Zoo options

[mefornow]

Looking at a night away with a zoo visit… tempted by across zoo with a meerkat experience but not been there before. Any thoughts on where’s better…. Twycross or Chester? Or should I be looking at somewhere else?? Travelling from Birmingham area but I don’t mind distance too much as planning to make it an overnight stay anyway… will be to celebrate hubbys 60th but will have our 7year old with us

Smaller zoo might be good. But London zoo is good. Have a zoo called drusillas near us on South Coast, Eastbourne which is nice countryside and great kids zoo but has meerkat and great play areas. Eastbourne has good hotels.

You can stay onsite at Port Lympne in Kent

Out of Twycross and Chester I'd definitely choose Chester. It seems bigger and with a greater variety of animals. I might be biased though as the day we went to Twycross it had snowed and was about minus 6.

If you can combine the trip with a day in Chester it would make a great weekend.

The best actual zoo I've been to is Colchester, but Colchester is an odd place for a night away. Could probably stay somewhere nice in the countryside though, deadham vale and parts of Suffolk are lovely and close to Colchester.

Yes, Colchester has a meerkat experience, DS did it for his birthday. It's a fantastic zoo. I don't think Colchester is that odd a place to stay, there's the castle, Roman wall, chariot racing museum, loads of restaurants, Mersea Island, beaches not that far away.

Twycross is fine for a random day out but nothing massively special (and I'm literally going there today 😅) they do 12 months free when you buy an ordinary ticket so it's great value.

Chester is massive and is great - that's for more of a special occasion. Not sure about the meerkats but they do all sort of experiences. The Yorkshire Wildlife Park is one of the best I've been to though - probably closer to 2 hours away but if you were planning on staying overnight it'd be fine. Their polar bears are incredible and all of the animals have so much space, it's lovely.

@SilverSimca I've lived in Essex for a long time now and used to work in Colchester (in a criminal justice role so those are the bits of town I automatically think of), so my brain just doesn't associate it with a holiday, but you're right there are lots of nice things too!

Edinburgh Zoo is magnificent.

Blair Drummond Safari Park does meerkat experiences (and other animals). If you went gif that Stirling is the nearest town.

Edinburgh, South Lakes or Yorkshire Wildlife Park are amazing!

Chester zoo is huge - it's genuinely a struggle to see everything in one day. Very wide range of animals too. The only thing I would fault is that the food is searingly expensive for OK but not marvellous quality - DH and I paid around £30 for 2 x baguette, flapjack and drink in the cafe - if I go again I will be taking a picnic.

I live in the north west,
I actually prefer Blackpool zoo, you could stay at Martin mere,
Chester zoo overwhelms me.
Monkey world is good as well ( I know I know not a zoo as such)
Also the oasis wildlife centre (again not a zoo) in Lancaster is also great!

Well I live near Chester Zoo so a bit biased.

Agree with others, if you go to Chester bring your own food. It's much easier to eat on the go. If you live close enough to visit more than 3 times in the year, the annual pass is a more cost effective option. You definitely won't be bored going that often! We have passes and go at least once every school holiday.

Chester zoo is great but almost too big these days.
I'd also suggest having a look at yorkshire wildlife park, they did do meerkat experiences last time I went.

Chester Zoo is a great zoo! And can have a day in Chester too which is nice! Yorkshire Wildlife Park at Doncaster is really nice too with loads of really big enclosures and polar bears! Don't camp there though! You are literally paying for a square in a field!

Another vote for Chester. Bowling this out just as a suggestion, but what about somewhere like FlamingoLand in North Yorkshire? As well as the zoo there's a theme park, farm, overnight accommodation.

Chester is my local zoo and it is world class. I did enjoy Dudley zoo though. You can get closer to the animals and I loved the architecture and chair lift.

Chester has a new baby giraffe. And rhino. It is fabulous.
Stay in Chester too - great city

They're also getting some snow leopards at Chester this spring!

Another vote for the very good Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which has a meerkat experience. Please don't choose London Zoo. We went last year and it felt run down.

Chester is great, as is Colchester.

London - we went last year and compared to 5 years prior it was ok but I am not keen to go again.