London Christmas lights with children

Seeing the Christmas lights illuminating Oxford Road and Regent Road is all the time a spotlight of the yr – however should you’re trying to spy a number of the finest London festive lights with children, there’s extra to find than these alone. (UPDATED FOR 2024)

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Annually, the capital appears to have extra illuminations, gentle festivals, and festive trails lighting up the town than ever earlier than, each standalone occasions and at a few of London’s best-known household sights.

So if you would like a technique to brighten up the winter (and who doesn’t), right here’s my decide of the very best London Christmas gentle trails with children, in addition to switch-on dates for the Christmas lights in central London.

For extra of the very best issues to do for Christmas in London with children, try my prime picks, in addition to my London Christmas lights strolling route

Christmas at Kew

There’s by no means a foul time to go to Kew Gardens however Christmas at Kew is likely one of the finest to get you feeling festive – particularly with Father Christmas alongside the best way.

The illuminations within the botanic gardens are again as soon as extra, with two new installations making their world debuts.

There’ll be some outdated favourites too, together with the Palm Home gentle present, whereas the Camellia Stroll can be reworked ito a snowy lane.

Preserve an eye fixed out for Ombre by TILT, which takes the type of a sequence of large vegetation in bloom, in addition to two installations illuminating the lake crossing

Extra of this yr’s highlights will embrace a the ‘Hearth Backyard’ lighting up the Temperate Home, in addition to the Christmas cathedral.

In addition to being an awesome wander via the gardens, there are food and drinks stalls alongside the best way: earlier years have included every thing from mulled cider to sourdough pizza and scorching chocolate.

Christmas at Kew runs from November 13 to January 5, 2025, with classes from 4.20 pm, final entry at 8pm (gardens open to 10 pm). You need to guide prematurely (and it normally sells out – tickets with reserved parking go in a short time with restricted slots for 2024 dates left).

You possibly can enter via the Victoria Plaza, Brentford Gate, and Elizabeth Gate this yr, and also you’ll must specify which.

Tickets price from £25.50 for adults, from £16 for kids aged 4 to 16, with reductions for members and household tickets are additionally out there. Tickets don’t embrace day entry to Kew Gardens.

Fulham Palace illuminated gentle path

The gardens can be glowing at Fulham Palace this winter, with the London Illuminated Mild Path going down, together with Santa’s grotto.

The grounds can be reworked into an enchanted winter wonderland, with 1000’s of lights twinkling within the gardens, in addition to performances by fireplace breathers, stilt walkers and magician Markele (from Britain’s Received Expertise), plus stay music.

There’ll be fireplace pits for toasting marshmallows, plus meals, scorching chocolate and mulled wine to purchase alongside the best way, and Father Christmas can be in his grotto every single day.

Runs on choose dates from November 28-December 22, with first entry at 4.30pm, final entry at 9pm. Tickets price from £14.95 for adults, £6.95 for kids aged 3-15. A ticket to Father Christmas’s grotto prices £5 (adults don’t want a ticket to accompany their kids, however you do want a lightweight path ticket with a view to purchase the add-on grotto entry).

For extra of the very best issues to do for Christmas in London with children, try my prime picks

The Luminaze at Wembley Park

TBC Wembley Park’s common free festive occasions typically have their very own set of festive illuminations, and final yr noticed a model new attraction for Christmas, The Luminaze. Thus far, there’s no official phrase on what would possibly happen this winter.

Final yr’s occasion ran from early December to early January, with a light-based interactive maze taking you thru a string of neon installations, all with a particular soundscape, shedding your self within the gentle and artwork.

On the coronary heart of The Luminzae was an set up known as The Houseglass, delivering tales via aimations and audio, together with items from native artists. Earlier occasions have included 2021’s Winterfest, with its theme of ‘Reunited in Mild’.

For extra concepts of issues to do at Wembley Park with children, try my suggestions

Canary Wharf winter lights

TBC You needn’t lay our a fortune (or get squashed by the crowds in Oxford Road) to see London’s festive lights with children totally free – and the Canary Wharf Winter Lights normally make a good way to brighten up the New Yr.

The 2024 occasion ran from January 17 to 27, after a two-year break with 13 new installations together with a walkthrough expertise, a large illuminated marble run and lights impressed by the human mind.

