THE Christmas season is almost upon us, and there’s no better way to spread holiday cheer than a festive day trip with family and friends.

Castles and stately homes across the country are adorned with garlands, wreaths, stocking and lights, and the UK even has it’s very own Lapland.

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Also new this year is the UK’s highest snow globe, 52 metres high and with fairytale-like falling snow.

We’ve put together a list of some of the best Christmas day trip offerings – but you’ll have to be quick before tickets sell out.

The Polar Express and other festive train rides

The Polar Express offers the experience of a train ride set to the sounds and songs from the family favourite holiday movie The Polar Express.

Departing from many different locations in the UK, passengers experience the magic of the classic story as they are whisked away by rail for a magical one-hour trip to the North Pole. They are joined on board by the popular characters inspired by the movie including dancing chefs who serve each passenger hot chocolate and a delicious treat.

Rail operators that offer the experience include London Euston, Swanage Railway, Spa Valley Railway in Tunbridge Wells and Caledonian Railway in Scotland.

The price of a ticket varies by location and class of travel, but typically costs between £22.95 and £59 per person.

Other festive train rides in the UK include Severn Valley Railway Santa Specials, Dartmouth Steam Railway’s Train of Lights, and Belmond British Pullman.

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Warner Bros. Studio Tour London Hogwarts in the Snow

Harry Potter fans are invited to experience a very ‘Harry Christmas’ at the walk-through exhibition and studio tour in Leavesden, Hertfordshire.

Iconic Harry Potter sets are dressed for the festive season in a blanket of film making snow, beginning with the Great Hall, with towering Christmas trees and fireplaces adorned with holly, mistletoe and wreaths, and finishing up with a walk around the Hogwarts Castle model, blanketed with snow.

Tickets are available until the 31st of December and start from £56.

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Christmas castles

If there’s one thing the UK has a lot of, it’s castles. And what better what better way to celebrate the festive season by visiting one embellished with large trees, garlands, and festive lights.

Warwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle and Hever Castle are just a couple of the many castles offering festive experiences.

Leeds Castle in Kent is also putting on A Nutcracker Christmas, which offers the chance to wander through rooms filled with sparkling decorations and to meet some Nutcracker character favourites.

Along the way, be prepared for a thrilling showdown between the Nutcracker and the cunning Mouse King, and your mission is to rescue the Sugar Plum Fairy.

The Christmas event is running 23rd November-5th January, and entry is included with general admission to the castle, which is £31.50 for adults and £22.50 for kids if you book online.

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UK’s Highest Snow Globe at Up at The O2

Up at The O2, the award-winning roof walk attraction, has announced it will be launching the UK’s highest snow globe later this year.

From 22 November 2024 to 5 January 2025, climbers visiting Up at The O2 will enjoy a guided climb over The O2’s iconic roof, before stepping into an immersive snow globe when they reach the attractions’ 52m-high summit. Against the backdrop of the London skyline, the UK’s highest snow globe will feature fairytale-like falling snow, the sweet smell of cookies, and a whimsical winter set-up, making for the ultimate festive photo moment.

During an extended 25 minutes on the roof, climbers will have plenty of time to capture the ultimate snowy shots and will also be treated to a delicious gingerbread cookie to enjoy. For those looking to really get into the festive spirit, glasses of bubbly, along with soft drinks, are also available to purchase.

Snow Globe Climbs are available from £44 per person, with tickets on sale now at the Up at The O2 website.

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Lapland UK

Lapland UK is an immersive theatrical experience near Ascot, with experiences and performances for the whole family to enjoy.

A 4.5-hour journey through an enchanted forest and Elven world, and helping the Elves make toys, decorating gingerbread with Mother Christmas, ice skating, and meeting the man in red himself, Father Christmas, are just some of the activities on offer.

Tickets for this year are now sold out. But for a chance to grab any return tickets when they become available, you can subscribe on the website.

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Christmas At Kew and other light shows

Christmas At Kew has become a key date in London’s festive calendar, with its light trail taking over its 300-acre botanic garden.

Be mesmerised by the flickering flames in the fire garden, wander beneath larger-than-life illuminations and don’t forget to glimpse Father Christmas along the way.

Along the route, you’ll also find independent street food vendors offering tasty festive delights, from hot food and sweet treats to spiced winter warmers and hot chocolate. 

For non-Kew members, tickets are £25.50 for off-peak and £32 for peak times. Members pay £21.50 for off-peak and £26 for peak times.

Other light shows going on across the UK include Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, Longleat in Wiltshire, Killerton in Exeter, Bedgebury in Kent, Mayfield Park, Manchester, and Liverpool Cathedral.

For a free Christmas lights tour option, walk around Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street in London. The lights are usually switched on in early November and remain up until around January 6th. 

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Historic houses decked out for Christmas

Historic houses all over the country are also being decorated for the season. From the 1800s to the 1980s, visitors can be transported back to the festivities of different times.

Prepare to be spellbound at Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire as the Magic of Books exhibition inspires the festive decorations around the ground floor of the house.

Take a trip down memory lane at Hanbury Hall in Worcestershire, with decorations inspired by rumours of wild house parties at the Hall in the 70s and 80s. 

