13 of Britain's Best Theme Parks

Here at askamum we know that the summer means we want  fantastic days out with the children. So we’ve rounded up the top Theme Parks in the country and listed their details so you can choose which park would make a great experience for your family.

Alton Towers
Address: Alton Towers
Alton, 
Stoke-on-trent, 
ST10 4DB
Telephone: 0870 520 4060
Opening Times: 10am to 7pm in the summer holidays, 10am to 5pm at other times of the year.
Ticket prices: Adult £35, Child (4-11) £26, Under 4 FREE. There are also various combination family tickets available.
Website: http://www.altontowers.com/pages/home
Why should we go there? Alton Towers offers attractions for the whole family, from rollercoaster’s and rides to shows and an action packed water park. Stoke on Trent’s theme park also offers families the chance to stay at their fabulous hotel, so visitors can enter the park earlier and experience all the rides as it’s vast size requires a two day visit.
Facilities: Parent queue share, where one parent queue whilst another goes on another ride with the children. There are also 6 baby care centres and buggies can be rented. Child ID wristbands are also available on request where a parent’s phone number can be put on them in case a child becomes lost.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Address: Pleasure Beach,
Blackpool,
England,
FY4 1EZ
Website: http://www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/
Ticket Prices: Ticket prices vary depending on the time of year – see the website for more information.
Opening Times: Varies throughout the year, please see the website for more details
Why should we go there? Based on an American style theme park, Blackpool Pleasure Beach is aimed to make adults feel like children again. Attracting over 6.2 million visitors a year it marries a great British seaside resort with an exciting and fun filled theme park. There are also many shows to delight all the family.
Facilities: Baby changing facilities are on offer and any restaurant will warm baby food or milk.

Chessington World of Adventures
Address:  Chessington World of Adventures & Zoo
Leatherhead Road
Chessington
Surrey
KT9 2NE
Website: http://www.chessington.com/
Opening Times: See website for various opening times throughout the summer season
Ticket prices: 12+ £32, Under 12’s £21, any child under 1m FREE
Why should we go there?: Chessington is located close to Greater London and is easily accessed from the M25. It offers not only a fantastic theme park, but also a popular family zoo and new for 2008, a Sea Life Centre. Boasting nine different lands, Chessington caters for the adventure seeker with fast rides such as Vampire, but also for the young visitor with activities such as a meet and greet session with the characters from Beano.
Facilities: Chessington operates the Kidspotter service, where for just £3 you can hire a badge to attach to your child so if they are lost you can be reunited quickly. Using tracking technology, just one text message will alert Chessington security who will be able to locate your lost child. For more information visit the Kidspotter website: http://www.kidspotter.com/. It also  has baby changing facilities and a private area for nursing mothers.

Drayton Manor Park
Address: Drayton Manor Park
near Tamworth,
Staffordshire
B78 3TW
Telephone: 0844 472 1950
Website: http://www.draytonmanor.co.uk/
Opening Times: 9:30am – 5pm
Ticket prices: 12+ £23, 4-11 years £19, under 4 FREE
Why should we go there? For theme park lovers of the North, Staffordshire offers Drayton Manor Park boasting, Europe’s only stand up rollercoaster and the world’s first stand up tower drop. Thomas the Tank Engine has also set up home here with 12 fun packed Thomas rides for the younger members of the family.
Thomas Land: http://www.draytonmanor.co.uk/ThomasLand/Welcome.aspx
Facilities: It has a buggy hire facility and changing rooms dotted around the park. There is also an area for nursing mothers and changing equipment can be purchased at the Toy Shop in the centre of the park.

Flamingo Land
Address: Flamingo Land Ltd.
Kirby Misperton,
Malton,
North Yorkshire,
Y017 6UX
Website: http://www.flamingoland.co.uk/
Opening Times: 10am to 5pm
Ticket Prices: Adults and children 4 years and over £22, under 3’s FREE
Why should we go there? Flamingo Land is the UK’s only Theme Park which has an adjoining Holiday Village. Choose to stay in a log cabin, or a holiday home and get a whole weeks experience for all the family. There is also an extensive Zoo and it is set in over 375 acres of North Yorkshire parkland. It has all the big rides any theme park goer would love and the zoo has every kind of mammal, bird and reptile imaginable.

Legoland
Address: LegolandWindsor Park Ltd
Winkfield Road
Windsor
Berkshire
SL4 4AY
Telephone: 0871 2222 001
Opening Times: Visit the website for various opening times throughout the season.
Website: http://www.legoland.co.uk/
Ticket Prices: 15+ £35, 3-15 years £26, children under 3 go FREE
Why should we go there? Just two miles from beautiful Windsor town centre lies Legoland, perfect for children from 3 years to 12. With over 50 interactive rides, Legoland offers a different take on the conventional theme park. With miniature Lego towns and building workshops it is set apart from the ride driven action parks on offer.
Facilities: Legoland operates a parent swap scheme where parents can take their older children on rides without having to queue twice. Pushchairs can also be rented and there is a baby care centre which allows mothers to breast and bottle feed their children and baby food is available in some of the parks restaurants.

