Thorpe Park

This is a great family day out within easy reach of central London, specialising in white-knuckle rides for theme-park aficionados, although with some concessions to younger visitors too. As with all theme-parks, it’s not a cheap day out: expect to stump up about £100 for a family ticket. You usually save quite a bit by booking online in advance as well as checking the website for seasonal offers.

Best for: Those with slightly older kids, although there’s a mini rollercoaster, playgrounds, a carousel and live shows for younger kids. Still, those with tots might be happier at the nearby sister theme-park Chessington World of Adventures.

16.00

Today

21°C
70°F

What to Expect:

Advance tickets
Cafe/Restaurant
Family tickets
Great for kids 4-12
Great for teens
Pay on day
Picnic areas
Public transport
Seasonal opening
Special events

What to do

In high season, think about upgrading to a fast-track ticket – for about £10 more, you whizz to the head of every queue.

Take note of height restrictions on rides – you don’t want your kids to queue up only to be disappointed.

With older adrenaline junkies, make a beeline for the Slammer giant freefall ride, the Vortex, which resembles an oversize egg whisk, and the horror-film themed, not-for-the-squeamish Saw: The Ride. Check out Storm Surge, a sky-high spinning water ride with a spiralling descent through water cannon fire and new for 2012, The Swarm - Europe's tallest winged rollercoaster.

With younger kids, head to Octopus Garden, Neptune’s Kingdom, the Flying Fish first-timers’ rollercoaster, and the Canada Creek scenic railway.

Take advantage of the Parent Swap facility for those who want to go on rides that their children are too young for (the second parent is let onto the ride as the first exits, meaning you don’t have to queue twice).

Get your children free wristbands from Guest Services just in case you get separated.

Where to stay

You might choose to stay in the capital itself, in which case see our London destination guide for our family-friendly holiday recommendations. For short- break packages including accommodation at hotels near the park and often a second day’s entry at greatly reduced prices, see our Theme Parks page.

Photos

When

The park is open from mid-March until early November, with times varying by day and season. See the website for full information.

How

Just 32km (20 miles) southwest of central London, Thorpe Park is easy to reach by car or public transport (there’s a regular shuttle from Staines station, which is 35mins from London’s Waterloo). For details and a map, on see the website.

Eat

There are lots of places to eat within the park, serving both fast food for those who don’t want to break from the fun and sit-down meals and snacks. These include Mexican dishes in the new cantina, noodles, and healthy recipes devised by children’s cookery guru Annabel Karmel in the Glass House restaurant.

You can take in your own food but there’s not much place to spread out a picnic.

Cost

As with all theme-parks, it’s not a cheap day out: expect to stump up about £125 for a family ticket. You usually save quite a bit by booking online in advance as well as checking the website for seasonal offers.