AS RAIN starts pouring in the UK and temperatures dip, you might be craving some warmth and somewhere to take the family that feels like a holiday.
But you don’t need to jet off abroad to escape the British weather.
Across the country, high-tech, indoor aqua parks are offering an oasis away from the rain – with tropical 30C climates, record-breaking wave pools and adrenaline-pumping speed slides.
From waterparks with their own VIP hot tubs and thermal spas for adults, to multi-lane racing chutes for kids, these are the ultimate indoor waterparks that guarantee a fun day out while the British weather does its worst.
Alpamare describes itself as “unlike any waterpark you’ve seen before”, and they might just be right.
This alpine-themed water world has four massive waterslides named after ski runs: the Cresta Run, Olympic Run, Black Run and Snowstorm.
Race down these thrilling water rides through twists, turns and even stops to spin around giant funnel bowls.
There’s also a massive wave pool which erupts with waves every 30 minutes. Or for something more chilled, there’s a huge main indoor pool and even a heated outdoor infinity pool for when the weather picks up.
The relaxation doesn’t stop there – this waterpark has its own spa with a ‘Sauna World’, hammam and health bar.
Inside the Sauna World you’ll find a panoramic Finnish sauna, LED ice showers, a reflexology foot bath and even a unique ‘Hay Bath’.
Here you can lay back on a lounger in a wooden relaxation area packed with fresh hay harvested from the fields of North Yorkshire – a unique form of aromatherapy.
Tickets start at £10 per adult, £7.50 per child and £2.50 per toddler. Book ahead online for the best rates.
One of England’s biggest indoor water worlds, Coral Reef Waterworld is ideal for a family rainy day out with plenty of fun including a giant pirate ship and erupting water volcano.
Indoors, expect tropical temperatures at 30C and a rapid river, bubble pool and children’s splash zone.
The pirate-themed splash area houses a pirate ship called The Coralina, surrounded by water cannons and interactive water features for kids of all ages.
There are also five high-tech waterslides, including The Cannon, which launches riders down a 67 metre-long chute like a cannonball.
Another popular ride is Poseidon’s Peril, where two people are attached to an inflatable raft as it rotates and swirls through colour-changing lights.
Grown-ups can head to the Coral Spa to unwind.
It has heated loungers, three saunas and even a Japanese steam room.
Adult tickets cost £20.55 and children’s cost £14.55. Book tickets ahead online.
Home to some of the UK’s wildest waterslides, Splashdown Waterpark in Poole is a total paradise for adrenaline junkies.
This action-packed waterpark boasts 13 indoor and outdoor flumes that operate whatever the weather.
Daredevils can conquer The Screamer, which plummets you through a near-vertical 40-meter drop in under five seconds, or dive into the pitch-black Black Thunder.
If you want a party with your plunge, the Infinity waterslide plays funky tunes alongside a flashing laser show as you whirl around a giant bowl.
Little ones aren’t left out either, with the interactive water cannons at Buccaneer Splash keeping younger kids safely entertained.
Admission for three hours costs £23 per person, £9 for 1-4-year-olds and £6 for children under 1.
Child tickets include entry for a companion adult.
Make sure to book tickets online in advance.
Inside the Barnsley Metrodome, Calypso Cove is the North’s ultimate indoor waterpark.
It’s designed to look like a tropical island paradise, making it a huge hit for family days out when the British weather misbehaves.
There are some high-energy water rides here to enjoy, like Terror Torrent, one of the UK’s fastest indoor water flumes.
This thrilling slide hurls riders through tight twists and turns before dropping them out into the pool.
There’s also The Eruption, a volcano-themed ride that spins you around a large bowl before dropping you out at the bottom.
Families with younger kids can climb onto the decks of the large pirate ship play area, while parents with babies and toddlers can enjoy the shallow waters and gentle water fountains of Barnacle Bay.
For a bite to eat, head to The Hideout poolside cafe. Here you can break up your swimming session by walking straight out of the water to grab burgers, chips, and drinks in your swimwear before heading straight back to the slides.
Adult tickets cost £16, under 10s tickets cost £13 and under 3s tickets cost £4. All tickets must be booked in advance online.
The Wave in Coventry is a giant indoor waterpark home to the largest wave pool in the UK.
Jump into the huge pool where the wave machine churns more than 20 million litres of water per day, or drift along in the lazy river.
There are six waterslides for thrill-seekers to brave, including The Riptide, a half-pipe slide that blasts riders in a rubber ring down a near-90-degree drop.
There is also The Cyclone, which spins swimmers around a giant open bowl before dropping you through the middle.
