Is there a child alive who doesn’t go absolutely wild for dinosaurs?! We don’t think so! Whether your little ones are roaring like a T-Rex at the dinner table or confidently quizzing you on the difference between a Brachiosaurus and a Diplodocus (no pressure!), a dinosaur day out is one of those guaranteed crowd-pleasers that the whole family will love.
The brilliant news? The UK is absolutely packed with incredible dinosaur days out in 2026 – from life-size animatronic trails in Shropshire to Victorian-era stone giants in South London, and a museum in Dorset dedicated entirely to our prehistoric pals!
We’ve rounded up the very best dinosaur days out across England and Wales, so you can find and book your perfect prehistoric adventure – wherever you are in the country. Every attraction on this list is available to explore and book right here on Days Out With The Kids!
Here’s what we’ve got in store for you:
- Full-day dinosaur parks with rides, trails and animals
- Free outdoor dinosaur experiences (yes, really!)
- Museums dedicated entirely to our prehistoric pals
- Coastal fossil-hunting adventures
Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World, Telford (West Midlands)
If you’re looking for a full-on prehistoric day out that also happens to be one of the UK’s most celebrated zoos, Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World in Telford is absolutely the place to be!
Proudly named the 2nd Best Zoo in the UK by TripAdvisor for two consecutive years (2023 and 2024), this award-winning, family-run attraction sits within 32 acres of Shropshire woodland and combines a brilliant wildlife zoo with one of the most impressive dinosaur trails in the country.
Planning a trip to the area? We’ve got loads more things to do in the West Midlands to make a full family weekend of it!
What’s the Dinosaur Experience Like?
The star of the show is Hoo-Rassic World, home to over 30 animatronic, life-sized dinosaurs that roam through several acres of woodland. These aren’t your average garden centre dinos, either. Walking with Dinosaurs presenter Nigel Marven visited and declared them the most realistic he’d ever seen! The trail is both thrilling and educational, with conservation messaging woven throughout.
Hoo Zoo is just one of dozens of brilliant wildlife parks and zoos listed on our site – browse all zoos and wildlife parks across the UK to find one near you!
What Else is There to Do?
Honestly, so much! This is a full day out (expect 5+ hours):
- Animals galore: meerkats, lemurs, servals, caracals, wolves, otters and more
- Daily animal talks and feeding sessions: including wallaby and fallow deer feeding
- Shropshire’s biggest jumping pillow (adults welcome, no judgement!)
- Land Rover Safari and Quad Bikes for extra thrills
- Indoor and outdoor play areas with climbing frames, ziplines and a sensory forest
- Unique animal experiences: capybara encounters, meerkat meet-and-greets, wild wolf breakfast and badger watching (advanced booking essential)
- On-site log cabin accommodation (Badgers Wood) with a private hot tub for families who want to make a weekend of it
Tickets and Prices
Check the latest availability and book your visit directly on the Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World listing page.
Open daily 10:00-17:00. Free parking on-site.
The Dinosaur Park, Tenby (West Wales)
Combine a trip to one of Wales’ most beautiful coastal towns with a roar-some prehistoric adventure! The Dinosaur Park in Tenby is a brilliant full-day attraction just a few miles outside Tenby in Pembrokeshire, and it’s packed with far more than just dinosaurs.
While you’re in Pembrokeshire, there’s so much more to explore – check out our full guide to things to do in Wales with kids for even more family-friendly inspiration!
The Dino Trail and Beyond
The park’s famous Dinosaur Trail features 30 life-size dinosaurs including Velociraptors, a giant Brachiosaurus and the mighty T-Rex. You can also ride a baby dinosaur, dig up fossils in the Dino Dig area, and explore the Jurassic Journey. Don’t forget to test your Dinosaur Trail knowledge at the end!
But here’s what makes this place extra special: it’s not just about the dinos. There’s an absolutely brilliant range of additional activities that’ll keep the whole family busy for a full 3-4 hours:
- 12-hole T-Rex crazy golf course
- Dino’s Fun House indoor adventure playground
- Foot golf, trampolines and moto-quads
- Wales’ only tube slide plus disco boats, bubble ride and an astra-slide
- Traditional giant board games (we love these!)
