Friends on a roller coaster

Thorpe Park or Chessington World of Adventures Resort Comparison

Scream if you want to go faster on our roller coaster ride through two of the biggest and best theme parks in the UK.

With nearly 100 attractions between them, including thrill-a-second roller coasters, splash rides, a zoo, an aquarium and more, it’s no wonder that Thorpe Park and Chessington World of Adventures are two of the UK’s most popular theme parks. We took a closer look to see how these entertainment titans measure up…

Thorpe Park: The Lowdown

Rollercoaster at Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park: The Lowdown

  • Name and age. Thorpe Park opened in 1979.
  • Location. The Surrey village of Thorpe, 20 miles south of Central London.
  • Best for. Thrill-seeking teens and grown-ups.
  • Slogan. 'The home of feel-good thrills'
  • Getting there and getting in. Trains connect Waterloo with Staines, from where the 950 express bus shuttles passengers direct to Thorpe Park. Day tickets, annual passes and VIP experiences can be booked via the Thorpe Park website.
  • Staying over. Thorpe Shark Cabins, made from converted shipping containers are the on-park option, and you can also book ticket+stay packages at some nearby hotels.

Thorpe Park in a Nutshell

Saw – The Ride at Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park in a Nutshell

Thorpe Park sits on a huge tract of parkland, complete with lakes and meadows that lend the park its island-like appearance. Nine themed zones including a jungle, an old town and a haunted dockyard, contain around 30 rides. Among these are the fastest and tallest roller coaster in the country, one of the tallest water rides in Europe and several terrifying movie-themed attractions, based on the likes of The Walking Dead and the Saw franchise. Suffice to say then, it’s largely geared towards families with older kids.

Thorpe Park: Vital Statistics 

  • Size. A chunky 410 acres.
  • Number of zones. Nine, including an Atlantis-style lost city, a spooky dockyard, and an apocalyptic disaster zone.
  • Number of attractions. Somewhere in the region of 30 rides, including eight roller coasters and four water rides.
  • Visitors. Around 1.5 million annually.

Thorpe Park Highlights

The Swarm ride at Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park Highlights

  • For thrill seekers. Only the tallest, fastest and most weightless coaster in the UK, Hyperia soars 236 feet over the aptly named Fearless Valley zone. No less nerve-jangling, Stealth, The Swarm and Nemesis Inferno are very much not for the faint of heart. And be warned: the horror-themed Saw and The Walking Dead rides are pure nightmare fuel!
  • For water babes. Make a splash on the Rumba Rapids, or take your life in your hands for Tidal Wave’s epic 85-foot drop, one of the highest water rides in Europe.
  • For families. Though primarily aimed at teens and adults, Thorpe Park does have a few gentler child-friendly options, including a mini coaster, a playground and a paddling pool.

Chessington World of Adventures: The Lowdown

Family having fun on a day out

Chessington World of Adventures: The Lowdown

  • Name and age. Chessington opened as a zoo way back in 1931, adding the theme park elements in 1987.
  • Location. Chessington, which is within Greater London, is around 12 miles southwest of the city center.
  • Best for. Families with kids of all ages.
  • Slogan. 'We’ve got it!'
  • Getting there and getting in. Regular rail services run from Waterloo, Wimbledon and Clapham Junction to Chessington South station, a 10-minute walk from the park. Entry to Chessington World of Adventures is included with an attractions pass from Go City, which can save you up to 50% on more than 100 London tours, activities and attractions. Find out more and get yours here.
  • Staying over. There are safari- and Aztec-themed 4-star hotels on site, plus a glamping accommodation option.

Chessington World of Adventures in a Nutshell

Clown fish in an aquarium

Chessington World of Adventures in a Nutshell

Chessington is the whole package. Not only does it have some 40 rides, running the gamut from dizzying roller coasters and croc- and mamba-themed thrill rides to river rapids and much gentler rides for toddlers, it also boasts an entire zoo and Sea Life Centre, plus live shows, character meet-and-greets, live music, and kiddies’ play zones.

Chessington World of Adventures: Vital Statistics 

  • Size. 128 acres.
  • Number of zones. There are 11-themed zones, including the watery Shipwreck Coast, the jungly World of Jumanji, and the child-friendly Land of the Dragons. Chessington Zoo and the Sea Life Centre are in addition to these.
  • Number of attractions. Forty-something rides, plus a zoo, an aquarium, live entertainment and more.
  • Visitors. Around 1.5 million each year.

