We may not have towering pine tree forests like the ones you see in Hallmark Movies, but there is still holiday magic to be found in Orlando. You can actually cut your own Christmas tree in Orlando! Well, technically it's 45 minutes away from Orlando. Still, Santa's Farm has a beautiful tree forest that is easy to get to from the Orlando area.
My husband, son, and I booked tickets to Santa's Christmas Tree Forest in Eustis and cut our own tree. It's the perfect family outing, or festive date idea, a precious Orlando Christmas tree lot.
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In fact, it's one of our favorite things to do in Orlando during the holidays. Here's what to expect.
Cut Your Own Christmas Tree in Florida at Santa's Farm
Santa's Christmas Tree Forest is a working tree farm. You can roam the grounds and enjoy fun on the farm before heading into the forest itself. My family and I have visited multiple years in a row.
They provide the saw and endless rows of Florida Christmas trees, and you get to do the cutting!
Although traditional trees cannot be grown in Florida, they are still beautiful and festive. If you prefer a pre-cut traditional type of tree, you can browse the Fresh Cut Northern Trees on-site.
How to Cut Your Own Tree at Santa's Christmas Tree Forest
You may choose to walk into the field, or hop on board the complimentary hayride. We loved riding along to see the 17 acres of Christmas trees. Before getting on board the hayride, we selected a saw from one of the ones provided.
You cannot bring your own saw or other tools. Due to insurance regulations, only the bow saw provided by the farm may be used to cut the tree, and chainsaws or other motorized saws are not permitted.
We hopped aboard the hayride and enjoyed the bumpy ride. On our first visit our driver dropped us off at the center section of the farm. During this year's visit, we headed to a shadier part along the perimeter of the field.
I loved walking through the Florida tree forest with my husband and son. I'm glad we discussed our budget and expectations beforehand. It made it easier to know what to look for.
My husband, son, and I took turns standing by various trees that we considered for our selection. This helped us determine the approximate height of each tree.
Our Christmas tree would not be displayed in our house, but rather on our back porch. So we decided a full tree would be better than a tall tree. In the end, we selected a Florida Sand Pine tree.
Once we found a tree we liked, we examined it closely for aphids or other bugs. We also looked at the amount of dead needles close to the trunk. As trees grow, the needles on the inside of the tree die since they are not exposed to the sun. The needles may make the tree appear more full than it is when viewing it in the field.
Cutting the tree
The relatively soft wood of Florida-grown trees is not difficult to saw. My handy husband laid on the ground to get a good view. I barely had enough time to snap pictures and videos. He had it sawed and off the trunk in under two minutes!
Santa's Farm staff is not available to provide any assistance with cutting. Keep this in mind when preparing for your tree farm adventure.
My husband carried the tree while I kept watch over our son. We made the short walk back to the perimeter so we could hitch a ride on the hayride.
The hayride will bring you and your tree back to the processing area, or you may choose to carry it in. The tree field is constantly monitored, so you are welcome to ask questions from the staff.
The hayride continuously circles the tree field and we only waited 2-3 minutes for our return ride. During this most recent visit in 2023 we waited a little longer, but we found a shady spot and enjoyed the quiet.
Purchasing the tree
Your tree will be tagged by the staff with a two-part tree tag before you board the hayride. Carefully retain your part of the tag until you reach the processing area. I put our ticket in my wallet as we boarded the hayride.
The staff will ask if you would like the tree drilled for one of the rebar spike stands (available for purchase). We purchased a stand elsewhere before our trip to the farm.
Since our Sand Pine Tree was under 12′ the staff wrote the flat rate of $45 on our ticket. We loaded the tree on the back section of the hayride, as did other families who had just cut their own trees. It felt good to rest our feet for a bit as we basked in the satisfaction of selecting and cutting our own tree.
The good news is this $45 price did not increase from last year to this year!
You will need the receipt and tree tag to claim your tree at the pickup areas, so please secure it.
