The UK’s Best Theme Parks

James King
The UK’s Best Theme Parks - OutdoorToys

The best waterparks and theme parks for family fun in 2025

Theme parks are a British family favourite loved for their nostalgia, excitement, and all-day entertainment. A train ride through a cartoon world can make the best memories for younger children. For thrill-seekers, the main attraction is a roller coaster that makes your stomach drop. This year, we’ve also explored the top theme and water parks perfect for family pool days, thrilling water slides, and fun-filled slip n slides.

We reveal the best theme and water parks in the UK by looking at admission prices, rides, and visitor satisfaction. We have also tracked what has changed since we conducted this research last year, including ticket price hikes, ride removals, and new openings, so you can make the best decision on where to visit this year.

The UK’s best kids’ theme parks

1. Drayton Manor, Tamworth - Park score: 7.14/10

Drayton Manor takes the top spot for the second consecutive year, ranking 7.14 out of 10 for admission price, rides, food, and more.

The family-favourite park boasts 45 rides, including the iconic Stormforce 10, giving it the second-highest number of rides on our list, beaten only by Woodlands Family Theme Park. There are nine food outlets at Drayton Manor for families to choose from, with options ranging from The Chicken Diner to Safari Pizza and Pasta. For families making a long journey to visit the attraction, the average cost per night for a room in a 3-star hotel is £67 — the cheapest on our list.

2. Paultons Park, Hampshire - Park score: 6.75/10

Paultons Park is the ideal destination for Peppa Pig lovers and adrenaline-seeking families alike, with 36 rides, including nine that are themed around the beloved TV character’s world.  This well-loved theme park maintains its second-place position from our study last year.

Despite being the most expensive park, Paultons Park has the highest percentage of ‘excellent’ reviews on Tripadvisor, at over two-thirds (71%) and an average rating of 4.5 out of five. There are also 12 food outlets to choose from, which is more than any other park except Gulliver’s World, including Ciao Bella ice cream shop and the Wild Forest Family Restaurant.

Although the park recently opened the Grande Central Café, the number of food outlets still sits at 12, with one closure. While the number of rides has decreased by three, Paultons Park is set to debut 'Ghostly Manor' in May 2025 — a new interactive dark ride replacing the former 4D cinema.

3. Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool - Park score: 6.11/10

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is one of the best-known theme parks for children and families in the UK, perfect for those seeking a coastal getaway. This park climbed to third place from fifth place in last year’s study.

Pleasure Beach ranks high for its popularity online, with almost 2.6 million UK Google searches a year. For families staying overnight, the average cost of a room in a 3-star hotel in the area is £71, making this one of the most affordable places to stay.

Top UK Theme Parks: What’s changed since 2024?

 

The UK's best waterparks

1. Oasis Fun Pools, Newquay - Park score: 6.53/10

Topping our list of waterparks is Oasis Fun Pools in Newquay, Cornwall. It’s the perfect place to visit with the whole family, with the variety of water features the park has, including the fast-paced Aqua Whizz and the gentler river rapid ride.

There is also a toddler splash area and a heated pool for families seeking a slower day in the water. With a child’s admission price of £10.25 and a Tripadvisor score of 4.1 out of five, this waterpark balances fun and value. For families planning to stay overnight, the average cost of a 3-star hotel in the area comes in at £61 — the most affordable on our list.

2. Cliff Lakes, Tamworth - Park score: 6.33/10

In second place is Cliff Lakes in Tamworth, an open-water aqua park packed with inflatable challenges that test your balance, speed, and nerve. The floating obstacle course is the main attraction, featuring slides and mini inflatable climbing walls, making it perfect for energetic kids and teenagers.

The waterpark also includes paddleboarding, open-water swimming, and kayaking options for those preferring a slightly calmer experience. While it doesn’t offer traditional pools or flumes, its unique setup and scenic lakeside location help it stand out as one of the UK’s best waterparks.

3. Aqua Parcs, Milton Keynes - Park score: 6.22/10

In third place is Aqua Parcs, based on Willen Lake in Milton Keynes. Similar to Cliff Lakes, Aqua Parcs is an inflatable waterpark built for climbing, leaping, and sliding across a floating obstacle course.

Families can play on monkey bars, rope swings, and water slides set against the backdrop of the lake. A child’s admission to Aqua Parcs costs £34.50, compared to the £24 admission at Cliff Lakes.

Methodology

Using the list of theme parks from last year’s study on The UK’s Best Theme Parks, the following factors were sourced. Each park was given a normalised score out of 10 for each factor, before the average score was calculated for each theme park.

  • The child’s admission price was sourced using each park’s official website on 30/04/2025, taking the cost of an advance ticket on a peak summer weekend day. Junior/ child admission costs were sourced, excluding toddler admission prices.

  • The number of rides was sourced using each park’s official website on 30/04/2025, including attractions and play areas.

  • The number of food outlets was sourced using each park’s official website on 30/04/2025.

  • The Tripadvisor user review rating was sourced using Tripadvisor on 29/04/2025.

  • The percentage of ‘excellent’ reviews was sourced using Tripadvisor on 29/04/2025.

  • The annual Google searches for each park were sourced using Google Ads Keyword Planner, looking at searches made from the UK between 01/04/2024 and 31/03/2025.

  • The average cost of a 3-star hotel in the area was sourced using Booking.com on 30/04/2025.

Using Tripadvisor’s Best Water Parks in the UK, the following factors were sourced. Each park was given a normalised score out of 10 for each factor, before the average score was calculated for each water park. Waterparks with insufficient data were removed from the list.

  • The child’s admission price was sourced using each park’s official website on 30/04/2025, taking the cost of an advance ticket on a peak summer weekend day. Junior/ child admission costs were sourced, excluding toddler admission prices. Where price varied by time slot duration, the longest available time slot price was used.

  • The number of water-based facilities was sourced using each park’s official website on 29/04/2025, including indoor and outdoor pools, water slides, and splash zones.

  • The Google review rating out of five was sourced using Google Maps on 29/04/2025.

  • The Tripadvisor user review rating was sourced using Tripadvisor on 29/04/2025.

  • The percentage of ‘excellent’ reviews was sourced using Tripadvisor on 01/05/2025.

  • The annual Google searches for each park were sourced using Google Ads Keyword Planner, looking at searches made from the UK between 01/04/2024 and 31/03/2025.

The average cost of a 3-star hotel in the area was sourced using Booking.com on 30/04/2025.