North Kent Farm/ Adventure Park/ Petting Zoo Recommendations

[EllieQ]

I’m hoping MNers can help me find an adventure park/ farm/ petting zoo type place in Kent, preferably in the North Kent/ Maidstone area.

We’re going to visit PIL, who live in Kent, next week, and will also see BIL and family who live nearby. FIL wants to take DD and her cousin (both aged 10) to a farm/ petting zoo type place (the kind of place that would have a big playground, animals to look at and possibly feed, maybe a soft play etc). MIL is recovering from an operation so it would only be FIL, DH and I, DD, and her cousin on the trip.

However, he has chosen a particular place in Essex (Old MacDonald’s Farm, near Chelmsford) . Google maps tells me it’s an hours drive, but as this involves the M25 and the Dartford Crossing, I suspect it will be longer. Plus it’s £20 per person, even for children, and I honestly think that DD and her cousin are a bit too old for it. Can anyone recommend somewhere similar in North Kent itself or around Maidstone?

We live up north so will have a long journey to get there for a fairly short visit, and I’d rather not spend a big chunk of a day out on the M25! Plus driving with FIL can be stressful (whether he drives, or if DH is driving - FIL is a back seat driver), so I’d really like to find somewhere closer to home while still giving DD and her cousin a fun day out with FIL.

Old McDonalds farm is bloody miles away, there’s no way you’re getting there in an hour from Maidstone.

If you go a smidge further into Kent, you have Port Lympne in Lympne (just outside Folkestone) or Howletts just outside Canterbury. Both have some seriously impressive attractions if you want to see the big animals, but you won’t get close to feeding anything unless you buy an experience, which doesn’t come cheap because they raise money for conservation. Out of the two, I prefer Howletts. And they have elephants. Port Lympne have Giraffes but it’s more of a safari experience. I think they make most of their cash from accommodation nowadays.

Also nearby Canterbury is Wingham Wildlife park. I love this. They have giraffes, orangutans etc and you can buy food for some of the animals (meer cats and there’s a lake with a fish food machine by it, make sure you have a couple of 50p pieces because they come right out of the water for the food). There’s a dinosaur park, childrens parks, a soft play, crazy golf etc, as well as the odd chicken wandering about. Highly recommended for all ages, not just adults or younger ones.

There’s also the rare breeds farm at (I think) Appledore, which is the other side of Ashford. you can pet the animals there; there’s a small barn where they have a very friendly shire horse, guinea pigs, rabbits etc and they bring them out to be petted if there aren’t so many children there that it would stress them out. From what you’ve said, I think Wingham would suit what you’re looking for most of all.

The only other one I’d recommend would be Drusillas, but that’s in Alfriston, which is near Eastbourne, a good 2 hours at least from Maidstone.

I completely forgot Kent Life as well, which is actually in Maidstone! I’ve not been there, but you can either drive there or get a boat from further down the river (although timings might be a bit close)

Kent Life has all of the requirements, but I'm not sure whether 10 year olds would like it for a full day. Wingham is fab.

Not an adventure place, but the Buttercups Goat Sanctuary is a nice place just outside Maidstone where you can get up-close with a lot of bonkers goats. Doesn't have all the bells and whistles - no playground etc - but it's donations for entry, and has a sweet cafe. If the 10 year olds are inclined for playgrounds, you can always just take them to Mote Park - it's huge, has a watersports centre on the lake, and big playground/aerial adventure thing, but no animals (other than dogs and squirrels!).

Agree with Buttercups and Kent Life. There's also a mini zoo out at Medway called the Fenn Bell. It's a proper zoo, on a small scale, attached to the back if a pub (don't ask, it's a lot better than it sounds!)
Has food, little playground, shop etc and is about 20 mins from Maidstone?

I’m not sure Kent life is that good for that age , Wingham wildlife park or Wildwood at Herne ( Canterbury ) would be better .

Thanks all! Wingham Wildlife Park sounds good, as does Kent Life.

@NorthernChinchilla We have been to the Fenn Bell on a previous visit, and I know what you mean about it being a strange thing to have at the back of a pub! We enjoyed it, but I’m not sure it’s big enough to make a second visit worthwhile.

I'd agree to be fair, second time round wasn't as fun!
It's a good shout from pp to do the boat ride to or from Kent Life, but Winghams does sound good, may do it myself thus holiday

I would suggest Howletts, Wildwood or Wingham.

Kent Life is nice but more for younger children, DD went on a school trip in Y4, I think anything older would be a bit too bored.

It’s so good, the website doesn’t do it justice!

Curlys Farm on The Isle Of Sheppey.
A lovely charity run place to visit... 💕