At the time of writing it's the end of August, but some venues are already selling tickets for their Santa's Grottos and Father Christmas experiences, and we don't want you to miss out on any of the popular ones that get sold out early.  So, even though the children are only just starting back at school we've started our list of Where to See Santa for 2025 and we'll continue to update it over the next few months, including all the local carnivals, markets and fairs where Santa will be making an appearance!

We do our best to ensure all these details are correct but from time to time things do change so please do check the websites and book where necessary to avoid disappointment.

Look out for the entries highlighted below in green, these indicate sessions catering for children with additional needs.

Last updated 28th October 2025

Harpenden Christmas Carnival Santa's Grotto
Sunday 23rd November 2025
Santa will be at the Christmas Carnival in his Grotto.  We'll have more details about location, times and prices nearer the time.
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Southdown Lights and Lanterns Extravaganza
Friday 29th November 2025, 5.30 - 7.30pm
Santa will be in his grotto in The Harpenden Trust Halls and there will be craft activities for the children while they wait. Drop in on the day - free entry.
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Harpenden Round Table Santa Float
During December
Keep an eye (or an ear) out for this float and its special passenger passing through the streets of Harpenden and collecting for charity in the lead up to Christmas.
We'll put more details when we have them!

The Old Bell - Breakfast with Santa
Saturdays 6th, 13th and 20th December plus Tuesday 23rd December 2025
Santa Claus is coming to town, and he's making a pit stop at The Old Bell. Book your spot for £12 per child, which includes a delicious breakfast, drink, and a special extra gift!
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Santa's Grotto at The Little Gym
Tuesday 23rd December 2025
Come visit Santa's workshop for some sensory play and crafts, write a letter to Santa, decorate biscuits, make reindeer food, drink hot chocolate and eat festive treats. PLUS take part in a special Christmas-themed gym play session and leave with a gift from Santa. Open to members and non-members.
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Redbourn Christmas Market
Saturday 30th November 2025
Father Christmas will be at the Christmas Market.
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Wheathampstead Christmas Light Up
Thursday 27th November 2025, 5.30 - 8pm
Santa will be in his grotto
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Father Christmas at Luton Hoo Walled Garden
Sunday 7th December 2025
Tickets to visit Father Christmas will be available soon.  
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St Albans Christmas Cracker
Sunday 16th November 2025
Visit Santa in his grotto - FREE
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StAR Reverse Father Christmas, St Albans Museum
Sunday 14th December, 11am - 3pm
A Santa visit with a difference, bring along a small gift for a refugee (adult or child). This year's gifts will be going to Ukraine. The items requested this year are packs of underwear or socks, and also hats, scarves and gloves. We would also welcome toiletries. Free entry, no booking required.
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Christmas Grotto at Burston Garden Centre
Weekends from 8th November then daily from 4th to 24th December 2025
Come and visit Santa in our magical Christmas grotto. 
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Christmas Grotto at Burston Garden Centre - Quiet Sessions
Sundays 16th, 23rd Nov & 30th November & 7th December 2025, 10am to 10:30am
Our quiet needs sessions have been developed to provide a more relaxed and quiet environment for children with special educational needs (SEN). These sessions are the first of the day, which is when our centre tends to be quieter.
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Willows Farm Santa Spectacular
Weekends from 22nd November, then 19th to 24th December 2025
There’s no better place to bring your children to meet Santa and enjoy a fabulous festive family day out. Take a trip through our magical winter wonderland where you’ll find Santa in his amazing Grotto. Santa will give children a key to his Toy Shop where they can choose any gift from the hundreds stacked from floor to ceiling. Visit our Create-a-Cuddle Workshop where children can choose from a range of soft toys to make, name and take home along with a certificate. Get crafty and decorate tasty gingerbread. Write a letter to Santa (don’t forget to add your address so he can reply!) Visit the Toy Workshop. Sing along with our new festive shows and more!
