Our Guide to Winter Wonderland

By Dom Bewley

Winter Wonderland is back! For those of you who don't know it, well, it's a little surprising seeing you here. After all, you clicked on Our Guide To Winter Wonderland. However, we're here to help. So here's a little refresher. For six weeks of the year, London's Hyde Park is transformed into a wondrous wonderland. A winter wonderland, to be exact. Full of fun festive festivities, attractions, and other forms of Holiday entertainment. If you've never been, it's something you have to experience at least once. It's nearly Christmas after all, and what better to get you in the mood than a bona fide wonderland of winter. Anyway, without further ado, here's our guide to Winter Wonderland.

Zippos Christmas Circus

Zippo's chain of circuses is rather famous in this United Kingdom, so it's no wonder they top the bill at London's biggest Christmas extravaganza. Their daytime show is an incredibly popular treat for the whole family. With a mixture of aerial acts, skilled jugglers and colourful clowns, the year’s show promises a feast for the eyes and for the ears.

Showtimes: 12:30, 14:00 and 17:00, with a 15:30 show on selected days

Bar Ice

As you walk into this stunning arctic environment, you’ll notice that everything is crafted from ice: furniture, sculptures, even the walls. Ice. Ice. Baby. Anyway, there's a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to choose from, with one cocktail included in the entry price. Mulled wine too, of course. Nothing beats the warm embrace of a spiced mulled wine on a chilly December day. Where do you think you are? Britain, that's where. Speaking of warming, wear thick socks though, as it can get pretty chilly in there. Because it's all ice...ice. Baby. Session times: Sessions are 20 minutes long, and can be booked up until 21:20

Giant Observation Wheel

This gentle ride presents the perfect opportunity to take in the sights of not only Winter Wonderland, but of wider London too. On a clear day it’s possible to see for miles or, if you’d prefer to visit at night, you can take in the twinkling lights of the city. And this year, it's taller than ever apparently. So, really tall then. Really tall. In the mood for some added luxury? Book a private pod - or go VIP because you're worth it, and see the sights in style. Ride duration: Each ‘flight’ lasts 12-15 mins, or 20 mins with a VIP pod. Last flight at 21:45

The Magical Ice Kingdom

Created from over 500 tonnes of ice and snow, the Magical Ice Kingdom is a kingdom of ice. Bound to excite both young and old, this year's theme is Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol. Take any Scrouges you know and hit them with some Christmas truth. You've never seen Dicken's tale until you've seen it unfold in a world of ice and snow. Plus you get to be there, which is pretty cool too. Cool, like ice.

Session times: Book your 30 minute walk-through slot in advance, last admission 21:00

Ice Skating

Skate your heart out under a canopy of sparkling lights, at the largest open-air ice-rink in the UK. Whether you’re whizzing around with your friends or taking a romantic glide with loved ones, it’s fun for everyone and there’s live music from Hyde Park’s Victorian bandstand too. Alternatively, there’s a spectator's platform where you can enjoy hot chocolate and people watch. You know, if you're too scared to go yourself. Opening times: Daily from 10:00-22:00

Mr. Men and Little Miss - The Show

Interesting fact for you. Did you know that Mr. Men have been around for nearly half a century? We didn't. And now you can appreciate them all a little more with this hilarious live show. You'll see all your favourite characters you've nearly forgotten from your childhood. It's already earned critical acclaim from its run at Edinburgh Fringe, so go see it for yourself! Opening times: Daily from 11:00

Santa Land

Explore Father Christmas' grotto: visit his workshop, meet some of his elves or ride the Santa Express. This is a truly festive experience, with Christmas rides for the little ones, games and eateries - as well as a gift for kids (who’ve been good).

