Toy tourism has been surging in the last few years, supported by the rise of fan culture, social media and themed merchandise.
The rise of “kidult” nostalgia has led to more adults returning to their favourite toys and finding new ways to engage with them as well, along with the growth of Location-Based Entertainment (LBE).
From visiting the world’s oldest and largest toy store, Hamleys, in London, to exploring LEGOLAND’s latest park, toy enthusiasts are increasingly combining travel with their hobbies.
This trend isn’t limited to only shops or theme parks though – museums like Hamburg’s Miniatur Wunderland have seen rising popularity lately for its intricate and realistic miniature worlds.
In some cases, entire cities like Nuremberg have been seeing more toy tourists. Dubbed the “city of toys” for its 600-year-old production heritage, it hosts the famous annual Spielwarenmesse international toy fair, with other attractions including the Nuremberg Toy Museum.
Another type of “toyrism” involves taking your toys, stuffed animals and action figures on holiday with you and taking pictures of them in unlikely locations for social media. Niche travel agencies such as Japan’s Unagi Travel even take stuffed animals on guided tours without their owners.
So where should you head on your toy travels this year? Here are some of the best new attractions opening in 2026.
LEGOLAND Windsor Resort marks 30th anniversary
LEGOLAND Windsor Resort in the UK turns 30 in 2026 and is marking the milestone with a year-long celebration.
This kicked off with the unveiling of a massive 13-foot LEGO birthday cake in February, made out of 200,000 bricks and featuring Miniland’s London Skyline and Minifigure Speedway’s Roxie.
The 1996 Miniland High Street has also been brought back, for a nostalgic return to 90s football scenes and music icons, which was unveiled by TV presenter Pat Sharp.
Similarly, new characters such as the Birthday Cake Guy will be available for meet-and-greets, along with other popular characters like Brick Suit Girl.
Special themed events like Brick Days have been launched, with travellers being able to enjoy popular seasonal events like Brick or Treat and special sing-alongs as well.
To start the party before you even reach the park, a special train, the LEGOLAND Locomotive, has been launched, taking passengers on a themed ride from London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside, the gateway to the resort.
LEGOLAND has also launched the new LEGO Galaxy land at its California and Florida parks, which features the new “Galacticoaster”. This is an indoor, family-friendly space-themed roller coaster which allows travellers to digitally customise their ride vehicle.
World of PAW Patrol Land: Themed family hotel rooms and a junior roller coaster
The World of PAW Patrol Land is due to open at Chessington World of Adventures in the UK in spring 2026.
This will be the UK’s first PAW Patrol-themed park and will feature immersive Adventure Bay theming, four new rides, a replica Lookout Tower, character meet-and-greets, play areas, a shop and a cafe.
Rides will include the Chase’s Mountain Mission, a junior roller coaster ride, as well as Zuma’s Hovercraft Adventure, Skye’s Helicopter Heroes, and Marshall’s Firetruck Rescue. Play areas will include a Rubble and Rocky’s Playzone.
Chessington’s Safari Hotel has already launched five PAW-Patrol-themed family rooms, which can accommodate up to five guests. These include PAW Patroller-styled bunk beds and other themed features like a “lookout tower”, periscope and control panels.
These rooms come with perks like fast-track “Pup Passes” for meet-and-greets with characters like Skye, Chase and Rubble, along with access to the Savannah Splash pool and “Early Ride Time” lines in the theme park.
PokéPark KANTO: Forest trails, life-sized statues and more than 600 Pokémon
PokéPark KANTO, located in Tokyo’s Yomiuriland amusement park, opened in February.
It holds more than 600 Pokémon, along with a “Sedge Town” with exclusive food, drinks and merchandise like clothes and plushies.
Another popular attraction is a forest-themed immersive walking trail, with life-sized Pokémon statues, ideal for “hidden Pokémon” searches.
The park will also have a Pokémon Center, which will be aimed at creating an interactive “trainer” experience, along with rides such as the Pika Pika Paradise and the Eevee-themed VV Voyage.
Visitors can enjoy daily performances, parades and live Pokémon battles at the “Sedge Gym” too.
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