Top 10 Best UK Theme Parks

You've got a weekend to kill, a need for speed, and a craving for overpriced snacks served next to a rollercoaster that dares you to question your life choices. Sounds like it's time for a trip to a UK theme park. But not just any park. You want the best of the bunch. The places with the tallest drops, the wildest rides, the most sugar-fueled kids, and yes, the most ridiculous photo faces on the log flume.

This list is built by votes from people like you. People who've queued for two hours just to scream their lungs out on a steel monster and then gone right back in line for round two. So cast your votes, climb aboard, and help decide which parks really bring the thrills. From family-friendly fantasy lands to full-on thrill seeker battlegrounds, every vote gets us closer to crowning the ultimate destination for adrenaline, nostalgia, and possibly mild regret after eating a hot dog before a loop the loop.

Strap in. Your voice counts.
The Top Ten
Alton Towers Alton Towers Resort spans 550 acres in Staffordshire, England, and is the largest theme park in the UK. Originally a country estate belonging to the Earls of Shrewsbury, it opened as a park with rides and gardens and now holds over 40 rides and attractions including record breaking rollercoasters. In 2021 it was the UK's most visited theme park with approximately 1.8 million visitors.

It's not about the height of the coasters or any of the stats. Alton Towers is a good example of this. They have some brilliant coasters: Nemesis, The Smiler, and, of course, Oblivion. They are not very tall or fast, but just enjoyable rides.

Yes, they do have a bad problem with flat rides (probably worse than Six Flags). Also, the scenery is better than Thorpe Park or Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Alton Towers is so amazing! I promise you that you'll have an amazing time there! My whole family went: they are 40, 41, 13, 11 (me), 9, and 6. We all enjoyed it since there are so many family rides to go on!

Try the Runaway Mine Train for a thrilling family experience or Congo River Rapids for some soaking wet excitement! Or try scarier ones like Oblivion and Nemesis. Just don't go on The Smiler! It's very unsafe!

Pleasure Beach Blackpool Located on Blackpool's South Shore in Lancashire, Blackpool Pleasure Beach opened in 1896 and remains family owned and operated by the Thompson family. It features 10 rollercoasters, five indoor dark rides, five water rides and Nickelodeon Land. The park recently introduced a £25 non rider ticket alongside ride entry passes.

This park is well known for the Pepsi Max Big One, the tallest coaster in England. But Blackpool Pleasure Beach has a lot of other rides too. They have the only Steeplechase ride left in the world. Valhalla is a world-class water ride taking you through an era of Vikings.

Roller Coaster is one of the few out there that has no restraints. A classic Noah's Ark funhouse is still there. They also have the oldest Haunted Swing ride still in operation. Grand National is a rare Mobius loop coaster that features two trains racing each other on a single track.

The wooden Wild Mouse is something to behold with its crazy structure and equally crazy ride. And new for 2018, they'll introduce Icon, a multi-launch coaster.

Thorpe Park Thorpe Park is located near Chertsey and Staines upon Thames in Surrey and is operated by Merlin Entertainments. It covers around 410 acres, offers 27 rides including eight coasters and is home to Hyperia, the UK's tallest and fastest rollercoaster at over 236 feet and 80 miles per hour. The park opened in 1979 on a former gravel pit and welcomed about 1.7 million visitors in 2024.

Sure, I might not be able to go on those rides, but I was able to go on Rush. I was like, "Holy mother of God!"

Saw probably would break a record for the most nuts and bolts used in one ride (11,788). Nemesis Inferno has a similar amount of G-force an astronaut experiences during a rocket launch (4.2). Colossus has probably the most track inversions (9) with 2 corkscrews, 1 vertical loop, 5 heartline rolls, and a cobra roll.

And The Swarm probably breaks 2 records: the longest track length (2,543 ft or 38.6 m) and the most tonnes of steel used in a ride (100 tonnes). This makes it an awesome and record-breaking theme park.

