Blackpool Zoo, Blackpool (must see)

Located in the heart of England’s most iconic seaside town, Blackpool Zoo offers over 1,000 animals across 32 acres of lush parkland. Since opening in 1972 on the site of the former Stanley Park Aerodrome, the zoo has grown into one of the region’s top family attractions, now operated by Parques Reunidos.

Visitors can expect to meet everything from elephants and orangutans to red pandas and rare penguins. Highlights include the award-winning Project Elephant Base Camp, a vast habitat dedicated to Asian elephants, and Big Cat Habitat, home to majestic lions and tigers, supporting global conservation efforts.

The Active Oceans area features the largest sea lion pool in the UK and the nation’s only group of Magellanic penguins. Meanwhile, the Dinosaur Safari transports guests 230 million years back with 32 life-sized prehistoric beasts, lifelike soundscapes, and lush vegetation.

Walk-through enclosures like Amazonia, Lemur Wood, Wallaby Walkabout, and Rainbow Landings bring you eye-to-eye with exotic species in immersive settings. The zoo is also home to the only gorilla family in northern England and a lively community of Bornean orangutans.

Education, conservation, and research are central to the zoo’s mission, with daily animal talks, feeding sessions, and interactive exhibits. Families can recharge at the Lakeview Café or grab a bite at the UK’s first in-zoo Subway. Before heading out, visitors can stop by the gift shop for a fun “zoo-venir.”

As a proud member of BIAZA, Blackpool Zoo is committed to the highest standards of animal welfare and environmental awareness-making it not just a fun day out, but a meaningful one too.