Seeing the Christmas lights illuminating Oxford Road and Regent avenue is at all times a spotlight of the yr – however there’s extra to the London festive lights than these (UPDATED FOR 2021)
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Every year, 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’d like a strategy to brighten up the winter (and who doesn’t), right here’s my choose of the most effective London festive lights with children.
For extra of the most effective issues to do for Christmas in London with children, take a look at my prime picks
Christmas at Kew
There’s by no means a nasty time to go to Kew Gardens however Christmas at Kew is among the finest to get you feeling festive – particularly with Santa and his elves alongside the way in which.
The illuminations within the botanic gardens are again with an extended run, with over 1,000,000 lights concerned within the path, together with branches glowing like stars and the fireplace backyard.
The Cathedral of Mild can be return too, plus a 12 Days of Christmas tree set up alongside Syon Vista and LED gentle spheres illuminating the night time sky overhead – Spheric, a 15m large dome of sunshine, will use over 2,000 LED pixels above water making a mirrored phantasm over the lake.
You too can see a recreation of the Aurora Borealis, the Meadow of Life and lightweight projections onto the Palm Home to a soundtrack of Christmas classics.
In addition to being an awesome wander by means of the gardens, there’s foods and drinks stalls alongside the way in which: sponsored this yr by Montezuma, you received’t be in need of sizzling chocolate, however there’s with every thing from mulled cider to sourdough pizza.
Christmas at Kew runs from November 17 to January 9, with classes from 4pm, final entry at 8pm (gardens open to 10pm). It’s essential to e book prematurely (and it often sells out – tickets with reserved parking go in a short time with restricted slots for January 2022 left).
This yr you may enter by means of the Victoria Gate, Brentford Gate and Lion Gate. Tickets value from £21.50 for adults, from £14 for kids aged 4 to 16, whereas members get a reduction (doesn’t embrace day entry to Kew Gardens).
Enchanted Woodland at Syon Home
Among the finest illuminated trails for households, this mile-long route winds across the decorative lake and arboretum at Syon Home, ending within the Nice Conservatory – and there are slots from 5pm when you’re heading out with youthful children.
The illuminations pageant is again once more after a yr off, lighting up its woods with over 400 totally different species of bushes illuminated in varied colors in addition to lasers and strobe lights, all set to music.
There are drinks and snacks available for purchase from the restaurant initially and end, together with sizzling chocolate.
Enchanted Woodland runs on Fridays, Saturday and Sundays from November 12 to twenty-eight at Syon Home – the home itself is closed for the winter in any other case.
Tickets value £10 for adults and £7.50 for kids – e book on-line.
Christmas at Kenwood
Model new for 2021, the gardens of Kenwood Home in Hampstead can be coming alive with a brand new illuminated path this winter.
Working by means of the landscaped gardens after darkish, it guarantees to be a mixture of gentle, hearth and sound, giving a contemporary twist to the traditional Christmas lights.
Going down from November 26 to January 9, 2022, you may e book tickets right here with basic admission and twilight viewing slots.
Tickets value from £21.50 for adults, from £14 for teenagers aged three to 16 (underneath threes go free) for basic admission, with further packages out there, or extra for the particular restricted twilight viewing entry.
Enchanted Eltham Palace
Eltham Palace transforms its wonderful gardens with the Enchanted Eltham Palace occasion throughout December, together with the outside of the Nice Corridor bathed in gentle.
The path is simply over a mile lengthy, working across the palace itself by means of the gardens, with some elements choreographed to music.
Highlights of previous years have been interactive installations among the many festive lights comparable to speaking bushes, a glimmering maze that’s at all times a success with children and a disco ball suspended above the moat.
There’s foods and drinks alongside the way in which, together with mulled wine and mince pies, plus conventional fairground rides to get pleasure from – for an additional small cost, often round £2-3. Santa received’t be making an look this yr although.
Takes place on Sep 11 December, 16-23 December and 27-30 December with half hourly entry timeslots from 4.30 to 7.30pm, closing at 9pm.
Tickets value from £14 for adults, £9.50 for kids and should be pre-booked, plus there’s a small low cost for members. Day entry isn’t included – when you do go to on a day when Eltham Palace is open, you’ll have to go away the grounds after which return once more on your Enchanted slot.
When you’ve entered, you may keep so long as you need (till closing) – most individuals are inclined to spend round 90 minutes to 2 hours exploring. Some areas are inaccessible to wheelchairs and pushchairs however there’s an alternate path to allow you to see nearly all of the sunshine path.
It’s value understanding there’s no parking on website (apart from Blue Badge holders) so that you’re requested to come back by prepare the place potential – Mottingham station is round 10 minutes away whereas Eltham is round quarter-hour stroll, or you may take bus 161 to Eltham Church, which is 5 minutes away.
The Palace of Stardust, Hampton Court docket Palace
One other model new gentle path for 2021, Palace of Stardust is coming to Hampton Court docket Palace from December, impressed by its well-known Astronomical Clock, put in by Henry VIII.
The illuminated path will characteristic a fantastical wonderland of clocks, moons, planets and sundials all through the palace and the gardens – every thing from glowing lanterns to magical projections.
You’ll wander previous a flickering moonlit ball within the East Entrance Gardens, in addition to being transported to a different planet within the depths of the Wilderness.
A model new expertise for the palace, it’s the primary time guests will be capable of expertise the grounds fairly like this – plus there can be seasonal foods and drinks to purchase alongside the way in which.
Runs from December 8 to January 3, 2022 (excluding December 11, 24, 25 and 26) – priced £12.50 for adults, £8 for kids (underneath fives go free), with half-price entry to members and members-only timeslots.
Click on right here to purchase tickets for the timed entry slots.