The hayride brought us to the Processing Center. The fresh-cut trees are placed in a shaker to remove dead needles and critters. It is then netted. Netting and drilling are complimentary.
As staffing allows, Santa's Tree Farm offers complimentary tie/load service to tie your tree on top of your vehicle or into the bed of your truck. Please consider having some cash on hand to provide a tip if you utilize this service.
Cut Your Own Christmas Tree Options and Pricing
Admission to Santa's Farm is separate and is required in order to gain access to the farm and forest. Once your admission ticket has been scanned you will have access to the entire farm and included activities.
Then once you've selected and cut your tree you will pay for it before being able to pick it up from being processed.
- Trees under 5 feet may not be cut.
- Trees 5′-12′ – $45 flat fee
- Trees over 12′ – Add $6/foot for every foot over
For the health and replenishment of the field, trees under 5 feet may not be cut. Taller trees requiring any assistance from staff to cut, bring down, and carry will require a $40 handling charge and must be scheduled for pick up.
The pre-cut Northern Trees are a higher price and vary by size and type.
Things to Do at Santa's Farm
Before we embarked on the hayride to cut our own tree we delighted in all the farm fun. We've visited Santa's Farm a few times before, always in the fall. Their pumpkin patch is one of our favorites in Orlando.
Santa's Tree Farm is quite rustic. However, we love that there is plenty of shade and it is so family friendly. Our son loves all the activities, especially the large slides, the small tractor-train ride, and the tricycles at the back of the farm.
There are even adult-sized tricycles – challenge your date to a race!
Now that he is a little older he loves the short zip-line that overlooks the Christmas tree forest.
I've learned to purchase tickets and make reservations well in advance. They do sell out!
I have also learned to purchase a rubber duck online when purchasing my tickets. My son feels so special getting to pick one out when we arrive. Then he gets to use the water pumps and have a race with his rubber duck.
You can also feed the farm animals including goats and donkeys. Pony rides are also available. Santa's Farm is one of the cutest petting zoos in Orlando and nearby.
There is a small wooden maze, right next to a huge jump pad. Our son loves to get some energy out on the jump pad. And it is a great way to get him ready to sit and relax for a snack.
The Beerd Garden / Thirsy Elf Bar
After enjoying all the farm activities we bought some popsicles from the “Frozen Elf” stand. The sugar boost fueled our venture into the forest itself to cut our tree.
While the Santa's Farm staff processed our tree – which took about 15 minutes – I bought us all a round of drinks at the “Thirsty Elf.” A selection of Florida craft beer is available, as well as wine, and soft drinks.
For a special treat, I recommend the Merry Berry Float. Scoops of mixed berry sherbert are placed in a plastic mason jar with frozen mixed berries. You can choose Sprite or Sparkling Rosé to complete your float.
This year new specialty drinks have been added to the menu. All specialty drinks are made with sparkling wine. Ask about any specials on beer that might be offered at the time of your visit.
Service closes 15 minutes before the farm itself closes.
During each annual visit we raise our glasses together and toast the fun-filled morning. After paying for our tree we take our receipt and ticket to the exit and load the tree onto our car. After multiple visits over the years we beam with pride back home.
Admission to Santa's Farm
Admission to Santa's Farm is required. However, a smaller lot with a limited selection of pre-cut trees is accessible outside of the farm gates at no charge.
Online Ticket Pricing: $5 – $8 per person depending on day of the week and peak periods.
Want budget-friendly ideas? Discover over 50 FREE Holiday Events in Orlando.
What to Bring
- gloves to make cutting and carrying your tree more comfortable
- sunscreen and water
- Closed-toed shoes, they will get dirty
- Blanket or other protection for the top of your car
- Tip if you’re going to have the staff load it
Please be sure to read all the information on Santa's Christmas Tree Farm website. Our review indicates our personal experience. Given the nature of this activity, we recommend you read all of the provided information before booking.
