IF you want that pre-Christmas trip to come with snow but don’t want to leave the country, I’ve found the perfect place.
Let’s be honest, we’re all dreaming of a white Christmas, but the UK weather doesn’t usually pass the vibe check.
So I headed to Tamworth’s SnowDome to check out its winter wonderland, which is celebrating 20 years of festive family fun.
Stepping out onto crisp, white snow, surrounded by a forest of twinkly trees with wooden sledges aplenty was the perfect scenesetter.
We spent a happy half hour playing in the snow, with little slopes for snowtubing, a big track to pull sledges around and festive touches as far as the eye can see.
You’ll need to wrap up warm with lots of layers and waterproof gloves, and youngsters aged between 2 and 16 have to don a helmet before heading onto the snow.
There’s official photo stations at various points, but I found the welcoming staff keeping a watchful eye on the fun were more than happy to take a picture or two.
Once your time on the snow is up, a trumpet sounds and it’s time to head to the theatre for a mini pantomime, with Santa and Rudolph as the special guests.
This year, the show is Beauty and the Beast and we had a great view from the top row.
The performers were brilliant and this could be a fantastic way to introduce little ones to pantomime if you’re not sure they will sit through a full-length show.
There’s even a dance break for the audience midway through.
At the end of the pantomime, the doors open to the Christmas village, where we discovered pens full of cuddly critters, a mini carousel for small children, some funfair side stalls and a chance to write your wish list to Santa.
You can even choose which postbox to use to get your missive to the North Pole.
There’s a food and drink kiosk to buy a hot chocolate or some festive nibbles, so you can enjoy all the Christmas village attractions at your leisure.
When you’re ready to leave, you pass a photo desk where you can check out any pictures you’ve had taken and get given a little chocolate to round off your visit.
You do need to be aware that you won’t be meeting Santa as he’s busy entertaining everyone on the stage, so if you’re after a chance for your child to get a gift off Father Christmas, this might not be the festive event for you.
Also it’s a one-way system, so once you’ve finished your snowy fun, you can’t return for more.
You should also leave plenty of time to find parking before your timed arrival slot as the car park at the SnowDome does get busy, particularly because there’s so much to do here (costing £2.50 for two hours or £4.50 for longer).
The winter wonderland session lasts about 90 minutes, but there’s also ice-skating, swimming and climbing on site, as well as ski and snowboard lessons and sessions.
Check out the day ticket bundles if you’re planning on booking a few different activities and making a day of it.
I would say the winter wonderland is perfect for primary aged children.
If you’ve got older tweens and teens who aren’t in their Santa era anymore, you might want to check out the snow fun park instead, which is a chance to play in the white stuff and go snowtubing, without all the festive flounces.
It costs £30 for a family of four, compared to between £80 and £116 for four guests at the winter wonderland.
You should also check out the offers section on the SnowDome’s website as there’s usually discount codes there.
Plus membership schemes like Blue Light Card also offer a saving on bookings.
If flying to the snow is a no-go for you this year but you want your winter dose of the white stuff, pop Tamworth on your to-do list this Christmas.