Chessington World of Adventures Highlights

Gorilla in a zoo

Chessington World of Adventures Highlights

  • For thrill seekers. Hit up the World of Jumanji, Wild Woods and Forbidden Kingdom for some of the park’s most terrifying rides. We’re talking the Mandrill Mayhem and Vampire coasters, plus Mamba Strike, Ostrich Stampede and the Croc Drop. Try not to get bitten! 
  • For animal lovers. Chessington Zoo is home to more than 1,000 critters, including several endangered species. Say hey to snow leopards, Asiatic lions, western lowland gorillas, cute Humboldt penguins and more and experience feeding frenzies and fascinating zookeeper talks. The adjoining Sea Life Centre adds sharks, rays, jellyfish, octopuses and more into the mix.
  • For families. In addition to the fab animal attractions, there are several rides and zones designed specifically with younger kids in mind. Land of the Dragons is the park's main children's area, with a huge soft-play zone, a treehouse with rope bridges, and gentle water rides. Meet-and-greets include Elmer the patchwork elephant and characters from CoComelon, who also feature in the live stage shows.

Recap: Thorpe Park vs Chessington World of Adventures

Young couple on a theme park ride

Recap: Thorpe Park vs Chessington World of Adventures

Two titans of the amusement park world, both inside the M25 and within easy reach of Central London. But which is better? Well, your preference is likely to be swayed by how much you crave a thrill ride and how much you’re looking for a family all-rounder for your day out. Thorpe Park falls firmly into the former category. Like, say, Alton Towers, its focus is primarily on rides – and the faster and more furious the better. This is one for the adrenalin fields and will mostly suit teenagers and young adults. 

Thanks to the addition of a zoo, an aquarium and some dedicated zones for smaller children, Chessington World of Adventures is a stronger bet for families, especially those with kids across a range of ages. Suffice it to say that there’s plenty to enjoy here whether you’re two, 12 or 42 years old.

Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

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Why you should visit London in July

If there’s a month to see London at its best, it has to be July. This is the month when Londoners let their hair down and bask in mid-summer temperatures that stay pleasantly warm until dusk settles at around 10PM. The promise of great weather sees everyone who’s anyone relax in London’s multitude of outdoor spaces, be that a Royal Park or a rooftop bar for a glass of rosé. There’s also a myriad of festivals throughout London in July, as well as once-a-year opportunities including the summer opening of Buckingham Palace. Discover royal London It’s in July that Buckingham Palace – the monarch’s official London residence – opens its doors to the public. Entering via the building’s ceremonial entrance and grand gilt staircase, visits take in 19 state rooms. Used for official functions, such as investitures and the welcoming of foreign heads of government, they include the Throne Room, White Drawing Room and Ballroom. If that isn’t enough, each year a different exhibition is staged using artefacts from the royal collection – providing further insight into the many roles played by British royals. The objects on display at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival are no less impressive for their shorter lifespans. The largest horticultural event in the capital’s calendar, attractions range from a festival of roses to celebrity workshops, all amid the Tudor palace’s spectacular grounds. Dating back hundreds of years, Swan Upping takes place on the Thames over several days in July. Starting at Eton Bridge beside Windsor Castle, Swan Uppers in traditional Thames skiffs count the year’s cygnets to ensure the river’s swan population remains healthy. Make the most of the long July evenings The royal connections continue at Kensington Palace, which is the location of one of the open-air pop-up giant cinema screens that appear throughout London from July. 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Ian Packham
A woman returns here rental bike after enjoying a ride around London
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Cheap things to do in London