- Seasonal events throughout the year for holiday fun
The Ribcage Cafe serves hot and cold food, with a Young Dino Buff’s menu for the little ones. Packed lunches are welcome too!
Tickets and Prices
Check the latest availability and book your visit directly on the The Dinosaur Park listing page.
Pre-booking is essential for the best availability and price. Open daily 10:00-17:00 (seasonal hours apply from September). Free on-site parking. Plan your visit here.
Ark Wildlife and Dinosaur Park, Lincolnshire
Here’s a hidden gem that absolutely deserves more attention! Ark Wildlife and Dinosaur Park in Stickney, near Boston, is Lincolnshire’s award-winning wildlife and dinosaur park, and it has a genuinely heartwarming story behind it.
The majority of the animals here are rescues from the European pet trade. The Ark has been operating as a rescue sanctuary for illegally or poorly kept exotic animals for over a decade, working alongside welfare organisations to make a real difference. So visiting isn’t just fun, it’s actually doing good!
Jurassic Ark: Lincolnshire’s Largest Dinosaur Attraction
The dino credentials here are seriously impressive. Jurassic Ark is Lincolnshire’s largest dinosaur attraction, featuring life-size models, roaring animatronics and fossil displays. During peak times, they also run the hugely popular Jurassic Encounter interactive experience, where you can come face-to-face with an adult Velociraptor and baby. Yes, really.
Wildlife Worth Seeing
The Ark specialises in rescuing and caring for wildcat species, and it’s one of the only places in the UK where you can see:
- Lynx, servals, caracals and jungle cats
- Feisty bobcats and the UK’s rarest mammal, the Scottish wildcat
- Kinkajous in the nocturnal Kinkajou Cavern
- Meerkats, reptiles and farmyard friends
There’s also a Tropical House, indoor soft play, an Activity Barn and a large outdoor play area. The Kalahari Cafe serves locally made cakes and savouries.
Tickets and Prices
Check the latest availability and book your visit directly on the Ark Wildlife tickets page.
Open daily 10:00-17:00 (closed Mondays and Thursdays over winter). Free parking on-site.
The Dinosaur Museum, Dorchester (Dorset)
Dorset is dinosaur country! The county sits along the famous Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where prehistoric fossils wash out of the cliffs on a regular basis. And right in the heart of Dorchester, you’ll find the perfect place to make sense of it all.
The Dinosaur Museum is the only British museum devoted solely to dinosaurs, and it’s an absolute treasure trove for young palaeontologists. This isn’t a generic natural history museum with a dino corner; it’s 100% dedicated to our prehistoric pals.
Love a museum day out? You’ll find hundreds more brilliant museums and history attractions for families across the UK right here on Days Out With The Kids.
What Makes It Special?
The museum features skeletons, life-size reconstructions and some genuinely surprising scaly surprises. Your kids will:
- Listen out for a Triceratops and get up close with a Stegosaurus
- Smell the breath of a T-Rex (pee-yew!)
- Learn about fossil pioneers including the legendary Mary Anning and Richard Owen
- Handle actual Jurassic Coast fossils, including heads, eggs and even dinosaur poo (always a hit!)
- Dig in the excavation pit and try the mystery feely box
- Take on the quiz and interactive puzzles throughout
It’s the kind of place where kids come out knowing far more than they went in, and they won’t even realise they’ve been learning. That’s the mark of a brilliant museum!
Good to know: The Dinosaur Museum is not pushchair-friendly and has limited wheelchair access due to the nature of the historic building. Best suited to children aged 4+.
Tickets and Prices
Check the latest availability and book your visit directly on The Dinosaur Museum listing page.
Open daily 10:00-17:00 (April-September) and 10:00-16:00 (October-March). Town centre car parks are a short walk away.
Dinosaur Isle, Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is one of the most important dinosaur discovery sites in Europe, and Dinosaur Isle in Sandown is the museum that brings those incredible finds to life. If you’re planning a family holiday on the island, this is a must-visit!
The museum is home to a collection of over 30,000 items reflecting the geology of the island, with displays of more than 1,000 of the best fossils found locally. It’s been newly designed to create an even more immersive prehistoric experience.
