With the UK’s summer holidays in full swing, we want to explore the best theme parks across the nation. We have delved into each theme park’s food outlets, rides, and child ticket prices to reveal which parks offer the best value for money. We have also looked at the top-rated parks on Tripadvisor.
By analysing the annual search volumes for each theme park, we’ve determined which are the most popular and affordable, based on the average price for a one-night hotel stay.
Whether the kids prefer soaring on swings or climbing the tallest climbing frames, they will have even more fun at some of the biggest theme parks this summer!
The best theme parks for kids in the UK
Drayton Manor is the best theme park for kids to visit this summer, boasting 47 thrilling rides.
1. Drayton Manor, StaffordshirePark score: 7.29 out of 10
Drayton Manor, Staffordshire, scored 7.29 to place first in the UK's top theme parks for kids.
Spanned over 180 acres, the former manor in Drayton Basset hosts approximately 1.5 million people annually and has 47 rides to entertain everyone. The area of Staffordshire is also affordable for families, as the average price of a three-star hotel is £67 per night. In light of this, it is also one of the most popular, with over 2.2 million searches for the park in the last twelve months!
2. Paultons Theme Park, Hampshire
Park score: 6.86
Paultons Park, home of Peppa Pig World, is a popular family theme park in New Forest National Park, Hampshire. Placing second, Paultons Park boasts 39 child-friendly rides, including its dinosaur theme park, Lost Kingdom, the Edge, Cobra roller coasters, and many more. The Hampshire theme park also holds a 4.5 Tripadvisor rating and had the highest share of reviews rating it as ‘excellent’ (70.51%). However, the average hotel price is costlier compared to other parks in the top five, with a three-star hotel in Hampshire setting you back £94 per night.
3. Sundown Adventureland, Nottinghamshire
Park score: 6.29
Sundown Adventureland is a children’s theme park in Rampton, Nottinghamshire. Originally opening as a farmyard in 1968, it now has over 40 rides and attractions and welcomes almost 500,000 people annually. From pirate boat rides to interactive monkeys, there’s something for kids of all ages. The park is also the most affordable in our top three, with a child’s day ticket costing just £24. With a near-perfect score of 4.5 on Tripadvisor and 62% of reviews rating it ‘excellent’, Sundown Adventureland is an excellent choice for those living in or near the East Midlands!
The kids theme park with the cheapest accommodation in the UK
Drayton Manor, Staffordshire: £67 per night for a three-star hotel
Drayton Manor is the most affordable theme park in terms of accommodation, with the average three-star hotel stay costing around £67 per night. When you factor in the costs for admission and food and drinks, it's best to choose a theme park with cheap hotels nearby.
The theme park with the cheapest ticket prices for children
Playland Fun Park, Worcestershire: free admission for kids
At Playland Fun Park in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, there is no admission fee for adults or children; you simply pay as you play. Some of the rides start as little as £1 per go.
The theme park with the most food outlets for kids
Thorpe Park, Surrey: 21 food outlets
Thorpe Park in the village of Thorpe, Surrey, offers the best range of eateries, with 21 across the theme park. There are options for both adults and kids, where you can opt for various cuisines or just grab a quick bite at KFC or Burger King. There’s even a bar serving wines and spirits for parents!
The theme park with the most rides for kids
Drayton Manor and LEGOLAND Windsor: 47 rides
Both Drayton Manor and LEGOLAND Windsor have 47 attractions, offering a variety of thrilling rides. At LEGOLAND, visitors can take flight on the UK’s first-ever flying theatre ride, taking you on a thrilling expedition through the realms. Drayton Manor offers an equally exhilarating selection with its Thor ride, which sends those brave enough to board spinning in a giant wheel across a coaster track for the ultimate weightless sensation.
The most in-demand theme park for kids
Alton Towers, Stoke-on-Trent: 7.2 million searches
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. The park is popular thanks to its many attractions, such as Runaway Mine Train, Nemesis Reborn, Oblivion, and the Smiler. It operates a total of ten roller coasters.
The top-rated kids theme park
Paultons Theme Park, Hampshire: 70.51% of reviews rated ‘excellent’
Paultons Theme Park - home to Peppa Pig World and 39 rides, had the highest percentage of ‘excellent’ reviews. There are 10,663 reviews for the popular attraction, and 70.51% of visitors rated it excellent.
