Looking for a family friendly Christmas day out that won’t break the bank? Fancy seeing London’s Christmas lights from the top of an open-top bus?

Then I’ve got just the ticket – plus an exclusive 10% off discount code!

London's Christmas lights

London is famed for its Christmas lights but we’ve never taken the kids to see them before, mainly because the thought of tramping through the busiest shopping streets in central London in the run up to Christmas with three kids in tow seems like a bad idea.

So, when hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour company The Original Tour got in touch and invited us to see the lights from the comfort of one of their open-top double decker buses, it seemed like the perfect solution: we could sit back and relax without needing eyes in the back of our head like we would on the street.

A bird’s eye view of London’s Christmas lights with The Original Tour

The Original Tour runs 45 minute and 90 minute Christmas lights tours and with a seven-year-old, a four-year-old and a one-year-old we opted for the shorter 45 minute ride, which was perfect for us.

The kids were besides themselves with excitement – especially when they discovered tours leave from outside M&M’s World in Leicester Square (oh my goodness have you seen that place? It’s worth a whole new blog post!) You can’t miss the buses: they’re open-top with The Original Tour’s signature Union Jack logo splashed across the side.

What does it cost & what do you get?

Under-fives go free so our tour cost £45 for two adults and one child and included in the price are complimentary Santa hats, blankets for the top of the bus and a voucher for a glass of mulled wine at Planet Hollywood to warm you up afterwards.

London's Christmas lights

There’s live guided commentary – including Christmas carols! – and the tour takes in Trafalgar Square and its famous Christmas tree, Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus.

London's Christmas lights

The theme of Regent Street’s Christmas lights (the largest display of lights in the capital) this year is ‘Spirit of Christmas’ and they really were spectacular: think huge sparkling and twinkling angels spanning the length of the street.

London's Christmas lights

The fact you’re on the top of a double decker bus means you get a bird’s eye view of the lights that you simply won’t get from the ground. You’re not only closer to them, you pass right under them and it really makes you feel like you’re in the midst of it all.

London's Christmas lights

Another bonus of being aboard a bus – other than the fact you’re not navigating the streets on foot – is that you also get to see the shop window displays from a view you won’t get from street level. The Original Tour’s Christmas lights tour takes in lots including Hamley’s, which really is a sight to behold at Christmas time.

London's Christmas lights

It was so lovely seeing the looks of amazement on the kids’ faces too – they actually couldn’t believe their eyes at times.

My verdict

Having never taken the kids to see London’s Christmas lights before I would say going by bus is the way to see them: you can sit down, there are blankets if it’s cold and you get a view you won’t see from the street. Thanks to the ages of our younger two our tour cost under £50 for a family of five, which I think is great value for a family day out with memories that will last a lifetime.

London's Christmas lights

Fancy going on one of The Original Tour’s Christmas lights tours yourself? We’ve got an exclusive 10% off discount code to help make your Christmas even more magical!

The Original Tour Christmas Lights Tour 10% off discount code

Our exclusive 10% off discount code can be used on The Original Tour Christmas Lights Tour or any of The Original Tour’s hop-on, hop-off tours (please note on hop-on hop-off tickets, where there is an online discount, the discount is off the full selling price). The 45 minute Christmas lights bus tour departs daily – for more information and tickets click here, and for the 90 minute tour click here.

To claim your discount simply type in the code CrummyMummy10 at the checkout, and the code is valid for both adult and child tickets until the end of December 2019! Enjoy!

Have you been to see London’s Christmas lights this year? Have you ever seen them by bus? I’d love to hear about your experience!

We were gifted tickets to The Original Tour’s Christmas Lights Tour in exchange for this post. As always all opinions are my own, and based on my own honest experience.

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