Flamingo Land Theme Park
(Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, UK)
Located just over 32 km / 20 miles to the west of Scarborough and next to the market town of Pickering, the Flamingo Land Theme Park is reached along the A170 (Stephney Road) and is one of North Yorkshire's biggest tourist attractions. Opened in 1959, the Flamingo Land resort has grown considerably and now includes a leisure centre, golf course, spa, holiday accommodation, roller coasters and a large collection of exotic animals, spread around themed areas named the:
- African Plains
- Lost Kingdom Reserve
- Metropolis
- Muddy Duck Farm
- Plaza
- Seaside Adventure
- Splosh!
Now the third-most popular amusement park in the whole of the United Kingdom, Flamingo Land can easily fill an entire day, and so day trippers travelling from nearby Scarborough should be sure to arrive nice and early. If you choose not to bring a picnic, then you will find plenty of eateries and fast-food restaurants spread all around the park, including fish and chips at Americano's, Frankie's and Something Fishy.
Animals, Rides and Attractions
Originally starting life as a small, friendly zoo, Flamingo Land now prides itself in keeping and breeding a host of animals from Africa and beyond. Favourite animals include baboons, bison, camels, chimpanzees, deer, hippos, giraffes, meerkats, lions, lynx, rhino, tapirs, tigers, sea lions, zebras and of course the obligatory pink flamingos, as well as various birds, reptiles and farmyard animals.
The funfair attractions first made an appearance at Flamingo Land in the early 1960s and steadily grew to incorporate many exciting amusement rides, a 4D cinema, a cycle monorail and play areas specifically designed for younger children. Today, the most popular roller coasters and rides include the:
- Cliff Hanger - one of Europe's tallest vertical drop rides
- Corkscrew - a long roller coaster with two 360-degree spirals
- Flip Flop - a huge spinning circle, not suitable for the faint hearted
- Kumali - a suspended looping roller coaster
- Lost River Ride - a gentle riverboat safari with a steep slide, highly suitable for all the family
- Navigator - a spinning 'megadisk'
- Sky Flyer - with spinning galleon boats
- Velocity - currently amongst the world's highest and fastest rides
- Voodoo - a swinging African riverboat
- Wagon Wheel - a traditional big wheel
- Wild Mouse - a wooden coaster with sharp corners
If you would like to stay a little longer than a day, then the park's onsite holiday village comes complete with log cabins, static caravans, leisure facilities and a swimming pool.
Flamingo Land Theme Park
Address: Kirby Misperton, Malton, Near Pickering / Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO17 6UX, England, UK
Tel: +44 0871 9118000
Open hours: mid-March to early November, daily - 10:00 to 17:00, seasonal variations
Admission: charge, discounts for families (four members) and seniors, children four years old and under are free