With this, there’s no must prebook tickets, simply flip up to take a look at the illuminated installations, everytime you want a pick-me-up in January. 2025’s occasion is tbc, particulars are usually introduced in round November.

Battersea Energy Station Mild Pageant

TBC One other free set of illuminated to brighten up the New Yr, the Battersea Energy Station Mild Pageant normally takes place in january and February alongside the riverfront.

The earlier occasion included soundscapes and interactive components to carry the lights to life in addition to stay performances together with music and glo reveals.

2025’s occasion is tbc, and particulars are sometimes introduced simply weeks prematurely. Final yr’s occasion ran from January 25-February 25.

Christmas Mild Trails, London not confirmed for 2024

A couple of common gentle trails in London did not make an look final yr, with no phrase in the event that they’ll be again as soon as extra in 2024.

Illuminature at WWT London

One other newer London gentle path, there’s no affirmation but whether or not Illuminature will return to WWT Barnes – the London Wetland Centre – this yr, after it didn’t run in 2023.

The earlier occasion was impressed by the creatures that decision the wetlands their residence, with illuminated sculptures of a number of the animals and hop throughout interactive light-up lily pads.

In between enjoyable underneath fairy lights within the Twilight Tweatery with snacks and toasted marshmallows, you may additionally catch a couple of glimpses of real-life night-time animal magic with evening imaginative and prescient goggles, plus the London Wetland Centre otters snoozing away.

Ran Friday to Sunday in 2022, from mid November to early January.

Enchanted Woodland at Syon Home

One of many loveliest illuminated trails for households, this mile-long route winds across the decorative lake and arboretum at Syon Home, ending within the Nice Conservatory – and normally has slots from 5 pm should you’re heading out with youthful children.

The Enchanted Woodland illuminations gentle up the woods with over 400 totally different species of bushes illuminated in numerous colors and lasers and strobe lights set to music.

There are usually drinks and snacks available for purchase from the restaurant in the beginning and end too, together with scorching chocolate.

In earlier years, Enchanted Woodland has run on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from mid to late November at Syon Home – the home itself is closed for the winter in any other case.

Final yr, tickets price £10 for adults and £7.50 for kids. Sadly the occasion won’t be going down in 2023, 2024 remains to be tbc.

Try a few of my pictures from the occasion right here, together with the sunshine present on Syon Home itself

Christmas at Kenwood

One in every of London’s newer festive gentle trails, the gardens of Kenwood Home in Hampstead have come alive with an illuminated path for the previous two winters, however there’s no affirmation they’ll return in 2024, with different Christmas occasions deliberate.

Operating via the landscaped gardens after darkish, final yr noticed 13 new installations and an entire new look , plus the same old color, gentle and loads of Instagrammable sparkle.

Often working from early December till early January, ticket slots included twilight viewing in addition to basic admission.

Final yr, tickets price from £22 for adults excluding ticketing charges, from £17.50 for teenagers aged three to 16 (underneath threes go free) for basic admission, with household tickets out there and a reduction for English Heritage members.

Enchanted Eltham Palace

For years, Eltham Palace has reworked its superb gardens every winter for Enchanted Eltham, changed by the Christmas at Eltham Palace final yr. Nonetheless, there’s a brand new occasion, The Spirit of Christmas at Eltham working this yr so it appears unlikely that the sunshine path will happen.

Often the interactive gentle path options installations designed to suit with the pure environment, promising a twist on the same old traditional Christmas results alongside the 2km route, which takes round an hour to discover.

In earlier years, this ran across the palace itself and thru the gardens, with the outside of the Nice Corridor bathed in gentle and highlights together with speaking bushes, a glimmering maze and a disco ball suspended above the moat.

There’s food and drinks alongside the best way, together with mulled wine, mince pies, and conventional fairground rides to take pleasure in – for an additional small cost, card funds solely.

Often runs from early December to early January. Beforehand Tickets price from £17.50 for adults, £11.50 for kids, with a reduction for English heritage members and household tickets out there. Day entry isn’t included – should you go to on a day when Eltham Palace is open, you’ll have to go away the grounds and return to your Enchanted slot.

