Discover the Best Zoos in the UK: Wildlife Adventures for Kids

Meet Edinburgh Zoo’s infamous pair of pandas, Tian Tian (meaning Sweetie) and Yang Guang (Sunshine). They live in two special enclosures full of climbing frames, treehouses and caves where they can play or snooze the weeks away.

As well as black and white bears, there’s a fantastic – and free – Hilltop Safari Ride. For those who love cute and cuddly, you HAVE to meet the adorable koalas!

Don’t forget the massive penguin enclosure! Give them a little wave!

So many animals to visit across acres of land!

You know you don’t really have to travel all the way to the Arctic to see polar bears…because Doncaster has them for you!

With the UK’s favourite polar bears calling Yorkshire Wildlife Park their home. Find EIGHT polar bears for you to meet: Nobby, Hamish, Luka, Sisu, Flocke and triplets Indiana, Yuma and tiny Tala. Who all spend their days swimming, snoozing and waiting for their next meal.

Meet over 475 animals and 60 species of animals! It’ll be a really wild day out!

Chester Zoo is your first-class ticket to tour the world, with 128 acres of weird and wild habitats between the painted dogs of Sub-Saharan Africa and those Visayan warty pigs. You might need a little help seeing every one of the 21,000+ residents in one day.

Don’t forget to visit the majestic Asian elephants and beautiful botanical gardens. Check out their gorgeous array of flora, and be sure to ‘wow’ you with their bright colours!

Aside from Disney’s Robin Hood, it’s not often castles and creatures come together but at Dudley Zoo and Castle. You’ll have the chance to team up two days out in one.

Introduce yourselves to each of the 1,300+ animals in the place before drawing swords and battling at the 11th-century castle. The animals here are a friendly bunch from Jorong the Bornean orangutan to feeding Australian lorikeets with tiny pots of nectar.

Don’t forget to meet popular animals like the Capybara and the red pandas!

Unleash your wild side at the Wild Zoological Park, that’s slightly different. You’ll find small but curious creatures here. From mischievous meerkats and the cute Jaguarundi to a whole host of reptiles and even…tarantulas! Eeep! Do you like creepy crawlies?

From local to exotic animals – it’s not one to miss out.

A small but mighty zoo that will be packed full of fun and exploring.

Discover multi-coloured feathers, fluffy tails and shiny scales at Colchester Zoo. Set in 60 acres of parkland, there are over 160 species to discover!

From the winged wonders of Butterfly Glade or Billy Joe and her gang of ape acquaintances at the Chimpanzee Lookout. Plus, enter Europe’s largest underwater tunnel where 5 female Patagonian sea lions can be found swooping and looping around you.

At Banham Zoo you can pay a visit to Santos the two-toed sloth down in the ‘Eureka’ subtropical house or fly to dizzy heights with one of the Birds of Prey displays.

Join snow leopards, tigers and cheetahs as they prowl through the undergrowth. Then leap to the tippy tops of the trees on the Zarafa Heights SkyTrek too!

Discover the Farm Barn, Penguin Cove and Lemur Island, while immersing yourself in the world of Banham Zoological Gardens.

From majestic Asiatic Lions to cheeky Red Pandas, Cotswold Wildlife Park is home to over 260 wonderful animal species.

Prepare for a whole day packed with exotic wildlife adventures! Including eye-to-eye encounters with the curious giraffes at the Giraffe Walkway and feeding times with the perky penguins at the Walled Garden.

Like creepy crawlies? Then you need to check out their Insect House or maybe even some scaly friends at their Reptile House.

Prepare to get snap-happy at Crocodiles of the World. When you started looking for a zoo near you, giant lizards probably weren’t what you expected but it would definitely be a unique day out!

It’s the only crocodile zoo in the UK with a wide range of modern-day dinosaurs. From saltwater crocs and the delightfully named, Spectacled caiman.

