Looking for the best UK zoo? Here's our top 10

The UK is home to some fantastic zoos where you can get up close to some of the world’s most loved and sometimes endangered animals. Kids and adults alike will love the range of activities, events and unique experiences each zoo has to offer. And you'll have to visit all of them before deciding which is the best UK zoo!

1. Bristol Zoo Gardens

The Bristol Zoo Gardens is jam-packed full of fun for the whole family with a variety of animals including meerkats, monkeys and lions. Here kids can experience the eerie ‘Twilight World’, a dark forest full of fascinating nocturnal creatures such as a two-toed sloth. There’s an activity centre for younger children and entertaining animal shows to see. The zoo is open all year except at Christmas, adult tickets are £15.50 and children’s are £9.50. There is good parking and places to eat.

2. Colchester Zoo

Colchester Zoo has over 260 species to see and 60 acres of parkland and lakes to explore as well as play areas. There’s also The Lost Madagascar Express Train which takes you on a guided tour across ‘countries and continents’. At Christmas families can get involved in a number of festival activities at the zoo and see Santa in his grotto. Adult tickets are around £14 and children are £8.50 but be sure to book online where you can get a small discount.

3. Twycross Zoo

At Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire, families are able to enjoy a huge collection of animals from reptiles and amphibians to primates and mammals. The zoo is home to the only breeding group of Bonobo monkeys. There are plenty of daily feeds and talks to keep everyone entertained and the zoo has great facilities including restaurants, gift shops, parking and a soft play jungle in the Himalaya Visitor Centre. Tickets are £15.95 for adults and £10.95 for children and the zoo is open daily from 10am.

4. London Zoo

ZSL London Zoo in Regent’s Park is an extremely popular and well known zoo. The zoo prides itself on creating more immersive and interactive exhibits on its 36 acre site allowing visitors to experience the animal kingdom from whole new perspectives. There are some excellent animal shows and talks each day including the ‘Tropical Bird Tour’, ‘It’s a Frog’s Life’ and ‘Penguin Beach Live!’ and with a collection of over 720 different animals species the whole family will be kept busy for hours! Tickets are around £15 for adults and £11 for children but you can get a discount if you book online.

5. Chester Zoo

Chester Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the UK, with 11 miles of walkways and even its own monorail. There are over 11,000 animals to see here at this award-winning 110 acre site. The zoo is involved in many conservation projects and also has unique zoological gardens full of rare and exotic plants. The zoo has good facilities including a handful of play areas for younger children. Tickets are around £16 for adults and £12 for children with free parking on site, the zoo is open all year round except Christmas Day.

6. Whipsnade Zoo

ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire has been a popular family attraction for over 80 years. There are 2,500 animals to see with fantastic immersive exhibits. There’s a Safari Bus that takes you around the 600 acre park and a steam train named ‘Jumbo Express’ that provides an exciting commentary as you pass elephants, rhinos, camels and many other animals. There are excellent facilities and at Christmas you can see reindeer up close in their enclosure and get a gift from Santa in his grotto. Adult tickets for the zoo range from £18-21 depending on the season and a child’s ticket is around £15-16.

7. Paignton Zoo

Paignton Zoo in Devon is one of the UK’s leading zoos with 80 acres to explore. Families can see lions, tigers, gorillas, elephants as well as a number of more unusual creatures such as the dalmatian pelican and red river hog. The zoo has grown in recent years with a few new large exhibits including ‘Monkey Heights’ and ‘Crocodile Swamp’. The zoo is very kid-friendly with indoor and outdoor play areas, places to eat and a miniature railway. Tickets are £15 for adults and £11 for children and the zoo is open daily from 10am.

8. Edinburgh Zoo

Edinburgh Zoo is home to the UK’s only koalas and the largest penguin enclosure in the world. Families can see a whole range of animals and experience a walkthrough aviary where you’ll find colourful birds of all shapes and sizes, including the Violet Turaco and Nicobar pigeon. The zoo holds various events throughout the year. With over 1000 animals, stunning parkland and daily shows and talks there is something for everyone here. Adult tickets are £16 and £11 for children with good parking and places to eat.

9. Marwell Zoo

Marwell Zoo located in Winchester is a great family day out. Animals you can see here include penguins, meerkats, pygmy hippos, giraffes, tigers and lizards. The 140 acre park also hosts a number of exciting events including ‘Rise of the Dinosaurs’, kids will love seeing the giant reptiles come to life with clever animatronics. There are also events at Christmas and at Easter. The zoo is dedicated to conservation and looking after endangered species in this beautiful parkland. Adult tickets for the zoo range from £14-18 depending on the season and a child’s ticket is around £11-14 with good facilities on site.

10. Blackpool Zoo

Blackpool Zoo in the centre of the city is a vast 32 acres of wonderful parkland full of lions, monkeys, lemurs, giraffes and many more. There are fantastic walk-through enclosures and you will see silverback gorillas on ‘Gorilla Mountain’, a paradise of rocks, caves and water falls. There are a number of daily talks and feeding times to watch with the sea lions, elephants and otters as well as a children’s farm where the little ones can meet cute bunnies, piglets and donkeys. Tickets are around £14 for adults and £10 for children and there are great facilities on site as well as the famous Blackpool Pleasure Beach nearby for extra family fun!

Zoos provide a fun and educational day out for adults and kids of all ages. For even more animal fun why not visit Longleat Safari Park near Wiltshire or Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire? There are plenty of campsites around the UK near to all these zoos so you are sure to find somewhere to stay and have a fantastic holiday.

Fancy going glam? Have a scroll through our selection of zoo and safari park glamping options.