Looking for the best adventure and theme parks to visit during your stay at Hemsby Beach Holiday Park? From parks filled with thrilling roller coasters to those with gentler rides for smaller children, as well as dinosaur-themed and treetop-high adventures, there are plenty to choose from! Read on to see our recommendations for adventure and theme parks in Norfolk and Suffolk.
Best adventure and theme parks
BeWILDerwood
A favourite with young kids, older children and adults alike, BeWILDerwood is an award-winning adventure park located up in the treetops! There, you can explore a Sky Maze and tackle the Wobbly Wires and Broken Bridge. There’s also Tiptoe Valley and Toddlewood on the Hill for smaller adventurers, and you can make your way into the park by boat through the Dismal Dyke if you dare – it’s the deepest, darkest and pongiest of marshes, which leads to the Scaaaaary Lake! There are several places to grab a bite to eat or have a picnic while you’re there, and there’s also somewhere quiet for nursing mums to make sure the smallest visitors get something to eat.
ROARR! Dinosaur Adventure
A definite must for dinosaur fans, ROAAR! Dinosaur Adventure is located a little further afield in Lenwade, to the west of Norwich. But, as the UK’s largest dinosaur-themed adventure park, it’s well worth the trip! Set in 85 acres of woodland, the park’s Dinosaur Trail will take you on a twisting path through nature to discover life-size dinosaurs hidden among the trees. You can also try your hand at palaeontology at the X-tinction dig pit – see what you can find! Plus there’s a theatre, indoor play, Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf, high ropes and Dippy’s Splash Zone water park, where the kids can have plenty of fun!
Pleasurewood Hills
All members of the family are catered for at Lowestoft’s award-winning Pleasurewood Hills theme park. It boasts 35 rides, shows and attractions, including a pirate ship, a chairlift, go karts, a Waveswinger and thrill-seeker favourite, the famous Wipeout roller coaster, which is the largest in the region! For younger members of the family, the park’s kiddie rides include a carousel, the Flying Elephants and a Mini Twister. You may even get to meet park mascot, Woody Bear, during your visit. So why not get the family together and have fun!
Pleasure Beach
One of the best theme parks in East Anglia is Great Yarmouth’s Pleasure Beach. Situated on the town’s Golden Mile, the Pleasure Beach is a fun seaside theme park filled with a variety of rides; from thrill rides to family rides, kiddie rides to retro rides, there’s something for everyone. For thrill-seekers there’s the brilliant log flume and ‘Reverse Time’, a spinning ride that lifts into the air and spins at 20 revolutions per minute! Also, be sure to take a trip on the Pleasure Beach’s star attraction – a traditional wooden roller coaster that opened back in 1932. Alternatively, if you’re feeling a little less brave, there are other traditional rides such as the ‘Snails and Fairy Tales’ and the ‘Gallopers’.
Joyland
Joyland is a children’s fun park located on the coastline of Norfolk in the lively seaside town of Great Yarmouth. There you’ll find the large Toytown Mountain, featuring the Spook Express kiddie coaster, jet cars and Neptunes Kingdom undersea fantasy ride, plus that theme park classic, a pirate ship. There are also two original vintage rides to enjoy – the unique Tyrolean Tubs and the iconic Snails. Then, if you’re feeling a little hungry, there’s an American Diner right next door!
Pettitts Animal Adventure Park
A great day out for all the family, Pettitts Animal Adventure Park is 3 parks in 1! With animals, rides and live entertainment, there’s plenty to see and do. From the small guinea pig to the long-necked alpaca, there’s a wide range of animals for you to meet. Some can even be cuddled during dedicated sessions! A series of gentle rides are perfect for kids, including the Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups, Alice in Wonderland Ride and Little Explorers Balloon Ride, plus a slightly more adventurous roller coaster. Finally, outdoor play and live shows in the park’s theatre complete a full day’s entertainment.
