A brand-new Bluey coaster and PAW Patrol Land, Vikings moving in next to Peppa Pig — 2026 is a big year for theme parks near London.
But which theme parks are worth planning a trip outside the city for? This guide was written to help you find the best fit for your family: the one that won’t terrify your toddler or bore their older sibling.
Most are within 1 to 2 hours from central London and make for brilliant day trips. We’ve also included a section with theme parks that are further afield in case you’re planning a weekend break.
And to help you find the theme park near London that’s best suited to you more quickly…
London’s closest theme park: Camden’s Babylon Park is of course actually in London. Outside the city, Chessington is the nearest, under an hour by train from Waterloo. LEGOLAND Windsor is a similar distance.
Best for toddlers: Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park, or Gulliver’s Land if you want something closer and cheaper.
Best for older kids and teens: Thorpe Park. It has the biggest coasters within easy reach of London.
Best for sheer number of rides: LEGOLAND Windsor, with over 55 rides and attractions aimed at ages 2 to 12.
If you’re looking for free, supervised fun that leans into kids’ imagination, see our guide to London’s best adventure playgrounds. But for rollercoasters and high-thrill rides just outside the city, keep reading.
This article was last updated on 14 April 2026
The best theme parks for kids within 2 hours of London
LEGOLAND Windsor
Distance from London: Roughly 1 hr by car or train
Ages: 2–12 years
Where: Windsor, Berkshire, SL4
Prices: From £32 per person
At LEGOLAND you get over 55 rides, a pirate stunt show and an entire miniature world built from LEGO bricks. The park is turning 30 this year, so it’s a great time to visit. They will have special birthday shows and character photo ops running through the season.
It can get busy so we recommend getting there early.
Loopla often gets a heads-up on special deals from LEGOLAND. Whenever we do, we include them in our weekly newsletter for parents in London. You can sign up for it here.
Diggerland Kent
Distance from London: Roughly 1 hr by car, or 1.5 hrs train
Ages: All ages, though height restrictions are the main consideration – many rides start from 90cm
Where: Strood, Kent, ME2
Prices: From £25.95 per person (when you pre-book)
Diggerland is a one-of-a-kind theme park. Just over an hour outside London, kids can drive real diggers and construction vehicles.
There are also go-karts, sky shuttles, soft play and plenty of hands-on fun.
Old MacDonald’s Farm & Fun Park
Distance from London: Roughly 1 hr by car or 1.5 hrs by train
Ages: 2 years+
Where: Brentwood, Essex, CM14
Prices: From £15.30 per kid
Rides, tractor tours and a soft play are what set Old MacDonald’s Farm & Fun Park apart from traditional petting farms. We recommend it for families with toddlers and young children looking for a gentle, animal-filled day out.
Chessington World of Adventures
Distance from London: Roughly 1 hr by car or train
Ages: Ideal for 0.9m+ tall
Where: Chessington, Greater London, KT9
Prices: From £37 per person
Chessington World of Adventures is one of the few parks where your kids can ride a rollercoaster and feed a giraffe on the same day. The zoo and SEA LIFE aquarium give younger ones plenty to do between rides. For fans of a certain TV show, the really exciting news is that a new PAW Patrol land with four rides is opening in May 2026.
Thorpe Park
Distance from London: Roughly 1 hr by car or train
Ages: Ideal for 1.2m+ tall
Where: Chertsey, Surrey, KT16
Prices: From £32 per person
Thorpe Park could well be the strongest pick here for older kids and teens. It offers big drops, fast rollercoasters and water rides that will drench everyone. Fright Nights in autumn are worth planning around, too, if your kids are brave enough.
Adventure Island
Distance from London: Roughly 1.5 hrs by car or train
Ages: All ages
Where: Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1
Prices: Wristbands from £25 (when you book online)
Adventure Island seaside amusement park right on Southend seafront with over 40 rides. Entry is free, but you have to buy wristbands or pay per ride. Pair it with chips on the beach to complete a wholesome family excursion from London.
