Stoke on Trent and the Alton Towers Theme Park

(Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, England, UK)

Very commercial and packed with family fun, which jumps out around almost every corner, Alton Towers opened in 1980 and is just 16 km / 10 miles from Stoke on Trent, being so close that local First buses provide regular return trips. Alton Towers is a serious tourist attractions and is currently the most popular of all the UK's theme parks, being visited by over three million tourists each year and clearly one of the biggest reasons that people choose to base themselves in the city of Stoke on Trent.

Visitors to Alton Towers will find that there is so much to see and do here that it will take at least two days to enjoy the main white-knuckle rides and roller coasters, with classics such as the Air, the Nemesis, the Oblivion and more recently, Rita - Queen of Speed. In total there are now more than 100 different rides spread around the amusement park, ranging from sheer vertical drops and themed roller coasters, to log flumes and fairground-style rides.

Roller Coasters, Attractions and Zones

Owned by the Merlin Entertainments group, Alton Towers operates as both a theme park and popular resort, and features two hotels - the Alton Towers Hotel, and the Splash Landings Hotel - which also comprises the Cariba Creek Waterpark.

The early 19th-century gardens are often a pleasant surprise to visitors and include a Pagoda fountain, a Swiss Cottage, Dutch-themed gardens and even its own version of Stonehenge. The gardens are best viewed by taking a trip onboard the Skyride cable car.

There are a number of different sections in the park, each of which comes with its own selection of rides, eateries and gift shops. These themed zones are constantly being updated and refreshed with new rides, with most changes taking place out of season, during the winter months. The most significant areas include Adventure Land, Cloud Cuckoo Land, the Forbidden Valley, the Gloomy Wood, Katanga Canyon, Mutiny Bay, Storybook Land, Towers Street, the X-Sector and Old MacDonald's Farmyard, which comes with a small petting zoo and soft-play area.

Address: Alton Towers Resort, Alton, Near Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, ST10 4DB, England, UK
Tel: 0870 5204060
Open hours: late March to early November, daily - 10:00 to 17:00, open until 19:00 at peak times
Admission: charge (seasonal variations), discounts for families (three, four, five and six) and groups, annual passes and fastrack tickets are also available