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Father Christmas at Stockwood Discovery Centre
12th - 24th December 2025
Join Santa’s whimsical elves in his workshop where all the magic happens and create your very own festive keepsake to treasure. Don’t forget to mix up some special reindeer food to sprinkle on Christmas Eve for Rudolph and his friends whilst you’re there. Before you see Santa in an exclusive slot for your family, be sure to write your Christmas wish to share with him and we are sure he’ll have a little something for you too.
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Santa Meet & Greet at John Lewis, Welwyn
19th & 22nd to 24th December 2024
This is your classic Santa experience. You’ll meet him, share Christmas dreams and wishes, before receiving a special LEGO® set to take home.
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A Palace Visit with Santa, Hatfield House
Fridays to Sundays from 29th November until 21st December 2025
Embark on a seasonal journey aboard our fairy-lit tractor trailer, where you will hear the enchanting tale of Santa’s lost reindeer. Walk through the West Garden to meet Santa himself in the cosy, storybook setting of the Upper Solar Room. Participants of any age, will have the chance to have their picture taken with Santa and choose a Hatfield Park-branded gift as a special memento of this joyful occasion.
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Santa Storyboats at Frogmore Papermill Wharf
23rd December 2025
Santa Storyboats are very special. Santa makes a special visit to joins us, on our trip, in a festive Bryan Donkin boat. Dressing up is expected! Christmas themed stories will be told by our storyteller, as we take a trip down the River Gade, from outside our Visitor Centre, along the River Gade, down to the Grand Union Canal and back. Children will receive a gift from Santa. Booking is essential to join the fun. Tickets will go on sale on Monday 1st December.
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Meet Santa at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo
22nd November - 24th December 2025
Meet Santa returns to Whipsnade Zoo! Sign up on the website for more information when booking opens.  Booking links will only be sent to those who register their interest via the website!
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Breakfast or Afternoon Tea with Santa at Tring Garden Centre
Breakfast: weekends from 22nd November then 20th – 24th December 2025
Baby & Toddler Breakfast: 15th - 19th December 2025
Afternoon Tea: 13th, 14th, 20th - 23rd December 2025
Come join us to create wonderful memories with the whole family! Give your little ones a morning or afternoon they’ll never forget filled with fun, food, and a surprise visit from a very special someone…Take the opportunity for a photo* with Santa before receiving a special gift and handing over those all important letters!
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Santa’s Magical Grotto at Winter-Fest at Aldenham Country Park
Weekends from the 29th November then daily from 15th - 24th December 2025
Discover the secrets that unfold as you journey through Santa's Magical Grotto! Help the Elf prepare for Santa's busy Christmas schedule, meet the big man himself, pick a present from Santa’s toy shop and write a letter for a video response on Christmas Eve. You must purchase a ticket for Winter-Fest and Santa's Magical Grotto is an add-on extra.
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Knebworth House Dine with Santa
14th and 21st December 2025
Give your family an early Christmas treat with a fantastic meal at Knebworth Barns complete with a visit from Santa. Pre-booking essential.
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Santa's Grotto Experience, Van Hage Garden Centre, Great Amwell
Weekends from 16th November, then 4th - 24th December 2025
A  brand-new Santa’s Grotto at Van Hage for 2025! Begin your journey at the North Pole with our Elf helpers in the reindeer stables, where you’ll mix up a special batch of magical reindeer food- ready to sprinkle on Christmas Eve to help guide Santa’s sleigh to your door. Wander through to Santa’s cosy living room for a special one-to-one meeting. There’ll be time for a festive photo too, available to purchase at the end of your visit. In the Present Room, each child will choose a toy to take home from Santa’s carefully selected collection. Finally, pay a visit to Mrs Christmas’ Kitchen to decorate delicious gingerbread biscuits.
