The autumn school term may be upon us, but that doesn't mean the fun has to stop. If the high-octane thrills of adventure parks are your thing then you’re spoiled for choice with the great range of top theme parks to be found amongst the attractions on AboutBritain.com. Across the regions, many parks have so much to do that many families prefer to organise a short break in order to take in all the rides. With a huge range of hotels, campsites, self catering and bed and breakfasts on offer, the opportunities have never been greater.

Looking at Staffordshire's Alton Towers as an example, not only is this park one of the best in the country, but a wide range of accommodation is also to be found conveniently close to the facility, along with many other attractions to visit. AboutBritain.com's nearby function makes it easier than ever to work out what there is to do and where to stay when planning your theme park trip, so it's easy to turn a great day out into a fantastic short break. If you're planning your trip while still based at home, AboutBritain.com's What's Near You feature makes it easy to find the best attractions and plan a great day out.

Holiday parks and campsites offer great value and are becoming increasingly popular with today's families. The highly acclaimed Star Caravan Park is located just a mile away from Alton Towers. Its high quality static rental caravans make a great base for enjoying various local activities and exploring Staffordshire when you need to wind down after a day of white knuckle rides.

Lancashire's Camelot Theme Park, Windsor's Legoland, Cornwall's Flambards Experience and Matlock's Gulliver's Kingdom are just four of the dozens of great adventure parks to be found on AboutBritain.com. We've put a selection of nearby hotels and attractions on every theme park's page and all our self catering and campsite directories are conveniently organised into clear and easy to understand regions.

So, it really is child's play to plan a trip away to any one of Britain's great adventure parks using AboutBritain.com.

Remember, all our hotels are covered by our unbeatable Price Promise, meaning you won't find a better deal!

Hotels

Travelodge Nottingham Trowell, Nottingham
Located on the M1, close to Nottingham, the Travelodge provides contemporary quality accommodation and an ideal base for exploring the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire countryside.

Near American Adventure Theme Park and Tales of Robin Hood
 

Courtyard by Marriot Slough / Windsor, Windsor
Conveniently located at junction 6/M4, with Heathrow Airport only 8 miles away, the hotel is ideally situated for touring beautiful Berkshire and Windsor Castle and only 4 miles from Legoland.

Near Legoland Windsor
 

Meudon Hotel, Falmouth
This is a superior retreat with the emphasis on traditional standards of service and comfort. Meudon nestles between the Packet harbour of Falmouth and the Helford Estuary. The hotel is an ideal centre for the explorer, rich in natural beauty, with endless nearby places to take in.
Near The Flambards Experience
 

Swallow New Bath Hotel, Matlock Bath
The Swallow New Bath Hotel is set in 5 acres of grounds - a convenient base for exploring 'Peak Practice territory' and great, local. Leisure facilities at the hotel include a tennis court, a thermal-fed indoor heated plunge pool, sauna, solarium, thermal-fed outdoor pool.
Near Gullivers Kingdom Matlock Bath
 

Nottingham Gateway Hotel, Nottingham
The Nottingham Gateway Hotel is ideally placed for Nottingham's attractions and for exploring Robin Hood country, including Sherwood Forest and the American Adventure Theme Park. All bedrooms have telephone, TV, trouser press and hairdryer.
Near American Adventure Theme Park and Tales of Robin Hood
 

Clifton Hotel, Blackpool
The Clifton Hotel enjoys a superb location overlooking the North Bay and Scarborough Castle, close to the best family attractions - Sea Life Centre, Watersplash World, Peasholm Park and the Cricket and Bowling Clubs.

Near Blackpool Pleasure Beach
 

Campsites

Lakeland Leisure Park
Located in Cumbria near Morcambe Bay at Flookburgh. There are extensive facilites and entertainments on offer at the park, as well as the attractions of the Lake District a short drive away.
Great selection of active entertainments on site

Callow Top Holiday Park
Located nearth Ashbourne with attractive Peak District views, this well-featured campsite is an ideal base to explore Derbyshire and the Peak District.
Near Gullivers Kingdom Matlock Bath

Sea Acres Holiday Park
Sea Acres Holiday Park is a friendly park overlooking the beach of Kennack Sands. A great location for getting away from it all, the park makes a great base for exploring the local coastal paths when not enjoying on site amenities.
Near The Flambards Experience

Hurley Riverside Park
The Hurley Riverside Park Touring and Camping Park is in an area of fifteen acres of flat, well-drained grass surrounded by hedges and trees, creating a sheltered but not over-shaded environment. The park itself it located in Henley on Thames.
Near Legoland Windsor

Whether back at school or not, there's a huge range of engaging attractions to visit in a way which will fit in with your other commitments: Famous towns and places, the great outdoors, castles, museums, wildlife parks and more. Gone are the days of stuffy, dark facilities with little to engage the younger visitor. These days there's a renewed vitality and energy to be found in British attractions which will draw you in and bring things to life. Why not visit our attractions section to see what we mean.