For younger children, The Reef is a vibrant splash pad with its own miniature slides and water fountains safely tucked away from the big flumes.
Meanwhile, grown-ups looking for some me-time can head to the Mana Spa.
There you can swim in a quieter spa pool, unwind in the aromatherapy room and relax in the sauna or steam room.
Tickets cost £15 per adult, £13 for children 11 and under and under ones go free.
Sandcastle Waterpark is the UK’s largest indoor waterpark, sitting on the South Promenade opposite popular theme park Pleasure Beach.
This water world packs 18 slides and attractions into a tropical 29C environment, making it the ultimate rainy day saviour.
Take your pick from white-knuckle rides like The Master Blaster, the UK’s longest water rollercoaster, or Montazooma, a head-spinning slide of twists and turns.
There’s also Aztec Falls, a water ride that plunges you into darkness before spinning you around a giant bowl.
The Caribbean Storm Treehouse is a hit with kids, featuring a giant climbing frame topped with a huge coconut that unleashes 600 gallons of water on swimmers below.
Little ones can also challenge each other on the multi-lane Treetops Water Chutes or explore the interactive HMS Thunder Splash pirate ship.
When you need a break from the noise, the adult-only Sea Breeze Spa offers a relaxing escape.
A £7 upgrade secures a three-hour session to unwind across the saunas, steam rooms, foot baths, and aromatherapy lounge.
And if you really want to splash out, the park offers premium Tiki Cabanas for adults.
Priced at £60pp, this VIP package bundles full-day waterpark entry and a free meal with your own private area with a hot tub, flatscreen TV and a fridge stocked with cold drinks.
Tickets start from £25.50 for ages 8+ and £16.50 for kids aged 3-7, with under 3s going free. Make sure to book online in advance, as same-day purchases here can cost you extra.
WITH two beaches, a canal and a castle, the town of Bude has a lot going on.
And as a one-time local, I’ve got the lowdown on all the best things to see and do in this seaside gem on Cornwall’s north coast.
The Summerleaze and Crooklets beaches have lifeguards between May and late September.
Both are ideal for surfing and bodyboarding and, if the sea is having a rare flat day, the swimmers and paddleboarders get their turn.
Book a lesson with the patient and knowledgeable instructors at Big Blue Surf School and you’ll be on your feet riding those waves before you know it.
When the tide is low, you can wander along the shore from Crooklets to Sandymouth.
It’s two miles of gloriousness, taking about an hour. Just check the tide times first.
Bude Sea Pool is a large, semi-natural tidal pool between the two beaches. It’s free and an ideal place to swim safely.
Go early morning or later in the evening for the quietest times.
If you want to upgrade your trip, hire a beach hut from the local council.
My favourite place in Bude is the wood-fired Ocean Soul Sauna overlooking Crooklets Beach.
During the summer months, you can book a sauna/yoga combo.
Bude has dramatic, fiery sunsets and watching the sun go down while enjoying a barbecue on the beach makes for a memorable evening.
If hiking is your thing, the South West Coast Path has incredible scenery.
Unlike many High Streets up and down the country, Bude’s is thriving.
It’s the perfect mix of independent shops and eateries, combined with the larger chains we know and love.
Buffy’s is my go-to for breakfast, which is under a tenner for quality food and a coffee.
Newly-opened Coffee Bay is a favourite stop for an afternoon pick-me-up, with the most decadent cakes and cookies in town.
When it comes to dinner, Elements is my favourite for a family meal.
The menu of pizza, pasta, salads and specials is simple but perfectly cooked and presented.
Even on busy evenings, the service is fast and the delicious cocktails are guaranteed to go down well.
My favourite summer tipple is Cornish Country Garden — Bude gin, vodka and elderflower cordial — enjoyed on their seafront terrace.
Fans of local ale should visit The Barrel At Bude.
The award-winning micropub doesn’t have wifi, fruit machines or a jukebox, meaning, shock horror, you have to talk to each other.
My favourite shop in Bude is Spencer Thorn, which has a lovely combo of books and gifts.
When the weather is good, it’s easy to have a great day without shelling out a fortune, too.
Bude Castle, built on shifting sand dunes in 1830, is free to enter, with an exhibition covering prehistory to the present day.
Here, you can learn about the unique geology of the coastline, which is so unusual it is known as Bude formation.
There’s also information on the town’s maritime links and the history behind the Bude Canal.
The circus comes to the outskirts of town each August, and during the summer holidays there are weekly, free circus-skills workshops on the castle’s green, where you can try juggling and riding a unicycle.
