Where to see Father Christmas in London and nearby in 2026
Meeting Father Christmas is one of those outings you really want to get right. There’s the excitement beforehand, the little conversations about what the children might ask for, and the hope that it will feel as special as they’ve imagined.
We’ve tried a few over the years. Hamleys was amazing last year — our favourite Santa experience to date — and we also had a wonderful visit to Chessington Garden Centre the year before. This year, we booked LaplandUK back in March to get ahead, and I’m looking forward to sharing how it compares.
Here’s our edit of places to see Father Christmas in and around London in 2026, from central London grottos to bigger festive adventures in the surrounding counties. Where we’ve been before, I’ve said so; the others are experiences on our radar, based on their announced programmes.
Santa’s Grotto at Hamleys, Regent Street
Our favourite Santa experience to date.
We visited Hamleys last year and it was amazing — definitely our favourite Santa experience so far. If you’re choosing a London grotto, it’s one I’d recommend based on our own visit.
The Regent Street store describes an experience with Santa’s elves, festive storytelling and a keepsake. We’ll update this listing with the full 2026 practical details once they’ve been verified.
Where: Hamleys, 188–196 Regent Street, London W1B 5BT; nearest Tube Oxford Circus.
2026 dates and prices: £75 - £195 from the 14th November until 24th December
The Magic of Christmas at Chessington Garden Centre, Surrey
Tried and recommended by us.
We visited Chessington Garden Centre the year before our Hamleys trip and thought it was amazing. It’s another Santa experience I’m happy to recommend from our own family visit.
For 2026, The Tale of Chester follows Chester the fox through festive scenes before a meeting with Father Christmas, where children choose a gift. The walkthrough is estimated to take 40–50 minutes, and SEN sessions are available.
Where: Chessington Garden Centre, Leatherhead Road, Surrey KT9 2NG. This is a separate venue from Chessington World of Adventures.
When: Select your 2026 date in the official booking calendar.
Price: Children £24.50–£29.50; adults £8.50–£9.50; under-one “My First Christmas” tickets £12.50. All guests require tickets.
Good to know: Choose the Santa experience when booking: a walkthrough-only ticket doesn’t include meeting Santa. The VR sleigh ride is a separate paid activity.
Hobbledown’s Santa’s Secret Village, Epsom
Hobbledown combines a Father Christmas visit with a day at the attraction.
At Epsom this year, Santa’s Secret Village includes a festive journey and a private meeting with Santa. There’s a shorter toddler option for children up to five, and both ticket types include admission to Hobbledown.
That inclusion is worth noticing when comparing prices: you can plan time to play as well as seeing Father Christmas. I’d choose the length of experience around your youngest child, rather than automatically booking the longer option.
When: 28 November–24 December 2026.
Price: Standard experience from £30 per child and £14.40 per adult; toddler experience from £25 per child and £13.50 per adult. Early-bird prices are advertised; check the current offer before booking.
Anya’s Grotto, Belgravia
On our radar for a shorter central London outing.
Anya’s Grotto takes children on a North Pole adventure before a festive story with Father Christmas. The session lasts around 30 minutes and includes a gift.
I like the idea of a Christmas outing that doesn’t need to become a whole-day expedition. The important thing here is to calculate the price for your actual family: the headline ticket covers one adult and one child.
When: 7 November–24 December 2026.
Recommended age: 2–8.
Price: £65 for one adult and one child; additional adults or children £45 each.
Father Christmas at Chiswick House
On our radar for families in west and southwest London.
If you’re after a more traditional grotto, Chiswick House is worth considering. The organiser recommends it for ages two to ten, while welcoming younger children too.
For me, a manageable journey is part of choosing a good family outing. You don’t always need the biggest production to make a lovely Christmas memory.
When: Selected dates, 28 November–24 December 2026.
Price: £20 per child and £5 per adult.
Booking note: Members and patrons have priority booking until Monday 12 October. Join the venue’s mailing list for the general-release announcement. Babies only need a ticket if you want them to receive a gift.
Wundrful World of Christmas, Excel London
On our radar for children who enjoy getting involved in a story.
This immersive experience combines actors, animated characters and interactive sets, with Santa at the heart of the adventure. For 2026 it’s at Immerse LDN on the Excel waterfront.
The organisers recommend allowing at least 90 minutes, including the roughly 50-minute show and time in the included Elves’ Playground. I’d plan this as the main outing of the day.
When: Selected days, 13 November–24 December 2026.
Designed for: Ages 3–8.
Price: Off-peak children £24.90 and adults £29.90; peak children £29.90 and adults £34.90. Family passes are available.
Meet Santa at London Zoo
On our radar for animal-loving children.
Christmas crafts, a grotto visit and a gift can be combined with a zoo day. Standard sessions last around 30 minutes, and relaxed sessions are available.
The key detail is the total cost: the Santa ticket does not include zoo admission. Every visitor also needs a valid admission ticket or membership.
When: November and December 2026; select a session in the booking calendar.
Price: Standard Santa sessions £19.50 per child, plus zoo admission where required.
Santa’s Tea Party at John Lewis
Storytime and festive treats with Santa.
We’ve visited a John Lewis Santa experience before. Its tea party format offers another option for families looking for a store-based Christmas outing.
For 2026, selected stores are offering storytime with Santa and his elves, refreshments and a gift. London-area locations include Kingston, White City, Stratford City and Brent Cross.
With several participating stores, you can choose the location that suits your family. Check the exact store’s format and dates before booking.
Price: Children aged 1–16 £25 plus £2.50 booking fee; adults £8 plus 80p booking fee.
Father Christmas at Hever Castle, Kent
On our radar for a festive day trip.
Hever’s grotto takes families through a post office and snowy woodland setting to Father Christmas’s cabin. Book the correct ticket: children’s tickets must specifically include Father Christmas, and accompanying adults need Castle & Gardens admission.
When: Selected dates from 20 November to 24 December 2026; the wider Christmas event continues to 2 January 2027.
Price: Depends on your date and ticket combination; use the official calendar for the full family total.
Booking note: Hever’s 6 October update listed all December weekends as sold out for daytime Father Christmas visits, with availability remaining on some other dates.
Christmas Village at Chessington World of Adventures
On our radar for a Santa visit with a bigger day out.
Chessington’s Christmas Village includes a journey with the elves, Father Christmas’s grotto and the toy workshop. It’s worth looking at the combined package if your children would enjoy some rides as well as meeting Santa.
Choose the ticket carefully: the Christmas Village package and theme-park-only admission are different products. Only selected rides and attractions operate for the festive season.
When: Selected dates, 21 November–24 December 2026.
Price: Christmas Village plus theme park entry advertised from £32 per person. Check the child-height rules, inclusions and final price for your family.
LaplandUK, Ascot, Berkshire — outside London
A bigger Christmas outing — standard Ascot tickets currently sold out.
We booked our tickets back in March to get ahead after missing out on previous years. This is our bigger Christmas outing this year, and I’ll share our honest review after we’ve been.
LaplandUK is in Ascot, Berkshire, so it’s a day-trip option beyond London. If you’re considering it, factor in the journey as well as the experience.
When: 7 November–24 December 2026.
Availability: The official help centre currently lists standard Ascot tickets as sold out, with Golden Experience tickets still available. It advises joining the mailing list for updates on returns.
Before you book
Compare the full family cost, including adult tickets, admission and fees. Look at how long the experience lasts and how much travelling it involves. If your child is nervous about meeting Santa, a shorter session may feel more manageable than a long immersive adventure.
For more festive plans, explore our guides to Christmas shows and Christmas experiences in and around London.