Elsewhere in this newsletter, we touch on British adventure parks and how easy it is to organise a fun and stimulating break around them. In this section, we aim to focus on the less immediately adrenalin-packed side of things.

One area that's very popular with families just now is that of hands-on scientific and historical attractions. There is an ever increasing amount of impressive venues to be visited, each offering its own blend of captivating, interactive exhibits, educational fun and pure enjoyment not only for the kids, but for the grown ups too - they're a great way to ease even the most reluctant of students into the new term.

From Archeolink Prehistory park in rural Aberdeenshire to city based facilities like Edinburgh's Dynamic Earth, At-Bristol, Halifax's Eureka!, York's Jorvik Viking Centre and more, an impressive array of activities are on offer designed to be intriguing and rewarding to explore and interact with.

On top of these attractions designed with children in mind, you can never take away from the pull of simply fascinating things and places - The National Space Centre is as great for kids as it is for the grown ups, Tamworth Castle, FirePower!, the Tower of London, wherever you look there are first class facilities on offer to interest and amuse kids and adults alike.

As an example itinerary: Staying at the MacDonald Thames Lodge gives great access to the Chertsey Museum and its hands on workshops for younger children. The exciting and atmospheric Brooklands Museum is close by with its superb collection of vintage racing cars, aeroplanes and its recreation of life in the roaring 20s in the Edwardian Clubhouse. Painshill Park only a few miles away. It's one of the most important 18th Century parks in Europe and is the location of the Hamilton Landscapes. A little further away in Bracknell you'll find the Look Out Discovery Centre designed specifically to provide an entertaining educational experience for children and adults alike. If you fear culture overload, then don't worry as top-flight, high-octane fun is one hand with Thorpe Park a short trip away.

Remember, all our hotels are covered by our unbeatable Price Promise, meaning you won't find a better deal!

Hotels

Copthorne Tara Hotel London Kensington
This award winning, modern hotel is located in a quiet corner of fashionable Kensington. Just minutes from the Kensington Museums and Harrods, or within easy reach of the eclectic choice of shops and restaurants in Kensington and Knightsbridge.
Near The Science Museum, The Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum
 

Aberdeen Mariot Hotel
This luxurious hotel is situated to the north of the city. The enticing city centre, with its galleries, museums and cathedral just a 10 minute drive away. Its leisure club has an indoor pool, fully equipped gym, sauna, solarium and spa bath.
Near Aberdeen Art Gallery and Storybook Glen
 

Jurys Inn Edinburgh
Centrally located, right beside the Royal Mile, Jurys Inn is ideally located right in the heart of Edinburgh. With the Edinburgh Castle and a host of other tourist attraction within short walking distance, not to mention, great shopping, theatres, art, museums, galleries.
Near John Knox House, Edinburgh Dungeon and The Museum of Childhood
 

Aztec Hotel
Think of comfort and relaxation, combined with attentive service and first class facilities - you will find all this and more at this stunning hotel. Bedrooms and public areas are stylish and contemporary with an extensive and recently refurbished.
Near Bristol Zoo Gardens and At-Bristol
 

Holiday Inn York
This modern hotel enjoys a prime location with spectacular views of York Racecourse. The hotel offers comfortable and spacious bedrooms and modern British cuisine at the stylish and contemporary restaurant - The Junction.

Near Jorvik Centre, York Minster and the National Railway Museum
 

Imperial Crown Hotel
Previously a textile mill, this friendly and traditional hotel is located in the heart of Halifax, opposite Eureka! The Museum for Children and only a short walk from the nearby Piece Hall. Facilities include both a restaurant and an American Diner with Bar.
Near Eureka! and the Museum of Photography Film & Television
 

Corus Hotel Leicester
A stylish modern hotel in a leafy suburban village. Recently refurbished, the hotel provides extensive leisure facilities with air conditioned public areas and is the ideal base from which to explore the Peak District and The Shires.

Near the National Space Centre and the National Gas Museum
 

Campsites

Dovecot Caravan Park
The privately owned, six acre Dovecot Caravan Park enjoys the peace and quiet of the Mearns countryside and offers a wide range of facilities including disabled and children's provision.
Near Edzell Castle and House of Dun

Trossachs Holiday Park
The Trossachs Holiday Park is the perfect location to enjoy the great outdoors. Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park is on the doorstep - an area of outstanding beauty perfect for outdoor pursuits or simply in which to relax and unwind.
Near Ben Lomond and Hill House

Gallaber Park
Gallaber Park is located on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and has been carefully landscaped over 50 acres to provide a brand new site with quality facilities set in a peaceful, attractive environment.
Near Skipton Castle and Gawthorpe Hall