Zoos and aquariums are where the UK’s children fall in love with animals, and the best of them now put conservation at the heart of everything. Many run breeding programmes for endangered species and support projects to protect animals in the wild. A visit is both a day out and a chance to learn.
These eight are worth the trip. For each, we have included the highlights and tips for the day. Most are busiest in the school holidays, and tickets are usually cheaper when booked online.
1. Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo, on the northern edge of Chester, is the UK’s most visited zoo and one of the best in Europe. It covers more than a hundred and twenty acres and is home to thousands of animals from hundreds of species, many of them endangered. It is a conservation charity.
The zoo’s enclosures are large and designed to feel like natural habitats. Islands, one of its most ambitious areas, recreates the islands of South East Asia, with a boat ride through the habitats of tigers, orangutans and crocodiles. The elephants, big cats and apes are always popular.
The zoo supports conservation projects around the world, and its work is explained throughout. There are talks and feeding displays through the day. It is a brilliant day out for all ages.
The zoo is easy to reach from Manchester and Liverpool, about forty minutes away. Allow a full day, as the site is huge. See our Chester guide.
2. ZSL London Zoo
ZSL London Zoo, in Regent’s Park, is the world’s oldest scientific zoo, opened by the Zoological Society of London in the nineteenth century. It is home to animals from around the world. It is a leading centre for conservation and research.
Highlights include the Land of the Lions, a home for Asiatic lions based on an Indian village, and Penguin Beach, with a pool for the penguins. Tiger Territory and the gorilla area are also popular. The zoo has a reptile house, an aquarium and a butterfly paradise.
The zoo has daily talks and feeding times, and children can meet animals in the petting areas. Its historic buildings, some of them listed, are interesting in their own right. The zoo runs events through the year.
The zoo is in the heart of London, a short walk through Regent’s Park from Camden Town. You can also arrive by waterbus along the Regent’s Canal. Allow at least half a day.
3. ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, Bedfordshire
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, on the Chiltern Hills in Bedfordshire, is the UK’s largest zoo, covering around six hundred acres. It is the country home of the Zoological Society of London. Its animals roam in big paddocks with room to move.
The zoo is home to herds of elephants, rhinos, giraffes and many other large animals. A huge white lion carved into the chalk hillside below the zoo can be seen for miles. Some areas can be driven through.
Because it is so large, you need walking shoes, or you can use the zoo’s buses and the Great Whipsnade Railway, which runs past herds of animals. There are talks and events through the day. It is a peaceful and spacious zoo.
Whipsnade is about an hour from London by road, near Dunstable. It is best reached by car. Allow a full day.
4. Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo, on a hillside on the western edge of the Scottish capital, is run by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. It opened in 1913. It is home to animals from around the world.
The zoo is famous for its penguins, which have lived here since the zoo opened, in a large pool area called Penguins Rock. Its chimpanzee enclosure, the Budongo Trail, is one of the largest in the world. Koalas, lions and red pandas are also popular.
The zoo’s hillside setting means there are wonderful views over the city, but also plenty of slopes to climb. A hilltop safari vehicle helps with the steepest parts. It is a good place for a full day out.
The zoo is a short journey from the city centre by bus or car. It supports conservation projects in Scotland and around the world. See our Edinburgh guide.
5. Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire
Longleat, in Wiltshire, was the first drive through safari park outside Africa when it opened in 1966. It is set in the grounds of Longleat House, a grand Elizabethan mansion. It is one of the most famous family attractions in Britain.
Visitors drive their own cars, or travel by bus, through large enclosures of lions, tigers, rhinos, giraffes and monkeys. The monkeys are famous for climbing on cars, so there is a route that avoids them if you prefer. It is thrilling to see the animals so close.
Longleat also has walk through areas, including one with koalas, a boat trip past sea lions and gorillas, and a large hedge maze. The house itself is open to visitors. There is plenty to fill a day.
Longleat is about half an hour from Bath and Salisbury. It is best reached by car. At Christmas it hosts a famous festival of lights.
6. The Deep, Hull
The Deep, in Hull, is one of the most spectacular aquariums in Britain. It opened in 2002 in a dramatic angular building on the Humber estuary. It is a conservation charity.
Its huge tank, one of the deepest in Europe, holds sharks, rays and shoals of fish, which swim past a viewing tunnel. A glass lift carries you up through the middle of the tank. There is also a colony of gentoo penguins.
The aquarium takes you on a journey from warm lagoons to the cold of the polar seas. Jellyfish glow in coloured tanks. It is fascinating for children and adults.
Tickets usually let you return for free for a year. Allow at least two or three hours. See our Hull guide.
7. Blue Planet Aquarium, Ellesmere Port
Blue Planet Aquarium, at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire, next to the Cheshire Oaks outlet centre, is one of the largest aquariums in the north of England. It is home to thousands of creatures from around the world. It is popular with families.
Its highlight is a long underwater tunnel, where sharks and rays swim overhead and all around you. It is an unforgettable experience. Divers feed the fish in the main tank at set times.
The aquarium also has displays of fish from rivers, rainforests and coral reefs, as well as otters, frogs and reptiles. There are talks and feeding displays. Children can touch some creatures in the rock pool.
Blue Planet is handy for a day out from Chester or Liverpool, and it combines well with a trip to Cheshire Oaks. It is best reached by car. Allow a few hours.
8. National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth
The National Marine Aquarium, in Plymouth, is the largest aquarium in the UK. It stands on the waterfront beside Sutton Harbour, close to the historic Barbican. It is a charity devoted to ocean conservation.
The aquarium takes you through the oceans, from the waters of Plymouth Sound to coral reefs and the open ocean. Its largest tank holds sharks and huge shoals of fish, with a huge viewing window. It is breathtaking.
There are talks and feeding displays through the day, and displays about the threats facing the oceans. Children love the rock pools and the seahorses. It is a great day out in any weather.
Tickets usually allow a return visit within a year. The Barbican, with its cobbled streets and cafés, is next door. See our Plymouth guide.
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