Cirque Berserk

This year’s show is called Legend, a daredevil display of acrobatics and agility promising gasps aplenty. In a mysterious realm where air, earth, fire and water meet. Mythical creatures confront malevolent forces. Christmas has never been so unusual. The show's spectacular finale is worth the price of admission alone. Session times: 19:00, 20:00 and 21:00

Food and drink

Whether you need to warm up fast, have a little rest or get a quick energy boost, at Winter Wonderland you’re never far from something delicious to eat or drink. Sit down for a full meal, grab a quick bite from a stall or have a festive drink – there’s something on offer for everyone.

Rides and games

There are over 100 rides and games on offer, ranging from children’s rides to rollercoasters, fun houses and thrill rides. New this year is the Munich Looping, the world’s largest portable rollercoaster. Get ready for some adrenaline-pumping, heart-racing festive fun with all the family.

Christmas Market

Visit some of the 200 stalls to browse handicrafts, candles, decorations and more. If you’re visiting at night, you’ll see the fairy lights adorning the wooden chalets - a truly beautiful sight, sure to win over any Scrooge! Looking for more Christmas events to get you in the yuletide mood? Check out our guide to all the best Christmas markets in London this year.

Continue reading

Blog

Family Fun in the Sun: What’s on in London

London is a great place to take the kids, especially in the summer. If your main aim is London sightseeing, then you’re in luck, as the city is so much nicer when the sun is out. What’s more, there are things to do around every corner. More often than not you’ll end up home after a day out having seen far more than you ever anticipated, so make sure you’ve got comfy shoes on because you won’t be going back to your hotel anytime soon... There is so much to do in London in the summer; from food festivals to pop up cinemas, street-side stalls and man-made beaches, it’s the perfect time to take your family and learn about the historic capital. So if you’ve got little ones to entertain, or teenagers to keep from boredom, why not try out some of London's best family events at the same time as squeezing in some London sightseeing. It might actually keep everyone happy! Barefoot Walking Trails at Kew Gardens Kew Gardens is a must-visit when you’re in London, particularly when the sun is shining. With 121 hectares to its name it’s bursting with exotic species, woodland, manicured lawns and even art galleries. So it’s the perfect destination for a family visiting London. One of the best experiences in Kew Gardens in the summer is the Barefoot Walking Trails. From the 27th May until the 7th September, explore the world of Plantasia at Kew and take part in a variety of activities from Thai Chi to plant croquet. Our favourite is the Barefoot Walking Trail, where you slip off your shoes and explore the gardens through your feet. Ground yourself and be inspired by nature – a great way to be ‘at one’ with the world around you, and the kids will love it! Any excuse to get muddy... Make sure you bring your own towels though. Tour de France Fan Parks The Tour de France kicks off on the 5th-7th July and you can catch the warm up to the big event in a number of Fan Parks dotted around London. Green Park and Trafalgar Square are kicking off the proceedings that first weekend, with Canary Wharf to close on the 24th–27th July. Whether you’re into the sport or not, it’s a great atmosphere and a unique experience with huge mounted screens and stages following the race from start to finish. Admission is free, so there’s no excuse, but you can even buy VIP packages for an enhanced experience. Green Park is the perfect place to sit back and enjoy some of the action en famille, with Buckingham Palace as a backdrop and St James Palace just around the corner. Trafalgar Square is another great option for a more central celebration, or if you fancy visiting the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, afterwards. Canary Wharf will pull out all the stops to finish with food stalls, photo exhibitions, pop up shops and even the odd celebrity sighting for teenagers 'in the know'. Hampton Court Flower Show Hampton Court Flower Show is the perfect place for mums – so kids, if you’re reading, bear that in mind. A great family day out, Hampton Court is entertaining, education and exciting. Boasting a maze, vineyard, palace and the largest Tudor kitchen in the country there is history oozing out of its very core. Hampton Court Flower Show runs from the 8th-13th July and this year, at the 2014 show, you can see the Ocean Spray Garden feature; a celebration of Britain in bloom over the past 50 years; an invisible garden of microscopic biology; inspiring sculptures and much, much more. If you’re worried about the kids, there is plenty to keep them entertained – plus, you can even bring a picnic and relax on one the lawns or tuck into a delicious food stall serving everything from hog roast to veggie bites. London is a great place to explore during the summer months, so for something a bit different why not think outside the box. London sightseeing is a given but take your trip to another level and get involved with some local London events and make your trip a once in a lifetime experience. Treat the family to something new and exciting, and we promise you won't be disappointed!
Vanessa Teo
Blog

