets. An elf is standing by with crayons in case you don’t have a pen.
Lights–so many lights!
There are so many beautiful holiday light displays at every turn. You could literally snap pictures non-stop and still not capture everything. The kids really liked the light tunnel. There are breaks in the crowds to get a solo picture, so be patient. But, like we said…there’s a gorgeous photo opportunity everywhere. You are basically immersed in the magic of it all.
Things to know if you have a stroller
While strollers and wagons are welcome at Enchant Christmas, you cannot bring them inside the light maze for safety reasons. There will be a stroller parking area outside of the maze. Adaptive strollers and wheelchairs ARE permitted inside the maze.
It’s also important to point out that while outside food and beverage is not allowed, you can bring in baby food and milk in a clear container for babies/toddlers.
There is also a Nursing Lounge onsite if you need one.
What to eat and drink at Enchant Christmas
You don’t have to worry about rushing to feed the kids before you leave. The award-winning culinary team at Tropicana Field has put together a wide selection of food and drinks for the whole family. If the kids are pizza and grilled cheese fans, they’ve got you covered, but there’s so much more to enjoy.
There’s also hot chocolate, cool chocolate milkshakes, and plenty of cocktails for the adults.
Fun side fact: Tropicana Field was recently named as having the best food in all of Major League Baseball, so it’s a home run for the foodies!
Special Events at Enchant Christmas in 2023:
Here is what our friends at Enchant Christmas sent over about the special events they have on schedule this year:
- PAWS N’ CLAUS: December 3: Bring your best fur friend and give a full-belly meal to a shelter dog through our partnership with iHeartDogs. For one very special night, your favorite four-legged dog friend is in for a treat! Sniff through the World’s Largest Christmas Light Maze, snap a photo together with Santa, and so much more. Paws n’ Claus offers the full Enchant Christmas experience with the added perk of being dog-friendly for one night only. This offer requires the purchase of a special ticket that includes one human and one dog. This ticket must be purchased in advance and no tickets will be sold at the door. Additional human tickets may be purchased.
- MILITARY NIGHT: December 7, A Night to Salute our Troops We invite you to honor all Military and Veterans at Enchant. This will be a night to honor, salute, and show our appreciation to all Military personnel for their service. We’re honored to partner with USO both nationally and locally in all Enchant markets. For every ticket sold on Military Night, Enchant will donate $1 to each local USO to help provide individualized support to our service members every day.
- UGLY SWEATER NIGHT: December 10, The Ugliest Christmas Sweater Wins Them All: Secret Santa, Yankee Swap, Potlucks, and Ugly Christmas Sweater parties are the staples for all December get-togethers. Join Enchant for one of the biggest holiday parties where Ugly Sweaters are the main star! Hint hint, there will be contests and prizes throughout the night.
- LADIES NIGHT: December 14 & 21, It’s Ladies’ Night And The Feeling’s Right: Why not grab your girls and head to Enchant for a Ladies’ Night out?! Leave the stress (and for some, the kids!) at home. Cruise through our village to shop for your favorite holiday essentials. Plus, you’ll find candles, makeup, skincare, fashion, and jewelry… It’s time you get what you actually want this holiday season.
- COLLEGE NIGHT: December 15 & 28, Rep your College at Enchant!: Calling all students, faculty, and alumni of colleges and universities – please report to Enchant. We’re welcoming you to Enchant’s first-ever College Nights – school colors encouraged!
How to upgrade your experience at Enchant Christmas
You can elevate your day by booking a Star Experience at Enchant Christmas. There are multiple levels and types of upgrades you can purchase.
Related: The Best New Year’s Eve events in Tampa Bay
You can get a VIP access pass for an additional $30 for adults and $20 for kids to priority access in lines for Santa, a complimentary drink, a souvenir gift, and access to VIP lounge.
You can also hire an Elf Guide for $250. Purchase your advanced tickets and even parking for Enchant Christmas St. Pete here.
Map of Enchant Christmas 2023:
Sometimes it’s nice to see a map of an event before attending, so I snapped this photo for you:
