Fun parks are and always will be one of the best days out with friends and family. The excitement and thrill on first entering a fun park knowing you are about to get on some extreme fun park rides. The drop in your stomach as you peek over the front of your rollercoaster cart at your inevitable drop at speed is a feeling you certainly will never forget. Here are the five best fun parks in Ireland you have to visit.
THE TOP FIVE THEME PARKS IN IRELAND
TAYTO PARK, COUNTY MEATH
Tayto Park is a theme park and zoo based in Kilbrew in Meath. The theme park consists of over 100 attractions with a wide variety of activities you can take part in. Tayto Park has everything from their main attraction ‘Cú Chulainn’, Europe’s largest wooden rollercoaster to their 5D interactive cinema.
The Zoo at Tayto Park has a very big and varied animal collection. The zoo has a growing primate collection where you can see squirrel monkeys, red-bellied tamarins, Geoldi’s monkey, and the endangered Sulawesi crested macaque. Tayto zoo also boasts a great variety of birds and farmyard animals.
FUNDERLAND, DUBLIN
Funderland is a winter-themed seasonal fun park based in the RDS in Ballsbridge and opens on 26 December. It is one of the largest indoor event of its kind in Europe.
While the Ballsbridge version of the fun park would be their main attraction, there are also three other fun parks run by the same people behind Funderland in Cork, Belfast and Limerick.
At Funderland there are lots of rides and activities you, your friends and family can enjoy. The event generally has everything from indoor roller coaster rides to traditional carnival entertainment such as ‘whack a mole’ stalls. Funderland is a great day out for all the family.
FUNTASIA THEME AND WATER PARK, COUNTY LOUTH
Funtasia is an indoor theme and water park based in Drogheda on Donore Road Industrial Estate. The Park has over 15 different activities in the theme park which include climbing, bowling, safe play areas, crazy golf, rock climbing and even an arcade. This experience isn’t just for kids, there’s something to do from ages 1 to 100.
The water park named ‘Pirate’s Cove Water Park’ is a 30,000 square foot indoor water extravaganza. There are over 200 water-based activities that people of all ages can enjoy. Some of the highlights at the water park are its two flagship waterslides, ‘Boomerang’ and ‘Super Bowl’, the giant pirate head and some of the spray cannon and water guns to name a few.
PIRATE ADVENTURE PARK, COUNTY MAYO
Pirate Adventure Park is based at Westport House in Mayo. It offers a great variety of different activities you can partake in with friends and family. The rides like the Cannonball Run slide, Pirate Queen Swinging Ship and Pirates Plunge Flume Ride tend to be the most popular but the park also has things like a mini zip line, pedalo boats on its lake, a mini Ferris wheel and the rare disc golf using frisbees.
Pirate Adventure Park is another option that caters to people of all ages as it has many different activities.
DUNMORE ADVENTURE, COUNTY WATERFORD
The Dunmore Adventure Park at the water’s edge in Dunmore East, County Waterford has a unique series of activities for you and your family to enjoy. One very cool activity to do is the ‘Wibit Wipeout’ which takes inspiration from the hit television show Total Wipeout.
Other activities at Dunmore Adventure Park consist of windsurfing, stand-up paddle-boarding and sailing.
Dunmore doesn’t just focus on water sports, they also have a 12-foot climbing wall, archery, the power fan freefall or simply explore the caves around the area.
Dunmore also has a sailing academy that will have you sailing like a pro in no time.
