Best UK attractions for families that won't break the bank
From theme parks to zoos and aquariums to castles, these are the best attractions to take your kids to this summer holidays.
The summer holidays are rolling on and if you're struggling for inspiration for your next family day out, you've certainly come to the right place.
We've pulled together the best attractions for parents, grandparents and children of all ages to enjoy this school holidays, with theme parks, zoos, and aquariums up and down the country. So whether you're based in Blackpool or Brighton, Surrey or Stockport, there is sure to be something in our guide for you.
Best of all, finding attractions with deals seems to be something of our forte — just take a look at our best London aquarium deals and best Disneyland Paris deals guides — so you can guarantee to find some discounts below.
Take a look at the best places to visit with your teenager in the UK.
Best UK attractions for families at a glance:
- SEA LIFE | from £15
- Shrek's Adventure | from
£32£21 (save £11 or 35%) - Hertfordshire Zoo | from £21.99
- Warwick Castle |
£39£26 (save £13 or 33%) - Cadbury World |
£68£28 (save £40 or 59%) - Madame Tussauds |
£39£29 (save £10 or 26%) - Chessington World of Adventures |
£66£32 (save £34 or 52%) - Thorpe Park | £33
- Alton Towers |
£68£34 (save £34 or 50%) - Legoland Windsor |
£68£34 (save £34 or 50%)
Best attractions in the UK for your family
Alton Towers
Alton Towers is one of the best theme parks in the UK for families and it's easy to see why; the Stoke-on-Trent theme park is made up of 11 themed areas, with over 40 rides and a waterpark inside. For daring teenagers, there are rollercoasters such as The Smiler, Toxicator and Thirteen. For younger kids, you can head over to the wonderful CBeebies Land where you'll find meet and greets with Bluey characters, rides such as Go Jetters Vroomster Zoom Ride and live shows.
Plus, have you heard Scarefest tickets are available for Alton Towers? This Halloween event is family-friendly, but to make the most of it, we'd recommend visiting with children over 12.
Buy Alton Towers tickets for £68 £34 (save £34 or 50%) at Alton Towers
Cadbury World
What's your favourite Cadbury bar? For this Digital Writer, it has to be a Twirl, whereas other MadeForMums team members are battling it out to decide whether a Crunchie, Freddo or a good old-fashioned Dairy Milk comes out on top. If you and your family are as passionate about chocolate as we are, it's time to head to Cadbury World!
Cadbury World takes you on the journey of how Cadbury chocolate is made — from learning about how the chocolate is created to jumping on rides like the Cadbury Chocolate Quest and 4D Chocolate Adventure cinema, which has motion seats. By the end of the day, you'll be filled with chocolate knowledge.
Buy Cadbury World tickets for £68 £28 (save £40 or 59%) at Cadbury World
Hertfordshire Zoo
Dubbed 'the best zoo in the south of England', Hertfordshire Zoo is a brilliant family day out if your kids are animal lovers. At Hertfordshire Zoo, there are plenty of animal experiences which are sure to delight the whole family, such as a big cat and tiger feeding experience, a meet the red panda experience and a sloth experience. Plus, there's a World of Dinosaurs attraction, adventure golf course, dinosaur-themed express train and so much more.
Since Hertfordshire Zoo became a charity in 2017, the zoo has continued to support global and local conservation organisations to help protect vulnerable animals and habitats all over the world.
Save 10% when you book Hertfordshire Zoo tickets online
Madame Tussauds
Who is your child's favourite celebrity? Is it Real Madrid footballer Kylian Mbappé? Pop star Taylor Swift? Or the character Enola Holmes? No matter who they're currently obsessing over, your little ones can meet them at Madame Tussauds in London this summer.
Madame Tussauds is full of interactive zones such as The Fashion Runway, The Royal Palace and Awards Party, as well as experiences like Marvel Universe 4D, Chamber of Horrors and Spirit of London Ride, so there's plenty more to do besides posing with celebs.
Buy Madame Tussauds tickets for £39 £29 (save £10 or 26%) at Madame Tussauds
Thorpe Park
The UK certainly isn't short of thrilling theme parks — from Alton Towers to Legoland Windsor, there's plenty of attractions up and down the country for the whole family to enjoy — and one of our favourites is Thorpe Park.
At the Surrey theme park, older kids and adults can enjoy over 30 thrilling rides, including the famous Stealth, Nemesis Inferno, and Swarm. Whereas little ones can head over to kids zones to try out rides such as Flying Fish Junior, Tidal Wave and the Angry Birds 4D Experience.
Buy Thorpe Park tickets for £33 at Thorpe Park
Plus, just like Alton Towers, Thorpe Park's Fright Night tickets are available now.
SEA LIFE
Unlike the previous attractions we've shown you, which require you to travel to a specific part of the UK, SEA LIFE has centres up and down the country, so you can select the attraction which makes sense for you to travel to. Choose between aquariums in Birmingham, London, Blackpool, Manchester, Scarborough and more.
At SEA LIFE, you can discover animals like jellyfish, penguins, seahorses, turtles and even sharks! Plus, SEA LIFE is doing vital conservation and wildlife rehabilitation work which manifests in providing vital care for marine life via sanctuaries, funding impactful conservation projects, and delivering global campaigns to protect marine habitats and wildlife.
Buy SEA LIFE tickets from £15 at SEA LIFE
Warwick Castle
If you're looking for a trip which has the potential to be educational — and we say 'potential' because we know what kids are like in the school holidays! — allow us to turn your attention to Warwick Castle. This castle is set across 64 acres, and in those acres, you'll find live shows, meet and greets with characters like Zog, and interactive areas.
Plus, there's plenty of historical activities to sink your teeth into, too, like history tours, as well as places such as The Great Hall, Mill & Engine House and The Peacock Garden.
Buy Warwick Castle tickets for £39 £26 (save £13 or 33%) at Warwick Castle
Chessington World of Adventures
Chessington World of Adventures — located just outside of London — is a firm family favourite attraction with its 40 rides, zoo, aquarium, and Jumanji World. Let's dive into why this theme park should be your next family day out.
The resort boasts exciting rides such as Vampire, Rattlesnake, Dragon's Fury and Tiger Rock, as well as plenty for little ones like Gruffalo River Ride Adventure, Room on the Broom — A Magical Journey and Elmer's Flying Jumbos. Plus, unlike other theme parks, Chessington World of Adventures has a huge soft play area, adventure trail, and high ropes course.
Have you heard of the Merlin two for one deal, which sees you secure the second day of a Merlin attraction for absolutely free?
Shrek's Adventure
We love it when a classic family movie, such as Shrek, is brought to life, and that's exactly what has happened with Shrek's Adventure in London. At the attraction, you'll meet beloved Shrek characters such as Shrek himself, Princess Fiona, Donkey and Puss in Boots. Plus, you'll discover brilliant rides like the 4D Flying Magic Bus, and themed areas like The Swamp, Mirror Maze of Insanity, and The Bakery.
Buy Shrek's Adventure tickets from £32 £21 (save £11 or 35%) at Shrek's Adventure
Legoland Windsor
Legoland Windsor is one of the most popular destinations in the UK this summer holidays, and one of the best things about Legoland is that there's no clean up of LEGO bricks afterwards! Legoland Windsor boasts 55 rides, shows and attractions like Adventure Golf which are specially designed for children aged two to 12.
Buy Legoland Windsor tickets for £68 £34 (save £34 or 50%) at Legoland
Looking for a deal on any of the above attractions? Be sure to take a look at best Legoland deals, best Alton Towers deals, best Chessington World of Adventures deals, and best Thorpe Park deals.
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