The best UK theme parks, ranked

Set in 910 acres of Staffordshire countryside, Alton Towers Resort is the UK's largest theme park and home to world-firsts including Nemesis (Europe's first inverted coaster) and the wooden launch coaster Wicker Man. CBeebies Land keeps under-6s entertained while bigger kids tackle Oblivion, Rita and Galactica, and the on-site themed hotels and Waterpark turn it into a comfortable two-day stay. The park typically opens mid-March to early November with Scarefest in October and the Christmas event closing the season.

Built on a former gravel pit just outside Chertsey, Thorpe Park markets itself as the UK's thrill capital — Stealth still launches you to 80 mph in under two seconds, and 2024's Hyperia is now the country's tallest and fastest coaster at 236 ft. Family rides like Rocky Express and the Dome give younger groups a break, but the headline event is October's Fright Nights, with the most ambitious scare-maze line-up in Britain. The park is open daily through summer with weekend operation in spring and autumn.

Set in the grounds of the former Windsor Safari Park, Legoland Windsor is purpose-built for 2- to 12-year-olds, with Miniland's hand-built Lego cityscapes the unmissable centrepiece. Mythica brings the resort's first flying-theatre ride and the Hidden Side haunted house has added some bite for older kids. The Castle, Pirate Island and new Woodland Village hotels make a one- or two-night stay genuinely worth it for under-7s.

Chessington combines a theme park, full zoo and SEA LIFE aquarium on a single south-London site, making it one of the best-value family days out in the south-east. The line-up skews young — Gruffalo River Ride, Room on the Broom and the new World of Jumanji area headline — but Vampire and Mandrill Mayhem give 8+ kids a proper coaster fix. The Azteca and Safari hotels mean you can easily turn it into a short break.

Open since 1896, Blackpool Pleasure Beach is the original British seaside theme park and still one of the most coaster-dense sites in Europe — The Big One was the world's tallest when it opened in 1994, and 2018's Icon brought the UK's first double-launch coaster. Nickelodeon Land covers the under-8s, while wooden classics like the Grand National and Big Dipper are listed and irreplaceable. Most rides are now included on a single wristband and the park sits a five-minute walk from Blackpool Pleasure Beach station.

Family-owned Paultons Park on the edge of the New Forest is the original (and still the only UK) home of Peppa Pig World, and consistently tops TripAdvisor's UK theme-park rankings. Tornado Springs adds a Wild West flavour for slightly older kids, while the Lost Kingdom dinosaur land and Critter Creek balance things out. Capacity is capped daily, so booking ahead is essential — and the on-site Lodge Hotel makes Peppa Pig World mornings genuinely magical.

Drayton Manor near Tamworth has been family-run since 1949 and remains one of the most genuine all-ages parks in the country — Thomas Land is a destination in its own right for under-6s, while Shockwave (Europe's only stand-up coaster), Maelstrom and Apocalypse keep teens entertained. The on-site zoo with tigers, monkeys and reptiles is included with admission, and Drayton Manor Hotel makes a one-night break easy from the Midlands or further north.

Flamingo Land near Malton combines a 375-acre theme park with one of the largest privately-owned zoos in the UK — over 140 species, including lions, tigers and giraffes, are included with admission. Coaster fans get Velocity (a launched motorbike coaster), Mumbo Jumbo (still one of the steepest drops in the world) and Hero. The on-site holiday village makes it a genuine multi-day break and a popular caravan-touring base for the Yorkshire coast.

Adventure Island sits on the Southend-on-Sea seafront beside the world's longest pleasure pier, and uniquely for a UK theme park, entry is free — you only pay for the rides you actually want to do (wristbands available too). The line-up of 40+ rides includes Rage (a vertical-drop coaster) and Kiddi Land for the under-5s, and you can easily roll the day in with the beach, the pier and Sealife Adventure next door.

Crealy near Exeter is the South West's largest theme park and a longstanding South West Tourism gold-award winner — over 60 rides and attractions, animal encounters with meerkats, donkeys and reptiles, and a huge indoor play barn that makes wet days a non-event. The on-site glamping village (luxury lodges, glamping tents and a touring & camping site) makes it an easy long-weekend pairing with the South Devon coast.