The UK’s best theme park has been named (Image: Paultons Park)
The UK’s best theme park for families has been revealed, and it beat out Alton Towers and Thorpe Park. Outdoor play specialists at Outdoor Toys analysed entry prices, number of rides, food outlets, TripAdvisor ratings and annual Google searches to reveal the UK’s best theme parks for family days out this summer.
Paultons Park takes the top spot as the UK’s best theme park for 2026, scoring 6.85 out of 10 on average. The family favourite continues to dominate thanks to its strong all-round offering, with 38 rides, 12 food outlets, and an impressive 71% of TripAdvisor reviews rated as ‘excellent’. Despite having the highest child admission price in the ranking at £46.75, the park still attracts huge interest, generating more than 1.7 million Google searches annually.
The park, which opened in 1983, is located in the New Forest National Park, near the village of Ower. The park is situated on the former Paultons Estate and covers 140 acres, with a collection of 80 species of birds and animals and over 70 rides and attractions.
Paultons Park is home to Peppa Pig World (Image: Paultons Park)
The park garnered international recognition in 2011 when it opened Peppa Pig World, an area based on the children’s animated television series of the same name. It has since opened the creature-themed area Critter Creek, the dinosaur-themed area Lost Kingdom, and the Western-themed area Tornado Springs.
At the UK Theme Park Awards 2025, Paultons Park in Hampshire won Theme Park of the Year. The theme park got gold awards for Best New Attraction for Ghostly Manor, Best Theme Park for Families, Best Theme Park for Toddlers, Best New Sustainability Initiative, Best Use of UP in an Attraction, and Best Customer Service.
It also won silver awards for Best Integration of Technology in a Guest Experience and Best New Food or Retail Outlet for the Pancake Kitchen. It also got a bronze award for Best Queue Line Experience or Pre-Show for Ghostly Manor.
Jointly taking second place this year are Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Drayton Manor, both scoring 6.48 out of 10. Blackpool Pleasure Beach remains one of the country’s most iconic seaside attractions, offering 32 rides, 14 food outlets, and attracting over 2.1 million Google searches annually, making it one of the UK’s most searched-for theme parks.
Meanwhile, Drayton Manor continues to perform strongly with one of the highest ride counts in the ranking, 47, alongside affordable child admission at £29.50. The park still draws nearly 2 million annual Google searches, proving its enduring popularity as a go-to destination for family days out.
Climbing into fourth place for 2026 is Alton Towers Resort, scoring 6.11 out of 10. Home to 40 rides and 12 food outlets, the Staffordshire resort remains the UK’s most-searched theme park, with more than 7 million annual Google searches. Alton Towers continues to attract huge national attention thanks to its world-famous roller coasters and expansive resort experience.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