It’s price realizing there’s no parking on web site (aside from Blue Badge holders), so that you’re requested to come back by practice the place attainable – Mottingham station is round 10 minutes away whereas Eltham is round 15 15-minute stroll, or you’ll be able to take bus 161 to Eltham Church, which is 5 minutes away.

Hampton Court docket Palace

After 2021’s Palace of Stardust and 2022’s Palace of Mild path at Hampton Court docket Palace, there was nothing related in 2023 and no affirmation that there’ll be one other illuminated extravaganza for 2024.

Earlier gentle trails have drawn inspiration from the palace’s well-known Astronomical Clock, put in by Henry VIII, and royal beasts, a sequence of heraldic statues – with every thing from a fantastical wonderland of clocks, moons, planets, and sundials, glittering unicorns to polka-dot panthers.

The grand finale final yr additionally noticed the palace facade lit up with its personal fabulous gentle present, which you may watch from the gardens.

The paths normally take round 45-60 minutes for the expertise, with seasonal food and drinks to purchase alongside the best way.

Try my evaluation of Palace of Stardust right here

Extra Christmas lights in London

Whilst you’re out exploring London with children, hold an eye fixed out for the festive lights over the primary procuring streets from November onwards – I’ve bought a self-guided Christmas lights strolling path to comply with so you’ll be able to see the primary shows.

There have been fewer large swap on occasions lately to keep away from crowds, however right here’s what to see and when to identify them. Most will keep on till a minimum of January 3, 2025 though you’ll be able to count on all of them to be switched off by January 6.

Try the following pointers for the very best scorching chocolate in London with children, should you’re trying to heat up afterwards

Carnaby Road

Usually one of many first units of lights to modify on in November, Carnaby Road can boast spectacular 25 years of lights – the anniversary featured a number of the highlights of the previous quarter century, from lights impressed by Queen and the Rolling Stones, underwater scenes and outsized robins, whereas 2023’s lights had been are themed round house and the universe. Swap-on date Nov 6 tbc

Covent Backyard

For many who cherished the enormous baubles and mirrorballs out there, the brand new bells and bow from 2023 are again once more at Covent Backyard this yr. The attractive conventional sleigh is again for 2024 too, returning to Covent Backyard in November, though no phrase if the faux snow will return. Swap-on date Nov 5 tbc

Regent Road

The Spirit of Christmas angels are one other favorite sight in central London, with the hovering figures returning to St James’s, Piccadilly, and Jermyn Road in addition to Regent Road as soon as once more. Swap-on date Nov 7

Oxford Road

1000’s of stars can be glowing above London’s busiest procuring road, with LED lights as soon as once more to make use of much less vitality. You possibly can normally sponsor one to assist kids’s charity Starlight as properly. Swap-on date Nov 5

For one more technique to see the London Christmas lights, take the Tootbus Christmas Lights bus tour visiting Trafalgar Sq., Piccadilly Circus, Regent Road & Oxford Road – click on right here to guide

Bond Road

The lights right here change often from yr to yr: 2022’s royal-themed show of crowns changed the illuminated peacock tails that shimmered above the realm round Bond Road in 2021, a reference to the society dandies (or peacocks) who as soon as strutted the streets right here. Don’t miss the illuminated Christmas bushes in South Molton Road close by. Swap-on date November tbc

Belgravia

The twinkling lights are returning to Elizabeth Road, Motcomb Road, Eccleston Yards, Halkin Arcade and Pimlico Street as soon as once more. There’s typically a swap on social gathering to have a good time together with an look by Santa. Swap-on date Nov tbc

Trafalgar Sq.

Yearly since 1947, the folks of Norway have given the folks of London a Christmas tree as a gesture of appreciation for the town’s assist in the course of the Second World Struggle. The lighting ceremony takes place on the primary Thursday in December – and takes place in on December 5 2024 (tbc).

Try these posts for extra concepts of the very best Christmas markets in London with children in addition to the very best of London’s festive ice rinks with children

PIN FOR LATER: LONDON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS WITH KIDS

Disclosure: comprises affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee

Foremost picture/Kew at Christmas: Jeff Eden/RBG Kew; Enchanted Syon: Simon Hadleigh-Sparks; Enchanted Eltham ©English Heritage.

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