1. Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park features a range of thrill rides and roller coasters including Stealth, an 80mph accelerator coaster, and The Swarm, a wing coaster flipping riders upside down five times. Tickets start at £24.99 if bought in advance online and the park is open daily from 10am to 6pm in July, closing an hour later in August. To get there by train, take the South West Trains’ service from Waterloo to Staines. The 950 Thorpe Park Express shuttle bus runs from Staines station to Thorpe Park resort every 15-20 minutes. You can even stay overnight at the new Thorpe Shark Hotel.
2. Chessington World of Adventures
A theme park with a zoo attached, Chessington has something for everyone. Brave the Vampire rollercoaster, take a more leisurely ride on the legendary Bubbleworks or take the family on a mini-safari. Advance purchase tickets start from £27.00, or buy a Merlin annual pass for £169pp, which covers other attractions including Alton Towers, the London Eye and Madame Tussauds. The park is open from 10am to 5pm with extended summer holiday opening hours. Take the train from London Waterloo to Chessington South. The park is approximately 10 minutes walk from the station.
3. Alton Towers
The UK’s premier theme park, Alton Towers is crammed full of high octane rides. Although Thrill seekers can get their kicks on Oblivion, Nemesis and Air. Buy a day ticket in advance for £37.80 or for just £7.50 more, a two-day pass. Regular opening times are 10am to 5pm, extended to 6pm in August. There are lots of options for overnight stays both in and near the park. To get the train to Alton Towers, you’ll need to reach either Stoke-on-Trent, Uttoxeter or Derby station and then catch a bus.
4. Legoland Windsor
Your kids are going to love Legoland’s interactive rides and live shows. Aimed at kids between 2 and 12, the park is open from 10am to 7pm throughout the school holidays. Legoland Windsor ticket prices vary, with the best deals if you book more than seven days in advance or get a family ticket. If you’re looking to make a trip to Legoland Windsor part of a short break, you can stay at Legoland’s own themed hotel. There are also lots of hotels near Legoland Windsor located closer to Windsor Castle, which is another must-see local attraction. Windsor is super easy to reach by train. Trains to Windsor take less that 1 hour from London Waterloo on South West Trains. Services depart approximately every 30 minutes.
5. Drayton Manor
Drayton Manor’s top ride is the Ben 10 Ultimate Mission Coaster, but there’s also fun to be had on the old fashioned dodgems, the Wild-West shootout and Splash Canyon. Advance purchase tickets are available from as little as £20. The park opens at 9.30am with the first rides open by 10.30am; it shuts at 5pm. It’s easy to get there by train. Trains to Tamworth station get you to three miles from the park entrance, from where you can catch a station taxi.
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