Chelsea FC Stadium Tour: FAQs

What is the Chelsea FC Stadium Tour? What can I see and do during the Chelsea FC Stadium Tour? On the self-guided, multimedia, multi-language Chelsea FC Stadium Tour—free with your London Pass—you whisk yourself around the most exclusive parts of Stamford Bridge. Aided by the multimedia guide, you’ll see the home dressing room, where there’ll be plenty of opportunities to snap a pic of you next to your favourite player’s shirt. Then you’ll be in the tunnel, feeling that buzz of matchday excitement, that moment you’ve seen so often on your TV, of the players all speaking to one another behind cupped mouths, awkwardly holding hands with their Mini-Me mascots. As you head out into the cauldron of Stamford Bridge itself, you’ll really get a sense of the bear pit-like layout of the ground. Take another few pics of yourself in the manager’s dugout, taking note after note about what you’ll say to spur on the guys at half time, questioning if now is the time to debut your revolutionary 7-man attack, and dreaming about how much better everything would be if Hazard was still here. Next up, soak in the stadium from pitchside, before heading for a debrief in the Press Room. Throughout the Chelsea FC Stadium Tour, your multimedia guide will be feeding you a steady stream of fantastic and informative extra content, including stunning videos, 360-degree films, archive footages and quizzes. The best thing about the multimedia tour which, we’ll repeat, is 100% free to those with a London Pass, is that you can take it at your own speed. You’re not hurried from one room to the next, so you get plenty of opportunity to get the snaps you need to show off to everyone back home. I heard there was a museum and a chance to get some merch... The tour ends with a trip to the museum, included with the multimedia tour, which itself is included with your London Pass. This is the place to really get deep into the history of this storied club, learning about legends present, past and future. Then you’ve got freedom to explore the club shop and pick up some Chelsea merch. What other tour options are there? You can prebook a Classic Stadium Tour, which is a more traditional tour with a dedicated tour guide. The Classic Stadium Tour departs at 3.10pm every day. You’ll get lots of insider info from the knowledgeable guide as you make your way through the stadium’s most exclusive player and staff areas. This experience is only available in English. Chelsea nuts will want to stay up to date with the latest Legends Tours. These tours are guided by different Chelsea FC legends, each of whom comes with fascinating and funny stories from their time at the club. As part of this tour option, you’ll get a photo of yourself with the club’s silverware to take home with you. You also get ample time to quiz the legend on their life and times at Chelsea FC, offering new perspectives on the lives of footballers and what it means to be a part of The Blues’ history and legacy. These tours need to be booked in advance and are not included with your London Pass. What do all the tour options cost? The Chelsea FC Multimedia Tour is free with the London Pass. It can’t be rebooked when coming with the London Pass. Otherwise, the Multimedia Tour is £24 for adults, £15 for those aged 15 and under, and £16 for concessions (registered disabled, students with valid ID and senior citizens), while under 5s and carers go free. The Classic Guided Tour costs £30 for adults, £22 for children, £23 for concessions and under 5s and carers go free. Legends Tours cost £80 per ticket, with all tickets priced the same. Carers, however, get in free. If you just want to see the Chelsea FC Museum, adults get in for £12, children £10, concessions £11 and under 5s and carers for free. Access to the Chelsea FC Museum is completely free for London Pass holders. When is the Chelsea FC Stadium Tour and Museum open for business? Tours depart twice an hour, between 10am and 3pm every day of the week. Except for days when there’s a home game or European fixture. On selected match days, you can still take a guided tour or stadium viewing. Check with the Chelsea FC website for more details here. The Chelsea Museum is open every day from 9.30am until 5pm. The museum is open on selected match days. Is the Chelsea FC Stadium Tour fully accessible? What languages is the multimedia tour available in? The Chelsea FC Multimedia Tour is now available in 12 languages. These are English, Arabic, Thai, Japanese, Chinese (Mandarin), Hebrew, Russian, Portuguese, German, French, Spanish and Italian. How do I get to Stamford Bridge for the Chelsea FC Stadium Tour? It’s best to travel by public transport. Fulham Broadway, on the District Line, is the closest tube station and is less than 5 minutes walk away from the stadium. West Brompton and Imperial Wharf Overground stations are both a 15 minute walk from Stamford Bridge. Buses stopping outside Stamford Bridge on Fulham road are the numbers 13, 211 and 414. What if I want to see a game? Well, the London Pass comes in handy then too. You can save on premium tickets to Chelsea home games using the London Pass Concierge Site. The London Pass concierge site can also be used to get home tickets for Arsenal games at the Emirates, Crystal Palace home games at Selhurst Park, Tottenham games at the brand spanking new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and West Ham United Games at London Stadium. Check the London Pass Concierge site for more details here. So those are all the main points you need to know about the Chelsea FC Stadium Tour. You'll find more attraction FAQs on the London Pass Blog. For instance, this one.
Matthew Pearson
Blog