Step Into Prehistoric History
What sets Dinosaur Isle apart is how it engages all the senses. The whole museum is filled with lights, sounds, smells and textures that bring the age of dinosaurs back to life. You’ll find:
- Animatronic displays of dinosaurs in action
- A working laboratory you can actually view
- Educational fossil walks and hands-on learning sessions
- Outdoor fossil and geology walks for those who want to explore further
- A dedicated learning room for school groups and families
The collection includes specimens that have been found right on the island’s beaches and cliffs, meaning some of these fossils were discovered just a short walk from where you’re standing. That’s genuinely exciting!
Tickets and Prices
Check the latest availability and book your visit directly on The Dinosaur Isle listing page.
Brilliant value for a full morning or afternoon out! The museum is wheelchair and pushchair friendly, open 7 days a week with a gift shop.
Crystal Palace Park Dinosaurs, London (FREE!)
Looking for a brilliant dinosaur day out in London that won’t cost a penny? Look no further than Crystal Palace Park Dinosaurs in Bromley, one of the capital’s most extraordinary and underrated family attractions.
Entry is completely free for all ages, making this the ultimate budget-friendly dinosaur adventure! There are more brilliant free days out in the capital too – explore our full roundup of things to do in London with kids to plan your next adventure!
The World’s First Full-Size Dinosaur Models
These aren’t just any dinosaurs. Built by sculptor Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins in around 1854, the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs were the world’s first attempt to create full-scale, three-dimensional model dinosaurs. There are 30 unique and scientifically important prehistoric creatures, including dinosaurs, prehistoric amphibians, reptiles and mammals, all set on islands within the park’s lakes.
They’re genuinely iconic pieces of Victorian history, and they hold a Grade I listing. Yes, these dinosaurs are listed buildings!
Bear with us here! By today’s standards, some of the models aren’t entirely accurate (science has moved on quite a bit since 1854!), but that’s actually part of their charm and educational value. They show what the best scientific minds of the Victorian era believed these creatures looked like, and spotting the differences from modern reconstructions is a brilliant activity for curious kids.
Make a Full Day of It
Crystal Palace Park is a 200-acre site with plenty more to explore:
- A mind-bending maze for the whole family
- A children’s farm and playground
- Lakes and woodland walks
- Brown and Green Life Cafe nearby for refreshments
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week. Parking available (charges apply). Well served by trains and buses from central London.
Quick Guide: Which Dinosaur Day Out is Right for Your Family?
Not sure which of these amazing attractions is the best fit? We’ve put together a quick cheat sheet to help you decide!
| Attraction | Best For | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World | Full day out, animals + dinos, all ages | Telford, Shropshire |
| The Dinosaur Park Tenby | Action-packed, rides + dinos, holiday destination | Tenby, Wales |
| Ark Wildlife and Dinosaur Park | Conservation focus, rescue animals + dinos | Lincolnshire |
| The Dinosaur Museum | Educational, interactive, Jurassic Coast fossils | Dorchester, Dorset |
| Dinosaur Isle | Island holiday, fossil fans, great value | Isle of Wight |
| Crystal Palace Park Dinosaurs | Budget families, London visitors, history lovers | Bromley, London |
Our Top Tips for Dinosaur Days Out
- Book in advance wherever possible – securing your tickets online ahead of your visit is the easiest way to guarantee entry and skip the queues on the day.
- Wear comfy shoes! Outdoor dinosaur trails involve a lot of walking (and running like a T-Rex).
- Bring snacks and water for outdoor trails, especially in summer.
- Check seasonal opening hours before you travel, as many attractions have reduced hours in winter.
- Check the weather for outdoor attractions and dress accordingly. Dinos don’t mind the rain
Ready to Book Your Dinosaur Adventure?
Whether you’re after a full-day prehistoric extravaganza complete with animatronic raptors and jumping pillows, or a free afternoon exploring Victorian dino sculptures in a London park, the UK has a truly roar-some range of dinosaur days out for families in 2026!
The best part? Every single attraction on this list is bookable or explorable right here on Day Out With The Kids. Browse our full listings, compare prices and secure your tickets in just a few clicks.
Don’t forget: Booking in advance is always the best way to guarantee your spot! Check each attraction’s listing for the latest availability and book with confidence right here on Days Out With The Kids.
We’d love to know which dino adventure you choose! Drop us a message and let us know how your prehistoric day out went. Now get out there and ROAR!