- What’s so special about animal experiences?
- Animal Experiences Near Me in Scotland
- Animal Experiences Near Me in Northern Ireland
- Animal Experiences Near Me in the North East England
- Animal Experiences Near Me the North West England
- Animal Experiences Near Me in Wales
- Animal Experiences Near Me in the West Midlands
- Animal Experiences Near Me in the East Midlands
- Animal Experiences Near Me in the South East England
- Animal Experiences Near Me in the South West England
Head for the crystal blue coasts of Northern Ireland or trek through the rolling meadows in the South West of England. Whether you love rhinos, red pandas, or seals, we have an adorable selection of animal experiences to show you!
What’s so special about animal experiences?
First of all, any age group will love and appreciate quality time with animals. It’s not your everyday activity and animals tend to be the simplest way to reconnect with nature and ourselves.
Lots of one-to-one experiences involve caring for animals and learning about conservation. Interacting with animals supports kids’ learning and development, and gives children the opportunity to learn how to be gentle and responsible for others. This in itself is incredibly magical for children and their parents! Empathy is a valuable and integral part of being a human so these experiences are really important and will help shape your child.
If you have older children, animal experiences are equally as important. We know being a teenager can be a turbulent time all round. Exams, friendships, budding relationships, and drastic emotional changes can leave a teen feeling overwhelmed. Strip back your teens worries and cheer them up with a trip to goat yoga or a local woodland farm! See how long it takes for your teen’s frown to turn upside down with a pygmy goat balancing on their back…
Parents, you also need this stress buster. These adorable experiences will help put a smile on your face too. Animals have a surprising calming effect on humans in general and it has been proved that spending more time with animals decreases cortisol levels. Cortisol is your body’s main stress hormone. Animals can reduce feelings of loneliness and offer great social support too.
Animal Experiences Near Me in Scotland
The Alpaca Trekking Centre, Stirling
If you’re looking for a quirky day trip with your partner or adult child, why not try the adult trek? Explore the countryside in 2 hours for £30! The adult alpaca treks run once a month, every month.
This family run farm also offers other wonderful experiences like being an alpaca keeper for the day. This costs £110 for 6 hours!
The Alpaca Trekking Centre, Stirling, B822 FK8
Friday
10:00 - 16:30
Saturday
10:00 - 16:30
Sunday Closed
Monday
10:00 - 16:30
Tuesday
10:00 - 16:30
Wednesday Closed
Thursday
10:00 - 16:30
1 hour mini trek = £18
2 hour adult trek = £30
Alpaca keeper for the day (6 hours) = £110
Pygmy Goat Pilates
Located in the stunning countryside of Fife in Scotland, the beautiful Bellcraig Farm hosts interactive sessions run by Pilates Teacher Jo, Farmer Holly and Goat Wrangler Caroline. Goat pilates will take place indoors in the cosy stone built cottage but in the warmer months, the class will move outside in the serene cottage garden.
You can expect a few hours of mischievous fun and the occasional pygmy goat jumping on your back. This is hands down, one of our favourite animal experiences on this list.
Exercising with animals has proved to…
- Promote feelings of happiness and joy
- Promote the release of oxytocin and serotonin, the ‘happy’ hormones
- Promote relaxation
- Lower anxiety levels
- Lower blood pressure
- Plus the wonderful benefits of pilates!
50 Thistle St N E Ln, Edinburgh EH2 1DA
Check website for available sessions.
One of sessions are £25 per session
Pilates Mat - 6 Class Package costs £78
Pilates Reformer - 6 Class Package - £132
50 Thistle Street North East Lane Edinburgh EH2 1DA
Animal Experiences Near Me in Northern Ireland
Aquaholics Causeway Coast Trips
What’s so great about this company is they offer boat trips around all the Causeway Coast hotspots! You don’t have to stay confined to your seat either as you have the chance to get in the sea to swim or go diving!
Pick from a trip to Carrick-A-Rede rope Bridge for £20 (with optional swim). Go a bit further with the Rathlin Island and Giant’s Causeway trip for £45. Hop on a sea safari from Port Ellen, and Islay to Ballycastle Ferry for £95. This sea safari lasts 1 hour and 20 minutes and takes you to a Scottish Island! There are lots of other (and cheaper) sea safari options online too, which you can find here.
14 Portmore Rd, Portstewart BT55 7BE
Check times online - there are lots of trips to choose from!
Sea safari from Port Ellen, and Islay to Ballycastle Ferry for £95.
Carrick-A-Rede rope Bridge for £20
Rathlin Island and Giant's Causeway trip for £45
Check out more trips online.
World of Owls
You can get to know a wide range of rescued owls at the World of Owls Centre and learn other quirky facts as well as the importance of conservation. Have you ever seen the dazzling green eyes of a Boobook Owl? Say hi to the snowy owl or check out Harley the Eurasian Eagle Owl!