Legoland Windsor Legoland Windsor Resort is a LEGO themed park and resort in Windsor, Berkshire, opened on 17 March 1996. The park offers over 55 rides, interactive attractions, Miniland models built from nearly 40 million LEGO bricks, and has a LEGO themed hotel. It is operated by Merlin Entertainments and was among the UK's most popular children's theme parks.

Top tip: If you live near enough to Legoland like I do, you get a number of free tickets for guests and either free or half-price (depending on how near you are) season tickets. You also get to have an opinion on new rides and ideas.

They have taken over some new land and may be making a campsite soon with log cabins as well, and making some more lakes too.

You also get to see the Bonfire Night and New Year's fireworks for free, and they are in the evening, not at midnight, so you don't get kept up.

I love Legoland, especially the Lego Star Wars area. It's the best theme park ever in the UK, number one. Remember that everything is awesome when you're part of a team!

Flamingo Land Flamingo Land Resort in Kirby Misperton, North Yorkshire, combines a theme park, zoo with over 140 species, and a resort village on approximately 365 acres. The park first opened in 1959 and has been family run by the Gibb family since 1978. It features the second largest number of rollercoasters in the UK.

Stayed there camping for 5 days in the summer of 2011 and had a great time. Loads of rides for old and young ones, plus the zoo is great too, and there is a new wooden park with lots of slides for the kids.

Chessington World of Adventures Chessington World of Adventures Resort is located in Chessington, Greater London, on 128 acres and includes a theme park, zoo with around 1,000 animals, and SEA LIFE centre. The park is divided into 10 themed lands and features over 40 rides and attractions, including the world's only Jumanji rollercoaster. Each admission includes access to the rides, zoo, and aquarium.

Chessington is excellent! Vampire, Dragon's Fury, Tomb Blaster, Rattlesnake, etc.

It is better than Thorpe Park. Believe me, Dragon's Fury is the best one.

Drayton Manor Drayton Manor Resort sits in Staffordshire, England on a 280 acre estate and opened in 1950. It offers over 100 rides and attractions, a zoo covering about 15 acres, and is home to Europe's only Thomas Land. The resort also includes a 4 star hotel and hosts approximately 1.5 million visitors annually.

A park with a tall (Apocalypse) ride, a stand-up (Shockwave) roller coaster, and much more.

Adventure Island Adventure Island is a free admission amusement park in Southend on Sea, Essex, situated by the north end of Southend Pier. Operating since 1976, it offers over 40 rides and attractions, including five rollercoasters. The site is owned and managed by Stockvale Limited.

I literally work here, so of course, I'm voting for it. It doesn't have as many rides as the likes of Thorpe Park and other UK theme parks, but for it being local to me and relatively cheap, it's good value.

The best ride is Axis, and it also has Rage, which is the same ride as Saw (Thorpe Park) with different theming. It's great to go to at least once if you live in Essex.

I used to go here a lot as a kid and loved it every time. There are some amazing rides (especially Rage, Vortex, Dragon's Claw, Sky Drop, and the Time Machine), and the lack of hour-long queues really tops it off. I miss it so much!

Fantasy Island Fantasy Island is a family amusement park in Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire, that first opened in either 1993 or 1995 (sources differ). It features rides, attractions, a ten-pin bowling alley, arcade, mini golf, and Europe's largest seven-day market. The park went into administration in 2014 and was acquired by the Mellors Group in 2016, reopening officially in April 2021.
Lightwater Valley Located in North Stainley, North Yorkshire, Lightwater Valley opened in 1969 and is now owned by The Brighton Pier Group. The family adventure park spans over 35 rides and attractions, mainly aimed at children under 12, and attracts around 300,000 visitors annually. It was once home to the world's longest roller coaster, "The Ultimate."

Home to the Ultimate, and with the addition of the rides in Skeleton Cove and the transformation of 'The Rat' into 'Raptor Attack,' this park is worth a visit.

Good park with quality attractions, well worth the money, better than Alton Towers. Very friendly staff and keep adding new attractions. Keep it up!

Great park, keeps improving every year. Some OK rides. However, it doesn't take a day to go around. Great marketing team as well.

