Winter Wonderland Fun at Conkers

A world of enchantment awaits you and your family this Christmas at Conkers! Nestled in the heart of the National Forest, Conkers has created a magical winter wonderland full of festive fun, from snowy scenes to meeting Santa Claus and his elves. There’s so much to see and do!

Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the Conkers team, who gave us a map, vouchers for all our Christmas activities, and a schedule. Our first stop was the Winter Wonderland Walk, set beside the woodland amphitheatre. Here, you can enjoy elf Christmas shows throughout the day, but for now, we were ready to embark on our trail through the forest, set on our way by Bouncer the Elf.

A snowy path lined with twinkling lights greeted us, accompanied by singing reindeer and plenty of photo opportunities. Santa’s elves were also on hand with interactive games for the kids, such as ‘knock the elf off the shelf’! The trail led us to Santa’s woodland grotto, where more elves chatted with the children, who were already bubbling with excitement to meet Santa. We also had the chance to take a family photo with a photographer, a lovely way to capture these special memories.

Santa looked splendid in his festive grotto—cosy and cheerful. He chatted merrily with the children about what they’d like for Christmas and, more importantly, whether they had made it onto the nice list! After our visit, Santa bid us farewell with a big “Happy Christmas” and a jolly “Ho Ho Ho”, giving each child a special token to take into his Elf Village and Elf Store to choose a personal gift.

At the Elf Village, we were welcomed by an elf in the Jingle Bell Stables, sitting with the reindeer. Here the children were invited to make their very own magical reindeer food, following a recipe to create something special to sprinkle on Christmas Eve and after that, we headed to the elf toy store, which was filled with stacks of toys, making it a bit tricky to choose just the right one!

Next, it was all aboard the festive Elf Loco’s Conkachoo Train to head up to the Discovery Centre. The train took us through a magical tunnel, all lit up with Christmas lights, and on to our next dose of Christmas magic. The kids were thrilled with all the exciting things that greeted us there, with an interactive snowflake floor that moved as the children ran across it (a huge hit) and an inflatable snow globe where they could have fun and play in (fake) snow!

After all the excitement, we stopped by the café to refuel. While we waited for our hot dogs and festive fries with stuffing and cranberry sauce, the children went off to write and post their letters to Santa—a lovely festive touch!

The Discovery Centre is a fantastic place to explore. It’s filled with interactive displays about the natural world and the beautiful forest where Conkers is located. The indoor play area was perfect for the children, giving them the chance to let their imaginations run wild. One of the highlights was the 4D cinema, where we were given 3D glasses to watch a fun and immersive festive cartoon, complete with snow falling on the audience at the end!

Mrs Claus’s Kitchen was also open, with children invited to decorate their own gingerbread man alongside Mrs Claus and her elf team. Frosty’s Ice Cavern was set up for crafts and story time, adding even more festive fun. We chose to finish off our jam-packed day at Sparkles Paint Shop, where we each painted a tree ornament—a brilliant, messy activity for both kids and adults, plus something special to take home and remember our day by!

Conkers is truly a festive feast for the whole family, both in terms of sights and activities. Friendly elves and staff are everywhere, greeting and guiding visitors. So much thought and care has been put into each activity on offer. After a day at this magical attraction, it’s impossible not to feel full of Christmas cheer. A wonderful festive day out that everyone will remember!

Find out more about Winter Wonderland at Conkers click here

The magic continues after Christmas day too…Visit Conkers and experience ‘The Elf Who Was Left Behind’

On Saturday 28th, Sunday 29th, Monday 30th December and Friday 3rd January meet Twinkle Toes, a mischievous but lovable elf, was accidentally left behind after Santa’s sleigh took off from Conkers Winter Wonderland on Christmas Eve!

Still looking to extend the magic of Christmas? Visit Conkers enchanting Twilight Light Trail on Saturday and Sundays from 11th January to 9th February.

Lighten the dark winter weekends with this magical Enchanting Twilight Walk a unique after-dark experience that the whole family can enjoy.