For the energetic, the 360ft inflatable Monster Slip And Slide water slide on the outskirts of Bude should feature on your holiday to-do list.
For somewhere to stay, you can’t beat the Premier Inn, with its central location and free parking.
Whether you fancy an active holiday of surfing, walking and swimming or prefer to relax with great food and drink, Bude hits the spot.
STAYING THERE: Rooms at the Premier Inn Bude from £35 per night out of season and around £154 per night in summer.
See premierinn.com.
MORE INFO: See visitbude.info.
A BELOVED lido, boasting elephant slides and splash pads, is set to reopen this Bank Holiday weekend.
This beloved outdoor pool is the last riverside tidal lido in Britain.
The Strand Lido Pool in Gillingham, Medway, will welcome back visitors this Saturday.
Listed as the UK’s only riverside salt water pool, this Kent-based lido uses cleaned river water that is safe for public swimming.
Opened back in 1896, Medway’s only lido has been inviting families to swim for over 130 years.
This Victorian-era lido includes a host of swimming facilities for all ages, including an outdoor leisure pool and toddler paddling pool.
Children will love the elephant slides into the paddling pool, and cruising along the 300-metre lazy river.
For more advanced swimmers, there is also a central swimming zone, fitted with six 25-metre lengths to get some exercise this summer.
In 2025, The Strand introduced a free-to-use splash pad designed for children aged three to 11.
The splash pad features 30 sensor-activated waterjets in a beach-themed play area, opening at the same time as the lido with no booking required.
Strand visitors can also enjoy refreshments from the cafe, a mini train ride, crazy golf, tennis, a children’s play area and more.
Around the lido, visitors can buy pool inflatables, enjoy a break at the pool-side cafe, and lounge on the seating and sunbeds provided.
To enjoy all this summer fun, entry to The Strand Lido costs £8.15 for adults, and £5.35 for children, with under threes going free.
The pool will be operating on weekends from May 23 with two bookable sessions between 10.30am to 1.30pm, and 2.30pm to 5.30pm.
It will then be open for seven days a week during the school summer holidays – starting from Tuesday, July 21.
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A MUCH-LOVED lido nestled in the UK countryside is reopening this weekend.
The Art Deco attraction, which features a “lagoon” pool and slides, first opened in 1935 as part of the Silver Jubilee celebrations for King George V.
At the height of summer, Ilkley Lido, which was threatened with closure in 2024, attracts up to 5,000 people a day and is now Grade II listed.
Inside is a large swimming pool, with a shallow end for kids as well as a slide. It is surrounded by a grassy area and has views across Ilkley Moor.
An Art Deco cafe remains unchanged at the site, which also includes changing rooms, tennis courts and a picnic area.
It will reopen on Saturday, May 9, from 10am to 4pm.
From Monday to Friday it will be open from 7.30am to 8.30am and 2pm to 6pm, and open from 10am to 2pm every Sunday.
A full summer programme, with extended opening times, will come into effect on May 23.
Adult tickets cost £7.25 and £3.75 for children.
The lido has hosted the Ilkley Triathlon since the early 1990s – one of the longest running sprint events in the country.
There are, however, no plans as yet for open air events at the attraction this year.
As previously reported, the Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group said the attraction runs at a £280,000 loss every year.
A POPULAR English lido is re-opening just in time for summer – and it’s had a total makeover.
The outdoor splash park featuring fun elephant slides and a lazy river will welcome back families later this month, following a refresh.
An opening date for The Strand Lido and Leisure Park in Gillingham has been confirmed.
The refurbished Kent lido, which has the UK’s only remaining riverside tidal saltwater pool, will begin bringing the summer fun from Saturday May 23.
It will first be open for weekends, before offering its facilities seven days a week in the school summer holidays.
Two pool sessions are set to run every day the lido is open. The first from 10.30am to 1.30pm and the second from 2.30pm to 5.30pm.
Entry to sessions must be booked online. While children under three go free, adult tickets are £8.15, with junior and senior tickets priced at £5.35.
The spruced up lido was revived last year, funded by contributions from housing developments to Medway Council.
The Strand, which first opened in 1896, now features a new splash pad for children aged three to 11.
There’s also a beach-themed play area with 30 sensor-activated water jets alongside the large outdoor pool, elephant-shaped water slides and a 300 metre lazy river.
Those who love a long swim can make use of the open-air pool’s six 25 metre lanes.
After a day of water play, families can relax with a refreshment at the Victorian lido’s cafe, enjoy a hit on the refurbished tennis courts or take on a round of mini golf.
There’s even a miniature train for little ones to ride.
