One of the most popular theme parks in the whole of Europe, Alton Towers saw almost 3 million people pass through its gates in 2009.

Making for a fantastic short break, the following 6 questions are some of those that are most frequently asked when booking a trip to arguably the UK’s most famous theme park.

1. Where exactly is it located and how do I get there?

Alton Towers is located just north of the small village of Alton in Staffordshire, which is in England’s West Midlands region.

Depending on where you’re coming from depends on how you get to it. However, as long as you can join either the M6 or the M1 motorways, you can reach the area easily, coming off on the A500 and following signs if you’re coming from the M6 or coming off on the A50 and following the signs to Alton Towers if you’re travelling along the M1.

2. Is there accommodation nearby?

There is actually accommodation onsite, in the form of two hotels, known as Alton Towers Hotel and Splash Landings Hotel.

The first, Alton Towers Hotel, opened in 1996 and has individually themed rooms, whilst the second, Splash Landings Hotel, opened in 2003 and has an adjoining water park.

3. How many rides are there?

In terms of actual rides, there are 29 in total, including 8 roller coasters and 5 water rides.

However, it is much more than simply a park that houses rides, being an adventure and a place of excitement for the whole family, with individually themed areas and a fantastic monorail and sky ride that both travel around the entire park.

4. Are there any notable or must-see rides?

Assuming that you enjoy thrill rides, there are two absolute must-see rides that should be enjoyed on any visit to Alton Towers.

Starting with Nemesis, which is located in the Forbidden Valley area of the park, it was the very first inverted roller coaster to be built in Europe and reaches a top speed of 50 miles per hour.

Moving to the X-Sector area, Oblivion is a vertical drop roller coaster that was the very first to be built not only in Europe but in the whole world and which has a maximum speed of just under 70 miles per hour and a drop of a staggering 180 feet.

5. How about eateries?

Whilst catering for parties who want to bring their own food by offering several areas to eat, including a picnic area in the Old MacDonald’s Farmyard part of the park, there are several eateries on site.

Including fast food outlets such as Burger King, KFC and Pizza Hut, there are also various restaurants, such as the all-you-can eat buffet in Katanga Canyon.

6. Anything else I should Kamagra Gold know before I go?

Whilst you can experience the theme park in a day, it is strongly advised that you take at least a full weekend to enjoy the theme park in its entirety.

If you are planning on staying for several days or even returning later on in the year, however, it is worthwhile looking at the park’s annual pass, which can save you a substantial amount of money if you visit at least 3 or 4 times, depending on the pass, in a 12 month period.

Author Bio: Open Roads has a variety of tourist information and visitor guides on Alton Towers, London theatre trips and Lake District for you to enjoy a perfectly planned vacation. They also have a range of discounts and offers for other attractive travel destinations around the world.

Category: Recreation and Leisure/Travel
Keywords: alton towers, theme park, holiday, weekend break