Winter Wonderland is great and all, but this huge ice rink powered entirely by green energy is a lesser-known festive plan that should be on your list of things to do this Christmas. It’s located in front of The Royal Pavilion in Brighton — an 18th-century former royal residence that’s just a two-hour drive from London. The entire palace glows with multicoloured lights at night and you can cozy up at the bar with a hot chocolate or spiced mulled wine — truly one of the most Christmassy things to do this winter.
The Royal Pavilion Ice Rink 2025: outdoor ice skating near London this Christmas
The Royal Pavilion Ice Rink is open daily from 9:30am to 9:30pmwith each skating session lasting 45 minutes. You have until 4 January to get your skates on, and since it’s an outdoor rink, be sure to wrap up warm (hats, scarves and gloves are highly recommended).
The rink has a main area where experienced skaters can really glide. And as in true family-friendly festive style, there’s a separate, smaller section with cute penguin helpers to give the little ones a bit of extra support as they find their balance.
Right next to the ice rink you’ll find a restaurant serving up burgers, hotdogs, ciabattas, pizzas, chips and cheese fondue, plus some vegan options too. For those with a sweet tooth, they’ve got waffles, gooey brownies and cookies. And for an after-skate swift one, the on-site bar offers a wide range of hot and cold drinks from warm mulled wine to a good ol’ pint.
The Royal Pavilion in Brighton
The Royal Pavilion is one of the UK’s most striking architectural triumphs. It was built in 1787 and designed in the Indo-Saracenic style, taking inspiration from grand Indian palaces like The Taj Mahal. For centuries, kings and queens have called this place home — King George IV in particular, who used it as a dazzling summer retreat.
During the winter months, the Royal Pavilion welcomes visitors daily from 10:00 am to 5:15 pm. Plus, this season it keeps its doors open later for Candlelight—an enchanting series of classical concerts featuring everything from timeless pieces by Vivaldi to beloved soundtracks from iconic Christmas films.
Getting to Brighton from London
The drive from London to Brighton via the M25 is a little under two hours long. Trains to Brighton depart from London Victoria and London Bridge stations and the journey takes around 90 minutes. There’s also a new London-Brighton bus route that offers prices as low as £4.49.
