The 10 Best Zoos & Aquariums in England, United Kingdom

For a totally unique experience with exotic animals - book your animal encounter today. Immerse yourself in Oxfordshire’s best kept secret, Heythrop Zoological Gardens!

Please note our opening hours on christmas eve are 11am-2pm (Last entry at 1pm) The zoo is then closed throughout January. We will announce an open date soon. Exotic Zoo is one of Telford's best kept secrets, a real gem winning the hearts of visitors to this small and interactive zoo. Meet our friendly staff as you explore the zoo and find out all about the animals they are working with today. As a community zoo with entry only £4 for children and £5 for adults, you will be wanting to visit again and again.

Colchester Zoo is constantly developing and has won many awards for its work. With over 270 species to see, set in 60 acres of beautiful parkland and lakes, Colchester Zoo is well worth a visit. As you walk around the zoo there's plenty of play areas to try out including the indoor soft play area Jungle Tumble with a section for under 3s and all new play equipment where the kids can release their wild side! New enclosures include a walk through enclosure with butterflies and another with Rainbow Lorikeets offering visitors a chance to feed them a treat of nectar. Plus there's 'Bears of the Rising Sun', a state of the art enclosure which houses two beautiful sun bears , Jo Jo and Srey Ya. You can also come face to face with Komodo Dragons, see white rhino, giraffes, ostrich and kudu roaming together at Kingdom of the Wild and walk underwater through the 24m tunnel at the Playa Patagonia sealion pool. Learn more about the animals and see them up close by watching one of the 50 daily displays. You even get the fantastic opportunity to feed the elephants and giraffes yourself and take a ride on the 'Lost Madagascar Express' road train! Don't forget to pop into the discovery centre and have a go at handling some unusual bugs or get your face painted and transform yourself into your favourite animal!

Encounter the exotic and discover a wild family day out in South Yorkshire! Meet lemurs, meerkats, owls, otters, snakes, lizards, a tarantula and other amazing animals during unforgettable Animal Encounters throughout the day. Take your seat for spectacular shows, featuring free-flying birds of prey, parrots and charismatic mammals! Explore the indoor rainforest; home to butterflies, birds, bats, crocodiles and creepy-crawlies from around the world and meet and feed the friendly residents of the Farm Barn. Discover the charismatic primates of Lemur Heights and meet the inquisitive residents of Otter Springs. Take a selfie with our new dinosaurs and get closer than ever before to some of the most popular animals in the brand new walk-through mammal enclosure. Pre-booked group and School visits are welcome and VIP Experience Days and Animal Adoptions are available to purchase, as well as popular Birthday Party Room Hire. The Realm of Camelot adventure playground, outdoor Wet Play Area and indoor Activity and Craft Centre will entertain children in all weathers, and popular themed events take place at the centre during School Holidays. Facilities include a Picnic Room, Jungle Gift Shop and a modern Butterfly Cafe, serving freshly prepared hot and cold food and homemade cakes and deluxe Afternoon Tea. The Tropical Butterfly House is open daily and is located just 5 minutes from M1, junction 31.

We're the UK's number one charity zoo, with over 21,000 animals and 500 different species, including some of the most endangered species on the planet. With 1.9 million visitors every year, the zoo is an all-year round, full-day visitor attraction for everyone. We're open daily from 10am, except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Car parking is free and on site. Facilities for disabled visitors, including self-drive electric scooters and wheelchairs.

Paignton Zoo Environmental Park is a conservation and education charity located in South Devon. With around 2,500 animals across 80 acres, we have more species than anyone else in the South West. These include: lions, tigers, giraffes, crocodiles, rhinos, lemurs, flamingos, meerkats, orang-utans, Komodo dragon... the list is endless! We also have indoor and outdoor play areas, the Jungle Express train, a seasonal bird show and numerous food and drink outlets. With something for guests of any age to enjoy, you'll need all day to experience what we have to offer! Paignton Zoo is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).

Explore the sights and sounds of Africa and discover lions, giraffes, rhinos, meerkats, hunting dogs and many more animals from the African continent. The spectacular centrepiece of Africa Alive!, our "Plains of Africa" paddock, is the perfect place to spot 5 species of African savannah animals, including our graceful giraffe and heavyweight rhinos. Enjoy a bird's eye view of our magnificent lions from "Lookout Lodge", and visit "Lemur Encounters", which gives you the chance to get incredibly close to our ring-tailed lemurs as you walk through their enclosure! Bird lovers can also enjoy spotting native species from our new "Wader's Lake Boardwalk". Discover some amazing facts about our animals during our exciting feeding talks and seasonal Bird of Prey displays. Climb aboard the free Safari Roadtrain for an entertaining journey around the Park. Look, learn and play in our fun-packed Discovery Centre and meet some of our smaller residents at the animal encounter sessions. The park offers a great outdoor adventure play area, as well as restaurants, free car parking, disabled facilities and a gift shop where you can find souvenirs and gifts for everyone - including yourself! Open daily at 9.30am all year, except Christmas Day and Boxing Day. For admission prices and closing times please check our website

Blackpool Zoo is a family friendly attraction, providing fun and education for all ages. Situated only 2 miles inland the Promenade, the park is easily accessible from the M55 motorway. Over 1000 animals, birds and reptiles reside in a scenic 32 acre park amidst mature trees, lakes and spacious lawns where the kids can burn off their excess energy. All your favourites are here including big cats, elephants, giraffes, sealions, gorillas, orangutans, camels, zebras and many, many more. Opened in 2014, the new Orangutan Outlook allows visitors to get up close and personal with these charismatic apes. Open daily (except Christmas Day) from 10 am, the park's closing times vary seasonally.

Hardys Animal Farm is a great day out in over 7 acres of Lincolnshire countryside yet just 10 minutes walk from the beach, with loads of things to do and animals for you to meet feed and make friends with. It's a great day out, whatever the weather! You can see pigs being born in our specially glazed breeding unit, feed the goats and many other animals, allowing the children to learn about modern farming in a safe and fun environment. We also have baby Lambs, Goats, Cows and Chicks being born throughout the year. There is plenty of space for the kids to run around in our 3 Adventure Playgrounds catering to all ages, while you relax with a hot drink or a bite to eat. Go on a relaxing Cart Ride around the Farm with Fergie the Tractor and then decamp to Haystacks Indoor Playbarn, there are loads of things to do come rain or shine. The Number 3 Bus stops at the end of the farm road, running every 8-10 minutes from Skegness, Ingoldmells, Butlins & Fantasy Island