Silverstone Lap of Lights & Santa Experience: Our Festive Family Night Out

We kicked off our Christmas celebrations last night at the Silverstone Lap of Lights, and it was so much fun! If you’re thinking about booking, here’s exactly what to expect (and a few tips I wish I’d known before!):

Meeting Santa: More Than Just a Photo

Our adventure started at 5:30pm with a visit to Santa. The boys loved climbing into a sleigh “driven” by an F1 race car for our first photo op—definitely a unique twist! After that, they went straight to the Lego building stations, then made reindeer food (always a hit), and finally settled into a cosy area to listen to a Christmas story from Father Christmas himself. The storytelling felt really magical, and we got another photo with Santa before the boys were given not one, but two little gifts on the way out. The elves running the whole experience were super enthusiastic and made everything feel extra special.

Food & Festive Fun in the Pit Lane

After Santa, we grabbed some food from the food trucks—there’s a good variety, so everyone found something they liked. We ate in the pit lane (how cool is that?) and the kids even had the option to watch a Christmas movie in a dedicated area while we finished up. Plenty of space and a relaxed vibe. There were also some F1 cars on display, and a few gift shops to browse.

Ice Skating: Spacious & Well-Organised

Next up was ice skating. The rink is huge and we had a full 45 minutes on the ice. It was well managed and never felt overcrowded, so the boys could really enjoy themselves without worrying about other people in their way.

The Silverstone Lap of Lights: A Magical Drive

Finally, we hopped back in the car for the Lap of Lights. Driving the iconic Silverstone circuit, we were treated to dazzling light displays and fun clips from classic Christmas movies all along the route. There’s even a QR code to scan for a family game to play as you go, plus Silverstone’s own ELF FM radio station for festive tunes and commentary.

Logistics & Tips

• Order of activities: In previous years, we did the Lap first, then everything else. This year, we did Santa and skating first, and it actually worked perfectly—no rushing, just the right amount of time for everything.
• Arrivals: If you’re doing Santa or skating first, head to the Hilton Garden Inn and enter through the hotel; the elves will guide you from there. For the Lap of Lights, just follow the postcode NN12 8TN and look out for the signs at the end directing you to the other activities.
• Atmosphere: The whole place felt super festive, with elves everywhere ready to help and keep the energy high.

Final Thoughts

This was such a brilliant way for the boys and I to get into the Christmas spirit. Everything was well organised, festive, and genuinely magical—highly recommend if you’re looking for something special this December.

Any questions about how it works or what to expect? Drop me a message—I’m happy to help!

Book your Lap of Lights tickets here.

Discover more Christmas things to do around Northants here.

The events listed in this guide are run by third-party organisers, and all details were correct at the time of publication, based on information from their official websites. However, changes or cancellations can happen at short notice. To avoid any disappointment, we recommend double-checking the event information on the official websites before making plans.