We recently took our girls to Chester Zoo! Chester Zoo is home to over 37,000 animals from nearly 600 species and most importantly a registered conservation and education charity, working to protect these incredible animals and supporting conservation projects in more than 20 countries!
Now to jump straight into our Chester Zoo review. We started the day early and were at Chester Zoo for opening. The zoo was busy but they were really efficient at the gates so there really wasn’t a big queue.
Top Tips for Visiting Chester Zoo
Our first tip of the day is to download the Chester Zoo app. You can buy a paper map on arrival, but we love the app as it’s so easy to view and pick which animals you want to see first and navigate your way around the zoo.
Most people instinctively turn left when they get to the zoo and go to see the elephants first, our second tip is to do the opposite to avoid the crowds. We turned right and walked away from the crowds to the furthest point of the zoo and started at “The Islands” first.
The islands is a part of the zoo that is imitating the six south East Asian Islands and habitats of Panay, Papua, Bali, Sumatra, Sumba and Sulawesi. We found some incredible wildlife in this part of the zoo, our favourite being the tigers! This is also where the lazy river boat trip is. Babies aren’t allowed on but our eldest loved it.
Our third tip for Chester Zoo is if in doubt take a pram/stroller. The zoo itself is huge and we easily racked up over 15,000 steps just walking around the zoo all day, that is a lot of steps for little legs so we would definitely advise a pram/stroller if you are in doubt!
My little girl loved the play parks. I was amazed to see they had a huge sandpit and an amazing water play area in “Madagascar play” which our little girl loved! Tip number four is bring a spare change of clothes for the water play, it’s great fun but very messy and wet! I however, loved the animals and loved to see all the new exhibits and expansions to enclosures since I last visited.
We loved the Latin American wet line, the opportunity to see the flamingo’s up close and the Monsoon forest where we got to see the Orangutan’s who provided lots of entertainment. We even saw a baby orangutan playing hide and seek behind a tree.
A special treat for our daughter was getting her face painted, it was her very first time having this done. She chose a lemur design, which cost £15 and included a cute tail and ears. However, the face paint lasted a mere five minutes before she decided it was uncomfortable and wanted it removed. It was a lesson learnt and it didn’t even last long enough for a photo, but the ears and tail have been worn lots since.
Tip number 5 is to make the most of the day, we brought a picnic for lunch, which we enjoyed in one of the many scenic spots around the zoo. There are some great places to eat too from street food to fish and chips, pizza and burger or a more formal lunch in the lovely Oakfield Bistro pub and restaurant. Throughout the day, we indulged in coffee and ice cream from the various vendors, adding to the fun.
The baby changing facilities and toilets were conveniently located everywhere, making it easy to manage with both children. Whilst we went on a very sunny day, I was surprised how many indoor enclosures there were and how much there was to offer undercover, we have already talked about returning in the autumn!
The most disappointing thing about Chester Zoo, is the sheer size of it, there is just so much to do there that we feel we barely scratched the surface in a full day and we did have to miss out lots. Perhaps with older children you could see more in a day but with two little ones and constant ice cream and toilet stops we did have to prioritise!
The great thing is that in 2025 the spirit of Africa arrives at Chester Zoo with accommodation on site which will be a great move allowing visitors to truly explore the full zoo over two days and be immersed in the experience.
Chester Zoo often have special events running during the year including their Lanterns & Light Christmas light trail experience.
