New study inspired by Google searches rates Lightwater Valley in Britain's top 'value for money' adventure parks
A family adventure park at Ripon has been rated in the top three best-value theme parks in Britain in a new study.
Lightwater Valley featured strongly in the new study conducted by credit card brand Aqua who compared theme parks in the UK as Google searches for 'theme parks near me' rose by 83% in the past year.
Judged on factors, including the cost of a peak-season weekend adult ticket, the number of rollercoasters, the average customer review ratings, parking charges, and the cost of a one-night stay at a nearby hotel, Aqua revealed that the number one best-value theme park in the UK is Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
But the figures sourced by https://www.aquacard.co.uk/ place Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park just behind in second place.
The theme park near at North Stainley near Ripon was founded by Robert Staveley in 1969 and is now owned and operated by the Mellors Group, who purchased it in 2025.
In 2024, Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park attracted 231,565 visitors.
Once home to the longest roller coaster in the world, The Ultimate, Lightwater Valley was rated highly for its ticket price of £25 and 11 rollercoasters.
The study also found it offers good ride variety alongside free parking and a respectable 4.1/5 review rating.
Although hotel prices are higher, averaging £222, its low entry cost and strong ride-to-price ratio help secure its place in the rankings.
Other key findings from the study include:
1 Blackpool Pleasure Beach takes the top spot, combining 26 rollercoasters, the highest of any UK theme parks in the ranking, £32 entry ticket on average and the cheapest average hotel rate, at £121 per night.
3= Fantasy Land, Skegness, and Gulliver’s Land, Buckinghamshire, both place third, with an adult entry averaging £26, the second most affordable hotel rate (£135 a night), and high review rating, at 4.3 and 4.1, respectively.
Gulliver’s Land also emerges as the most affordable theme park, offering free parking, on top of relatively low ticket prices (£26) and hotel costs (£135).
More information on Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park at: https://lightwatervalley.co.uk/
More information on Aqua: https://www.aquacard.co.uk/