Location: Upton by Chester CH2 1LH. Visit their website for more information.
Telephone: 01244380280
Website: www.chesterzoo.org
Transport: free parking
Opening hours: 10am – 6pm most days
Entry fee: £17 adult, £13 children, under 3′s free
MoorMum Louise says:
We set off around 9.30am, and it took us 1hr 45mins to get there from Bingley, with pretty clear directions. Parking is free and easy. If you book online beforehand, you can save 5% and gain ‘fast track’ entry.
The zoo is vast, so it really helps to get a map at the guest services. They also recommend helpful routes that take you past the major exhibits.
There is adventure playgrounds, cafe’s and food and drink kiosks all around the site, a monorail and waterbus, daily talks and demonstrations, as well as all the thousands of animals to see. My daughter, at 2and a half, was transfixed by the elephants and the penguins. There are plenty of toilets and baby changing facilities and generally, the zoo is very well laid out. We thought it was much better than Paignton zoo in Devon, which we had visited last summer.
It’s impossible to see it all in one day, unless you’re very early and organised, so it’s well worth having a good look at the website and map before you set off. Also take a picnic, as the food is generally expensive, and not great.
We left at around 4pm, exhausted but happy, with my little girl’s face painted as a butterfly and talking non stop about going to the Zoo again, again!
Not cheap at £17 per adult, but free for under 3′s, but a great day out, and if you plan ahead, you can really get your money’s worth.
Always check that the venue is open before setting off.
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