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Visitors are able to stand on the original prime meridian line denoting the eastern and western hemispheres, before going on to learn how the site changed the way we see the world with regard to both time and space. Within a fine example of Georgian architecture is the Benjamin Franklin House museum. The only remaining residence of the American Founding Father, its collection helps to detail Franklin’s life in London over 15 years through a mix of period furnishings and audiovisual displays. London’s budget eats If there’s one thing about traveling on a budget in London which worries visitors it’s staying well fed and watered. Whilst headlines about Salt Bae’s $1000 steaks and bar menus quoting $14 for a lager are common enough, there’s never been a better time to eat well for less. Just behind Euston train station, north west London’s Drummond Street rivals Brick Lane when it comes to cheap eats from the Indian subcontinent. Further north still, there’s plenty of options amidst the fashion stalls of Camden Market, with traditional fish and chips competing for attention against hotdogs and burritos. The converted shipping containers of Boxpark are another great option. Providing shared seating and a plethora of independent places to eat, there are three sites to look out for, in Wembley, Shoreditch and up-and-coming Croydon. London’s best value views For a bird’s eye view of the capital without the sky-high costs there are a number of potential attractions to consider. The best known is the covered Sky Garden topping out 20 Fenchurch Street – the Walkie Talkie building. Promising 360° views from London’s highest public garden, it’s free to visit, although you’ll need to pre-book a time slot. Less well known is the external balcony that sits beneath the bronze horse-drawn chariot carrying the goddess Victory on Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner. Its views extend across several Royal Parks. Tucked behind more recent buildings at the northern end of London Bridge lies The Monument. Built by Sir Christopher Wren of St Paul’s Cathedral fame to commemorate the Great Fire of London in 1666, its vertigo-inducing viewing platform puts you roughly 60 meters above ground level. The height marks its distance from the fire’s starting point on Pudding Lane. Low-cost nights out in the capital If your budget doesn’t stretch to a show in the West End, fear not, you don’t need to remove seeing a show from your list of cheap things to do in London just yet. The brutalist architecture of the Southbank Centre has long been the haunt of skaters and street artists, who together create a heady mix of spontaneity and art for passersby. The highest form of art has to go to the plays of The Bard. To experience the playwright’s greatest works as they were intended to be seen, head for the standing-only Groundling Yard of Shakespeare’s Globe. For the cost of a pint, you get closer to the stage than you probably thought possible. Also be sure to check out the listings sections of the weekend papers for details of London’s public events. June’s Trooping the Colour, August’s Notting Hill Carnival, and December’s Christmas markets lead a long list of events. Switch underground for overground The London Underground has been getting Londoners where they need to be for over 150 years. Ride the right double-decker buses instead, and you’ll get a tour of some of London’s top attractions thrown in for free. Jump aboard the number 24 from Victoria Station to whiz past Westminster Abbey, Downing Street and Trafalgar Square, or flag down the number 11 to travel along Piccadilly to the Royal Albert Hall. Another alternative to the tube is London’s Santander Cycles, known to almost everyone as Boris Bikes after the former mayor Boris Johnson, who brought them to the capital’s streets and kick-started a cycling revolution in the process. Ride as far as you want (a few have made it all the way to Paris and back) for a set price that can see you recreating The Beatles’ Abbey Road album cover and free-wheeling across Tower Bridge. Take a walk in the park Whichever part of London you find yourself in, it’s very likely there’s a public park nearby. The Westminster area boasts the triple alliance of Hyde Park, St James’s and Green Park, with Regent’s Park to the north and Battersea Park lining the Thames’ south bank. Elsewhere, Highgate Cemetery is a historic burial place with grand tombs and the unofficial status of a nature reserve. One of London’s ‘magnificent seven’ graveyards, it has around 170,000 interments. Amongst them are famous faces including poet Christina Rossetti, singer George Michael, novelist George Eliot, socialist thinker Karl Marx, and if legend is to be believed, the Highgate Vampire too. 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Ian Packham
Revelers at a Pride parade
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Things to do in London for Pride Day

The Pride in London festival is one of the biggest, brightest and best on the planet, with around 30,000 participants and 1.5 million spectators. A month-long celebration of love, diversity and all things LGBTQ+, it comes complete with theatrical cabaret and drag performances, world-class nightlife, LGBTQ+ film screenings and, of course, the all-important Pride Parade that brings the festival to a flamboyant close in late June or early July. Raise your rainbow flag and dive in for our guide to all the best things to do in London for Pride Day. The Pride Parade There are stacks of fun LGBTQ+ events taking place around London in the weeks leading up to the annual Pride Parade. We’re talking community socials, live theater, movie screenings, tours and more. But, by the end of the month it’s all about the Pride Parade, when the West End fills with festival atmosphere, and vibrant, eye-popping floats lead a procession of thousands of revelers through the streets. Here, all roads lead to Trafalgar Square for the biggest party of the year. Find a spot along the (relatively short) route from Hyde Park to watch the floats cruise colorfully by. Expect plenty of dancing, singing and wild, wild costumes at the Trafalgar Square party, accompanied by live shows from some of the planet’s biggest stars – previous performers include Idina Menzel, Rita Ora, and Queen’s Adam Lambert. If Trafalgar Square feels a little too hectic for you (and, believe us, it does get pretty hectic), there are several other satellite events dotted around the West End, including a family area at Victoria Embankment, and revelers tend to spill out into the surrounding neighborhoods (particularly Soho) to keep the party going through the day and indeed well into the wee small hours. Pride in London is a free and unticketed event, but those with deep pockets can choose to book a seat in the grandstand on Haymarket for around £50. You’ll need to book early though – seats are very limited and tend to sell out in the blink of an eye. Find about more about this year’s Pride in London events and timings here. LGBTQ+ Art & Culture There are many ways to spend Pride Day in London without spending endless frustrated hours jockeying for position at overcrowded bars. For example, you could soak up some of that vibrant LGBTQ+ culture in a rather more low-key fashion at the Queer Britain Museum. This excellent Kings Cross museum was established to celebrate Pride’s 50th anniversary in 2022, and its exhibition contains photography from previous parades. There are also talks, workshops and a small shop. Some of London’s more established museums – the mighty British Museum and the Tate among them – also run tours highlighting key pieces of LGBTQ+ art in their collections in and around Pride month. And, if you do happen to find yourself at the British Museum, you’re also just a 10-minute stroll from London’s oldest LGBTQ+ bookstore. Gay’s The Word has been trading here since 1979, and acts as a thriving community hub as well as an outlet for some of the best in new (and old) LGBTQ+ writing. A fine place, in other words, to while away an hour or two, as well as supporting a small LGBTQ+ business during Pride. See London’s Top Sights Hey, just because the streets are thronging with crowds doesn’t mean you can’t also squeeze in a little light London sightseeing while you’re in town. There are some themed walking tours included with attraction passes from Go City, or you can go full Pride and take a Dragged Around London tour, in which a fabulous drag queen, drag king (or other gender-bending performer) will take you on a frankly unforgettable tour of some of the city's sights. Tour titles like ‘West Mincer’ and ‘Wild Wild West End’ should give you some idea of what to expect! Spoiler: high heels, lip-synching and karaoke are all par for the course. There are plenty more attractions worth checking out when in London for Pride Day. Many, including the London Eye, even light up in the rainbow colors of the Pride flag in honor of the festival. You can also save up to 50% on entry to bucket-listers including the London Eye with a London pass from Go City. Other attractions on the pass include: Madame Tussauds London The View from the Shard Kensington Palace, former home of Diana Princess of Wales The fabulous Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew Tower Bridge … and many many more! Find out more and get your London attractions pass here. Pride Day Nightlife in London London’s LGBTQ+ nightlife scene is a riot at the best of times, so you can only imagine what it’s like with the fun turned all the way up to 11 for Pride Day. Iconic nightlife venues abound in and around the streets of Soho where, handily, many of the day’s scheduled events will also take place. The bars that line Old Compton Street are practically the stuff of legend, and they get even more lively during Pride. Try the Admiral Duncan for one of the most convivial hangouts in town – it’s been around since the 19th Century and a popular LGBTQ+ hangout since at least the 1980s. Mix it up with a hop just across the street to lively Comptons, another fine stalwart of the LGBTQ+ scene that's been trading here since 1986. Later, Soho clubs including G-A-Y, Heaven and the Freedom Bar are just some of the neighborhood’s most popular choices, though there are plenty more within stumbling distance of Old Compton Street should these be too busy. Just south of the river, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern is a grade II-listed former Victorian music hall where high camp and high-kicking drag acts are the order of the day. Expect top live performers and high-energy floor fillers late into the night. The nearby Cock Tavern is another firm favorite with Pride revelers on the big day. Or don your most extraordinary Pride outfit and strike out for East End hipster joints like Dalston Superstore – think vegan food, colorful craft cocktails and contemporary club classics that cater to a slightly younger crowd. And finally (if you have any energy left), there’s FOLD in Canning Town, for dance, electronic and techno beats that will keep your feet moving long after sun-up. Save on London Attractions, Tours and Activities Save up to 50% on admission to London attractions with a pass from Go City. Check out @gocity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak

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