Is Twycross zoo any good?

[DontYouLeaveMe]

DS keeps seeing adverts for it on tv (bloody morning tv advertising!) and is now desperate to go. It’s a three hour drive for us, so trying to work out if it’s worth going? Is there enough there to go for two days if we decide to stay over, or is it a one day and you’re done type of place? I don’t have tons of spare money so this would be the big summer holiday trip

YANBU- it’s good, worth going
YABU- it sucks, go somewhere better

We used to live near it. Plenty for a day. Not sure about a second day unless you go very slowly. There are other attractions locally for a second day such as Conkers or you could go for something part way back.

It's easy to spend a full day especially if he likes the gruffalo and you get good weather for the splash pad. 2 days might be more of a struggle

Its lovely, but is there another zoo closer?? We go because it's very local too my parents.

Ad how old is DS? Conkers is a good shout for a second day if you stay.

Have a look at stay, play explore Leicester . You can book a 1, 2 or 3 night stay in a hotel and you get entry tickets to 3 attractions including twycross zoo. We have been a couple of times and it was quite good but not very big. There is an outdoor splash zone if the weather is good. We usually stay at Jury’s inn hinckley island where there is a pool and a gym. It always works out good value for money.

Get a visit leistershire pass. (Can't remember if it is called that) but you should find it with a Google. That covers Twycross a hotel and some other attractions for a family.

Thanks @quiteathome and @Welovechristmas that’s what ive been looking at, it’s why I thought we might stay over. Got a 5 YO with some additional needs and a 4 year old who loves gruffalo. Twycross doesn’t have the best reviews but I thought the splash but and then gruffalo park might fix that!

@KarrotKake theres nothing much closer and we’ve visited the more ‘local’ places :)

This. Twycross zoo and the space centre were brilliant. You have a year to use the tickets. So we did 1 night and two activities. The hotels with the spas were great too.

Plenty to do for a day but not two. Excellent soft play if weather isn’t good. If you do stay over look at conkers for the next day. It’s nearby. Or twin lakes. Depends on the age of kid(s).

We’ve had a lot of wear out of our annual pass as our daughter loves it. As parents we like it as it’s a lot quieter and less commercialised compared to zoos like Chester.

If I was coming up this way for a few days I’d spend the other day in Matlock Bath visit Gulliver's Kingdom and if the weather was nice we’d hire a boat from Matlock Bath Boats.

If you do stay play explore you can only go to any place once. We went recently to the zoo - loved it. I'd recommend a picnic as there's loads of tables and the cafes weren't anything special. There's a giant softpaly on the way in if the weather isn't great but you do need to book a slot. The gruffalo trail was v popular with 4 year old. I loved the gibbons. The Leicester museum was really good, and free.

Yes just coming on to say 'Stay play explore Leicestershire' it's a bargain ticket for a hotel and 3 attractions I think. The space centre if its raining. Twin Lakes and Twycross Zoo and Conkers if it's sunny! It's a great ticket. Look it up. We get a hotel with a pool and swim in the evening. Last time we when in one near the M1 that was quite fancy. Twycross is a full day out in my opinion.

Yorkshire wildlife Park is much better.

Twycross is great for a day then twinlakes/conkers for the 2nd. Space museum is way too old for a 4&5 yr old.

OK for 2 or 3 hours

I live 5 mins away from YWP and its much better

Depending on what day of the week, the Battlefield line railway is good for a visit too #nostalgic

I agree Yorkshire Wildlife Park is far better!

I got an annual pass in 2020. With a 7 & 9 yo we got around in about 4 hours, but enjoyed our money's worth going about x4 in a year.

If you do stay I second Conkers and other attractions around the E Mids.

As everyone else has said do Stay Play Explore and get the hotel / attraction ticket deal. I would
only do one day at Twycross.

Depending on the age of your kids Twinlakes is good for primary age (and the water park is included and good fun in the summer). The Space Centre and Conkers are also worth a visit.

Twycross Zoo is amazing. I fed the giraffes there. There are other animals you could feed if you wanted too.

We went recently and didn't like it at all. The enclosures seemed really small and dated. Huge queues for everything, including a 25 minute wait to get in the car park (but it was half term). Dirty toilets and not all of the catering was open. No recycling available.

The only good bit for us was the Gruffalo area which was fantastic. Watch out for the gift shop though, you'd need to remortgage.

We went recently and didn't like it at all. The enclosures seemed really small and dated

I agree with this, we went in April this year. The gruffalo part is great for young kids though, so that does make it worth it.

West Midlands Safari is better for a day out though, way more to do as there’s a zoo part with penguins, bats, meerkats and a lemur and goat walkthrough, dinosaur and ice age walk through, fairground and a big play area.