The United Kingdom benefits from a healthy collection of theme parks, making it a great destination for thrill-seekers. From rollercoasters to log flumes and everything in between, there’s something for everyone across the land. However, there are certain theme parks that take it to another level. To ensure you sample the best the UK provides, here are the five best theme parks to visit:
1. Thorpe Park Resort
Self-described as the “UK’s most thrilling theme park,” Thorpe Park Resort has plenty of reason to be confident about what it offers. The park incorporates some of the most thrilling and popular rollercoasters in the UK. This includes Stealth, which is recognized as the fastest rollercoaster in the UK. It is also home to SAW – The Ride, the world’s first-ever horror movie-theme coaster.
2. Alton Towers Resort
Known as the UK’s biggest theme park, Alton Towers Resort is home to more than 40 rides and attractions overall. This includes Nemesis, the very first inverted rollercoaster to land in Europe, and Oblivion, the planet’s first-ever vertical drop rollercoaster. Alton Towers also features CBeebies Land for younger visitors, while the waterpark is an ideal respite from the rides for those enjoying an extended break at the resort.
3. Chessington World of Adventures Resort
It isn’t simply theme park thrills with Chessington World of Adventures Resort. It’s true that the resort delivers in terms of thrilling rides. In fact, it supplies over 40 attractions and rides in total, and these are spread across ten varied themed lands. Chessington differentiates itself from others on this list, however, by also including a zoo. This charming area of the park contains over 1,000 animals in total, including monkeys, sea lions, penguins, tigers, and lions.
4. Legoland Windsor Resort
For fanatics of the popular plastic bricks, there’s no better place to visit in the UK than Legoland Windsor Resort. Although beneath the Lego motif is a theme park that packs in plenty of thrills – especially for younger visitors. Described as a resort “built for kids,” Legoland features everything from interactive adventures – including LEGO City Driving School and Laser Raiders – to exhilarating rollercoasters. With the resort being only a short two-mile journey from the town center, it’s also easy to explore the rest of what the area offers. From a gastro pub Windsor experience to roaming around the historic Windsor Castle, Legoland is just the start of the adventure.
5. Blackpool Pleasure Beach
When it comes to seaside theme parks, it is hard to beat Blackpool Pleasure Beach. First opened in the 19th century, the park has continued to grow and evolve with the times. Boasting a diverse selection of rides, the park is home the tallest rollercoaster in the UK: The Big One. With that said, the Pleasure Beach also doesn’t forget its roots. There are smatterings of its rich history dotted around the park, and this is perhaps best emphasized by Flying Machines – a thrilling ride that has been wowing crowds since 1904.