Best for kids
Winter wonderland, Cardiff
The new Ice Kingdom is a fantasy world created from ice sculptures, and there’s also an open-air ice rink, a fairground and an Alpine village.
• Until 3 Jan, entry free, ice-skating £6-£9, cardiffwinterwonderland.com
Winter Wonderland, London
Hyde Park’s giant festive attraction returns, with scary and wild fairground rides and the UK’s largest outdoor ice rink. For grown-ups there’s a German bier keller and glühwein galore.
• Until 3 Jan, entry free, book in advance for attractions, hydeparkwinterwonderland.com
Enchanted Narnia, Jersey
Step through a wardrobe into snowy woods and an immersive walk through a magical land – and you may just meet Father Christmas.
• Selected dates 26 Nov-24 Dec, child £14, adult £8, family £30-£42 jerseywonderland.com
Enchanted Christmas, Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire
Wander through illuminated (buggy-friendly) woods amid wintry Cotswolds magic, with craft activities, Father Christmas, roast chestnuts, mulled wine, choirs and storytelling.
• Weekends 27 Nov to 20 Dec, adult £10, child £5, booking necessary for Saturday nights, forestry.gov.uk
Frosted Fairground, Dreamland, Margate, Kent
The amusement park will transform into a sparkling wonderland that is free to enter (you pay for rides and can book in advance). Check out the Christmas markets, meet Santa and join in carol singing.
• 5 Dec to 2 Jan, dreamland.co.uk
Polar Express, Seaton, Devon
Families can climb aboard the Polar Expres to visit Santa on the Seaton Tramway. Expect hot chocolate and carols en route – and do book ahead.
• Selected dates in December, child £15.95, adult £19.95, family (including one child free) £55.85, tram.co.uk
Winter Wood, North Cliffs, Cornwall
Faeries and woodland spirits lead the way through the trees with stories and songs on a theatrical festive adventure.
• Three shows a day, 11-30 Dec, £7.50, roguetheatre.co.uk
Glow in the Dark Mini Golf, Bath
Kids will love teeing off for crazy golf in Victoria Park, next to the skating rink, played with luminous balls.
• Until 3 Jan, child £4.50, adult £5.50, family £17, bathonice.com
Best for grown-ups
Illuminating Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon
A new light show at the house where the bard was born gives an immersive insight into his early life. The garden sparkles with interactive illuminations based on his work.
• Free, 4-6pm, Thursday to Saturday, 26 Nov to 19 Dec, shakespeare.org.uk
A Winter Less Ordinary, Birmingham
A warehouse in Digbeth houses this alternative Christmas market selling art, clothes, crafts and food. As well as shopping, there will be theatre, pop-up ballet, a flashmob choir, buskers and DJs.
• 12 Dec 11am-1am, 13 Dec 11am-11pm, children welcome until 9pm, £3, facebook.com/lessordinaryuk
Winterville, east London
Christmas theme parks don’t get much cooler than Winterville, a pop-up town in Victoria Park. Attractions include a woodland cinema, a vaudeville-Victorian bazaar, immersive dining, and club nights themed around power ballads, guilty pleasures and party tunes.
• 26 Nov to 23 Dec, free entry, buy tickets for events online, winterville.co.uk
Spiegeltent, Bristol
A sumptuous circus tent on the habourside is the magical venue for masquerade balls, Christmas cabaret, a craft beer festival and party nights such as an electro swing speakeasy.
• 27 Nov to 19 Dec, ticket prices vary, christmasspiegeltent.co.uk
Street of Light, Edinburgh
The old town will look even more festive this year, with more than 60,000 lights illuminating the Royal Mile. The lights will be synchronised to music each evening as choirs perform under the flashing canopy.
• 30 Nov to 24 Dec, two shows a night, free but ticketed, virginmoneystreetoflight.com
Winter weekend, Hay-on-Wye, Powys
Cosy up with mulled wine, roaring fires and wondrous stories at the Hay festival’s festive offshoot. Authors including Andrew Miller and Fflur Dafydd will discuss their work and there is a programme of workshops.
• 27-29 Nov, event prices vary, hayfestival.com
Gardens of Light, Bournemouth
As well as atmospheric skating under the trees, Bournemouth’s pop-up rink has some of the UK’s best après-ice food,including a “sharing gröstl” of crispy thyme potatoes, Black Forest ham, smoked cheese and gherkins.
• 19 Nov to 3 Jan, child from £7, adult £9, family £28, iceskatebournemouth.co.uk
Christmas village, Aberdeen
Aberdeen has its first Christmas village this year, with an ice rink, rides, German market and marquee hosting live music and comedy. Look out for larger-than-life, lit-up white rabbits.
• 26 Nov to 3 Jan, aberdeencity.gov.uk/winterfestival
Lost Gardens of Heligan, St Austell, Cornwall
This 200-acre garden, rediscovered in 1990, is opening late on two nights in the runup to Christmas. Cornish Christmas Nights features lantern-lit gardens, music from a dulcimer and local choirs, a 10% discount in the shop and mulled wine in the tearoom.
• 5.30-9pm, 7 and 14 Dec, adult £12.50, child (5-17) £6 heligan.com
Christmas Made Perfect, Manchester
The Craft & Design Centre sells great gifts from local designers, and on Saturdays in December hosts live music and festive activities. There is also an Alice in Wonderland jewellery exhibition, workshops such as glass fusing, and hot spiced cider in the cafe.
• Open daily, events on selected dates, craftanddesign.com
