Activities Christmas Christmas events Days Out Ideas Events

Festive Family Days Out This Christmas

Written by Chloe Penn

Christmas is here and festivities are in the air,
So wrap up warm and you’ll be prepared!
We’ve got plenty of joy and Christmas cheer,
You’ll find out what’s going on near you right here!

It’s finally Christmas time and the perfect time to enjoy those family days out! Don’t forget to sign up for your Picniq Perks account to earn points and claim rewards when you book with us!🎅

Up at the O2 Snow Globe Climb

📆22nd November – 5th January
📍London

Exclusive up to 12% off

BRAND NEW FOR 2024! Take on the Snow Globe Climb with an extra special reward when you reach the top – an exclusive winter wonderland experience in the UK’s highest snow globe! Enjoy an extended 25 minutes on the rood and make the most of the fantastic photo opportunities, plus a complimentary gingerbread cookie! There are also festive drinks available to purchase. Book here.

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

📆21st November – 5th Janaury
📍Hyde Park, London

London’s biggest and brightest Christmas event is back, with fairground rides, live entertainment, extra-special gifts, family activities, festive music, bars, and enough Christmas treats and snacks to keep you going until the big day! For 6 magical weeks, enjoy 150+ festive things to do for the whole family! Find out more here.

Winter’s Tail at Chessington World of Adventures

📆Selected dates from 23rd November – 31st December 2024
📍Chessington, London

Book here!

With a BRAND NEW Christmas Village and even more festive cheer than ever before, Chessington will be transformed into a winter wonderland this Christmas. Wrap up warm and enjoy festive decorations, enchanting walk-through experiences, a Christmas panto, select rides and attractions, and of course the animals at the zoo who will all be in the Christmas spirit! Book here.

The Magic of Christmas at London Zoo

📆23rd November –  5th January 2024
📍London

Family of 4 from £87!

Enjoy eco-friendly and conservation themed festive activities at the zoo this Christmas! Meet the 1000’s of incredible animals that live there, and enjoy exclusive festive crafts, animal talks, pop up Santa, sparkling decorations, letters to Santa, and so much more for the whole family! Book here.

Shrek the Halls at Shrek’s Adventure

📆30th November – 24th December 2024
📍London

Family of 4 from £55!

Step into a world inspired by Dreamworks Animation’s beloved festive tale – Shrek the Halls! Meet your very own Shrek Santa after going on a journey through fairytale worlds will your favourite characters and all sorts of festive treats! Book here.

📆16th November – 19th January
📍Leavesden, London

Step into Hogwarts at the most magical time of year and enjoy the festive season in the beloved school of witchcraft and wizardry! Iconic sets from the Harry Potter films will be dressed for the season and sprinkled with snow, and your jaw will drop as you step into The Great Hall and see the Christmas trees tower of you! Find out more here.

📆Weekends in December
📍London

Save 15%

Christmas in London is one of the most magical experiences around, but there’s just so much to see! Hop on board a Big Bus tour, sit back and relax, and take in the views as you’re shown the most festive displays in London and all of the city’s dazzling lights! The bus will be decorated with festivities, and even hosted by Santa himself! Book here.

📆6th-8th, and 13th-15th December
📍Easy Molesey, London

Book here!

Visit the stunning home of Henry VIII on selected dates this Christmas and be transported into a winter wonderland of delicious food, handmade gifts, mulled wine, and festive cheer! The incredible Christmas market in the courtyard of the palace returns for two weekends in December, and it’s all included in your admission ticket. Book here.

📆20th – 30th December
📍London

Family ticket from £65!

For the best view of London’s stunning Christmas lights, you’ll want to be at the top of The London Eye! Make the most of later opening time and enjoy your journey as night falls to get the best view and take part in the festivities along the South Bank. Book here.

📆29th November – 5th January
📍London

Book here!

This Christmas, explore a royal celebration at the Tower of London with specially created displays that showcase how kings and queens of the past celebrated the festive period! Go on a journey through Christmas past and learn all about the lavish medieval feasts and festive entertainment throughout history. Book here.

📆7th December – 5th January
📍London

15% off tickets!

This Christmas, enjoy FREE family workshops where you can make a gift for a loved one or to give back to nature! Make a greeting cards from seeded paper that can be planted after use and grown into a of wildflowers, or how about a pinecone bird feeder to spread some festive cheer to feathered friends! Book here.

📆Selected dates from 23rd November
📍Windsor

Book here!

Experience LEGOLAND® at Christmas, a winter wonderland of festive fun! Father Christmas will be appearing to spread festive joy as he glides through the park on his enchanted sleigh, and Christmas carols will echo through the park along with lots of other fun seasonal entertainment including selected rides and attractions! Book here.

📆Selected dates from 16th November – 12th January
📍Epping, London

This beautiful festive train journey consists of thousands of coloured LED lights and wristbands, creating a kaleidoscope of different colours and flashing patterns! The Epping Ongar Lights Express is an incredible light show on and in a steam train, with a festive DJ mix of music the whole family will love, and an interactive LED wristband synchronized to the music, meaning you become part of the show! Find out more here.

📆7th – 24th December
📍London

Exclusive family ticket from £75!

Take part in a festive activity that makes a difference this Christmas with Snowy’s Conservation Crew! Join Snowy the snowman for an arctic adventure to learn all about the North Pole and the creatures that live there with an interactive trail around the aquarium. Take on challenges and unlock clues  as you discover incredible creatures and find the photo ops! Plus, win a prize at the end of the trail! Book here.

📆23rd November – 24th December
📍Hounslow, London

Save up to 20%!

Visit Hobbledown Heath during the Christmas period and you’ll get lots of festive treats included with your day ticket! The attraction will transform into Santa’s Secret Village with twinkling lights and dazzling decorations all around, as well as lots of seasonal photo opportunities! Visit Santa’s Postbox to write your letters and send them to the North Pole, or join the Hobbledown Heath Elves and learn how to become a member of their team! Book here.

📆9th November – 5th January
📍Blackpool

Get 8% off tickets!

Get in the festive spirit by meeting Stick Man this Christmas as you celebrate the season! Join in the fun with the Clubhouse Christmas dance party where you can boogie to some festive favourites with Stick Man, and meet him for a photo for in the ultimate Christmas experience! Plus, all the usual fun of the Clubhouse including 6 captivating immersive play zones. Book here.

📆7th-24th December
📍Blackpool

Exclusive family ticket from £55!

Take part in a festive activity that makes a difference this Christmas with Snowy’s Conservation Crew! Join Snowy the snowman for an arctic adventure to learn all about the North Pole and the creatures that live there with an interactive trail around the aquarium. Take on challenges and unlock clues  as you discover incredible creatures and find the photo ops! Plus, win a prize at the end of the trail! Book here.

📆2nd November – 5th January
📍Wirral, Liverpool

Save up to 31%!

Head to Eureka Science + Discovery from Nov 2 – Jan 5 for festive fun! Get ready for experiments and merry crafts! Watch the Christmas Science show on Nov 30th – Dec 1st, Dec 7 – 8, Dec 14 – 15, Dec 21 – 31, and Jan 2 – 5, plus Father Christmas himself may even be planning a surprise visit! Book here.

📆15th November – 5th Janaury
📍York

One of the biggest winter wonderland celebrations in the north, this festive extravaganza will certainly get you in the holiday spirit! Glide around on a giant outdoor ice rink, enjoy thrilling funfair rides, grab a festive drink or bite to eat at the alpine cafe, meet Santa Claus at his Grotto, or explore the rinkside terrace! The perfect family day out this Christmas. Book here.

📆30th November – 24th December
📍Scarborough, North Yorkshire

Exclusive family ticket from £45!

Take part in a festive activity that makes a difference this Christmas with Snowy’s Conservation Crew! Join Snowy the snowman for an arctic adventure to learn all about the North Pole and the creatures that live there with an interactive trail around the aquarium. Take on challenges and unlock clues  as you discover incredible creatures and find the photo ops! Plus, win a prize at the end of the trail! Book here.

📆29th November – 5th January
📍Halifax, West Yorkshire

Save up to 29%!

This winter at Eureka! enjoy festive crafts, seasonal tales, and a fun snowman trail around the museum! Join Santa’s Elves for a festive workshop where you can create your own treasures to take home during your weekend visits. Every Friday join an interactive story time where you’ll become part of the adventure, or during any visit this winter head to the main desk to pick up a free trail sheet and follow the clues to find the snowmen! Book here.

📆23rd November – 22nd December
📍Birmingham

Family ticket from £65!

Santa is at Cadbury World with all sorts of chocolatey surprises in store this Christmas! Join in the fun with a live show that gives you a sneak peek at how Santa gets his sleigh to fly, and of course how he delivers all those presents in one night! Plus, one of his trusty elves will be there and maybe with some festive treats! Book here.

📆23rd November – 5th January
📍Warwickshire

Family ticket from £70!

Embark on an action packed adventure through time where you’ll explore the fascinating history of the castle with live shows, interactive activities, and 64 acres of family fun. Warwick Castle at Christmas time brings all sorts of festive cheer to the grounds, so plan your visit at the best time of year! Explore the castle fully decked out in Christmas decorations, or why not treat your self and add on either an ice rink or Christmas lights trail ticket! Book here.

📆30th November – 24th December
📍Birmingham

Exclusive family ticket from £50!

Take part in a festive activity that makes a difference this Christmas with Snowy’s Conservation Crew! Join Snowy the snowman for an arctic adventure to learn all about the North Pole and the creatures that live there with an interactive trail around the aquarium. Take on challenges and unlock clues  as you discover incredible creatures and find the photo ops! Plus, win a prize at the end of the trail! Book here.

📆29th November – 5th January
📍Staffordshire

Family ticket from £116!

With BRAND NEW experiences for 2024, Alton Towers is the place to be for families this Christmas! Enjoy CBeebies Land fully decked out in Christmas fun, with selected rides open and exclusive festive shows. Plus, a new live show featuring Santa himself, and an adventure trail where you’ll have to find the missing reindeer and save Christmas! Book here.

📆30th November – 24th December
📍Birmingham

Family ticket from £50!

Festivities have arrived at the LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre! As well as two thrilling rides, LEGO® build & play zones, a playground, and a 4D cinema, you can take part in the ultimate winter wonderland scavenger hunt looking for Santa’s reindeer, and build a LEGO® Christmas tree! Book here.

📆9th November – 5th Janaury
📍Derbyshire

Discover the magic of Christmas at the enchanting Chatsworth House! Included with your ticket is entry to the garden, where an interactive light trail will light up the grounds with festive magic, as well as the house which will be beautifully decorated with trees and lights. Don’t forget to visit the farmyard and woodland adventure playground where friendly farm animals will be waiting to meet you, and you can join in with some woodland crafts. Book here.

📆Selected dates between 23rd November – 31st December
📍Tamworth

Drayton Manor theme park will be fully decked out in trees, light and Christmas decorations galore this season with lots of festive fun in store for the whole family! Brand new for 2024 – enjoy a festive light train, hot chocolate factory, and the square full of treats, live music and entertainment! Plus, don’t miss a visit to Thomas Land where there will be a few festive bonus rides! Book here.

📆22nd November – 30th December
📍Matlock, Derbyshire

A stunning light trail in a beautifully unique location is the perfect festive experience this Christmas! Make your way down the colourful riverside walkway before boarding a gondola, and then taking a cable car flight across the river and into an explosion of colour and light! Once you arrive at the summit, a garden of lights awaits you as you explore the woodland and boardwalks in this truly unique light experience. Find out more here.

📆23rd November – 5th January
📍Kent

Up to 8% off tickets!

Step into the enchanting world of The Nutcracker this Christmas with a wacky interactive event for all the family. Walk through a winter wonderland of festive decorations and towering nutcrackers, immerse yourself in the story of Clara’s journey, interact with live characters from the beloved tale, and even more all included in your admission ticket this Christmas! Book here.

📆Weekends from 30th November – 22nd December
📍Dover

Up to 18% off tickets!

Visit England’s iconic castle this Christmas and you’ll get extra festive fun included with your admission! Enjoy live stories and plays, hands-on activities, and a trail based on A Christmas Carol where you’ll discover the castle’s ghosts from past, present, and future! Book here.

📆1st – 31st December
📍Brighton

Exclusive family ticket from £50!

Take part in a festive activity that makes a difference this Christmas with Snowy’s Conservation Crew! Join Snowy the snowman for an arctic adventure to learn all about the North Pole and the creatures that live there with an interactive trail around the aquarium. Take on challenges and unlock clues  as you discover incredible creatures and find the photo ops! Plus, win a prize at the end of the trail! Book here.

📆Selected dates from 22nd December – 5th Jan
📍Berkshire

Book here!

Experience a Victorian Christmas at Windsor Castle as you step into a festive wonderland of break-taking decorations. Learn all about how children celebrated Christmas in Victorian times, take part in a decorations making workshop and create something you can take home, explore a family trail around the castle, play dress up, and more! Book here.

📆15th November – 1st January
📍Woodstock, Oxfordshire

One of the most magical palaces in the country is hosting is famous Christmas events once again, and this year get ready for the enchanting light trail, Neverland in the Palace – a Peter Pan and Tinkerbell themed Christmas trail of magical decorations, and the giant outdoor ice rink! Find out more here.

📆23rd November – 23rd December
📍East Sussex

Drusillas is ready for the festivities to begin with stunning decorations and lights, including a 24ft Christmas tree! Head to Santa’s Grotto and meet the man himself before the big day, singalong with Santa’s reindeer, explore breath-taking decorations, and of course all the usual fun of Drusillas Park including the zoo, play zone, and rides! Find out more here.

📆30th November – 5th January
📍Hunstanton

Exclusive family ticket from £40!

Take part in a festive activity that makes a difference this Christmas with Snowy’s Conservation Crew! Join Snowy the snowman for an arctic adventure to learn all about the North Pole and the creatures that live there with an interactive trail around the aquarium. Take on challenges and unlock clues  as you discover incredible creatures and find the photo ops! Plus, win a prize at the end of the trail! Book here.

📆1st – 31st December
📍Great Yarmouth

Exclusive family ticket from £45!

Take part in a festive activity that makes a difference this Christmas with Snowy’s Conservation Crew! Join Snowy the snowman for an arctic adventure to learn all about the North Pole and the creatures that live there with an interactive trail around the aquarium. Take on challenges and unlock clues  as you discover incredible creatures and find the photo ops! Plus, win a prize at the end of the trail! Book here.

📆Selected dates from 16th November – 24th December
📍Somerset

Exclusive 5% off tickets!

Visit the Elves’ workshop this Christmas deep within the caves of Cheddar Gorge! Gough’s Cave is home to a secret workshop where the elves are hard at work making Christmas magic. Follow the enchanting decorations and explore a hidden world, and you can even write and send a letter to Santa while you’re there! Book here.

📆27th December – 5th January
📍Wells, Somerset

Save 10% off tickets!

Get ready for a festive takeover at Wookey Hole this Christmas as you can explore an incredible underground light experience in the caves, festive circus show, and you’ll even get to meet Paddington at the end! This limited event is the perfect post-Christmas activity after all the excitement of the big day. Book here.

📆30th November – 1st January
📍Weymouth

Exclusive family ticket from £50!

Take part in a festive activity that makes a difference this Christmas with Snowy’s Conservation Crew! Join Snowy the snowman for an arctic adventure to learn all about the North Pole and the creatures that live there with an interactive trail around the aquarium. Take on challenges and unlock clues  as you discover incredible creatures and find the photo ops! Plus, win a prize at the end of the trail! Book here.

📆Selected dates throughout December
📍Portsmouth

Get 10% off tickets!

There’s so much going on at the dockyard this Christmas across multiple attractions! Journey through the past with a Victorian Christmas and listen to charming Christmas carols with live entertainment on board HMS Warrior, or immerse yourself in Henry VIII’s Christmas Court at The Mary Rose Museum. Your ticket includes access to 210 fantastic attractions for a whole year! Book here.

Christmas at Haynes Motor Museum

📆1st December – 5th January
📍Yeovil

Exclusive 20% off tickets!

Spend some family time at the museum this Christmas and go on a fun-filled festive trail! Mischievous elves have been let loose throughout the museum and are causing chaos wherever they go, see how many of them you can find hiding in the cars and in places they shouldn’t be! Book here.

Zooluminate at Dartmoor Zoo

📆13th December – 4th January
📍Plymouth

Up to 7% off tickets!

Get ready for an explosion of colour at Dartmoor Zoo as the park light up with a magical festive light trail! As the sun goes down, the zoo lights up and you can take an enchanting stroll around the impressive light installations. Some of the enclosures will even be illuminated so you might get a glimpse of the animals snuggled up for the night! Purchase a general admission ticket and enter before 5pm to enjoy Zooluminate as well! Book here.
📆9th November – 5th January
📍Warminster

Exclusive 5% off tickets!

This year’s iconic lantern festival celebrates it’s 10 year anniversary with the theme ‘Journey through time’. Turn back the clock and explore the history of our planet all the way from the age of the dinosaurs to the present day! History will be explored through spectacular life-sized lanterns, and of course the impressive Longleat House light show. Plus, head to the Courtyard Square where and get into a festive swing as you marvel at the 20m tall singing tree! Book here.
📆Selected dates from 30th November – 24th December
📍Brighton

Book here!

Santa and his elves are coming to Brighton this December, so come and meet them at the top of the i360 with incredible views and festive cheer. You’ll get a 25-minute festive pod journey which includes meeting Santa and the elves, and a photo opportunity. Book here.

Castle of Light at Edinburgh Castle

📆Selected dates from 22nd November – 4th January
📍Edinburgh

Experience Edinburgh’s iconic castle like never before at this immersive light trail on fascinating displays and tales. The stories of the castle’s history will be told on its very walls through spectacular installations and projections, and the grounds will light up in a magnificent display of colour, music, and history. Find out more here.

Christmas at the Palace of Holyroodhouse

📆Selected dates from 28th November – 6th January
📍Edinburgh

Book here!

Step into Christmas and discover 900 years of royal history at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. This festive period, the Palace will be transformed with magnificent Christmas decorations, including two 12-foot-high Christmas trees! Book here.

Cardiff Winter Wonderland

📆14th November – 5th Janaury
📍Cardiff

Cardiff’s most festive Christmas celebration has so much going on this year for the whole family! Here’s what to expect: Ice skating, frozen ice bar, Alpine bar, Funfair rides, and all the usual magic of a winter wonderland! So wrap up warm and enjoy the festivities in Cardiff this Christmas. Find out more here.

Bonus day out idea – The Snowman Tour With Live Orchestra!

Wimbledon, 30th November

Stockport, 1st December

Oldham, 2nd December

Derby, 5th & 6th December

Peterborough, 7th December

Buxton, 12th December

Guildford, 14th December

Birmingham, 15th December

Liverpool, 20th December

York, 22nd December

Chester, 23rd December

Find out more here.

 

 

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