From theme parks and zoos to museums and castles, we’ve picked some of the top new attractions opening in 2018 that we can’t wait to visit – make sure you tick them off your families to-do list this year.
Children’s Play Village, Warwickshire
The Children’s Play Village looks so much fun for children when it opens in Warwick in 2018. This new play-village will consist of a street of shops including a hair salon, supermarket, vets surgery and a café across 10 different role-play areas designed just for children. Play facilitators are on hand to answer any questions they children have as they help them take part in their favourite roles. The concept looks quite similar to KidZania but what makes the Play Village stand out is the fact that its set in nine beautiful acres of the Warwickshire countryside.
Click here for more information
Peppa Pig World extension, Paulton’s Park, Dorset
Peppa Pig World at Paulton’s Park in Hampshire has been one of our favourite theme parks since the children were small, and in 2018 The Queen’s Flying Coach Ride will take families on a tour around the newly extended part of Peppa Pig World in individual coaches on a monorail that starts from the top of the Queen’s castle, a signature point ofthe attraction. Other new rides that children will love include setting sail on Grampy Rabbit’s Sailing Club boats along the new water route around Peppa Pig World and discover Pirate Island.
Click here for more information
LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre, Birmingham
We loved our visit to the LEGOLAND Discover centre in Manchester and it was great to hear that a another LEGOLAND Discovery centre is opening in Birmingham in 2018. Featuring a giant LEGO giraffe just like you would find in the Berlin attraction along with themed rides including Kingdom Quest and Merlins Apprentice. With 10 themed LEGO play zones, 4-d cinema and a build and test area spread across the 58,000 square-foot attraction it looks like a fantastic new LEGO attraction to visit in the UK.
Click here for more information
The Bear Grylls Adventure, Birmingham
The new Bear Grylls Adventure looks an amazing new attraction for adventure seeking families at the NEC in Birmingham. As you arrive at basecamp you are taught the various skills required to complete the activities including the highest rope challenge in Europe at five storeys high. You will also be able to take part on climbing walls based on experiences around the world including Yosemite National Park and even try out indoor skydiving.
Click here for more information
Wicker Man Rollercoaster, Alton Towers, Staffordshire
The current largest wooden rollercoaster in the UK is currently at Oakwood theme park in Pembrokeshire but this is about to be surpassed with the new Wicker Man wooden rollercoaster set to open in Alton Towers in spring 2018. Inspired by the movie, this £16 million rollercoaster is the first to be built in the UK for 20 years. What makes this experience even more exciting is that a 58ft wicker man will appear to burst into flames as riders race through the structure three times on the 2,028ft wooden track.
Click here for more information
New chimpanzee habitat at Twycross Zoo, Warwickshire
The fantastic Twycross Zoo is set to get even better in 2018 with the opening of a new state of the art chimpanzee habitat. Visitors are taken through an immersive jungle-like habitat where you will be able to see for the first time 18 chimpanzees living together in a single family group.
The chimpanzees will live in a huge indoor habitat spanning three stories high with outdoor climbing frames purposely designed to be similar to a wild environment. Visitors can peer over the glass-free walls and watch the chimps natural behaviours and characters unfold even more!
Click here for more information
Magic Alley, Stratford Upon Avon
In Stratford upon Avon a new Harry Potter style attraction is getting even bigger and better in 2018. Magic Alley is a must-do attraction when we visit the town and in its new location expect to see hatching dragons legs, magical writing books and a cool potion to go bar where you can choose your unique magical drink. At 4,500 square foot the new museum will be spread across 2 floors with themes of science, art, time travel, magic and exploring the lost years of William Shakespeare. A new larger shop will stock traditional magical gifts, books and magic wands from the ministry of time.
Click here for more information
Marwell Zoo’s new tropical house, Hampshire
Opening at the end of March 2018 the new Tropical House is Marwell Zoo’s biggest ever project which mammals, reptiles, birds and invertebrates will call home. Expect to see a Linnes two-toed sloth and the longest lizard in the world – a crocodile monster lizard as you wander around the attraction. It will feel as though you are in a tropical adventure as visitors will also have birds and butterflies flying freely by and be able to spot more than 1,000 fish that will be swimming in the aquarium.
Click here for more information
Legoland Windsor, Berkshire
We can’t wait to see the new attractions opening at the flagship LEGOLAND resort in Windsor for 2018. Two new miniland areas will open, one with a USA theme along with an ‘Explore the World’ adventure allowing visitors to see famous landmarks built out of LEGO from Russia, India, China and Australia for the first time.
A new LEGO digital reef is a brand new digital aquarium which sounds such a unique and fun attraction. At the digital reef children can create their own colourful sea creatures using virtual bricks and see them come to life at the interactive floor-to-ceiling coral reef.
Click here for more information
Celebrate the birth place of Peter Pan, Moat Brae, Dumfries
In 2018, you will be able to discover the place where Peter Pan began. Moat Brae – the enchanted land in Dumfries was the childhood playground of J.M. Barrie, creator of Peter Pan, and the place where he first found Neverland. The national centre for children’s literature and storytelling will be a place which promotes and encourages imagination and creativity. This new attraction will include visiting exhibitions, interactive rooms and a discovery garden.
V&A Museum, Dundee
We caught a glimpse of this impressive new building on the Dundee waterfront last year which will house the V&A Museum of Design Dundee. It will be the only V&A museum anywhere in the world outside London and is scheduled to open in the second half of 2018 . It will be the first ever dedicated design museum in Scotland: an international centre for design, a place of inspiration, discovery and learning. Visitors to V&A Dundee will experience the remarkable story of design past, present and future in a Scottish and global context, as well as the processes which underpin great design and the beautiful and inventive objects which tell that story.
Click here for more information
Being Brunel Museum, Bristol
Opening in March next to the historic SS Great Britain in Bristol will be the brand new Being Brunel Museum and visitor experience. Visitors will be invited to step into the mind of Isambard Kingdom Brunel one of the countries most famous engineers as he is brought vividly to life with never-before-seen personal possessions, documents and artefacts.
Click here for more information
China’s Terracotta Warriors, Liverpool
After their last visit to the UK 10 years ago, China’s Terracotta Warriors are coming back to the UK in 2018 arriving at Liverpool’s World Museum in February until October. Featuring over 180 fascinating artefacts from the tomb of China’s First Emperor , more than half of which have never been on show in the UK before. Some of the highlights include a life-size terracotta horse along with the stars of the exhibit the astonishing Terracotta Warriors.
Click here for more information
Wave, Bristol
For surfing fans a new inland surfing lake opens in Bristol in Summer 2018. Powered by the latest wave making technology across 3 surf zones for different abilities. The plans include sensory gardens, healing gardens, activity areas, peaceful hideaways and kitchen gardens, as well as a natural swimming pool, café, changing facilities, accommodation, education centre and a retail experience.
Click here for more information