As a kid, we all wanted to ride in the biggest roller coasters, especially ones with loops! Even after we grow up, we love getting that adrenaline rush while we go at high speeds on a roller coaster or other exciting rides! Living in the UK as a student is no exception for you to not have this feeling! Hence, we have created a list of the best theme parks in the UK that you can visit during your holidays and enjoy the thrill of being a small child again!
10 Best Theme Parks UK
There are over 40 theme parks in the UK that you can visit, but with a list so vast, you will never be sure which are the best theme parks. Hence, we have created a list of the best theme parks in the UK to help you enjoy your trip to the max!
Best Theme Parks UK

1. Alton Towers Theme Park In The UK
Location: Farley Ln, Alton, Stoke-on-Trent ST10 4DB
Website: Alton Towers
Price: £36.00
Timings: Daily | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Time Required: 2 days
The largest theme park in the UK, Alton Towers, is a restored park in Staffordshire. The 15th Earl of Shrewsbury initially owned the estate now known as Alton Towers. Following its sale in 1924, a group of local businessmen established Alton Towers Ltd, and the area was subsequently developed into a significant theme park aimed at thrill-seekers from the UK and abroad. The 1957-built model railroad and the Gothic-style hotel rooms at the location showcase the site's history. The six main roller coasters, Nemesis, Oblivion, Rita, Thirteen, The Smiler, and The Galactica, attract tourists of all ages from across the nation looking for thrills.
2. Legoland Theme Park in the UK
Location: Winkfield Rd, Windsor SL4 4AY
Website: LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort
Price: £34.00
Timings: Daily | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Time Required: 1 day
Legoland Windsor is a family-friendly amusement park in the UK situated in Windsor, Berkshire, southwest of the heart of London. Over 2 million people visit Legoland Windsor each year, making it the most popular theme park in the UK. In 1996, on the site of Windsor Safari Park, Legoland was constructed. Visitors can access various attractions, models, and workshops with a Lego theme. Miniland, a 1:20 model Lego recreation of iconic cities and villages worldwide, is one of the park's most well-liked attractions. It is advised for visitors to use the railway system, which moves leisurely around the theme park's many sections, making it one of the best theme parks in the UK.
3. Drayton Manor Theme Park in the UK
Location: Drayton Manor Dr, Fazeley, Mile Oak, Tamworth B78 3TW
Website: Drayton Manor Resort
Price: £26.00
Timings: Mondays-Fridays | 10:30 am to 5:00 pm
Saturdays-Sunday | 10:30 am -to 8:00/9:00 pm
A theme park in the UK that is Drayton Manor was constructed on the grounds of the former Drayton Manor in Staffordshire, England. Visitors can embark on an experience where they will meet curious Tamarin monkeys and naughty marmosets while strolling through beautifully maintained gardens on the recently constructed Tamarin Trail. The amusement park has the only stand-up roller coaster in Europe, which is well-known for being extremely intense and having higher height limitations than other rides. This family-owned amusement park is home to The Shockwave, the only stand-up coaster in Europe. Apocalypse, a 54-meter drop tower with five sides, is another option. These attractions are fantastic for youngsters, but adults will love Thomas Land's Thomas the Tank Engine-themed attractions. Stormforce 10, Shockwave, Air Race, Apocalypse, and Accelerator rides at Drayton Manor Park are well-known, making Drayton Manor Park one of the best theme parks in the UK!
4. Thorpe Park in the UK
Location: Staines Rd, Chertsey KT16 8PN
Website: Thorpe Park Resort
Price: £37.00
Timings: Mondays-Fridays | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Saturdays-Sundays | 10:00 am to 7:00/6:00 pm
Time Required: 1 to 2 days
Between Chestney and Staines-Upon-Thames in Surrey, England, you'll find Thorpe Park, a hotel and theme park in the UK with enormous roller coasters and the eagerly anticipated Ghost Train ride. Thorpe Park has earned its place on the list of the finest theme parks in the UK. The finest option in England for thrill enthusiasts is Thorpe Resort Park! Thorpe Park is a complete vacation resort comprising a themed hotel, an amusement park, a water park, and live entertainment. Thorpe Park is the most exhilarating theme park in the UK thanks to its seven rollercoasters helped it win the UK Theme Park Awards 2020 for "Best Theme Park for Thrills." When you visit Thorpe Park, ride Stealth England's fastest rollercoaster, which accelerates from 0 to 130 kph in just 1.9 seconds. While Tidal Wave requires you to carry a change of clothes, Saw - The Ride offers a "beyond vertical" 100-degree drop. Popular rides at Thorpe Park include The Walking Dead: The Ride, Derren Brown's Ghost Train, Colossus, Nemesis Inferno, SAW - The Ride, Stealth, and The Swarm.
5. Dreamland Theme Park in the UK
Location: 49-51, Marine Terrace, Margate CT9 1XJ
Website: Dreamland Theme Park
Price: Up to 1hr: £1.50 | Up to 2hrs: £3.00 | Up to 4hrs: £6.00
Timings: Sundays-Fridays | 10:30 am to 6:00 pm
Saturdays | 10:30 am to 4:00 pm
Time Required: 1 day
Dreamland is a theme park in the UK that is modelled after the traditional British seaside funfair and is situated in Margate, Kent, England. While amusement rides have been available at the park site since the 1880s, the current name was not officially used until the 1920 opening of the Scenic Railway Wooden Roller Coaster. The Dreamland location was formerly a salt marsh known as the Mere that was flooded until a seawall and causeway were constructed there in 1809. To many people's astonishment, Dreamland shut down in 2003 and was resurrected in 2015 as a heritage amusement park with various classic attractions. Its reopening was partially prompted by the locals' backing of "The Save Dreamland Campaign." For romantics travelling to the UK, there are several impressive historical rides and a beautiful Merry-Go-Round. The Dream Pass Card, which enables limitless entry to rides and free cash-free park walking, is particularly well-liked by visitors.
