Peppermint in the Park at COTALAND

COTALAND is the theme park at Circuit of the Americas, the Formula 1 track southeast of Austin. Its holiday event, Peppermint in the Park, adds holiday lights, a lit tree, seasonal food and hot cocoa, a Christmas market in T20 Central Park and visits with Santa to the park's rides. (COTA's earlier Peppermint Parkway drive-thru website now leads to this event.)

The season opens on November 20, 2026 at 4 pm and runs to January 3, 2027, on the park's operating dates, which are listed on its hours page. All-Day Holiday Passes and Holiday Evening Passes both start at $39.99. When we checked, the park hadn't yet posted times for Santa or the evening entertainment.

This one is for families who want rides as well as lights. Many rides have height limits (the bigger coasters need 48 inches), so check the ride list if you have small children. Allow 20–30 minutes from central Austin; the main gates are reached via Highway 71, Highway 130 or Elroy Road.