Last updated on September 25, 2023

I love the magic of Christmas – the time with family is always a highlight for me, but I also love all the bits that go with it: the twinkling lights, mulled wine, carols and parties that bring magic and festivity to the season. And that Christmas magic makes for an amazing family Christmas break.

We always try and go away at least once during the festive season. We spend actual Christmas day with family, but love to go away for a Christmas weekend or two. There tend to be lots of Christmas events around the UK, from Christmas light shows to Santa trains so it’s possible to tie in a trip with some of those. Or you could just stay somewhere that’s known to be extra festive.

If you’re planning a family Christmas break in the UK this year, here are some ideas…

Also see our guide to the best Christmas events in Bristol and beyond.

5 amazing UK family Christmas breaks

1. Christmas lights in Somerset

(Bruton, Stourhead, Longleat and Frome)

It’s become our family tradition to go to Bruton at Christmastime every year. The tiny Somerset village is perfectly charming, conjuring all your ‘The Holiday’ Christmas dreams (you know the film with Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz and Jude Law?)

Bruton is an unusual place in that it’s home to one of the UK’s best galleries, Hauser and Wirth, and has attracted a lot of ex-city folk, many of them famous and in the creative industries – all congregated around this tiny little village. As such, it has a high calibre selection of restaurants and shops, most notably At the Chapel (a hotel/restaurant/bakery in a stunning converted chapel) and Osip, A Michelin-star farm-to-table restaurant.

We combine our visit to Bruton with trips to see the Christmas lights at Stourhead and Longleat. And a visit to Frome’s Christmas Market (always on the first Sunday of December).

The lights at Stourhead, a National Trust property, are completely magical, with gorgeous light installations designed by creatives and set to atmospheric music on a trail around the impressive gardens.

And Longleat also makes for a fantastic Christmas family day out. Their annual Festival of Light includes a display of incredible lanterns (it’s Narnia themed for 2023!) set on a trail around the grounds.

Plus they also have a Santa Train where a miniature train takes you on a journey to ‘Lapland’ to meet the big guy himself. You book the train separately and tickets sell out super quickly (weekend tickets tend to go within hours of going on sale). It’s easier to get a ticket for just the festival, which also includes entry to the safari drive-through and zoo (you choose a safari time of 10 or 12).

Finally, the icing on the cake of this weekend is a visit to the Frome Independent Market for their Christmas special. We’re already huge fans of the Frome Independent at any time of the year, but it’s particularly wonderful in December when mulled wine spice fills the air and everyone is high on Christmas spirit. It’s also an excellent place for Christmas gift shopping. See our guide to the best shops in Frome and the best Frome restaurants.

We always stay in Bruton for this trip as we love the village so much, but you could also stay in Frome or another nearby village. Or even team if with a trip to Center Parcs, which is right next to Longleat (see number three below).

2. Watergate Bay

If you fancy a dose of beach-time at Christmas, the Watergate Bay Hotel is a brilliant family option. The luxe family hotel just outside Newquay is one of the UK’s best luxury family travel escapes. We haven’t been at Christmas, but we went in February, so can safely say that warm weather isn’t necessary for a magical trip.

In fact, it’s a perfect place to get cosy in front of the roaring fire with views of the beach beyond. There’s even an outdoor hot tub, which makes for my ideal situation of being in warm water while the air around is icy – one of the best feelings I know.

The beachfront hotel is well known for its impeccable style and family-friendly credentials. As well as a kids’ club, they also have a baby listening service where adults can dine downstairs while watching a baby monitor from the kids’ room. And they also have a full kids’ menu and a stylish indoor and outdoor play area.  

From around 21 December until New Year, the hotel runs its ’12 Days of Christmas’ celebrations with the whole hotel decked out in Christmas decorations. There’s a light trail to the beach, hobby-horse-style reindeer racing and a whole programme of festive crafts. You can even do fancy-dress surfing with the on-site surf school. Book your stay here.

For more Cornwall options, see our guides to the best Cornwall Airbnbs, luxury family hotels in Cornwall, Cornwall lodges with hot tubs and these reviews of Rosewood Yurt near Bude and the Siphon near St.Austell). We also have a guide to the best things to do in Cornwall with kids.

3. Christmas at Center Parcs

Center Parcs transforms into a winter wonderland from early November until the New Year. Fairy lights and snow sprinkle the forest and there’s an enchanted light trail at night.

Guests can also book to visit Santa himself in his woodland workshop in the magical woodland village. And there’s a whole programme of festive activities like Christmas-themed crafts, and Elf hunt through the forest and the Elf Academy where kids dress in elf costumes and play festive games.

Over the actual Christmas period, Center Parcs offer three, four, six or seven night Christmas breaks, usually from between 23-27 December. You can pre-order Christmas trees and lights to decorate your cabin. And Christmas meals are available at the resort’s restaurants.

There are Center Parcs locations in Longleat (Wiltshire), Woburn Forest (Bedfordshire), Sherwood Forest (Nottinghamshire), Elveden Forest (Suffolk), Whinfell Forest (Cumbria) and Longford Forest (Ireland). It’s one of the most popular all-inclusive family Christmas breaks in the UK.

4. Warwick Castle

Warwick Castle is a beautiful place to visit at Christmas with the whole place transformed into a magical land of twinkling trees, festive decorations and Christmas events. There’s even an ice rink in the castle grounds, and a light trail come night-time.  

You can choose to buy tickets for just the ice rink, light trail or castle, or a combination of all three. And you can also add on a visit to Santa.

You could stay somewhere nearby or you can also stay at Warwick Castle itself. They do special Santa sleepovers, which include all sorts of magical festive touches, such as being woken by the sound of sleigh bells, having story time with Santa and getting presents delivered by elves.

The Santa Sleepovers are available on specific dates in November and December. Check availability here.

And also see our guide to the best things to do in Birmingham with kids.

5. Lucknam Park

Lucknam Park is a perfect option for a luxury country manor Christmas experience. They have a three-day programme that pulls out all the stops and makes for a dreamy traditional Christmas without any effort on your part (besides gift shopping of course!). It’s a perfect UK luxury family Christmas break.

It kicks off with afternoon tea on Christmas Eve, followed by a champagne reception and dinner at the fancy restaurant Hywel Jones. There’s even a Midnight Mass at the nearby Colerne Parish Church. Before bedtime, return to the hotel for hot chocolate, mulled wine and mince pies in the library.

On Christmas day itself, Father Christmas arrives by horse drawn carriage to deliver festive gifts for all the children and they can even have a ride on the sleigh! Music accompanies meals throughout the day.

And finally, on Boxing Day, the programme of lavish meals continues, culminating with a black tie dinner.

You could also combine your stay with a visit to the Bath Christmas Market, which is one of the best in the UK, but also one of the busiest!

See our full review of Lucknam Park here. And we also have a guide to the best Bath Airbnbs.

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