There are even daily feeds where you can watch as these prehistoric pals chomp on something meaty. Saving crocodile species from extinction, like the Siamese crocodiles from Cambodia – it’s 100% worth visiting.

Animal lovers rejoice! With over 10,000 unique animals and 600 acres of stunning land, ZSL Whispande is the proud holder of the biggest zoo in the UK.

From big cats like African lions and cheetahs to zebras to over 60 species of butterflies and an aquarium. There are plenty of great animals to meet at the iconic zoo, dive into its rich history and enjoy acres of fun!

ZSL London Zoo is the world’s oldest scientific zoo and the first in England, dating way back to 1828.

Journey through habitats of the tiniest of creatures, from colourful coral reefs to the UK’s only spider walkthrough! Then explore the impressive Land of the Lions, the roarsome state-of-the-art enclosure. Sadly, there are only 400 of them left in the wild, so go and show your support for the kings of the jungle!

Marwell Zoo is home to hundreds of exotic and even endangered animals across the gigantic 140-acre park.

Marwell wildlife is vast, from meeting ferocious big cats like amur tigers and snow leopards. To wandering through the Tropical house with free-flying birds soaring over your head! Catch a spectacular view of the zebras grazing as you make your way across the boardwalk.

You’ll also find various adventure playgrounds dotted around the park, giving that extra fun to the kiddies!

Experience the sights, sounds, and animals of Africa at Africa Alive! and meet birds, reptiles, mammals, and more.

From the bright pink feathers of the flamingos to the unusual patterns on the giraffes. We can’t forget the impressive manes of the lions too! Plus, don’t miss out on the daily activities and displays across the park too!

Home to over 390 animals, including the largest herd of African Elephants in the UK, Howletts Wild Animal Park is the perfect place to learn more about conservation.

Not forgetting to meet all sorts of amazing animals. See the family of gorillas, and meet the fascinating anteaters with their extra-long snouts! You’ll definitely be in for a really wild time!

Wild Place Project is a fun family attraction that provides outdoor adventure, play and learning.

Meet amazing animals from across the world, from the mischievous lemurs of Madagascar to magnificent European brown bears. Every visit supports our charity’s conservation work!

Gather up your tribe and head over to Monkey World – Ape Rescue Centre, where there are over 250 rescued and endangered primates waiting to meet you.

From orangutans to gibbons, to lemurs and chimpanzees. It’s the perfect place for your cheeky monkeys to go wild!

From cheetahs and crocodiles to rhinos and red pandas, Paignton Zoo has over 2,500 animals waiting for you to meet!

Set across 80 acres, you’ll get to roam wild and explore and learn all about the fascinating wild animals and rare breeds. Plus, if the weather doesn’t hold up there’s plenty of indoor fun to explore!

Are you ready to meet the legendary Exmoor Beast?

Giant black cats have been allegedly spotted roaming around the hills of Exmoor and Somerset, and at Exmoor Zoo. You can meet the only black leopards in the UK!

Along with the impressive black cats, there’s reptiles, birds, and plenty of other big cats and mammals too.

Home to a variety of animals with over 90 different species, there’s a real animal adventure at Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo. With the chance to see lions, rhinos, penguins and loads more, the zoo is also home to the only giraffes in Wales.

Did you know there’s a special Giraffe Heights Walkway? Now you’ll know you’ll get the best views and closer to the wild action!

But wait…there’s more! Enjoy some thrills on 17 different rides at their vintage fairground!

From big cats to primates and reptiles, head over to Welsh Mountain Zoo and meet all your favourite animals!

See the cheeky penguins splash around, watch the majestic snow leopards run around, and you can even meet the impressive brown bears. Plus there’s plenty of animal shows to watch as you make your way around.

Just a hop, flap and pounce away from the city castle, Belfast Zoo is a hub for over 120 different species that are facing increasing danger out in their natural habitats.

Meet mighty gorillas, monochrome zebras and enormous Malayan sun bears. Plus, learn all about the fantastic conservation efforts to protect these incredible animals!