Santa Island at Alderford Lake is a wonderfully magic Santa Experience. A boat ride to an Island to meet Santa and his elves in a magical Christmas experience that will have you feeling all warm and fuzzy.
As you step onto the island, the elves will welcome you with their all-time favorite treat—a deliciously gooey s’more—to enjoy while you listen to the heartwarming story of their adventures in the North Pole. Next, you’ll follow the Wishing Elf across the twinkling Wishing Bridge, where you can make a special Christmas wish.
But the magic doesn’t end there! Join the elves in their toy workshop and lend a hand in making toys for children around the world. After your hard work, you’ll be treated to a steaming cup of hot chocolate from the Elf Bar—parents can enjoy a festive tipple as well.
Your journey concludes with a visit to Santa’s Grotto, where Santa himself will be waiting to hear your Christmas wishes.
Top Info
📅 22nd Nov - 23rd Dec
⚠ Make sure you book quickly as not many slots left.
⭐ Best to go when its turning dark as beautifully lit up
🧤 Wrap up warm
🥾 Wear wellies or walking boots
⏰ Experience lasts an hour
🛶 Includes a boat journey
🚣 Everyone must wear a buoyancy aid.
🌧 Goes a head what ever the weather
⏰ Arrive 30mins before your slot
🚻 No toilets on the island
👱 Children's Twilight ticket £36 cheaper in day
🧍♀Adult Twilight ticket £34 cheaper in day
👨👩👧👧 Suitable for all the family
👶 Not pushchair suitable, use a carrier
⛸ Book Ice Skating for after
🦌 Meet the Reindeer
🍕 Food & Drinks back on main land
🚗 3 hours free parking
🌎 Tilstock Rd, Whitchurch SY13 3JQ
We went to Santa Island last year and we have not stopped thinking about it since as it was so amazing. So we couldn't wait to come back in 2024. And in disbelief it was even more amazing.
This year when you arrive you receive a Santa Island Passport. Now these passports are at lots of events but this one was done beautifully. You had time to fill some details in while waiting for your boat ride and then as your travel around the island there are opportunities to fill it in more, play games with the elves in your book and collect stickers.
We got our life vests on and set sail in a little boat with a member of the Alderford Lake team driving. The journey to the furthest part of the island took about 5 mins. From the boat, we could hear music and see lights coming from the island, which definitely got us excited for our adventure ahead of us. You could even see elves from different parts of the island waving at us.
Smores and Fun
We were welcomed a shore and straight away we were toasting marshmallows and making smores while chatting with the elves. You couldn't help but smile the whole time you were on the island.
Each little activity was led by different elves, all so friendly and chatting away, asking my daughter questions and talking about Christmas. They were acting all silly and joking around stealing hats which made us laugh so many times.
Magical Storytime
The next stop, was inside a copy tipi, we settled down on a bench with a blanket across our knees. Inside was a storyteller, regaled us with a tale all about Santa loosing his magic pants. It was such a fun and captivating story, made even better by the fact the storyteller was so animated and engaging. It was so magical, i could have listened to stories all evening but we had to move on to the next part.
Wishing Bridge
Next, we had to cross a Wishing Bridge.(There are three islands all connecting by bridges which in its self is so cool) Covered in twinkly lights it looked so pretty and as we walked over we were set with another magical activity which involved magic a Christmas wish
(I don't want to give too much away)
Elf's Workshop
On the second island, we found some elves in Elf's workshop, but they needed our help to make some of the toys. Here, children got hot chocolate, and adults got a mulled wine. The elves in the workshop were playing & having fun. It was such a warming environment and as we sat there drinking our warm drinks and making toys it felt so magical.
Writing your list
Then on to our next job of writing our letters to Santa. Again, there was a friendly elf to accompany us, as my daughter carefully wrote her letter. Then our favourite elf Bingo came along. We remembered him from last year, pulling off my daughters hat during a game of Jenga! He was still as cheeky as ever but when he saw my daughters letter she had written he spent ages reading it and really made her feel like it was so special.
The next bridge is a pully bridge. My daughter got to help the elf get us across. This is so cool, i mean where else do you get to operate a bridge! The final island has to be the most important part of our journey. Santa's grotto. But, before we saw Santa, there was yet more fun to be had. Meeting more elves and having a little play in Bingos Bedroom.
Santa's Grotto
My daughter knocked and pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside the most wonderfully decorated grotto. Sat in the corner in a comfy chair was Santa, quite possibly the real Santa, with a real beard, and his red suit. My daughter standing in front of him was a memory i want to keep for ever. They chatted about everything! He asked what she had been doing on the island, if the elves had been behaving themselves and of course what she would like for Christmas. She got passed a wrapped up book and if this is the same concept as last year then the story is one every child visiting will know and and love. There is also another gift of a cuddly reindeer toy which is the one each child helps make in Santas workshop earlier on the island. So clever and a lovely little touch by Alderford.
We left the grotto with massive smiles on our faces! We weren't finished yet though. While waiting for the boat back to main land, we bagged up some amazing smelling reindeer food and got one last photo in Santa's Sleigh.
It was fully dark now and we could see all the twinkly lights reflecting on the water. This made our boat ride back very beautiful.
My final thoughts
Each activity is well thought out, perfectly timed so you go from one thing to do, to the next. There is no waiting about doing nothing in a queue. The full hour is spent having fun and when we got back on dry land we were filly with that warm and fuzzy feeling after such a lovely experience. Yes its one of the slightly dearer experiences but it is so worth the money and worth the journey, too.
It is suitable from toddlers to pre teens. My eldest daughter at 13 didnt go, but i actually think she would have found it so magical. And my 10 year old absolutely loved it and we have already talked about going next Christmas. I couldnt fault one bit of the experience!
⭐ Child Ticket Includes
Boat Ride to the Island
2 gifts from Santa
Meet Santa
Hot Chocolate
Smore
Toy Making Experience
Post a Letter to Santa
Listen to Story by a Storyteller
Reindeer Food
Meet the Elves
⭐ Adult Ticket includes:
Boat Ride to the Island
Meet Santa
Mulled Wine
Smore
Listen to Story by a Storyteller
Meet the Elves
Ad] pr visit Nov 2024
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