This owl centre also has exhibits for other exotic animals, such as reptiles and minibeasts.
32 Mount Shalgus Ln, Randalstown, Antrim BT41 3LE
Tuesday to Friday – 11am Closing at 3pm
Saturday & Sunday – 11am to 5pm
Adults £5.50 Children (3 to 15 yrs) & OAPs £4.50
Animal Experiences Near Me in the North East England
North East Falconry
Start with a Hawk Walk through the woodlands where as a family you can take one of the birds for a private, beak-to-beak flying experience. The centre is home to hawks, owls, the odd Indian Eagle owl chick and injured strays, as well as a few celebrities in the mix. The team regularly supplies members of their roost to film and TV, so make sure you get a signature!
At certain times of year, kids can feed adorable newborn chicks as they begin their lives at the centre. Then if your little bird brains want to try something more adventurous, why not give them a go at an Introduction to Falconry? It will teach them all about owning a bird of prey and give them a respect for the wild side of nature.
Station Bank,
Ryton,
Tyne and Wear,
NE40 3JB
Monday to Sunday 09:30 - 16:30
Adults: £15.00
Kids: £10.00
Animal Experiences Near Me the North West England
Yorkshire Wildlife Park
At Yorkshire Wildlife Park, there are a range of experiences to try out with your little ones. This wonderful animal park will take you all over the world. From the African Lion Country, Land of Tiger, Wallaby Walkabout, and Lemur Woods, there are lots of animal attractions to visit. Make sure to join the ranger talks at the park to learn more about your favourite animals too! With 60 different animal species here, you’ll be setting off on a wildlife adventure! Especially with acres of walkthrough animal experiences to explore!
There are also lots of great VIP animal experiences like the VIP Atlantic Forest experience. Go behind the scenes and get up close with our Bush Dog family, meet the Maned Wolves and feed the Tapirs! Meet five fantastically different primates of Africa on the VIP Primates Of Africa Tour. Discover some of the coolest and most bizarre animals that the continent has to offer, from Six-Banded Armadillos to Howler Monkeys in the VIP South America Tour. With all this, and so much more, Yorkshire Wildlife Park hosts some of the most magical animal experiences in the UK.
If you’ve got your VIP Pass you can get up to 28% off gate prices!
Hurst Ln, Auckley, Doncaster DN9 3HQ
Monday - Friday 09:30 - 18:00
Saturday & Sunday 09:00 - 18:00
Adults: £22 (Online) | £27 (On the gates)
Kids (3-15): £20 (Online) | £25 (On the gates)
Under-3s: Free
Senior Citizen (60+) / Student: £21 (Online) | £22 (On the gates)
Disabled Adults: £15 (Online) | £20 (On the gates)
Disabled Seniors / Disabled Students: £14 (Online) | £19 (On the
gates)
Disabled Kids (aged 3-15): £13 (Online) | £18 (On the gates)
Accompanying carer: £7
Animal Experiences Near Me in Wales
Llanelli Wetland Centre
Llwynhendy,
Llanelli,
Carmarthenshire,
SA14 9SH,
Wales
Monday to Sunday 09:30 - 17:00
Adults: £9.45
Kids: £6.00
Family ticket (2 adults, 2 kids): £26.27
Concessions: £8.04
Under 4s: Free
WWT Members: Free
Plantasia Swansea
Passby tropical plants like prickly cacti, pineapple plants and giant bamboo. See monkeys, parakeets, reptiles, fish, and more in this exciting tropical zoo.
Get stuck into crocodile feeding in Fort Crox or become a keeper for the day in the Zoo Keeper experience. You’ll get to tour Plantasia’s animal collection and learn about each of the amazing animals. It’s one many excellent zookeeper experiences we have in this article.
Parc Tawe,
Swansea,
Glamorgan and Cardiff,
SA1 2AL,
Wales
Monday to Sunday 10:00 - 17:00
Adults: £9
Kids (aged (3-15): £7
Concession: £7
Family: £27
Animal Experiences Near Me in the West Midlands
Ash End House Children's Farm
They have lots of hungry hungry animals, ready and waiting for you to feed and pet them!
Middleton Lane, Tamworth B78 2BL
Monday to Sunday 09:30- 17:00
Adults: £8.95
Kids: £12.95
West Midland Safari Park
Experience some star-quality VIP treatment and a VIP safari from a minibus-guided Safari tour bus, a white lion cage feed, to a lemur & meerkat keeper for a day and plenty more! With the helpful staff on hand, you’re sure to have a lovely time, as you spend time with playful lemurs and feed giraffes with boxes of food!
Do you have a warm place in your heart for all creatures nocturnal? In the dark, damp depths of the Twilight Cave families can uncover amazing animals like Rodrigues fruit bats and Seba’s short-tailed bats. Did you see that?! The douroucouli (night monkey) just went by! West Midland Safari Park really has a whole day’s worth of fun.