Gulliver’s Land Theme Park Resort
Distance from London: Roughly 1.5 hrs by car or train
Ages: Best for 2-12 years
Where: Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK15
Prices: Afternoon tickets from £15 per person (on select dates)
Many theme parks have a handful of rides for younger kids tucked away in a corner. At Gulliver’s Land, the whole park was designed for ages 2 to 13. There’s a new mini coaster called The Wriggler that opened in spring 2026, plus themed lodges on site if you want to make a weekend of it.
Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park
Distance from London: Roughly 2 hrs by car or train
Ages: All ages
Where: Romsey, Hampshire, SO51
Prices: Day tickets from £46.75 per person
If your child is at the age where Peppa is basically a member of the family, they’ll love seeing the characters and settings from the show brought to life here.
There are nine Peppa-themed rides, and the wider Paultons Park has over 70 more. A new Viking area called Valgard opens in May 2026 with the park’s first inverting coaster, giving older siblings something to look forward to as well.
Babylon Park
Nearest station: 8-minute walk from Camden Road station
Ages: All ages
Where: Camden, London, NW1
Prices: Free entry; ride wristbands from £25.00 per person
Babylon is London’s only indoor theme park, set underground beneath Camden Market. It has seven rides across three floors, including a roller coaster, drop tower and bumper cars. Other draws include arcade games and VR.
It’s not a full day out, but you can combine it with a trip to Camden Market or other central London attractions. Plus entry is free, so you can look around before buying a wristband.
Wicksteed Park
Distance from London: Roughly 1.5 to 2 hrs by car or train
Ages: All ages
Where: Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN15
Prices: Free entry; ride wristbands from £22.00 per person
Wicksteed Park is the oldest theme park on the British mainland, open since 1921. The 147-acre charitable trust features a lake, woodlands and around 25 rides, most of them suited to younger children.
The main reason to go is the park’s heritage. Their Grade II-listed Water Chute was built in 1926, the oldest working ride of its kind and still running. You also have smaller coasters, dodgems, a miniature railway, a rowing lake and a walk-through aviary.
Best theme parks further outside of London for short breaks
For bank holiday weekends or school holidays where you’ve booked time off work, here are some theme parks worth travelling a bit further for.
Alton Towers with CBeebies Land
Distance from London: Roughly 3 to 4 hrs by car or train
Ages: All ages (some height restrictions apply)
Where: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST10
Prices: Day passes from £32 per person
Alton Towers is one of the UK’s biggest and best theme parks with huge coasters. But it also has plenty for younger visitors, including the wonderful CBeebies Land. The world’s first Bluey coaster also opened here in March 2026.
Clacton Pier
Distance from London: Roughly 2 hr 10 mins by car or train
Ages: All ages (ride restrictions vary)
Where: Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, CO15
Prices: Big Day Out bands from £22.50 per person (if purchased online)
Clacton Pier is a big, traditional British seaside pier with funfair rides, bowling, arcades and a Seaquarium. In fact, it claims to boast Europe’s largest pleasure pier.
Drayton Manor Resort
Distance from London: Roughly 2 to 3 hrs by car or train
Ages: All ages
Where: Tamworth, Staffordshire, B78
Prices: Kids (4+) tickets from £27.50
If your little one loves Thomas the Tank Engine, this is the one to visit. Thomas Land has over 25 rides and is the only one of its kind in Europe.
The wider park has a Dino Trail, coasters, a zoo and a 15-acre animal area with red pandas and lynx.
Dymchurch Amusement Park
Distance from London: Roughly 2 to 2.5 hrs by car or train
Ages: All ages
Where: Dymchurch, Kent, TN29
Prices: Free admission
Dymchurch Amusement Park is small, vintage-style amusement park with gentle rides and a relaxed coastal feel. It’s right by the beach n a quiet stretch of the Kent coast. We recommend it for families who don’t need much more than a carousel and a bag of chips to be happy.
Brighton Palace Pier’s Palace of Fun
Distance from London: Roughly 2 hrs by car or train
Ages: All ages
Where: Brighton, East Sussex, BN1
Prices: Kids wristbands from £16 (when you book online)
The iconic pier itself is the main attraction here. Then you’ve got arcades, fairground rides and food stalls stretched out over the sea. Once you’ve had enough of the noise, the beach is nearby. It’s best to plan a whole day (or weekend, even) in Brighton to make the journey feel more worthwhile.
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