Zoos & Wildlife in South East

The big outdoor parks need a whole day and proper shoes. Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens in Bradwell Grove is where reviewers send families with younger children: spacious enclosures, a walk-through lemur enclosure, and penguin feeding, though the train and some attractions stop in winter. Howletts Wild Animal Park in Canterbury is the more serious wildlife visit, 90 acres of mixed terrain where binoculars help with the elephant and primate paddocks and animals go quiet by midday. Port Lympne Safari Park at Lympne is built around overnight stays in the Pinewood pods, with early evening lion sounds that day visitors miss; a two-day pass covers Howletts too. Wingham Wildlife Park, also in Canterbury, gives under-2s free admission and offers a Tiger Experience that reviewers rate as a birthday treat for older children.

For a poor forecast, Crocodiles of the World in Brize Norton is fully indoors, with feeding talks and underwater crocodile viewing, but a compact car park that fills early. Drusillas Park in Polegate combines animals with the SPARK experience and Go Wild zone for ages three to twelve; reviewers say bring your own food. Birdworld in Farnham has a new Play Barn, and the Zoos & animal parks in South East England guide describes it as home to over 2000 birds with Penguin Beach and an Owl Parliament.

The farm-style sites favour touching over watching. Hobbledown Adventure Farm Park and Zoo in Epsom folds animals into physical play but its uneven ground rules out pushchairs. Odds Farm Park in High Wycombe suits ages one to eight with goat and sheep feeding and an indoor playbarn. Fishers Farm Park in Wisborough Green runs from babies to age 12, with winter firepits. Beale Wildlife Park near Reading has bookable lemur and capybara feeds and a toddler splash pool. British Wildlife Centre in Lingfield fits a half day, anchored by the owl display in the Dell. On the Isle of Wight, Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, Isle of Wight in Sandown is described by the same guide as a rescue centre in a former Victorian fort, known for big cats.