Spring Grove, Bewdley DY12 1LF
Term Time
Monday to Friday 10:00 - 15:00
Saturday to Sunday 10:00 - 16:00
October Half Term
Daily 09:30 - 15:00
Adults: £25.00
Kids (3-15yrs): £20.00 (£25.00 from 01/10/2022)
Seniors 65+: £22.00
Lion feed: £175.00 per person
VIP Tour experience £185.00 per person
Lemur Feed £40.00 per person
Find other VIP experiences online.
Animal Experiences Near Me in the East Midlands
Catanger Llama Trekking
These inquisitive and gentle animals walk around 2mph along the trekking route. You will not ride the llamas but walk with them through the beautiful scenery. What we love about this animal experience is that you get to spend more quality time with the animal compared to other animal experiences in our article. And hey, you get to explore the stunning English countryside while you’re at it too!
It’s a great way to de-stress whatever age you are. You can also book children’s birthday parties for an unforgettable experience too. The treks last 1-2 hours long and are suitable for kids aged 7-14 year old when accompanied by adults.
Catanger Farm Wappenham Road, Weedon Lois,
Towcester,
Northamptonshire,
NN12 8FN,
England
Check website for session times.
Half-day experience:
1 person per llama = £80
2 people with 1 llama – £60 per person
On-farm trek:
Two people with one llama – £40 per person
One person with one llama – £50
Animal Experiences Near Me in the South East England
Vauxhall City Farm
There are horses to pet too and nature-inspired arts and crafts workshops that the little ones can get involved with. If you want to get up close and personal there are 2 types of meet & greets to choose from:
- Small animal meet & greets 4+
- Large animal meet and greets 7+ (pigs 10+)
You can get acquainted with a number of animals from goats, pygmy goats, sheep, pigs, donkeys, alpacas, lambs & kids, rabbits, guinea pigs, and chickens. All you need to do is purchase your meet and greet vouchers online.
165 Tyers Street, London, Greater London, SE11 5HS.
Tuesday – Sunday
10:30 – 16:00
Farm park entry is FREE! For £30 you can get a 20-minute meet and greet experience.
Surrey Docks Farm
Forge friendships with pigs, sheep, goats, cows, geese, ducks, turkeys and chickens, as they roam freely around the yard. Children are also allowed to handle, stroke and play with the ferrets, rabbits and guinea pigs that are pets of the farm. This is an especially exciting attraction to visit with younger children or children who have never been on a farm before.
There are three animal experiences on offer that give you the chance to get up close and meet our goat herd, flock of sheep, or our cheeky pony. Each session in the pens last 30 minutes and any pony trekking activities last up to an hour. Each animal experience has a maximum of 4 people.
Rotherhithe Street,
London,
Greater London,
SE16 5ET,
England
Monday to Sunday 10:00 - 16:00
Free admission
Animal Experiences Near Me in the South West England
Cornwall Swimming Horses
Perfect for beginners and experienced riders, you’ll get to hop up onto your ride and set off towards the beach riding bareback ready to dive in. Play around in the shallows with your horse friend, before swimming out further into the sea for your swim, no two swims with these horses are the same!
If you’re looking for a once in a lifetime day out, you can’t get much more one off than swimming with horses. Fancy taking it one step further? You can even enjoy a horse holiday and stay in the enchanted yurt too!
At The Peep Out, Long Rock,
Cornwall,
Cornwall,
TR20 8YJ,
England
Check online for sessions.
The cost is £150 per horse per person
Sharing Horses; 2 adults sharing one horse is £190.
The Family Swim is £370 and includes 2 horses to be shared by 2 adults and 2 children.(Does not have to be a conventional family, simply 2 adults and 2 children)
Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary
The Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary provides a solid viewing platform in the forest where visitors can watch rare, white fallow deer graze and meander around the forest meadow. It also provides a great photo opportunity. Deer viewing at Bolderwood isn’t guaranteed but the herd are fed daily by the local New Forest keeper, between the months of April and September, so the deer are more than happy to remain in the main meadow and are used to humans hanging around. Feeding time can be between noon and 3pm.
While the deer sanctuary is the main attraction at Bolderwood, there are also graded walks and a large picnic area amongst the tall trees. You’ll be relieved to know there are good toilet facilities too – you aren’t completely off the beaten track!
Bolderwood Arboretum Ornamental Dr, Lyndhurst SO43 7GQ
Open all day everyday
Free admission
We hope you’ve found the perfect animal experiences near you! From the depths of the Causeway Coast to swimming horses in Penzance, we hope you’ve picked a wonderful place to create a memorable experience with your kids – whatever their age.
Looking for more zoo & wildlife content? Check out Petting Zoos Near Me, Huckleberry Woods Miniature Adventure, Alpaca Farm Near Me , Zoo Experience Days, and so much more.