And immerse yourself in a Victorian Christmas at Somerset’s Tyntesfield. 

A MASSIVE beer attraction is just a few hours from the UK – and you get some free booze along the way.

Kuchlbauer’s World of Beer is an attraction in Germany.

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It is made up of two main buildings – Kuchlbauer Tower KunstHaus Abensberg.

The Kuchlbauer Tower opened in 2010, with the 35ft tower dedicated to Bavarian beer.

It functions as a brewery, with a free half litre beer along the way as well as a free pretzel.

And KunstHaus Abensberg was added in 2014.

Designed by architecture Peter Pelikan, it is an attraction based on the works of artist Hundertwasser.

Previous tourists have compared the art attraction to both Barcelona‘s Gaudi as well as Dr Seuss.

Tourists have to book tours ahead of time as they do not run every day.

The tour of the brewery take around 90 minutes, going through the entire attraction.

Despite it being a brewery, you can still takes kids on the tour although they must be over 16 to try the beer.

And while you can book tours of KunstHaus Abensberg, you can visit it at your own pace although recommends allowing 60 minutes to explore.

Combined tickets of the two range from £8.30 for kids and to £16.60 for adults.

It also has a huge beer garden with a restaurant on-site at the foot of the tower.

Time it right and you can visit one of their two events – their Easter Market and Christmas Market.

Previous tourists have raved about it.

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One said: “One of the most interesting and fun brewery tours you can go on.”

Another said: “Somewhat bizarre at times, but lots of fun.”

A third called it “a hidden gem in the countryside of Bavaria”.

The best way to get to the attraction is to fly to Munich Airport from the UK.

Flights are as little as £17.99 when flying with easyJet from Edinburgh or Manchester, and take just a few hours.

Kuchlbauer’s World of Beer  is then just over an hour from Munich.

If you fancy going to Spain, here’s where to go to find the best beer in the world.

And here’s how to find the UK’s biggest pub.

The 10 cheapest pints in the world

These 10 countries have the cheapest pints in the world

1. Uzbekistan – 70p
2. China – 90p
3. Madagascar – £1
4. Vietnam – £1.02
5. Ukraine – £1.06
6. Belarus – £1.07
7. Philippines – £1.25
8. Colombia – £1.28
9. Azerbaijan – £1.29
10. Kazakhstan – £1.34

Source: How to Order a Beer in Any Country in the World by Fraser Metcalf

ONE of the UK’s most popular seaside destinations has revealed plans to extend its beach.

New planning applications have been submitted to widen the beach in Hove.

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Fears of flooding and erosion across Brighton and Hove has led to the new plans.

The extension would see a new groyne field – a shore protection structure – built on the beach, if given the go-ahead.

The bays between each groyne would then be filled with thousands of tones of shingle.

The beach extension would be between King Alfred Leisure Centre and Second Avenue.

The beach would then be another 25m wider, with images showing it almost doubling in width.

This would mean not only would it protect against erosion, but would create more room for tourists during busy seasons.

Local councillor Trevor Muten said the project was “vital” to protect the land.

He added: “The new groyne field and wider beach will help to do that and significantly reduce the amount of shingle that washes up onto the promenade every year.

“This will mean a more accessible prom and a larger beach for our residents and visitors.”

If given the go-ahead, works would start next year and be ready by summer 2026.

It’s not the only improvement that has transformed Brighton and Hove.

A £13.7million renovation project introduced a new beach park, gardens and a sports hub in West Hove.

The Kingsway to the Sea project includes Hove Beach Park, with gardens and activity spaces.

And last month, a wheeled sports areas with skateboard plaza, biking track and rollerblading area opened.

What is it like to visit Brighton?

The Sun’s Associate Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski recently visited Brighton for a day trip.

“As we weaved our way up and down the uneven cobbles [of Brighton] each twist and turn through the labyrinth reveals a new row of colourful shops with misshapen signs swinging from old doorways.

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“Most of the houses here date from the 16th century, so no surprise some are a bit askew, with slanted walls and roofs weathered by years of salty sea winds.

“We stayed at The Southern Belle, a characterful boutique hotel further west along the seafront.

“The brilliant thing about Brighton is it may be a seaside town, but it doesn’t matter if the weather takes a turn as there’s so much else to keep you busy.”

“The Rockwater Hove is the place to go for unbeatable views of the ocean and delicious fresh seafood, or closer to the centre is The Salt Room, another seafront restaurant.”

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And last year, a new lido opened in Brighton.

The outdoor swimming pool Sea Lanes has six lanes right by the beach.

There are also lots of food choices, leading to the nickname Boxpark-by-the-Sea.

Madeleine Bunting, author of The Seaside: England‘s Love Affair, even told Sun Travel: “The brilliant thing about Brighton is it may be a seaside town, but it doesn’t matter if the weather takes a turn as there’s so much else to keep you busy.”

And if you fancy staying at the seaside resort, The Sun’s Donna Smiley checked into Lansdowne House in Hove – here’s her verdict.

And here are some other seaside towns to add to your list to visit this year.

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