As a family who’s lived here 4 years 🎄 🐑

Blenheim Palace: If there’s one event worth saving up for near the Cotswolds at Christmastime, I’d say the event at Blenheim Palace. The magical decor and experience set to a whimsical literary theme (this year it’s Neverland from Peter Pan) has taken my breath away. We found the light show and kiddie rides to be overpriced, but we are going to try the ice skating they've set up this year.
PRO TIP: If you have visited within a year before, you can ask for a free annual membership and get the Christmas experience FREE (not including £10 parking). Certain dates are off limits for members, but lots are available!
Alternatively, you can take your tickets from the Christmas event and turn them into a free annual membership, getting free tickets for next year’s Christmas event if you go within a year.
Meeting Father Christmas:
Santa’s Grotto is a fun experience where children meet Santa in a cozy, festive environment. He chats with them for a moment and they receive a little present at the end.
Fairytale Farm — Our children love this place. I’ll be honest and say it’s quirky and quite muddy at times, but our children always enjoy visiting the various hands-on activities, fairytale scenes and feeding the animals along with meeting Santa Claus.
Batsford Arboretum —A beautiful place to walk the grounds or enjoy the small shop and cafe, the children left with a lovely teddy.
Village Market Evenings:
You can Google the dates for these events based on the village, as they will change from year to year.
Broadway Late Night Shopping — a gorgeous evening in a beautiful village. Shops will be open late and there will be reindeer, music, and mulled cider with minced pies a-plenty.
Daylesford Christmas Evening — these seem to change yearly, but in the past we’ve enjoyed reindeer, carols, crafts (get there early for those if they’re offered), Prosecco, and lovely Christmas decor. I’d check their Instagram page for their upcoming events, or get on the mailing list.
These gorgeous and stately homes will decorate for Christmas and hold various activities and events. Click the link above to see what’s going on this year! There’s lots to enjoy. We especially enjoyed Belton House last year (not in the Cotswolds, but in Lincolnshire). An easy day trip.
Shopping:
The Christmas Cotswold Fair: If you like shopping (as I do!) this is such a fun event to see unique items from vendors around the country. There’s always good coffee and yummy treats as well. Just a fun way to get into the spirit and meet lots of small business owners. Get your tickets early for the best rate!
Stow-on-the-Wold Market Square: Such a beautiful place to browse, several independent shops, and of course swing by the Tolkien door while you're there! I love The Curated Store and Rhubarb Rhubarb especially.
Burford Garden Co. An absolute EMPORIUM of beautiful and unique gifts—everything from clothing, toys, stationary, art, decor, and of course gardening items. Most things are on the pricey side, but even if you don’t plan on buying much, it’s a lovely place to wander and they have a delicious cafe as well. There’s also a fenced in playground behind the car park!
Cirencester Saturday Market: Heralded as “The Capital of the Cotswolds” Cirencester is a great place to wander on a Saturday morning in the town center. You can also look up their cozy evening market. Click here for this year’s dates and times
Crib Service at a local village church: The children dress us as various characters from the Nativity and it’s a sweet, short service that includes them
Wreath Making: Making a fresh wreath is quite a Cotswoldy thing to do, and what fun! My friend Naomi hosts these lovely events and I’m amazed at what I can make!
Visit the Christmas tree that’s IN the river in Bourton-on-the-Water. Then just drive around after sun sets and take in the village lights! I’d recommend parking and strolling if you have the time.

A very Happy Christmas to you!
Much love,
Audrey Ann 🤍
Our Family’s 8 Day Trip
Day 1: We traveled about 4 hours (230 miles) from Gloucestershire (North Cotswolds) to Penrith which is in the Lake District. If you’re coming from London it would take about 5 hours to get to the Lake District, not including stops. We stayed at the Premier Inn in Penrith. We can often get a family room for around £80 or $100 a night. This hotel was next to a nice grocery store which was very convenient!
Day 2: We enjoyed the majority of the day at Lowther castle, which boasts beautiful gardens, ruins, a pretty cafe, shop, and honestly the most EPIC playground we’ve ever experienced. There’s also a lovely forest area to walk through and a lookout spot for breathtaking views of the Lake District.
That afternoon we headed up in Inveraray—about a 3.5 hour drive and stayed at a bed and breakfast.
Day 3: We left late morning and headed for Inveraray castle which is well with a visit. It was the fictional Duneagle castle in the television show Downton Abbey. We then headed to Fort William as advised by multiple people since there aren’t large grocery stores near Dornie.
After shopping at the Morrison’s in Fort William and being charmed by all the accents and friendly folks, we continued on to Dornie, technically 1.5 hour drive, but took us much longer as we kept pulling over to take photos and bask in the gorgeous views!
We arrived in the evening to our Airbnb in Dornie where we were melt by the kindest lady with a beautiful lilt.
Absolutely recommend this home!
Day 4: It was Sunday and we decided to completely chill. In the afternoon we went to a lookout point to see Eilean Donan castle, and then we drove for a bit and found a pullover spot that appeared to be an old camping spot. With young children (and forgetting the carrier) we knew a major hike to a waterfall wasn’t in the works for us, but we had the most precious time as a family just walking around this area a bit and sitting together.
Another beautiful, nearby spot to explore is a memorial site near a church ruins called Clachan Duich Old Burial Ground.
Location pin here
Day 5: We explored Eilean Donan castle! This is one of my favorite tourist spots we’ve visited. So well done and such kind employees.
Day 6: We visited a whimsical fairy-themed cafe spot called Manuela’s Wee Bakery. They had a pizza shop, distillery, little trail for children, and a bubble machine! They even gave the children balloons!
After the cafe we got in the car and Eric just wanted to drive, so we went to Isle of Skye, which was only about 30 minutes if memory serves me.
I also got away earlier that morning to write and reflect back at the castle. The Airbnb was close enough to walk!
Day 7: Sadly time to leave—we drove over 6 hours back to the Lake District, but made a fun and serendipitous spot by Loch Ness! The coordinates are here if you want to make a ten minute spot and “search” for Nessie. Please use caution!
Location pin here
Late evening we made it to our Premier Inn in Kendal, a town in the Lake District. This Premier Inn seemed a bit understaffed. Our room wasn’t fully made up and the cleanliness wasn’t at the level I’d prefer. However, the staff was kind and it was a fine, affordable option for one night.
Day 8: We left our hotel in the morning to visit The World of Beatrix Potter (for the second time)! This is an immersive, sweet experience for little ones and really all fans of Potter’s work. It’s fascinating to discover—beyond the drawing and writing—how she was a pioneer in merchandise, business, and conservation, as well as was a scientist and researcher of fungi!
From there we went to her home, Hill Top house—which is a National Trust site, about a 25 minute drive from The World of Beatrix Potter. My daughter and I spend a few hours enjoying her home and gardens, while also savoring a treat from the little cafe shed there.
There is a playground just down the hill from her home, and we found in a wonderful place to get out extra wiggles before the drive home!
Location pin here
We left early afternoon and arrived back at our home in the Cotswolds that evening.
Hope this helps and you have a marvelous, peaceful time in the beautiful Highlands.

