Christmas Tree Maze Bournemouth: 300 lit trees
Christmas Tree Maze Bournemouth: 300 illuminated trees in the Lower Gardens from 12 November, a clue hunt for families, booking advice and what is nearby.
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The Christmas Tree Maze in Bournemouth is made of 300 illuminated Christmas trees in the Lower Gardens, according to the organisers' maze page. It sits inside the area they call Christmas Tree Wonderland, children collect clues as they find their way through, and it opens with Christmas in Bournemouth on 12 November 2026. It is ticketed, so book ahead.
The maze is one of the paid stops along the free Festive Trail, which runs from Bournemouth Square down through the gardens.
What is the Christmas Tree Maze?
A maze laid out with lit Christmas trees instead of hedges: 300 of them, the organisers say. The setting is Christmas Tree Wonderland, the name the Lower Gardens' Christmas display carried for several years and which the organisers still use for this part of it. The Bournemouth Guide's Christmas Tree Wonderland page has the background.
Families collect clues on the way round, which turns the walk into a small puzzle rather than a straight route to the exit.
How long does it take?
The organisers do not give a time for the maze. As a guide, plan it as one stop in an evening on the trail rather than an outing on its own.
Do you need to book?
The maze is a ticketed attraction and bookable in advance. The organisers' FAQ gives three rules that apply to all the ticketed experiences:
- some ticketed experiences sell out
- tickets on the day are sold only where there is space
- arriving late may lose your slot
Ticket prices for 2026 are not in what we have read. Check the maze page when you book.
The Kids Trail starts here too
The maze is one of five places to pick up the Christmas booklet for the Kids Trail, with puzzles, jokes, scavenger hunts and a trail map, the organisers say. The others are the Alpine Lodge, Santa's Workshop, Glow Golf and the ice rink. Children find clues and secret letters across the market, the trail and the rink, then hand the booklet in at Santa's Workshop or the Alpine Lodge, or submit the answers online. One family wins a prize at the end of the season.
What is nearby?
The maze shares the Lower Gardens with the rest of the Festive Trail. Within a few minutes' walk:
- Glow Golf, 18 Christmas holes of mini golf; see our Glow Golf piece
- SKATE Bournemouth, the open-air ice rink
- Santa's Workshop and Story Time with Santa
- Santa's Express, the Christmas train, and the Big Wheel
- the Christmas market and the Alpine Lodge at the top in the Square
Booking the maze and Glow Golf back to back is the simplest way to fill an evening with children without long gaps. The organisers say both are bookable in advance.
Practical points
The maze is outdoors, and the event carries on in most weather, the organisers say. Many outdoor areas have accessible routes, but some attractions have restrictions; the maze page is where to check before you book with a wheelchair or pushchair. Dogs on leads are welcome in many outdoor areas but not inside some attractions, so ask before you take one into the maze.
For a wider family plan, the Bournemouth Guide's Bournemouth with kids guide and our family activities round-up cover the days between.
Staying close by
The Lower Gardens are about ten minutes on foot from Flexiestays' hotels on the West Cliff. A family apartment means an early tea before an evening slot and bedtime without a drive home. Booking holiday stays direct on flexiestays.com is cheaper than the big platforms, and the Help Centre explains why booking direct costs less.
Frequently asked questions
It is a ticketed attraction and the organisers recommend booking. Their FAQ says some ticketed experiences sell out and tickets on the day are sold only where there is space.
In the Lower Gardens, on the free Festive Trail, inside the area the organisers call Christmas Tree Wonderland. The event postcode is BH2 6ED.
The organisers pitch it at families, with clues to collect along the way. Age guidance and any access restrictions are on the maze's own page, so check there if you have a pushchair or a mobility aid.
