Slimbridge's new Wetland Wonderland runs December weekends and 21 to 23 Dec, free with admission. Santa is £15; adults £17.91 online. Winter hours inside.
WWT Slimbridge, the wetland centre in the Stroud district’s Severn vale, is launching a Christmas event this year called Wetland Wonderland. It runs every Saturday and Sunday in December up to Christmas, plus Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 December. It is included in normal admission, and meeting Santa is a £15 add-on. (WWT Slimbridge, Wetland Wonderland)
The quick answer
- Winter hours: from Sunday 25 October to the end of January, 9.30am to 4.30pm (last entry 3.30pm). Closed Christmas Day; open 9.30am to 3pm on Christmas Eve.
- Adult admission: £17.91 online in advance (without Gift Aid), £19.90 on the day. Juniors aged 3 to 17 are £11.84 online. Under 3s are free.
- Wetland Wonderland: 5 to 23 December on weekends plus 21, 22 and 23 December, free with admission. Santa’s Grotto £15, for members and non-members alike.
Winter opening times
Slimbridge opens every day of the year except Christmas Day. The hours shorten when the clocks go back. (WWT Slimbridge, opening times)
| Period | Hours | Last entry |
|---|---|---|
| Until Saturday 24 October 2026 | 9.30am to 5.30pm | 4.30pm |
| Sunday 25 October 2026 to end of January | 9.30am to 4.30pm | 3.30pm |
| Christmas Eve | 9.30am to 3pm | not stated |
| Christmas Day | Closed | |
| February and March | 9.30am to 5pm | 4pm |
Dogs are not allowed on site, except trained assistance dogs, because the wildlife can be disturbed.
Prices
Booking online saves 10%, and the discount runs until midnight the night before your visit. After that you pay the full price, online or at the entrance. (WWT Slimbridge, tickets)
| Ticket | Online, with Gift Aid | Online, without | On the day, with Gift Aid | On the day, without |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | £19.75 | £17.91 | £21.90 | £19.90 |
| Junior (3 to 17) | £13.05 | £11.84 | £14.50 | £13.15 |
| Concession (65+, full-time student) | £17.65 | £16.02 | £19.60 | £17.80 |
| Young adult (18 to 24) | £17.65 | £16.02 | £19.60 | £17.80 |
| Under 3 | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Carer assisting a disabled visitor | Free | Free | Free | Free |
WWT also sells reduced-price tickets to people receiving specified benefits, bookable in advance through the same tickets page. Members get in free.
Wetland Wonderland: what is in it
WWT describes it as new for 2026 and best suited to children aged 3 to 11. The day is built around a story:
- Storytime: Waterlily the elf reads her story in a library, then children follow a trail round the reserve to find its characters, with cracker jokes and facts in a “Little Book of Joy”.
- Workshop: make a willow star tree-topper to take home in Cuddle the elf’s workshop.
- Indoor festive market: hot food, local artisan stalls and a choir in the Swan Café.
- Santa’s Grotto: a bookable £15 add-on. Each child gets a gift, Lottie the otter from the story.
- Marshmallow toasting: £3.50 per s’more kit, bought in advance or at the Kingfisher Café.
Members can do Wetland Wonderland free with no need to book, but still pay £15 for the grotto. (WWT Slimbridge, Wetland Wonderland)
The indoor market runs on the same nine days: Saturday 5, Sunday 6, Saturday 12, Sunday 13, and Saturday 19 to Wednesday 23 December. Stalls open 9.30am to 4pm in the Visitor Centre, with ten makers a day and choir performances twice daily. (WWT Slimbridge, festive indoor marketplace)
The swans and the daily talks
Winter is Slimbridge’s season. Bewick’s swans fly about 3,500km from their breeding grounds in the Russian Arctic, and WWT says thousands of migratory wild birds return to the reserve each winter, visible from its cosy hides. The Wetland Wonderland programme lists the daily sessions that run alongside it:
- Swan talk, Peng Observatory, daily at 3pm
- Otter feeds, Otter Pool, daily at 11.30am and 3pm
- Toad Hall talk, daily at noon
- Duck decoy demonstration, every Saturday at 2pm
- Scott House Museum tours, free, marking 80 years of WWT at Slimbridge
Evening with the Swans, the after-hours floodlit feed with a two-course dinner, ran on Fridays and Saturdays from 2 January to 7 February 2026, 4.30pm to 8.30pm, at £44.95 a head. The 2027 dates have not been published. We expect them in December. (WWT Slimbridge, Evening with the Swans 2026, archived)
Before Christmas: the October lantern trail
The Mystical Marsh Lantern Experience runs on 16, 17, 18, 23 and 24 October (slots every 15 minutes, 5.45pm to 7.30pm) and every evening from 25 October to 1 November (4.45pm to 7.30pm). Tickets are £14.95, and WWT members must book and pay too. (WWT Slimbridge, Mystical Marsh) It is one of the anchors of our October half term page.
Getting there
WWT Slimbridge is at Bowditch, Slimbridge, GL2 7BT, with a large free car park and electric vehicle chargers. The nearest station is Cam and Dursley, and WWT points visitors to the bookable Robin bus. Check our Christmas trains and buses page before travelling between Christmas and New Year.
What is still to be confirmed
- Santa’s Grotto time slots (WWT has published the price, not the timings)
- Whether the swan feed times change once the Bewick’s swans arrive in numbers
- Evening with the Swans dates for 2027
For more on Christmas in the district, see where to meet Santa near Stroud and Stroud’s Christmas markets.
Frequently asked questions
Is Slimbridge open on Christmas Day?
No. It opens every other day of the year. On Christmas Eve it is open 9.30am to 3pm.
How much is Slimbridge in 2026?
An adult ticket is £17.91 online in advance without Gift Aid, or £19.90 on the day. Juniors aged 3 to 17 are £11.84 online and £13.15 on the day. Under 3s are free.
Is Wetland Wonderland included in the ticket?
Yes. It is included in admission and free for WWT members. Meeting Santa is extra, at £15.
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