6. Lightwater Valley Theme Park in the UK
Location: Water Ln, North Stainley, Ripon HG4 3HT
Website: Lightwater Valley Theme Park
Price: £26.50 - £30.00
Timings: Daily | 10:30 am to 5:00 pm
Time Required: 1-2 days
The Ultimate roller coaster, located in the Lightwater Valley Theme Park in the UK, which is not far from Leeds, is renowned for being Europe's longest ride. It takes riders on an exhilarating 7-minute, 34-second journey around a steel track that is 7,442 feet long. The hidden theme park in North Stainley, North Yorkshire, England, started in 1969 as a modest "pick your own" fruit farm. Over 40 rides total, including high-adrenaline attractions like the Ultimate and Falls of Terror and a variety of moderately thrilling rides like the Dragon Boats, can be found in Lightwater Valley. The Apollo, which opened in 2016 and takes tourists on a 25m-high star flyer ride into the treetops, is one of the park's most well-liked attractions.
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7. Chessington, World of Adventures Theme Park
Location: Leatherhead Rd, Chessington KT9 2NE
Website: Chessington World of Adventures Resort
Price: £15.00
Timings: Mondays-Thursdays | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Fridays-Sundays | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Time Required: 1 day
The Chessington Zoo, which has over 1,000 animals, and the Chessington Foreign of Adventures theme park, which has several areas decorated in the styles of various world civilisations, are both part of the Chessington Resort. Children are enthralled by the Chessington Zoo, where they may see various animals, including dangerous Sumatran tigers, sea lions, and western lowland gorillas. The theme park was created by the Tussauds Group in 1987, and the Chessington Zoo opened its doors in 1931. There are more than ten significant zones in the World of Adventures theme park, including Adventure Point, Mystic East, Mexicana, and Pirates Cove. Children are the target audience for The Land of Dragons, which also has the 2010-built, fiercely spinning Dragon's Fury roller coaster. The Vampire, the main attraction of Chessington, takes guests on a suspended roller coaster train ride through an ominous-themed station.
8. Blackpool Pleasure Beach Theme Park in the UK
Location: 525 Ocean Blvd, Blackpool FY4 1EZ
Website: Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Price: £34.00
Timings: Daily | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Time Required: 2 days
The most popular theme park in the UK, Pleasure Beach, is located close to the sizable cities of Liverpool and Manchester. It boasts receiving more than 5.5 million people in a single year. The park features more roller coasters than any other in the UK, more than 10, five of which are made of wood. It won the vote for the greatest amusement park in the UK in 2014. The "Big One," inaugurated in 1994 and at the time was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, is one of the park's many record-breaking attractions. When Pleasure Beach was first constructed in 1896, it had the Scenic Railway and the Hall of Mirrors. UK residents of all ages have long enjoyed the fun offered by this magnificent amusement park.
9. Flamingo Land Resort Theme Park in the UK
Location: Kirby Misperton, Malton YO17 6UX
Website: Flamingo Land Resort
Price: £14.50
Timings: Daily | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Time Required: 1-2 days
Families may spend valuable time together at Flamingo Land, a resort, amusement park, and zoo in North Yorkshire, England. The Hero, a suspended flying coaster that debuted in 2013, has gained popularity for transporting riders along a corkscrew track side by side. The Cliffhanger, which lifts riders 180 feet into the air before launching them into a weightless free fall, is only for guests with nerves of steel, making it one of the best theme parks in the UK. Along with exotic birds and animals, Flamingo Land also boasts a collection of lions, giraffes, zebras, meerkats, and chimps.
10. Oakwood Theme Park in the UK
Location: Canaston Bridge, Narberth SA67 8DE
Website: Oakwood Theme Park
Price: £108.00
Timings: Daily | opens at 10:00 am; check the website to clarify closing times!
Time Required: 1 day
The five high-adrenaline roller coasters at Oakwood Theme Park in the UK are Megafobia, Vertigo, Bounce, Drenched, and Speed. The Oakwood Theme Park is situated in Pembrokeshire, Wales, and is surrounded by lovely countryside and quaint towns. Visitors can enjoy a tiny BMX (bicycle motocross) park, wooden forts, 3D movies, go-karts, and various fast water-themed roller coasters at Oakwood Theme Park in the UK. According to enthusiasts across the continent, Europe's top rides include Megafobia.
Tips on spending a day at a theme park in the UK
There are various things you can do while visiting a theme park in the UK, but there are a few ways that can make your experience a lot better while visiting some of the best amusement parks in the UK!
- Go on weekdays to avoid school kids and the weekend rush.
- Research on how to get to the theme park.
- Take your food, as the rates of food at the restaurants in various theme parks will make you feel like you have entered a Ferrari showroom!
- Try to travel well early to the theme parks in the UK as most of your day can go into travelling to the theme park and back home!
- If you are going to a theme park and planning on spending a few days there, then book your place of stay well in advance because there is a high chance that rooms might be full by the time you can even book!
- Another tip for travelling to theme parks is to plan way before to optimise your schedule, and you will also be able to book your place of stay as mentioned above!
- Check out the various seasonal events taking place in the theme park of your choosing! A lot of theme parks in the UK have various events taking place almost every month, so make sure to look out for these events to make your visit even better!
From mega roller coasters for thrill seekers to zoos and chilled-out entertainment shows, amusement parks in the UK have everything one can ask for. Hope you found your next theme park in the UK to visit for a fun day out. Have fun, and go crazy!
Don't know how to reach these parks? Do not worry, as we have got you covered with our Ultimate Guide To UK Transportation.