Best UK theme parks and other attractions

What do Harry Potter, The Beatles, Game of Thrones and Shrek have in common? They’re all now part of a Which?-recommended day out.

We surveyed Which? members and the public about more than 5,000 trips they’d taken to theme parks and other attractions. They rated the rides at amusement parks, the food and drink stalls, and the best and the worst attractions for queues and much more.

The top-rated destination in our survey has no rides - no TV or film tie-in - but it wows young and older visitors alike.

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Our top-rated attraction

Eureka Science and Discovery, Merseyside  85%

Our highest-rated attraction, Eureka Science and Discovery looks, with its multi-storey climbing tree, like an indoor adventure park but is as educational as a science museum, making it a huge hit with kids and their parents.

There are few queues, no overcrowding and, at £16.95, it’s cheaper than most days out in our list. ‘There’s so much to see and do that it’s great value for money, especially compared to other similar place', enthused one visitor.

The best theme parks and other attractions in the UK

Which?-recommended days out

Camera Obscura and world of illusions, Edinburgh 79%

The Camera Obscura - a nineteenth-century invention projecting an image of the city onto a table - is still impressive by itself. But the dizzying hall of mirrors, ‘mind -boggling’ optical illusions and high-tech displays have brought this Victorian attraction into the 21st century.

‘I was really impressed by how interactive and fun the exhibits were', was one comment. ‘We weren’t just looking at things, but actually engaging with them. It felt like a great mix of entertainment and discovery.’

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, Hertfordshire 79%

Many big-name attractions fail to live up to their promise, but the Harry Potter tour is an exception.

‘It’s amazing the way they have it set up', said a Harry Potter fan. 'You’d think you were in Hogwarts.'

This is where the eight films in the series were shot, and it includes a massive Great Hall, the cobbled Diagon Alley, Hogwarts Express - the genuine steam engine used in the film - and, most impressively, the room-sized model of Hogwarts Castle used for all the films’ exterior shots.

Game of Thrones Studio Tour, County Down 76%

Like the Harry Potter tour, Game of Thrones's Northern Irish home is more than just an exhibition of sets and props from the hit series.

As well as walking through the Great Hall of Winterfell and the Castle Black sets, you can feel as if you’re a part of the Westeros world - becoming a White Walker via motion capture cameras or testing your archery skills on digital screens.

Finish the tour by finally taking a seat on the original Iron Throne. 

Landmark Forest Adventure Park, Cairngorms 76%

Despite its life-size, animatronic dinosaurs, water slides and high rope walks, our most northerly attraction the Landmark Forest Adventure Park never forgets that it’s part of one of the UK’s great national parks.

Located in 30 acres of an ancient pine forest, it includes routes to spot the native red squirrels as well as a butterfly house and other nature highlights.

The Beatles Story, Liverpool 76%

One of the best attractions in the UK’s highest-rated city break, The Beatles Story immerses you in the band’s history, via a replica of early haunts the Casbah Coffee Club, the Cavern Club and right through to Abbey Road Studios.

‘It’s the story of the most important group in the history of music, how can you not enjoy an experience which enhances your knowledge of the band?’ said one fan.

Love history and culture? We've rated the best historic buildings and the best museums and art galleries near you.

Which?-recommended days out with younger children

For many children, Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park (76%) will be the first theme park they visit, and it’s a great introduction. Its nine gentle rides, including Peppa’s Big Balloon Ride and George’s Dinosaur Adventure, are perfect for those aged five and under. The rest of Paulton Park caters for kids all the way up to early teens, with more exciting rides such as the Flight of the Pterosaur rollercoaster.

Slightly older kids will love the Legoland Discovery Centres in Birmingham and Manchester (73%) - as will their parents when they discover that they can provide that Lego hit, without the expense or the queues of a trip to the main Legoland in Windsor. 

In London, Shrek’s Adventure, (73%) is also a great option for 5-12 year-olds or anybody who loved the films. It’s next to the London Eye and the Sea Life Centre, but probably more fun than either. Feel like you’re in one of the films as you pass from the magic flying bus through other locations made famous from the films.

Prefer a different kind of day out? We've surveyed thousands of people to find the best zoos, safari parks and aquariums in the UK. 

Alton Towers vs Thorpe Park, Legoland vs Chessington - which is the best amusement park?

The UK’s big four theme parks are all owned by entertainment giant Merlin, but they’re not all the same.

Alton Towers (67%, £39) is the biggest and got a reasonable attraction score, but it disappointed some visitors. People told us that food and drink were too expensive (35% said this was an issue - higher than most other attractions). It only got one star for its queues, two stars for rides and two stars for value for money.

Thorpe Park (70%, £37) did better, with its four stars for rides signalling its appeal to teenagers and other thrill seekers. Its Hyperia ride is the UK’s highest and fastest rollercoaster. However, the smaller site did mean that 30% of people complained about overcrowding, more than than the other three.

Legoland (69%, £39) didn’t do badly, with a high (four stars) score for its clean, attractive site. Food and drink are expensive (30% said this was an issue), and its food outlets only got two stars. People also reported long queues (two stars).

Chessington World of Adventures (63%) £32 Despite being the cheapest, Chessington was the lowest rated of the big four. It was let down by a one-star score for queues, while 28% of visitors in our survey complained of overcrowding. A two-star score for value for money suggests you can do better elsewhere.

Verdict: If you love exciting rides, choose Thorpe Park. Legoland is good for younger kids - but try to visit outside peak times.

Value for money

All the Which? Recommended attractions got at least four stars for value for money. 

However, many tourist attractions were criticised for their cost. The Shard, the London Eye, The Lift at Battersea and the i360 in Brighton all got decent overall scores but just two stars for value for money.

Paying up to £33 for an - albeit very nice - view seems like a lot.

Our Research

In January and February 2026, we asked 2,436 members of the Which? Connect panel and members of the public about their experiences visiting theme parks and other attractions in the past two years. They told us about 5,456 trips.

We chose the highest-rated attractions as Which? Recommended Providers, taking into account their star ratings – particularly the value for money score - among other things. We also took into account the transparency of their pricing. 

We decided not to make any attractions with a booking fee a Which? Recommended Provider. We think that booking fees are an unnecessary annoyance and may – if they’re not made clear at the outset – be against new legislation on drip pricing. 

We’re writing to attractions with unclear booking fees to ask them to make their pricing more transparent.