10 Biggest Theme Parks in UK

The UK is home to many thrilling theme parks, and the great thing is they can be found dotted all over the country; north, south, east and west.

There’s also appropriate options for those with teenagers, young children and even preschoolers. Here’s our round up of the Top Ten of biggest Theme Parks in Britain by size.

1. Alton Towers

The Big Daddy of UK theme parks, its location in Staffordshire also makes it the easiest to get to for people living in the Midlands and the Northeast. Alton Towers Theme Park was built in the 1980’s, making it one of the most established theme parks in the country. It is the best choice for those with older kids, thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies.

Famous rides include Oblivion, a 180 foot vertical drop roller coaster and Nemesis, arguably the best inverted rollercaster in the UK and at 80 mph, one of the fastest too. The park also caters for younger children with the new CBeebies Land making it an excellent choice for large families that need to keep everyone happy.

• Alton Towers Resort: 370 ha
• Doing Alton Towers on a Budget
• Location: Stoke-on-Trent ST10 4DB, England

2. Thorpe Park

Located conveniently close to London, Thorpe Park is the ideal choice for those living or staying in the capital who want to visit a theme park without traveling for hours. Home to Stealth, one of the fastest rollercoasters in thr UK with a top speed of 80 mph, accelerating in just 1.8 seconds. It’s also the highest launch coaster in Europe and when riders are at the top they can enjoy excellent views across London.

Thorpe Park is a great option for young adults and older teenagers who like a bit of horror as it’s home to the only Horror-movie themed ride, Saw, and also the Derren Brown ghost train; Rise of the Demons, a truly terrifying experience.

• Thorpe Park Resort: 200 ha
• Location: Chertsey KT16 8PN, UK

3. Flamingo Land

This is the biggest and best theme park in the northeast, located in North Yorkshire. The real pull of Flamingoland is that it’s combined with a zoo and conservation centre, making for a truly packed day out. The onsite holiday resort means you can stay for longer in one of many lodges, holiday homes or caravans and do the park justice.

The Velocity rollercoaster has one of the fastest accelerations in the UK, offering the so-called ‘superbike’; experience by going from 0 to 54 mph in 2.8 seconds. Flamingoland is home to another excellent rollercoaster in the form of Kumali, which features four inversions including a cobra roll. Younger visitors will enjoy the new Peter Rabbit Play Area.

• Flamingo Land: 152 ha
• Location: Malton YO17 6UX, England

4. Drayton Manor

Drayton Manor is ideal for those based in the East Midlands as it’s just a 20 minute drive from central Birmingham. Small in comparison to Alton Towers, this family run theme park is still popular thanks to the addition of a zoo and Thomas Land, a huge play area dedicated to the world’s most famous tank engine.

Popular thrill rides include the Maelstrom gyro swing, Apocolypse vertical drop, G Force roller coaster and the terrifying Haunting.

• Drayton Manor Theme Park: 100 ha
• Location: Tamworth B78 3TW, England

5. Brean Leisure Park

Located in Somerset, Brean is one of the leading family days out in the southwest. Incorporating a holiday resort, splash park, golf club, soft play and entertainment area, there should be enough to keep everyone happy.

The theme park itself features a wide selection of rides and best of all, entry is completely free, visitors pay per ride or buy a wristband, which means you can go on as little or as much as you please.

• Brean Leisure Park: 81 ha
• Location: Burnham-on-Sea TA8 2QY, UK

6. Lightwater Valley

Lightwater Valley is North Yorkshire’s second feature on this list and for good reason. Once a small family-run adventure play area, Lightwater Valley grew as a theme park from the 1990s onwards.

Its most famous ride is the Ultimate, Europe‘s longest rollercoaster which goes for a whopping 2,268 metres. It’s also home to a falconry, adventure golf course and tree top adventure park.

• Lightwater Valley: 71 ha
• Location: North Stainley, Ripon HG4 3HT, UK

7. Legoland Windsor

Legoland Windsor is the second biggest Legoland in the world after the first and most famous in Denmark. Unlike its Danish fore-bearer, this park is much more about the rides that the Lego constructions. Everything at the park has a Lego theme however making it popular with boys and girls of all ages.

Legoland also features Duploland for younger visitors, a splash park for those who remember to bring their swimsuits, thrill rides for older children such and a 4D cinema experience. There’s also the chance to stay on site at the Legoland Hotel which features themed rooms such a knights or princesses.

• LEGOLAND Windsor Resort: 61 ha
• Location: Windsor SL4 4AY, UK

8. Paultons Park

Once a small adventure playground and bird gardens, Paultons has grown massively in the past decade, making is way into this list of Top Ten UK Theme Parks.

Younger children will love Peppa Pig Land, where a large section is devoted to everyone’s favourite TV pig and means there are plenty of rides for toddlers and pre-schoolers. However it also now appeals to older children and even teenagers with the introduction of thrill rides such as Cobra, Edge and Mama. Located in Hampshire, Paultons Park is just 8 miles form Southampton.

• Paultons Park: 57 ha
• Location: Romsey SO51 6AL, UK

9. Woodlands Family Theme Park

Located in Totnes Devon, Woodlands is part-zoo farm and part-theme park, making it popular with families of all ages. Animals include meerkats, owls and reptiles with opportunities to get up close to the animals.

The theme park has grown in recent years to offer more thrilling rides such as the new Vertigo, a vertical roller-coaster as well as the Cyclone Canyon Ride and three water-coasters.

• Woodlands Family Theme Park: 36 ha
• Location: Totnes TQ9 7DQ, United Kingdom

10. Robin Hill Country Park

Located on the Isle of Wight close to Downend, this country park is not strictly a theme park, but deserves a special mention for both its beautiful setting and old world charm.

Rides are fairly tame in comparison to the big guns at Alton Towers or Drayton Manor, making it an excellent choice for younger children or those with fragile stomachs. The hairiest of rides includes a pirates ship and a toboggan run whilst other activities include a 4D cinema, daily falconry shows, beautiful gardens and adventure play area.

• Robin Hill Country Park: 36 ha
• Location: Downend, Newport PO30 2NU, UK