The best theme parks for toddlers in the UK
Adventure Island in Southend-on-Sea is the best toddler-friendly theme park with 38 rides.
1. Adventure Island, Southend-on-Sea, EssexPark score: 8.17 out of 10
Adventure Island in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, is our top pick for the best theme parks for toddlers, scoring 8.17 out of 10. Adventure Island has free admissions and a top Tripadvisor rating of 4.5, with 61.87% of the reviews rating it ‘excellent’. The theme park boasts 38 rides and is situated on Southend-on-Sea’s famous seafront. Some toddler rides include the Crooked House, the Kiddi Coaster, and train rides. There is also an indoor play area with two stories of slides for children aged four and under. Visitors have plenty of food options to choose from, with 14 child-friendly eateries.
2. Folly Farm, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Park score: 6.74 out of 10
The Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo in Pembrokeshire, Wales, came second, scoring 6.74 out of 10. Its vintage fairground hosts 18 fun rides, including dodgems and waltzers, which can be enjoyed no matter the weather, as the whole fairground is undercover. There are six food outlets to pick from, and admission for toddlers is free. In the last year, searches for Folly Farm hit over 487,800, the fourth highest in our list. Folly Farm also received a Tripadvisor rating of 4.5 and gained the highest percentage of ‘excellent’ reviews (82.22%).
3. Landmark Forest Adventure Park, Highlands, Scotland
Park score: 6.67 out of 10
Describing itself as ‘Scotland’s favourite theme park’, Landmark Forest Adventure Park placed third, scoring 6.67 out of 10. The Highlands theme park has been voted one of Tripadvisor’s Top 10 Adventure Parks in the UK, with a rating of 4.5. Set in the beautiful Scottish Highlands, the park allows visitors to walk amongst life-sized dinosaurs and plunge on the water coasters. As well as offering free admission to toddlers, accommodation nearby is affordable, with an average price of £54 per night for a three-star hotel.
The toddler theme park with the cheapest accommodation in the UK
Ocean Beach Pleasure Park, Tyne and Wear: £45 per night for a three-star hotel
Ocean Beach Pleasure Park offers the cheapest accommodation nearby, at an average price of £45 per night in a three-star hotel. With a variety of rides for the little ones and free admission, this park is a great choice for families with small children.
The theme park with the most food outlets for toddlers
Adventure Island, Southend-on-Sea, Essex: 14 food outlets
Adventure Island in Southend offers the most food outlets for families and their little ones, with 14 eateries across the pier. From fried chicken to pizza, there are plenty of menus to suit every taste.
The theme park with the most rides for toddlers
Adventure Island, Southend-on-Sea, Essex: 38 rides
Adventure Island also ranked highest for its toddler rides, with 38 rides and attractions. Rides for the little ones include the Jumping Jolly Rogers, two levels of indoor play, and Viking Boats.
The most in-demand theme park for toddlers
CBeebies Land (Alton Towers), Stoke on Trent: 894,100 searches
CBeebies Land at Alton Towers is the most popular toddler theme park in the UK, with 894,100 searches in the last twelve months. Little ones can enjoy interactive rides and meet their favourite CBeebies characters.
The top-rated toddlers' theme park
Folly Farm, Pembrokeshire, Wales: 82.22% of reviews rated ‘excellent’
Folly Farm, home to 18 rides at its vintage funfair park, had the highest percentage of ‘excellent’ reviews. There are 5,542 reviews for the popular attraction, with 82.22% of visitors rating it excellent.
Methodology
- Articles from Made for Mums, Attractions Near Me, and Theme Parks UK were used to create a seed list of the UK's best kids and toddler theme parks.
- We used Booking.com to find the average price of a three-star hotel per night in each theme park’s location. Where this data wasn’t available, we used Kayak. This data is accurate as of 11/07/2024.
- The price for an advanced online ticket for children was taken from each theme park’s website. When a child’s price was unavailable, the adult fare was used.
- The number of food outlets and rides was also taken from each theme park’s website.
- Keyword Planner and Ahrefs were used to find each theme park's annual searches between July 2023 and June 2024. This data is correct as of 10/07/2024.
- Tripadvisor was used to find each theme park’s rating and the number of reviews rated ‘excellent’. We worked out the percentage of ‘excellent’ reviews.
- The PERCENTRANK formula was used on Google Sheets to give each theme park a rating out of 10.