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Santa's Woodland Grotto and Santa Paws, Church Farm, Ardley
Weekends from 29th November, plus 22nd & 23rd December 2025
Available as an add-on to the Farm Day Pass. Meet cheeky Elves on arrival, make a wish and place it on our Christmas Wish Tree. Next choose a carrot, bag-up some reindeer food to take home, before writing a letter to Santa. Wander the trail to meet Father Christmas himself in his magical grotto deep within our Winter Woodland! Includes a gift which children can choose from our Christmas Elf Toyshop! Dog lovers can book to see Santa Paws where your favourite pet can meet Santa in his Grotto, includes a present and treats.
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Christmas Wonderland at Hertfordshire Zoo
Weekends from 29th November, then 20th - 24th December 2025
Hertfordshire Zoo is bringing Christmas to life like never before! Step into a sparkling winter wonderland filled with festive cheer, dazzling lights, and magical memories waiting to be made. Meet Santa in his Grotto – Wander the Christmas Walkway – Dazzling Light Displays & Animatronics – Festive Treats to Indulge In – Don’t forget, every Sunday, the Grinch will be visiting us at Hertfordshire Zoo, so be sure to come and say hello! This is more than just a day out – it’s a Christmas experience the whole family will remember forever.
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Leighton Buzzard Railway - Santa's Steam Specials
Saturday, Sunday & Wednesday from 30th November then 20th - 24th December 2025
Take a 25-minute steam-train ride over a historic narrow-gauge railway that’s more than 100 years old, and run by enthusiastic volunteers. Meet Santa at Page's Park grotto, where children up to 12 will receive an early present.
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Christmas at Mead Open Farm, Leighton Buzzard
Weekends from 6th December then 19th - 24th December 2025
Experience a magical festive adventure on selected dates in December, as the yuletide cheer of the North Pole takes over the farm. Meet Father Christmas in his grotto for a group story then visit the Make a Bear Workshop to create your own cuddly bear. Don't forget to pick a toy from his Grotto. Decorate gingerbread with Mother Christmas, wander through The Magical Forest, have a laugh at The Pudding Club Show and make some Reindeer food to take home ready for Christmas Eve. New for 2025: a brand-new immersive adventure at Christmas HQ.
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The Olde Watermill Christmas Grotto, Barton-Le-Clay, Bedfordshire
Weekends From 22nd November, then Thu - Mon from 1st December, then 18th - 24th December 2025
It’s the most wonderful time of the year and The Santa Express is heading to The North Pole Train Station at the Olde Watermill Winter Wonderland with Santa, Mrs Claus, Elves and Rudolph on board, ready to see you all for a 50 minute visit full of magical Christmas fun.
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The Olde Watermill SEN Christmas Grotto, Barton-Le-Clay, Bedfordshire 
Wednesday 3rd December 2025
Adapted to reduce noise and crowds.  All money from these sessions will be donated to Beds Autistic Society.
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Father Christmas at Wrest Park
Weekends from 29th November, to 21st December 2025
Father Christmas is taking time out of his busy festive schedule to tell some of his favourite seasonal stories around the Christmas tree. After the group storytelling session, you and your children will meet the man himself, with the chance to take photographs and make memories to treasure. Father Christmas will also give every child a traditional present to unwrap.
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Panto Express with Father Christmas, Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
Weekends from 29th November 2025
Start your journey with our family-friendly pantomime, Aladdin, in our festive Visitor Centre. Enjoy your performance and then make your way to the Booking Hall to board the steam train. You will be shown to your compartment and visited by Father Christmas, where each child will be given a special golden ticket.  After the train ride, your adventure continues to the museum where you will be magically transported to Santa’s workshop to meet Mrs Claus and the elves, and your child can exchange their golden ticket for a gift of their choice.
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Frosts Garden Centre, Woburn Sands
Weekends from 15th November, then 1st - 24th December 2025
Join us for a truly magical Christmas experience, filled with festive fun, and cherished moments the whole family will remember for years to come. Pay a visit to Mrs Christmas’ Kitchen and gather around the cosy fire and listen to her heart-warming festive tales. Head into the magical Toy Workshop, where little ones can choose and build their very own Christmas cuddly toy. Of course, no visit would be complete without meeting Santa himself. Join our Elf helpers in the reindeer stables to mix up a special batch of magical reindeer food a Finish your visit by planting your very own mini-Christmas tree in a beautiful bamboo pot. Spaces are limited, and this unforgettable festive experience always sells out quickly.
