Regent Street · Oxford Street · Covent Garden · South Bank · November to early January
Christmas lights: a route, not a destination
Every other December outing on this site has a ticket and an address. Seeing the London lights and markets has neither. It is a wander between several places across an evening, which means the useful planning is the order you do them in and where we meet you at the end.
And no gate, no entry time and no fixed address. That makes it the most flexible December booking we do and the one that benefits most from a bit of thought about the order, because London in December does not reward wandering aimlessly.
The main stops, and how they connect
Displays change each year, so check what is on before finalising the order.
The big displays
The classic lights, and the busiest pavements in the country in December.
The tree and the market
Compact, covered in places, and good for an hour.
Winter market
Along the river, with food stalls. Cold and worth it.
Shorter stops
Easily folded into the walk between the others.
Kent to the West End
December evenings, when central London is at its slowest all year.
| Pick-up area | Distance | December evening |
|---|---|---|
| Bromley & Orpington | 13 miles | 45–80 min |
| Bexleyheath & Welling | 14 miles | 50–85 min |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 20 miles | 55–95 min |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 26 miles | 55–95 min |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 26 miles | 65–105 min |
| Rochester & Chatham | 35 miles | 75–115 min |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 36 miles | 75–120 min |
| Canterbury & Ashford | 59 miles | 100–145 min |
A workable evening
One version that works well. We will build it round whatever you actually want to see.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 16:30–17:00 | Leave Kent. Earlier than feels necessary, because December |
| 18:00 | Drop near Oxford Circus for Regent Street and Oxford Street |
| 19:00 | Walk down to Carnaby and Covent Garden |
| 20:30 | Across to the South Bank market, or dinner |
| 22:00 | Collection at an agreed point, back from the crowds |
| 23:30 | Home, and nobody drove or parked |
Planning a lights evening
The order matters more than the list
Everyone knows what they want to see. Fewer people think about doing it in an order that walks in one direction rather than criss-crossing the West End twice on the busiest pavements of the year. A sensible route ending near the river, with a collection point agreed there, turns a tiring evening into a pleasant one.
Drop and collect in different places
This is the advantage of a booked vehicle over driving yourself, and it is a real one. You are not returning to a car park, so we can drop you at one end of the walk and collect you at the other. That single fact changes what is possible on a December evening and it is why most of our lights bookings are shaped as a one-way wander.
Leave earlier than seems reasonable
Central London on a December evening is the slowest driving of the year, and everybody is going the same way at the same time. We plan departures earlier than the arithmetic suggests. The fixed fare means the extra time in traffic costs you nothing, and arriving with an hour in hand is far better than the reverse.
It works for almost any group
No tickets to buy, no ages to worry about, no timed slots and nothing to book beyond the vehicle. For a family, an office group, a couple or three generations together, it is the most adaptable December outing there is, and often the one people enjoy most.
Christmas lights questions
A flexible December evening.
Do we need tickets for anything?
No. The lights and the main markets are free to walk around, which makes this the most flexible December outing we run. You only book the vehicle.
Where should we go?
Regent Street and Oxford Street for the big displays, Covent Garden for the tree and market, and the South Bank winter market along the river. Displays change each year.
Can you drop and collect in different places?
Yes, and that is the main advantage over driving yourself. You are not returning to a car park, so we shape the evening as a one-way walk.
What time should we leave Kent?
Earlier than the arithmetic suggests. Central London on a December evening is the slowest driving of the year, and the fixed fare means extra time in traffic costs you nothing.
How long does the evening take?
Around four hours on the ground is comfortable for the main stops, plus the journey each way. We will build it round what you want to see.
Is it suitable for children?
Very, and for mixed ages generally. There are no timed slots, no tickets and nothing that excludes anyone.
Can we add dinner?
Yes, easily. Tell us roughly where and when and we will build it into the evening at no extra cost.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking, including the waiting between the drop and the collection.
December in London
The seasonal outings.