Best Christmas Day out/activity in the UK?

[pleasekeeptotheright]

Hi,

I'm starting to think about booking some activities for the festive season with the kids (7 and 9) and just looking for recommendations.

We're NW based but can travel. We did LaplandUK a few years ago (fantastic) and also enjoyed the children's Christmas events at the Royal Albert Hall.

I've so far booked Reindeer Lodge enchanted drive with a view to staying the weekend and visiting Chester Christmas Markets along with any other festivities we can find.

What have been your best festive UK experiences (and worst for that matter)? Thanks

We’ve booked Polar Express uk this year we are NW too! Looks brilliant. The Barton Grange Santa and Christmas light experience is great too.

If you want a weekend away definitely do Centre Parcs Whinfel winter wonderland! It’s amazing for adults and children alike.

Barton Grange is bound to be fully booked by now but we always go and look at their displays. Awesome.

I'll check out Centreparcs, my youngest has never been!

Chatsworth was great

@pleasekeeptotheright the slots haven’t even opened up for Barton Grange yet, keep an eye out.

I haven’t actually been but I’ve heard good things about the Christmas light trail at Dunham Massey.

They still have some availability, I’m thinking of booking tickets for me and DH

We will be doing lights at Longleat. Love it as a day out.

The Dunham Massey Christmas Light trail is lovely. Have been a couple of times.

Lots of places have fancy dress into the sea around Christmas. That's always fun to watch (or do!).

Harry Potter experience has a very Christmas feel during the festive period.

Longleat Festival of Light is amazing, but quite far from you!

York always has a bit of extra magic at Christmas. We often visit late afternoon get fat rascals to take home from Bettys and grab a hot chocolate while we enjoy a wander around looking at the Christmas lights & window displays. We also browse the Christmas market.

Have a look at local illuminated trails, we are doing the Blenheim Palace one this year.

We're doing the lanterns at Chester zoo and the Dunham Massey lights

For me it has to be ice skating

@L1ttleSeahorse

We will be doing lights at Longleat. Love it as a day out.

I just checked the Longleat site, it says they aren't doing their light displays this year, postponed until 2022.

I didnt love the lights trail at Blenheim. Found it all a big dull and stuffy.

If you fancy crossing the Pennines, Harewood House is stunning at Christmas, with a light-based Christmas experience in the house...

I think it's just the lanterns that are cancelled at longleat. They were planning to do the light displays/projections etc as per last year. It sounded amazing last year. The marketting is mixed though.

Dunham Massey lights are lovely! We actually have a light trail in our home town this year though (we aren't going, as I wouldn't do one every year and we did DM last year).

Our usual - amazing! - Santa train hadn't started booking the other week (Lakeside & Haverthwaite) and we wanted to get one sorted, as we don't have many Santa years left, I'd think (DD is 8 this year). We booked Embsay & Bolton Abbey as it's no further than L&H and it's nice to try a new one! I

Kielder Winter Wonderland is pretty good

www.kielderwinterwonderland.com/

I've just booked Lap of Lights to take my elderly parents at Silverstone.

It does look like they might have cancelled the lights too. I want to know! 🙄😲

@L1ttleSeahorse

It does look like they might have cancelled the lights too. I want to know! 🙄😲

Yes the website is confusing, it says it’s on but then says postponed!

We always start the Christmas season off with Kew Gardens at the end of November. The light trail is wonderful.

Then a couple of days before Christmas we go to Glow at RHS Wisley.

In between we've got LaplandUK this year (first time). I'll also take DC1 into London for a day of doing their favourite things. Dinosaurs and ice cream.

I haven't booked panto this year. Don't fancy being crammed into a theatre quite yet