MY family and I love to go on festive days out in the lead up to Christmas – and so this year, we took a trip to Longleat to see the Festival of Light.
Unfortunately, we chose the worst day possible in November to visit – it rained all day. And I mean all day. However, the wet weather didn’t dampen our spirits!
My partner, Joe, and I drove up with our toddler and got to Longleat around 11am. We headed straight to the guest information services to see if we could book the bus to travel around the safari – but it was sold out. So, note to anyone visiting, book early or book online before you go.
We started the day with the boat tour, and although it was winter and most of the animals were sheltering from the rain, this did not stop the lively sea lions. My toddler was so excited to feed them fish and see them jumping from the water – he has non-stop talked about this part of the trip for the past week.
We then decided to take on the drive through safari in our car. We were pleasantly surprised how many animals we saw despite the wet weather - the tigers were playing, the lions were lounging, and the monkeys… well, they hitched a ride on the car of course! My toddler found this utterly hilarious and they had him in a giggling fit the entire time. So adorable.
Following the safari, we decided we needed to stretch our legs, and my toddler was desperate to see the crocodiles – so we took a trip to the giant otters and crocodile enclosure. We also saw koala’s and other animals along the way. Having not been to Longleat since I was little, I forgot how well laid out the site was - there was something to see everywhere you looked.
My toddler soon started to get restless and bored of the animals, so we took a trip to the play castle and soft play. The break from the rain was needed!
Heading away from the play area, we went in search of some food before our wander around the Festival of Light.
It was getting busy but we managed to find a table underneath one of the canopies – Joe bought a pizza from Pizza Piazza and I grabbed some loaded fries from The Chameleon Tree. To be fair the food was delicious, and not a bad price either – it was under £30 to feed all three of us.
After a change of clothes for my toddler (who was soaked through from jumping in puddles), we went to grab some hot drinks to keep us warm on our next journey. I opted for a Bailey’s hot chocolate, with a babychino for my toddler and a coffee for Joe – walking around admiring the lights with a hot drink was the perfect way to finish off a busy day.
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There were even Portaloo’s near the Wallace and Gromit section, which was handy for a toddler who had just drunk an entire babychino in the space of about two minutes.
The lights were incredible. Even though it was busy, there was plenty to keep you amused while you meandered around the site. This year, the focus for the lights was British Icons with Wallace & Gromit and friends.
I loved Clifton Suspension Bridge and Mossy Bottom Farm – and so did my toddler. Maybe that’s because these parts reminded me most of home! The Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Island/Funland Farms section was fun to walk around, and the giant musical Christmas tree had us all feeling very festive. And of course, as a former English Literature student – I LOVED writers walk.
Although we didn’t have time to stop, the workshop looked like a great place to sit down with your kids – and it was the perfect midway point during a walk around the lights.
My toddler, although he had decided he was too tired by this point to walk anywhere, sat on our shoulders and gazed at the lights, pointing out things like ‘Oh mumma, that’s Shaun the Sheep’. He loved the light up baubles that you could walk in and the coloured light tunnel when we reached Blackpool.
The lights were incredible, and I would definitely recommend a visit to get you in the Christmas spirit. Plus, it tired our toddler out for days – he fell asleep before we even reached the main road on our way home.
The Festival of Light runs until January 11 2026. To book, click here.
So if you fancy a family day out to the Festival of Light, here’s my top tips:
1. Book the safari bus and/or the santa train in advance
2. Check the weather before you leave! We definitely weren’t prepared enough for the rain. And wear the right shoes, there is a lot of walking.
3. Get a hot drink to accompany you around the lights – you can’t go wrong with a bailey’s hot chocolate in my opinion.
4. Enjoy the lights, take it all in, feel festive and appreciate a chance to get in the Christmas spirit without stressing about the Christmas shopping.
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