The Newcomers

? Crealy Theme Park & Resort Crealy Theme Park & Resort lies near Exeter in Devon, spanning over 100 acres and opening in 1989 after its origins as a working farm on land bought in 1982. The park hosts more than 60 rides and attractions, including live shows, animal exhibits, a 75,000 sq ft undercover play area, and the Sooty-themed area added in May 2022 featuring four rides and a Sooty Store. It also offers onsite accommodation with lodges, campsites, and themed glamping facilities as part of its resort amenities.
? Flambards Theme Park Located on the southern outskirts of Helston in Cornwall, Flambards opened on 10 June 1976 as Cornwall Aero Park and was renamed Flambards Theme Park in 2010, featuring both indoor exhibitions and outdoor rides. The 27-acre site offered around 15 rides, one water ride, extensive indoor attractions such as the Victorian Village and Britain in the Blitz exhibitions, and a log flume. After 48 seasons, the park permanently closed on 4 November 2024, with many assets auctioned and its Victorian Village purchased for relocation.
The Contenders
Gulliver's Land (Milton Keynes) Gulliver's Land opened in March 1999 in Milton Keynes as a children's theme park for ages 2 to 13 and is the third park in the Gulliver's chain. It includes over 25 rides across six themed areas, plus features like Splash Zone, Blast Arena, The SFEAR, Dinosaur and Farm Park, and on-site Adventurers Village accommodation. The resort provides family short-break packages and operates February through December.

Fun places to go to, a shame when you grow up (for under the age of 11 or 12). Can't they make bigger rides? Most of the Gulliver's theme parks have been around for decades.

They made bigger rides with Camelot before it closed. Oh, and Japan used to have a Gulliver's theme park.

Pleasurewood Hills Pleasurewood Hills is located between Corton and Gunton near Lowestoft in Suffolk and occupies a 59-acre site. Opened in 1983, it is a family-friendly theme park offering thrill attractions like the Jolly Roger drop tower and Wipeout roller coaster, plus a separate Kiddie Zone. The park provides rides, shows, and entertainment aimed at all ages.
Pleasureland Southport Formerly known as Southport Pleasureland, this amusement park has roots tracing back to 1913 though did not operate continuously. Under the ownership of Norman Wallis since 2007, it offers over 30 rides across four themed lands and is a popular family destination. It retains its historic seaside amusement park identity.

Previously a sister park of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, this park had historical rides such as the Cyclone, a wooden roller coaster much like the Big Dipper at Blackpool, a mini circus, an old caterpillar ride, and some good modern rides.

It was the original home of the Traumatizer, which was stripped down and moved to Pleasure Beach and renamed Infusion when the park closed in 2006. It has since reopened, and although most of the rides were sold or demolished like the Cyclone, it is no longer the same park as it was. However, I feel that it should still be on this list as it is developing into a bigger, better park every year now! In time, this will be a great place to have fun!

Paultons Park Located in the New Forest, Hampshire, Paultons Park opened on 17 May 1983 and remains family‑owned by the Mancey family. It covers 140 acres with over 70 rides and attractions including seven roller coasters, six water rides, animal enclosures with around 80 species, and themed areas like Peppa Pig World, Lost Kingdom, Critter Creek, and Tornado Springs. The park introduced the world's first Peppa Pig-themed land in 2011.
Shrek's Adventure! London Shrek's Adventure! London is a 2,000 m² interactive walkthrough and ride attraction located within County Hall, operated by Merlin Entertainments. It opened in July 2015 and features ten live fairytale-themed shows, a 4D flying bus simulation, and high accessibility with no weight or height restrictions. Visitors journey through Far Far Away alongside familiar characters like Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey.
M&D's Scotland's Theme Park M&D's, Scotland's Theme Park, is located in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, bordering Strathclyde Park. The park operates mid‑March to October and features a mix of rides including two rollercoasters, two water rides, numerous fairground attractions, indoor tropical house "Amazonia," an arcade, a theatre, bowling alley, and restaurants. It offers free general entry with pay-per-ride or wristband options.
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