
UK’s Top 10 Theme Parks
The UK’s top 10 theme parks for kids, ranked in new study!
The study by Outdoor Toys has looked at multiple factors such as number of rides, food outlets, average hotel costs and trip advisor ratings to unveil which UK theme park is the best for kids.
The UK’s top 10 theme parks for children:
Rank |
Theme park name |
Location |
Average hotel cost* |
Child Ticket Price |
No. of food outlets |
No. of rides |
Annual searches** |
Tripadvisor rating /5 |
% of ‘excellent’ reviews |
Park score /10 |
1 |
Drayton Manor |
Tamworth, Staffordshire |
£67 |
£27.50 |
11 |
47 |
2,267,500 |
4.0 |
44.37% |
7.29 |
2 |
Paultons Theme Park |
Hampshire |
£94 |
£43.50 |
12 |
39 |
1,476,500 |
4.5 |
70.51% |
6.86 |
3 |
Sundown Adventureland |
Nottinghamshire |
£84 |
£24.00 |
3 |
42 |
495,200 |
4.5 |
62.83% |
6.29 |
4 |
Fantasy Island |
Ingoldmells, Skegness |
£80 |
£15.99 |
8 |
38 |
469,100 |
4.0 |
39.72% |
6.07 |
5 |
Blackpool Pleasure Beach |
Blackpool |
£82 |
£28.00 |
5 |
38 |
2,244,500 |
4.0 |
48.35% |
5.86 |
6 |
Alton Towers |
Stoke on Trent |
£96 |
£29.00 |
6 |
42 |
7,221,000 |
4.0 |
40.80% |
5.79 |
7 |
BeWILDerwood Cheshire |
Cheshire |
£95 |
£22.50 |
1 |
24 |
627,500 |
4.5 |
66.28% |
5.43 |
8 |
Woodlands Family Theme Park |
Devon |
£100 |
£18.70 |
5 |
42 |
251,200 |
4.0 |
45.24% |
5.21 |
9 |
Lightwater Valley |
Ripon, North Yorkshire |
£104 |
£26.50 |
9 |
42 |
694,800 |
3.5 |
37.02% |
4.86 |
9 |
LEGOLAND Windsor |
Windsor, Berkshire |
£142 |
£19.00 |
11 |
47 |
2,290,500 |
3.0 |
23.83% |
4.86 |
10 |
Thorpe Park |
Surrey |
£124 |
£29.00 |
21 |
26 |
4,880,000 |
3.5 |
33.80% |
4.36 |
10 |
Gulliver’s Land |
Milton Keynes |
£75 |
£28.00 |
8 |
30 |
549,100 |
3.5 |
29.38% |
4.36 |
*Cost of a 3-star hotel in the nearest town/city
**July 2023-June 2024
Drayton Manor, Staffordshire is crowned the UK’s best theme parks for kids, with a park score of 7.29/10. Spanning over 180 acres, the former manor in Drayton Bassett offers the most rides of any children’s theme park in the UK, at 47 rides. There are also 11 food outlets at the park. In Staffordshire, the average price of a three-star hotel is £67 per night, the most affordable stay amongst all the UK’s theme parks. With over 2.2 million searches for the park in the last twelve months, it is also one of the most popular, and costs £27.50 for a child ticket.
Paultons Theme Park, Hampshire ranks, earning a park score of 6.86/10. Home of Peppa Pig World, the park’s popularity is evident, with a 4 out of 5 star Tripadvisor rating and 1 in 7 visitors (70.51%) deeming it ‘excellent’. Paultons theme park is slightly more expensive, with hotel stays in Hampshire averaging £94 per night and child tickets priced at £43.50. Despite this, the park features 39 exciting rides and 12 food outlets, offering plenty of fun and delicious options for the whole family.
Sundown Adventureland, Nottinghamshire is the UK’s third best theme park for children, boasting a park score of 6.29/10. Featuring 42 rides and 3 food outlets, this park offers a great value day out perfect for young families. Here, local hotel stays average £84 per night and child tickets cost £24.00, making a trip to this park slightly more affordable than others. Its charm is evident, with nearly 500,000 annual searches and an impressive Tripadvisor rating of 4.5 out of 5, with 1 in 6 (62%) of visitors rating it ‘excellent.’
Further Findings:
-
Alton Towers Resort in Stoke-on-Trent is by far one of the most famous theme parks in the UK, with 7.2 million searches in the last year.
-
Thorpe Park in the village of Thorpe, Surrey, offers the best range of eateries, with 21 across the theme park.
-
Adventure Island in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, is our top pick for the best theme parks for toddlers, scoring 8.17/10. It boasts 38 rides, including the Crooked House, Kiddi Coaster and train rides. Children admission to Adventure Island is free of charge, at a pay as you play rate.
You can find the full research here: https://www.outdoortoys.com/blogs/campaigns/uk-best-theme-parks
You may also like
By Penny McCarthy
Penny McCarthy is a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Parents News UK, a pioneering publication launched in 1993 to serve the needs of busy parents in Southwest London. Alongside her husband, Fergus McCarthy, Penny played a crucial role in the rapid expansion of the printed edition, which grew from a local startup to a widely circulated monthly publication with a reach of 192,000 copies across Kent, South London, and beyond. Under Penny’s leadership, Parents News quickly became a trusted resource for families, providing valuable information on education, entertainment, sports, and family-friendly events. Her vision helped the publication extend its influence with franchises in Northern Ireland and Cornwall, catering to a growing demand for accessible, family-oriented content. In 1997, recognising the importance of digital media, Penny spearheaded the launch of Parents News UK Online. The website initially mirrored the content of the printed editions and has since evolved into a comprehensive online resource for parents, achieving significant popularity with up to 700 daily hits. In 2017, the publication transitioned fully to an online platform, continuing to inform and engage families across the UK. Today, Penny remains deeply involved in the ongoing success of Parents News UK, focusing on innovative advertising opportunities and future growth plans. Her dedication to supporting families through accessible and practical content has made Parents News a cherished name in households across the country.
Archives
- March 2025
- February 2025
- January 2025
- December 2024
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- January 2011
Categories
- About Parents News
- Afternoon Tea
- babies
- Bank Holidays
- Best buys
- Christmas
- Days out guides
- Easter School Holidays
- Education & Books
- Featured
- Food
- Free
- Halloween
- Health & Fitness
- Holidays
- London
- Midlands
- National News
- North East England
- North West England
- Northern Ireland
- School holidays
- Scotland
- South East England
- South West England
- Theatre
- Things to do
- toddlers
- Travel Blog
- Wales