Chilly days don’t have to mean snuggling under a blanket and staying indoors. Here are some great ideas for family days out wherever you are – and they're all free, so you won’t need to break the bank.
From lantern parades and dazzling light trails to ice sculptures and silent discos, there’s sure to be something for every member of the family (whatever your tolerance for the cold). Some are decidedly festive and others are simply a chance to have a day out without paying out for tickets.
Read on to find out more and get your diary at the ready, as some are only open for a limited time or one night only. And make sure you check before attending as in some cases you’ll need to book your place in advance.
England
North West
Check out vintage trainers
If you or the kids love your sportswear, you’ll be right at home at Bolton Library and Museum, where a Reebok exhibition is telling the story of how the company became an international success.
See a display of vintage trainers, watch a new documentary and learn about how running shoes have evolved over the years. The exhibition is on until 18 January and you don’t need to book in advance.
Find out more at the Bolton Library and Museum Services website.
Learn the secrets of dinosaurs
Junior palaeontologists can explore the life of the Triceratops at Manchester Museum. See a skull close up and study the dinosaur's anatomy, including its bird-like beak to its three-horned face.
Interactive elements include a fossil dig and a digital touch replica of the Triceratops skull that will allow visitors to "feel" its facial features. Triceratops: Eat, Roam, Repeat is at the museum until 22 February 2026 and you'll need to book a free ticket in advance.
North East
Sign up to a silent disco
Dance the day (or evening) away with a free silent disco at Newcastle’s Christmas Markets. They’re taking place on Fridays from 5 to 8pm, Saturdays at 10am until 8pm and on Sundays from 10am to 5pm.
You don’t need to book – just go along, pick up headphones and join in the fun.
Find ice sculptures and have a go at creating your own
Darlington’s winter ice sculpture trail is back for 2025, with 14 creations to be found around the town centre from 11am until 4pm each day. Kids can also try their hand at an interactive carving wall.
Trail maps will be available on the day and online.
South East
Make your own lanterns for a New Year's Eve parade
Ramsgate Winter Festival is lighting up the Kent town and its harbour all through December, with various events including Santa arriving by boat, an Elf trail and a living advent calendar with a different house or business illuminated each evening.
It all culminates in a New Year’s Eve lantern parade with the theme of Peace, Love and Joy to the World, starting at St George’s Church and ending at Ramsgate Tunnels. In the run-up to the big night you can join community art workshops to make your own lantern.
See World War Two planes close up
The Spitfire & Hurricane Museum in Kent is free to visit and holds a collection of fascinating historic artefacts from the Second World War. Among its exhibits you’ll find a Spitfire MkXVI and Hawker Hurricane fighter jet.
The museum is at the former RAF Manston site. It’s usually open from 10am-4pm, seven days a week, but check before you visit in case of any changes.
London
All aboard an exhibition train
Events marking Railway 200, a national celebration of the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, have been taking place across the UK throughout 2025. The programme has included a special exhibition train named Inspiration.
The train has themed carriages that Network Rail says “take visitors on a journey through rail history, future innovation and local stories”. There are also activities on board exploring the science and engineering of railways.
The train is at London Paddington until 13 December, with further stops planned through to 2026. Visitors need to book their free tickets through the Railway 200 website
South West
Check out a bay of lights
Torquay's Bay of Lights trail is back for winter 2025, lighting up the town's seafront with 18 dazzling installations. Visitors can also take part in interactive activities along the 1.5-mile route.
The trail runs daily from 4:30pm, with sound elements until 9:30pm and lighting displays until 11pm.
Sing along to Christmas carols
Bristol Cathedral is holding free informal toddlers' carol services. Parents can attend with babies, toddlers, and pre-school children and organisers say there's "no need to worry about noise or wrigglers". There are three time slots to choose from on 17 December.
There is also a shoppers' carol service on 16 December at 5.15pm and a family carol service on 21 December from 3.30pm.
Celebrate an ancient midwinter tradition
Montol Festival brings the community of Penzance together on 21 December to celebrate the midwinter solstice with a reimagining of Cornish customs. There'll be plenty of family friendly fun to enjoy in the afternoon, including performers in elaborate costumes roaming the town.
Expect Cornish dancing and carol singers too, ahead of a procession after dark.
East Midlands
Spot baby seals
Donna Nook National Nature Reserve covers more than 10km (6.25 miles) on the Lincolnshire coast near Louth. In winter grey seals come to the coastline to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes.
More than 2,000 pups are born every year, with the peak season in November and December. The official Donna Nook website and Facebook pages are the best place to look for information and weekly seal pup bulletins.
It’s very busy at the weekends and poor weather conditions can mean a wasted trip, so check for their latest updates before you head out.
Check out Lincoln’s Christmas lights
Lincoln’s festive illuminations have become a big draw for visitors in recent years and the city is once again aglow with colourful light installations. Organisers are promising a “dazzling array of intricate light displays lights and enchanting installations” and say it’s something all ages can enjoy.
Families can download a free trail map and complete the challenge to find all the lights.
Midlands
Follow a reindeer light trail
The Birmingham Christmas Reindeer Trail is back for 2025, including four new designs. The reindeer are spread out across the city centre including at the Mailbox, Frankfurt Christmas Market and inside Primark.