Lightwater Valley Theme Park
Address: Lightwater Valley,
North Stainley, Ripon,
North Yorkshire
HG4 3HT.
Telephone: 0871 720 0011
Website: http://www.lightwatervalley.co.uk/index.php
Opening Times: Gates open at 10am and close from 16:30 onwards.
Ticket Prices: Over 1.3m  £16.95, under 1.3m  £14.95, under 1m FREE
Why should we go there? With over 40 rides from big rollercoasters to mini adventures for the junior thrill seekers, Lightwater is set within close distance to over 30,000sq feet of shops and an amazing bird of prey centre.
Facilities: There are a wide selection of retail outlets very close to the theme park.

Loudoun Castle Theme Park
Address: Loudoun Castle Theme Park
Galston
Ayrshire
KA4 8PE
Telephone: (01563) 822296
Opening Times: Times vary, see website
Ticket Prices: 4- 11years £4.99, over 12 years £15.99, under 4s free, family of 4 £56 
Website: www.loudouncastle-online.co.uk
Why should we go there: Set in an old, beautiful castle, there are live shows, a farm, scary rides like the Barnstormer that whooshes you up 120 ft in the air, the pirate-themed Black Pearl and more.
Facilities: Free parking, disabled access, numerous cafes and food kiosks.

M & D’s
Address: M&D’s, Scotland’s Theme Park
Strathclyde Country Park,
Motherwell,
Scotland ML1 3RT
Telephone: 01698 333 777
Website: www.scotlandsthemepark.com
Opening Times: Varies, see website
Ticket Prices: Entry is free, wristbands permit you to use rides and facilities, costing: Single Unlimited Ride Wristband (under 1.35m) £11.45, Single Unlimited Ride Wristband (over 1.35m) £15.45, Family of 4 (any 4 people) Unlimited Ride Wristband £48
Why should we go there? Over 40 major rides and attractions, five rollercoasters, it is home to Amazonia, Scotland's only indoor tropical rainforest.
Facilities: Free entry and free Parking, luxury 4 Star Alona Hotel.

Oakwood
Address: Oakwood Theme Park
Canaston Bridge
Narberth
Pembrokeshire
Wales
SA67 8DE
Telephone: 01834 861889 
Website: www.oakwoodthemepark.co.uk
Opening Times: Open from 4th April until 1st November from 10am until 5pm. From 1st August until 31st August from 10am until 6pm.
Ticket Prices: Standard ticket (ages 10+) £17.95, Junior ticket (ages 3-9) £13.95, 2s and under free, Family ticket for four £58.00
Why should we go there? The Megafobia all wooden roller coaster was voted the best ride in the country and third best in the world! (Must be 1.2m tall to ride), numerous rides for younger children at Play Town and many more for older kids, including the Pirate Ship and skydiver-style Vertigo.
Facilities: Free parking, kennels for your dog, six eateries and numerous shops.

Thorpe Park
Address: Thorpe Park
Staines Road
Chertsey
Surrey
KT16 8PN
Website: http://www.thorpepark.com/
Opening Times: Visit the website for various opening hours throughout the year
Ticket Prices: Adult £31, under 12 £21, children under 1m FREE
Why should we go there? Thorpe Park is a fun day out for all the family with adrenaline pumping rides for the fast action, thrill seekers to smaller rides designed especially for children.
Rides for young family members: http://www.thorpepark.com/rides-youngfamilies.php
Facilities: Baby changing rooms and buggy hire are also available.

The Magical Kingdom of Camelot Theme Park
Address: Camelot Theme Park,
Park Hall Road,
Charnock Richard,
Chorley,
PR7 5LP
Website: http://www.camelotthemepark.co.uk/
Opening Times: Opens at 10am, but closing times vary – check website for more details
Ticket Prices: Adults and children over 1m £19, children under 1m – FREE
Why should we go there? Camelot is a land where children of all ages can learn the art of wizardry, meet the animals on a real working farm and experience the thrill of amazing water rides. Merlin’s magic show is not to be missed as well as the medieval exhibitions with jousting, jugglers and fire eaters.

Twinlakes Park
Address: Twinlakes Park,
Melton Spinney Road,
Melton Mowbray,
Leicestershire.
LE14 4SB
Telephone: 01664 567777
Website: http://www.twinlakespark.co.uk/
Ticket Prices: Adults/ Children £9.49, Children under 92cm FREE
Opening Times: Open everyday from 10am
Why should we go there? Twin lakes has 10 playzones spanning 100,000sq feet of park land. It has a large indoor adventure area with slides and foam ball play areas, Red Rooster Farm with animals of all shapes and sizes and Black Knights Castle with passages secret rooms to explore.

Can you recommend anywhere for a fun family day out? Why not share it with other mums in the forums