The mother of all light trails, Christmas at Kew has become a key date in London’s festive calendar as the 300-acre botanic garden is lit up with glistening lights and illuminations. This year’s route will take you past glass houses emblazoned with kaleidoscopic projections, through shimmering tunnels of light and trees drenched in jewel-bright colours. As usual, there’ll also be warming winter snacks and a grotto where you can say hello to Father C himself.
How to get Christmas at Kew tickets
As the UK’s original light trail, this illuminated adventure sells out fast. So you’ll have to look sharp to secure your place. Keep an eye on Kew Garden’s booking page which tells you what dates and times at each of the different entrances has availability. At the moment, the November and December dates are pretty much full, however, there’s more availability in January. Keep refreshing the page to track returns.
What are the prices and opening times?
Tickets for non-members start at £22.50 for off-peak slots and £29 at peak times. Members can get discounted tickets with prices starting at £19.50 and going to £24 for peak times. Family and child tickets are also available
Christmas at Kew is open from 4.20pm to 10pm. Each vistor is given a specific time slot, with last entry at 8pm.
How long does it take to walk around Christmas at Kew?
The glittering trail is around 3km long. Depending on how long you stop at the attractions along the route, including refreshments, the fairground, toasting marshmallows and stopping to see Father Christmas, it can take up to two hours to walk around.
