Christmas Activities by Bus

Time to get into the festive spirit!

If you’re looking for some fab activities to do this year to help you get into the mood, then look no further. We’ve put together a little list of some of our favourite events going on around the country that you can reach by bus. 

If your area isn’t mentioned here, make sure to set your location and check out promos and offers to see what’s on!

South Yorkshire

Head over to Chatsworth House for their incredible Winter decorations! This year, the stately manor is decorated with a Nordic Christmas theme, with each room dedicated to Nordic traditions and folklore. Plus - house tickets give you access to the gardens, and the incredible light displays Chatsworth is famous for. Pre-booking is essential, but there’s £5 off tickets for anyone using public transport to get there!

You can get to Chatsworth House on the 217 from Matlock. The X17 service runs to Matlock from Barnsley, Sheffield and Chesterfield.

West Scotland

If you’re looking for family friendly activities in West Scotland, then look no further than Santa’s Woodland Grotto in Auchincruive! Elves, magical stories and of course meeting Santa himself, by the cosy fire! You’ll need to book ahead, so check their website for more details. You can reach the Grotto on the 43 service to East Lodge, Auchincruive. 

The Christmas Market is also on in Newton Stewart from 10am-3pm on Saturday 10th December, if you’re in the mood to nosy at the stalls and grab some tasty festive treats. To visit, take the 416 service to South Machars Community Centre.

South East

Canterbury is a perfect Christmassy wonderland at the moment, with decorations, stalls, and attractions going on throughout December. Join a workshop to write letters to Santa, or enjoy a virtual reality sleigh ride! Or you can wander the stalls with a mug of something warm and get those last Christmas presents sorted.

If you’re in the mood to join the festivities, you can reach Canterbury whether you’re coming from Herne Bay, Margate, Dover, Folkestone or Ashford! Canterbury bus station is only a two minute walk from most of the festivities, so travelling in and out is nice and convenient.

Greater Manchester

Manchester’s Christmas markets are well known by now, but each year they get better and better. Have a peek through the stalls for all kinds of artisan goodies, or head to the Triangle for food and drink central! 

Remember - while the Town Hall is undergoing its massive restoration, there are no markets there! You can find the markets in The Triangle, Piccadilly Gardens, Market Street, King Street and New Cathedral Street. 

You can also head to St. Peter’s Square to see the gorgeous Christmas light installations and the giant Santa, right in front of the library!

Reaching the markets by bus is easy; any city centre-bound bus will bring you nearby. Most buses go into Piccadilly Gardens, right opposite the Winter Gardens, and are just a short walk from St. Peter’s Square. 

South Wales 

Cardiff’s fabulous Winter Wonderland is back!

It’s split across two locations in the city centre, so make sure you check where you want to go on their website first! You can find Winter Wonderland attractions at Cardiff Castle and at City Hall Lawn.

Whether you fancy donning some skates, or settling down with some amazing food and drinks from the huge variety of stalls, there’s something for everyone! Don’t miss the family funfair, either!

Winter Wonderland is really popular, so you’ll need to book in advance. 

Any bus into Cardiff will get you to Winter Wonderland. You can find more details of stops in the centre here.