(Hello! I’m Audrey Ann, an American who’s lived in the Cotswolds for four years)
Lacock — a dreamy, storybook village featured in many tv shows and movies you’ve probably seen! Visit the abbey and see a gorgeous hall featured in Harry Potter. There are quant shops, a bakery, cafes, and even locals who sell treats and homemade gifts outside their homes. This is a very walkable village with lots to enjoy, especially if you visit the National Trust site (where you’ll find the abbey). Consider a membership with the National Trust if you're visiting England for several weeks!
Stow-on-the-Wold —see the famous Tolkien doors at St Edward’s church. This is my personal favorite spot to browse all kinds of shops like Sam Wilson, The Curated Store, and window shop at Fairfax and Favor. There are several charity shops to explore, one of my favorite antique shops, Tara’s Antiques, and then I have a cup of coffee at Coach House Coffee. On special occasions I’ll visit the chocolate shop. If you’re in need of a massage or want your nails done, I’ve been a customer at Candy Cox for years.
Bourbon-On-The-Water — a tourist favorite due to the river and charming bridges, Bourton is best enjoyed in the morning or evening, as it can get quite crowded once all the buses arrive. We enjoy Bakery on the Water, The Den (for takeaway coffee), and Riverside Cafe upstairs for a great view of the village. Possibly the BEST hamburger I’ve ever had, I enjoyed at Smiths of Bourton! Check out the pottery shop for a locally made gift.
Winchcombe —The drive into Winchcombe is scenic, and one I look forward to. I highly recommend recommend Sudeley Castle (do the tour!), exploring the antique shops, and visiting The Lion Inn, especially if it’s chilly and you can snag a spot by the large, swoon-worthy fireplace.
Snowshill —A picturesque village if there ever was, you’ll feel as if you’re walking into a storybook setting. There’s not a lot to “do” in the village, but have a wander in the church, pop into the pub, and visit Snowshill Manor, a National Trust site with stunning grounds (café onsite) and a beautiful house with a quirky collection and history inside.
Chipping Camden — In this market town, you’ll find a few thatched roofed houses, some little shops and cafes, a playground (our children love it!), and lots of gorgeous areas to explore.
Burford — There’s a large, free car park in Buford. Just drive past St John’s church and you’ll see the sign. Make sure to take a peak at the impressive church building, do some window shopping, and have some coffee at Linwood Café. Drive just a few minutes from the high street to Buford Garden Co. a garden centre that is an absolute experience for all the senses!
Upper Slaughter and Lower Slaughter — I like to park in Lower Slaughter and walk to Upper Slaughter. Stop in the churches and if it’s the right season, you may be able to grab a coffee at the old mill in Upper. You’ll come across a little river, an old manor house (now Lords of the Manor—a small luxury hotel), and probably some sheep. The walk is about a mile. You could also start at Upper Slaughter, park, and walk all the way to Bourton-on-the-Water which is about 2.5 miles.
Fairford —Another town ideal for walkers, my favorite thing about Fairford is it’s not spoiled by tourists yet. (So if you tell them I sent you, please be a great visitor. 😉)You’ll find a couple cafes, restaurants, and shops. This is another place where the drive in is particularly lovely.
Nearby is Bibury, its Arlington Row is a worthy stop as well, a 12 minute drive from Fairford and a very popular spot for tourists, it’s where I am in the header photo. It boasts a rich history in the wool industry, which is where the Cotswolds acquired its initial wealth.
BONUS: Stanway — A small village I truly stumbled upon, it has a stunning Jacobean manor house, the highest fountain in England and the highest gravity fountain in the world! I adored walking this village, popping into the church, and taking in the unbelievable beauty.
Have the very best time, everyone! Thanks for reading my list of favorites.
As always, please be respectful with your parking and interactions with locals. Especially in the summer, but all throughout the year, sometimes the large number of visitors makes their life a bit chaotic. I’ve been hesitant to add to the “noise” of visiting the Cotswolds, but it’s such a special place, no wonder people want to experience it for themselves!
