British Summertime Trips & Destinations – Fantasy Island

Coast magazine recently voted Fantasy Island as one of Britain’s top ten coastal theme parks. The Lincolnshire attraction combines white-knuckle rides with one of the best funfairs in England and boasts Europe’s largest seven-day market.

For those who like to pack a lot into their itinerary, that makes for one of the best days out in the UK. There are lots of great things to do in Skegness, and holidaymakers have flocked to the seaside town for generations to enjoy its great beaches and attractions.

But a visit to Fantasy Island at Ingoldmells is a fine way to spend a day out in Lincolnshire. The theme park has two of the biggest roller coasters in England: the Millennium and the Odyssey, and the huge 100 ft pyramid at the centre of the park houses a host of indoor shops, eateries and family rides.

There’s a lovely buzz inside the pyramid with families enjoying the magical attractions and themed restaurants. There are amusements, fairground games, adventure golf, shows and a sedate balloon ride, which means whatever the weather you’ll make the most of your day out. Overall, there are seven extreme rides on the site, 11 suitable for all the family and more than a dozen just for kids.

Even if riding the big dipper isn’t your thing, it’s worth checking out the ‘coaster climb’ to take in some of the best views on the East coast. You can walk to the top of the site’s two big roller coasters and take in the panorama out to sea and over to the Lincolnshire Wolds.

There’s loads of cheap car parking nearby and the market opens at nine in the morning. You could spend most of your day trip browsing the bargains and chatting to the stall holders. No matter whether you’re shopping for fashion, toys, home and garden goodies or electrical items, you’ll have your hands full by the time you’ve made your way around.

The park boasts plenty of places to eat, either outdoors or under cover. There’s a host of fast food outlets, cafes, grills and show bars to choose from.

Ingoldmells is easy to get to. It’s about a ten minute car journey from Skegness or a £2 bus fare. It’s only an hour and a half from Humberside or a couple of hours from Nottingham. There are over twenty trains a day from Leicester to Skegness and the resort has the nearest beaches to the cities of the East Midlands.