The season of good will is almost upon us which means our thoughts will soon be turning to Christmas shopping, festive food and the dreaded visits from the inlaws. That is why this year I have decided to take a short break over the Christmas period and head back to my old home town of Bournemouth. Planning my short break got me thinking about what there is to do in Bournemouth over Christmas apart from the usual nights out drinking, so I decided to compile a list of 5 Christmas attractions.
1 – Turning on of the Christmas lights
If you like to get into the Christmas spirit early then this is the attraction for you. The Christmas lights will be turned on this year on Sunday 18th November at 5:30pm and there will be 2 hours of entertainment leading up to the big switch on.
2 – Christmas at the Square
From the 24th November street entertainers will be appearing every weekend at the Square (Located in the centre of town, by the gardens). “The story of Christmas” will be told in the Square from the 9th December and between Christmas Eve and the 6th January the Funderland festive experience will be there to entertain children and adults alike.
3 – Festive Shopping
Bournemouth has a wide range of major shops as well as small, unique boutique shops for niche shopping. Most shops will be open slightly later each day in the run up to Christmas including late night shopping on Thursdays when most shops will be open till 9pm.
4 – Christmas Market
Between the 15th November and the 23rd December the Christmas market will beset up in the town centre. The market usually consists of traditional wooden chalets selling toys, candles, ornaments and other hand crafted goods. If you feel a bit peckish while getting those last few gifts on your Christmas list then there will be mushrooms, bratwurst (German sausage) and crepes and if you fancy a drink there is always the Gluhwein stall selling traditional German mulled wine.
5 – Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park
Located just outside Bournemouth, Farmer Palmer’s is a dairy farm that has diversified to include a family visitor attraction. A mix of indoor and outdoor activities for small children as well as the usual farm yard attractions. Open Friday to Sunday, Santa Claus will be making regular apperances every weekend in December and there will be a carol service on the 16th December. Open 10am till 4pm Farmer Palmer’s is the perfect family attraction and is open until January.
Tags: Bournemouth, hotel, travel, Vacations