Visitors have until 6 January 2026 to complete it and complete a challenge to find a hidden word.
Immerse yourself in the world of a music legend
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s Working Class Hero exhibition is free to enter and celebrates the achievements and awards won by singer and musician Ozzy Osbourne. See international music honours, platinum and gold discs and videos charting his journey from a “a working-class kid from Aston” to becoming the world’s most recognisable global rock legend.
Nearby on Navigation Street, there’s also a 40-metre street-long artwork created by spray artist Mr Murals.
The exhibition is open from Monday to Sunday, 10am - 5pm. It was due to close in September but has been extended until Sunday 18 January 2026.
East of England
Find crowns and clues
The Christmas Crown Trail is running in Norwich until 5 January. The free family treasure hunt is inspired by the re-opening of Norwich Castle Keep and Henry I celebrating Christmas 1121 at Norwich Castle.
The trail guides visitors across the city centre to find festive displays, searching out crowns and clues within shops – with clues in 30 locations.
Watch a tractor parade
More than 120 tractors decked out in twinkling festive lights will join a parade through Suffolk towns and villages on 14 December. The annual pre-Christmas event is free to attend and is taking place to raise money for local charities.
The parade starts in Campsea Ashe at 4.30pm with a display open to all from 3.30pm.
Take a Darwin to dodos tour
The University Museum of Zoology in Cambridge displays thousands of specimens from the animal kingdom, including giant ground sloths, reptiles, insects and molluscs. Admission is free and you can have a wander round or book onto a free guided tour.
Tours take place every month and promise to reveal fascinating facts about the museum, from the fin whale to the dodo and the beetles collected by Charles Darwin. Another free tour for kids aged 2 to 5 on 9 January will explore the amazing journeys made by animals.
Yorkshire
Visit a living advent calendar
The Saltaire Living Advent Calendar will feature 47 windows in the run up to Christmas, with at least one new window being ‘opened’ each evening until 24 December. Designs remain a secret until they are revealed.
Windows usually include traditional and modern festive scenes. You can download a map before you visit, and they can be viewed by car if you don’t fancy a walk around.
See a historic country home decorated for Christmas
Cannon Hall near Barnsley is a Georgian country house museum set in 70 acres of parkland.
Over Christmas there’s a festive trail designed for all ages. Visitors can take in the traditional Christmas decorations and check out all the exhibitions dotted around the historic home.
Scotland
North
Marvel at a festival of light
Spectra is a Festival of Light that brightens up the winter nights in Aberdeen every year – with the next due to take place in February 2026, according to Visit Scotland.
It features large scale art installations and shimmering designs across locations like Marischal College, Union Terrace Gardens, and Aberdeen Art Gallery.
Central West
Follow a Christmas lights trail
Families can follow a free Christmas lights trail in Glasgow city centre until 3 January, ticking off eight light installations and events along the way.
There’s an online version to download or you can pick up a paper copy from locations including GoMA (Gallery of Modern Art) and selected subway stations. Wrap up warm!
Central East
Hone your artistic abilities
Pick up a pencil and a piece of paper and sketch some of the objects that catch your eye at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. ‘Drawn Together at the Museum’ days are taking place between Christmas and New Year.
It’s free to enter the museum and take part in the activity, which is open to all ages and abilities. Basic drawing materials will be provided or you can bring your own pencils and and sketch pad.
Sessions will run from 27 to 30 December from 10.30-4pm, with artist Hannah Kelly on hand to offer tips and tricks on 28, 29 and 30 December.
Wales
South Wales
Find out what the Romans did in winter
The National Roman Legion Museum in Caerleon, near Newport, tells the story of the town and its former occupants: the Romans through coins, jewellery and other items that the Romans brought to Wales.
There's a Bath stone coffin containing the remains of a Roman soldier, and the oldest piece of writing in Wales. And visitors can find out about the Roman midwinter festival of Saturnalia.
It’s free but it’s best to book a ticket in advance.
Find runaway reindeer
Nine runaway reindeer have escaped and found their way to Cardiff Bay and families can help find the sleigh-pulling squad. The free bilingual activity features eight willow reindeer scattered around the Bay, plus a digital reindeer brought to life through smartphones.
Pick up a printed map once you’re there or you can take part online – with the challenge of collecting a letter from each reindeer to work out a festive word.
North Wales
Enjoy a festive funfair
Colwyn Bay is hosting Santa's Festive Funfair on 20 and 21 December. You can meet Santa Claus and take festive photos, with a funfair for younger kids, and there is no charge.
The funfair will be open from 10am - 4pm on both days.
Northern Ireland
Discover treasures from the past
Ulster Museum in Belfast is free to enter and hosts regular interactive sessions themed around art, nature and history where you can get hands-on with some of the most unusual items from its collections.
Participants have recently learned about the science of shipwrecks, made a pencil portrait, created clay decorations and unearthed facts about deer.
Send a letter to the North Pole
Santa’s post office is setting up shop at 2 Royal Avenue in Belfast. Kids and their families can head there until 21 December for arts and crafts and a chance to design a letter to Santa – before posting them in Santa’s post box.
Booking is only needed for special quiet and BSL (British Sign Language) nights.
This article was published in December 2025
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