Lightopia, Crystal Palace
Lightopia is returning to London for 2021 – final yr’s deliberate occasion couldn’t happen at Chiswick Home and Gardens (which commonly has illuminations and lantern path evens throughout the winter) but it surely’s returning to the capital to a brand new house at Crystal Palace Park.
Working on dates between November 19 to January 2, the path will recreate the well-known Crystal Palace in gentle throughout the park the place it as soon as stood.
There will even be a Christmas gentle stroll and the possibility to find extra concerning the historical past of the park by means of interactive shows, with illuminations starting from lanterns and lasers to water gentle reveals.
Spy the butterfly subject and phoenix alongside the way in which, to not point out a children’ zone – and the illuminated dinosaurs to accompany the well-known Crystal Palace dinosaurs.
There’ll be foods and drinks to purchase as you stroll. Tickets value from £19.50 for adults, from £13 for kids aged three to fifteen (underneath threes are free), plus there are household tickets out there.
There are timed entry slots, which run from 5pm to 10pm with the final entry at 8:30pm. There’s restricted parking, with tickets available for purchase prematurely, however Crystal Palace station is lower than 10 minutes’ stroll away.
Winterfest at Wembley Park
It’s not simply south and west London which have winter lights trails – Wembley Park’s Winterfest has been including a brand new set of festive illuminations to the capital, returning this November with the theme ‘Reunited in Mild’.
Combining gentle, sound and contact, the illuminated artwork installations embrace London’s tallest-ever LED Christmas tree, again for 2021.
In addition to some returning favourites – you may marvel once more on the Hopeful tree with over 100,000 lights – there can be new installations this yr.
Reunion will fill Market Sq. with a sequence of interactive gentle arches forming tunnels, to encourage individuals to come back collectively once more in a technicolour area, whereas the uplifting Reflections of the Future runs alongside Olympic Approach utilizing optical illusions, in addition to gentle and sound.
Earlier highlights have included Illumaphonium: Halo which reacted to the touch to play totally different sounds, whereas the Sonic Runway, which appeared at Burning Man pageant in Nevada, made its European debut in north London.
It’s free to go to. This yr’s occasion takes place from November 25, 2021 to January 9, 2022.
Canary Wharf winter lights
** EDIT: 2022’S EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED BUT HOPING TO RETURN NEXT WINTER ** You needn’t lay our a fortune (or get squashed by the crowds in Oxford Road) to see London’s festive lights with children – and the free Canary Wharf Winter Lights additionally imply there’s a good way to brighten up the New Yr.
Working in January 2022, there can be greater than 20 gentle installations on present, together with some favourites from earlier years in addition to works commissioned for the occasion, and a few that are on show within the UK for the primary time – an awesome one to go to with older children.
Earlier years have seen illuminated installations together with large rabbits, a phrase waterfall and illuminated graffiti, with themes together with Related by Mild and Vibrant Nights.
And like final yr’s occasion, among the illuminations are designed to be appreciated from a distance with a purpose to safely deliver individuals collectively once more.
For extra of the most effective issues to do for Christmas in London with children, take a look at my prime picks
Different festive gentle trails with children
Lumiere London
This gentle pageant final took locations within the capital for 2018, however isn’t presently as a consequence of return for 2021 – as an alternative, Lumiere can be going down in Durham as soon as once more.
London Zoo
London Zoo’s earlier Christmas occasions have included illuminations for an after-dark go to among the many animals, in addition to choices to satisfy Santa plus festive movies as a part of its The Magic of Christmas occasions. Any occasions for 2021 are tbc.
Southwark Park
The park hosted an Alice in Wonderland themed set of illuminations in 2018.
Extra Christmas lights in London
Whilst you’re out exploring London with children, maintain an eye fixed out for the festive lights over the primary procuring streets from November onwards.
In lots of instances there aren’t any large swap on occasions, to keep away from crowds, however right here’s what to see and when to identify them.
Carnaby Road – from November 4, there can be 600 butterflies floating over the road.
Covent Backyard – the large baubles available in the market are at all times enjoyable to identify, with this yr’s lights switching on from November 9, plus a bonus of faux snow on the hour between 12 and 7pm till December 27
Regent Road – the Spirit of Christmas angels are getting back from November 13 (though maintain your eyes open in October as there are a couple of swap on checks going down).
Oxford Road – capturing stars sparkle above London’s busiest procuring avenue, model new for 2021
Bond Road – maintain an eye fixed out for the illuminated peacock tails shimmering above the world round Bond Road, a reference to the society dandies (or peacocks) who as soon as strutted the streets right here.
Belgravia – changing final yr’s rainbow lights, there’s a string of easier white lights this yr, together with a small tunnel.
Trafalgar Sq. – yearly, since 1947, the individuals of Norway have given the individuals of London a Christmas tree as a thanks for help throughout the Second World Battle. The lighting ceremony takes place in early December – 2021 date tbc.
Try the following pointers for the finest sizzling chocolate in London with children, when you’re trying to heat up afterwards
PIN FOR LATER: LONDON FESTIVE LIGHTS WITH KIDS
![The best London festive lights with kids - discovering the Christmas and festive illuminations in London and which are best for families. From Kew Gardens and historic sites like Syon House, Eltham Palace and Chiswick House, including some running into the New Year. [Photo: Jeff Eden/RBG Kew]](https://www.mummytravels.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/kew-gardens-christmas-lights-pin.jpg)
Try these posts for extra concepts of the finest Christmas markets in London with children in addition to the most effective of London’s festive ice rinks with children
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Major picture/Kew at Christmas: Jeff Eden/RBG Kew; Enchanted Syon: Simon Hadleigh-Sparks; Enchanted Eltham ©English Heritage.