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Frosts Garden Centre, Woburn Sands - Exclusive SEN Sessions
16th & 23rd November and 20th December 2025
To help make our Grotto experience as accessible as possible to any families who may require any additional support, we are offering an exclusive SEN session. This session will be the same unique Grotto experience you would expect from Frosts, with some small adaptations in the way of smaller groups of people, reduced lighting and sound and less display furniture making it easily accessible for all. 
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Christmas Wonderland at Springtime Nurseries, Crews Hill, Enfield
From 14th November 2025
All aboard at our station platform, where you begin your magical ride through the reindeer forest! You may even be lucky enough to see Santa’s reindeer resting before they take flight on Christmas Eve. You’ll continue your magical ride through the Wonderland where you will see some familiar Christmas favourites, en route to Santa’s magical Ice Kingdom where Santa will greet you alongside your carriage. Remaining in your carriage you finally visit the Elves toy shop where you finish your ride and choose your Christmas gift with love from Santa. 
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The Santa Claus Experience at Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park, Waltham Abbey
Weekends from 24th November then 20th - 24th December 2025
Our fabulously festive Santa Claus Experience is a great way to start your festive celebrations this year. Santa’s cheeky elves can not wait to welcome you on our magical group experience of festive fun.
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The Centre:MK – Santa's Grotto with Peter Rabbit & Friends
21st November - 24th December 2025
Visit Santa this Christmas at centre:mk and experience the brand-new tale of Peter Rabbit and Friends, in a heartwarming new festive adventure! Families will enter Peter Rabbit’s cosy burrow, warmly welcomed by Mrs Rabbit who will tell the tale of Peter’s lost Christmas presents. The Children will use clues to help Mrs Rabbit search for the missing presents, before adventuring out into the snowy forest through Peter’s secret tunnel. Within the snowy forest, families will join Peter Rabbit and friends in some festive fun, where they will decorate gingerbread biscuits for the Christmas feast, before heading off to meet with Santa himself to complete their journey. Each child will take away their decorated biscuit and receive a lovely gift from Santa.
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Odds Farm Park Christmas Cracker, High Wycombe
Fridays - Sundays from 28th Novermber, then 17th - 24th December 2025
Experience the magic as you journey through a winter wonderland to the North Pole and enjoy a special, heartwarming visit with Father Christmas in his cosy grotto! Our best-selling Christmas event returns for 2025 – packed with seasonal sparkle, treasured memories and festive frivolities for all the family.
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Odds Farm Park SEN Christmas Cracker, High Wycombe
29th  & 30th November & 7th, 12th & 14th December 2025
Dedicated SEN sessions are set aside for families with children with additional needs, where there will be a slower pace
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Bletchley Park Vintage Christmas Grotto
Thursday - Sunday from 4th December plus 22nd & 23rd December 2025
Meet Father Christmas and be transported into the truly magical world of Bletchley Park’s Vintage Grotto. You will enter the Grotto and meet one of the North Pole’s secret operatives, who will lead you in some fun, festive activities. Individual families will have their own magical time with Father Christmas, for children to share their Christmas wishes and receive a special gift to take home.
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Bletchley Park Relaxed Christmas Grotto
13th & 19th December 2025
This experience is appropriate for children on the autistic spectrum, as well as children with sensory conditions, who are neurodiverse or have other additional needs. Timeslots are booked to ensure waiting times are minimal, and families can request to have lighting adjusted and music turned off according to their children’s needs. We will provide a sensory map and social story in advance of the day to support the visit, so families know exactly what to expect. Our team will make sure children have a magical meeting with Father Christmas in our beautifully decorated Mansion, where they’ll receive a lovely Christmas gift to take home.
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