Interview with: London Zoo

London Zoo is one of London’s most family friendly attractions. With daily animal shows and over 17,000 animals at the zoo (758 different species!) there is plenty to be entertained with from morning til noon. Nestled in the green Regents Park in central London, it’s a great day out for the kids. From the Tiger Territory to live feedings, you can plan your visit to a T. We wanted to find out more, so we decided to get some insiders info from Teague Stubbington, an experienced zoo keeper and die-hard animal lover, to tell us more about London’s animal sanctuary. How long have you been working at the zoo? I’ve been working at the zoo for 17 years as a zoo keeper, however, most zookeepers like myself start out as a volunteer first. It’s easy to lose track of time here; one of our keepers has been working here for 51 years! It must be one of those jobs where you get a high amount of satisfaction? Absolutely, it is definitely not a job we take for money, it is a job you do because you love it. On my way to work every day I am always thinking about my animals, thinking about the new things we can try and the work that I am going to do. I haven't had a day yet where I've not wanted to come to work. What is the greatest thing about working in London Zoo? There are so many things which are absolutely amazing about working at London Zoo and I get so much personal reward from working with animals; the amount that you get back from them is great. One of the other things that really makes a difference for me is how much of a contribution we make towards conservation. For example, thanks to zoos like us there are far more tigers that exist in the world now than there were, or than there ever would be without our help. What is the most important thing that visitors can take away from their visit of London Zoo? There is so much for visitors to learn and the key thing is that they become inspired themselves. By seeing the animals here and seeing the work we do there are so many things that people can choose to do at home and in their lives that will help animal conservation. What can people do to get involved and help animals? When it comes to helping penguins, for example, one thing we can do is make sure any fish that we buy to eat has been certified by the main stewardship council. Look for the LSE symbol on the packaging to ensure you’re eating fish from sustainable sources. What’s your favourite animal in London Zoo? I've worked with animals for a long, long time and I've got some favourites in the zoo. For me, every animal has its own personality and I’ve got to know them quite well and I feel a kinship with some, so to speak. One of our female gorillas I’ve known for nearly 20 years, so she’s definitely one of the animals that I have a close relationship with – and not surprisingly is one of my favourites. You must get visitors from all over the world? We do. A lot of our visitors are young families and we're seeing more and more international people, as well. Last year we had nearly 1,300,000 visitors to the zoo! We are a part of London and everybody who comes to London wants to see us, too. Visit London Zoo for free with The London Pass and save over £21 per adult and £16 per child. Find out more, here...
Vanessa Teo

Have a 10% discount, on us!

Sign up to our newsletter and receive exclusive discounts, trip inspiration and attraction updates straight to your inbox.

  • Thick check Icon