Get Outta Town! Your guide to Alton Towers...
- Tracy Tristram
- Jun 1
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 10
Just a three-hour (ish) car ride north of London and you’ll have swapped from urban jungle to Staffordshire greenery. And while we love checking out all the adventures in London, sometimes we like to get outta town, and we think Alton Towers is the perfect away day (or two). We went up there recently to check it out on your behalf so, behold, the London for Kidz Guide to Alton Towers...
Coasters & Thrills for All Ages
Runaway Mine Train
The perfect intro coaster – gentle drops, dark tunnels, and just the right buzz for younger adventurers. Ideal for 1.1 m+ kids with adults.
Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure
Tiny thrill-seekers meet their first coaster! Two fun circuits, vibrant theming, and a gentle fade into family coaster life. Height: 0.9 m min .
Raj’s Bouncy Bottom Burp (Frog Hopper)
Up-and-down hops just right for the toddler adrenaline junkie. Gentle thrill, loads of grins. Height: 0.9 m .
Royal Carousel
Classic family-fun: ride the horses, wave to the crowd, and soak in that old-time fairground vibe. Under‑1.3 m ride‑with‑adult only.
Cuckoo Cars Driving School
Let the littlest ones take the wheel! Zero‑emission cars, road‑safety fun, and cute driving practice. Height: 1 m min
Marauder’s Mayhem
Pirate-themed spinning teacups – gentle, dizzying fun for the whole family. Height: 1.1 m min
CBeebies & Family-Friendly Highlights
Hey Duggee Big Adventure Badge
Climb, bounce, and earn your badge in a soft‑play paradise. No height limit – perfect for busy toddlers.
Andy’s Adventures Dinosaur Dig
Join a live dinosaur excavation show – hands‑on, educational fun where little ones can dig and roar .
JoJo & Gran Gran At Home
Interactive storytelling at its best. Ideal for busy minds and little hands – no height restriction .
Something Special Sensory Garden
A calm, exploratory space with sensory play and Makaton signage – beautiful and inclusive.
In the Night Garden Magical Boat Ride
Drift along with Igglepiggle and friends in this serene story-book boat ride – under‑1 m ride‑with‑adult
Bugbie Go Round
A charming carousel featuring Bugbies – little spinny carts perfect for under‑1 m tots riding with an adult.
Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop & Go Jetters Vroomster Zoom
High‑hop rides straight from CBeebies – bright, bouncy, and thrill‑light. 0.9 m min.
Justin’s House Pie‑O‑Matic Factory
Shooting soft-balls, indoor play – energetic fun for 0.9 m+ kids with adults .
Bigger Coasters for the Older Crew
Spinball Whizzer
A spinning coaster that’s like being the pinball in a fast-moving arcade. Spins, dips, laughter – and quite scary too! 1.2 m min .
TH13TEEN
A family-thrill coaster with a surprise drop in the dark. You will scream! – 1.2 m min.
Wicker Man
Wood and fire combine in this immersive coaster – three drops, tunnels, wooden thrills. Our favourite to be fair - made us laugh a lot as it was so unexpectedly fun. Height: 1.2 m min
Rita
A drag‑race launch from 0–60 mph in 2.5 seconds – tree-skirting speed and excitement that we went on again and again. Height: 1.4 m min
Galactica
Face-down flying coaster delivering swoops and stomach flutters without inversions. Decent but not as fun as some of the others. Would get the front seats if you can for the best experience. Height: 1.4 m min .
Oblivion
A record-setting vertical drop coaster – pause at the edge, then plunge. Another one we went on as many times as we could for the pure thrills and spills! Height: 1.4 m min .
Nemesis Reborn
Europe's top inverted coaster: 4 inversions, 81 km/h, 716‑m of twisty terror. Loved it! Front seats for the win on this one. Height: 1.4 m min .
The Smiler
Not gonna lie - Mr. 13 - my rollercoaster buddy - LOVED this one. Me? Not so much. Fourteen inversions, 85 km/h chaos and a whole lot of whiplash – it’s mental! Once was enough for me. I came, I saw, I conquered. Height: 1.4 m min .
Toxicator
UK’s first elevated topspin – flips, face‑down torture above a “pool of toxic acid.” I skipped this one as I will do any 'coaster, but spinning not so much. Mr.13 loved it. I was happy to watch. Height: 1.4 m+.
Splash & Spin for Everyone
Congo River Rapids
A family raft ride with waterfalls, waves, and bursts of water hilarity. Height: 1.1 m+ .
Battle Galleons
Shoot water cannons in boats – soak or be soaked. Height: 0.9 m+
Bonus Family Experiences
Hex – The Legend of the Towers: spooky storytelling, not too scary — ride or walk-through with kids. The end ride part made me feel a tad trippy! 0.9 m+.
Sharkbait Reef SEA LIFE: indoor aquarium with touch pools — perfect rainy-day fun. No height restrictions.
London Kidz Tips
Build up from gentle to full-on thrills: mine train → octonauts → spinball → Wicker Man → big coasters.
Use the app for queue times & single-rider lanes (like The Smiler).
The grounds are HUGE and the walk between different areas is quite epic. We covered 24,000 steps each day! Wear comfy shoes - we cannot stress that enough!
Hotel guests (CBeebies or Splash Landings) get early access – ideal for beating crowds, and the onsite hotels are awesome.
Bring snacks, water, ponchos. Happy family = even happier you!
Use the link below to book for the best deals - including a second day for FREE until August 31st. We stayed overnight in a delightful pub and hotel, The Royal Oak, that served the best food, with an exceptional breakfast included, just 16km away from Alton Towers.
Whether you're heading there with tots or teens, there is something for everyone - we can't wait to go back!
All photography London for Kidz
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