My family and I love visiting zoos and we are lucky enough to live near and have an annual membership for Chester Zoo (in the UK). We recently visited Edinburgh Zoo to see the koalas and giant pandas. We were saying how fun it would be to travel a bit further afield basing our trips around zoos. Please tell me a zoo near you, or one that you've visited, which you'd recommend?
Real life zoos to visit
- Thread starter lala2021
- Start date
Oh yes, certainly reccomend Zoo Prague. Good opportunity to see Tasmanian Devils if you have never seen them. They added them recently and the whole new Darwin section is quite interesting.
If you want to stay in UK, the must-sees are probably Hamerton (for unusual zoo nerd species like white bearded civets, greater grisons, possums, wombats, and aardwolves etc), London (for historical reasons), Whipsnade or Highland Wildlife Park (for large hoofstock), and maybe Cotswold Wildlife Park (for more unusual species like crowned sifakas and gundis, displayed in beautiful surroundings). I'm biased though.
Further afield, the German, Dutch and Czech zoos probably beckon. The two Berlin collections, Cologne, Leipzig, Walsrode Vogelpark, Burgers, Prague and Pilsen would be worth a visit. Wroclaw in Poland and the Paris collections are pretty good too.
Miluji pražskou zoo. Mají také vombata a budou chovat pangolina
I've been to the zoo in Denver (guess it's a different one to this?) about 20 years ago which I enjoyed. I have family in Colorado so that would be good!
We were thinking UK and abroad! London Zoo is amazing, I used to go often as a child when I visited my grandmother who lived in London. Very happy memories for me. Haven't been in the longest time. Must take my kids.
If you spend your holidays in Spain like many British people do, you can visit Terra Natura in Benidorm or Bioparc in Valencia.
I've never seen them! I've heard good things about Prague as a destination anyway, so it sounds like a winner!
I've just googled Tiergarten Schonbrunn and it's the oldest working zoo in the world! I shall definitely add it to the list, thank you!
We've been to America a few times but not in recent years, I'd love to go back.
I love London, it is probably my favourite zoo. It has had a significant reduction in species and probably no longer plays in the same league as Chester and Berlin, for instance, but that said, it really is a fabulous place to visit and has some unusual species (babirusa, potto, collared trogon, Australian water rats, grey slender loris, narrow-striped mongoose, scarlet-chested sunbird, Congo caecilian etc).
This thread on zoochat might help you decide where to go.
A Guide to the Rarities of Europe
Hello all, As I was compiling my life lists in the past few days, I came across many lesser-known rarities that are not mentioned on here very often....
www.zoochat.com
Hi @lala2021, I also like to go to zoos when I travel and Chester Zoo is definitely on my bucket list. Really hope I'll be able to visit someday.
Being from Belgium, I can recommend you Pairi Daiza. It was voted the best zoo in Europe several times. It's absolutely stunning. But be warned, it's so huge that it's almost impossible to see everything in one day. (There are hotels in the park though with views on some animals. Amazing but quite expensive).
I also love Antwerp Zoo very much. I have had a membership there for several years. It's very different from Pairi Daiza. Smaller zoo right in the middle of the city but still very interesting. And very beautiful in its own way with lots of historical buildings. It's one of the oldest zoos in Europe with a lot of historical value, like London or Berlin. And they have Okapis.
If you could visit only one, I would still recommend Pairi Daiza first because it's such a crazy amazing place. But Antwerp is also very much worth it.
The Paris zoo was completely renovated a few years ago and is interesting but less than Antwerp or Pairi Daiza IMO. They have manatees though.
There is also a very big and famous zoo in France called ZooParc de Beauval, which seems really great. I've never been there but I've been thinking about it for years and I should normally go this spring or summer.
Speaking of Denver Zoo, I've lived in Denver for a few months back in 2012 and went there a few times. I liked it. But I know they've changed a lot of things since then and I don't know if it's still good or not.
The Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C. is also worth a visit and has the advantage to be free.
Being from Belgium, I can recommend you Pairi Daiza. It was voted the best zoo in Europe several times. It's absolutely stunning. But be warned, it's so huge that it's almost impossible to see everything in one day. (There are hotels in the park though with views on some animals. Amazing but quite expensive).
I also love Antwerp Zoo very much. I have had a membership there for several years. It's very different from Pairi Daiza. Smaller zoo right in the middle of the city but still very interesting. And very beautiful in its own way with lots of historical buildings. It's one of the oldest zoos in Europe with a lot of historical value, like London or Berlin. And they have Okapis.
If you could visit only one, I would still recommend Pairi Daiza first because it's such a crazy amazing place. But Antwerp is also very much worth it.
The Paris zoo was completely renovated a few years ago and is interesting but less than Antwerp or Pairi Daiza IMO. They have manatees though.
There is also a very big and famous zoo in France called ZooParc de Beauval, which seems really great. I've never been there but I've been thinking about it for years and I should normally go this spring or summer.
Speaking of Denver Zoo, I've lived in Denver for a few months back in 2012 and went there a few times. I liked it. But I know they've changed a lot of things since then and I don't know if it's still good or not.
The Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C. is also worth a visit and has the advantage to be free.
Since you're already in Europe, I think Parco Natura Viva in Bussolegno in Verona( Italy ) is must-see.
It's not the biggest zoo but it's by far the prettiest and chillest one I ever visited. Exhibits are big and beautifuly designed, animal selection is creme de la creme. Away from the city, in countryside which is always a plus for a zoo.
It's constantly adding new species, areas and exhibits.
Honestly if I lived in Italy I would visit it regularly
they're not the biggest, but roger Williams park zoo and Franklin park zoo are pretty fun, and their rainforest buildings are pretty good too.
I'm making a list and will be planning some trips for sure!I bet London Zoo has changed a lot since I was there, but it sounds worth it for the unusual species - I've not heard of most of them! The zoochat will be really helpful, thank you so much!I love London, it is probably my favourite zoo. It has had a significant reduction in species and probably no longer plays in the same league as Chester and Berlin, for instance, but that said, it really is a fabulous place to visit and has some unusual species (babirusa, potto, collared trogon, Australian water rats, grey slender loris, narrow-striped mongoose, scarlet-chested sunbird, Congo caecilian etc).
This thread on zoochat might help you decide where to go.
A Guide to the Rarities of Europe
Hello all, As I was compiling my life lists in the past few days, I came across many lesser-known rarities that are not mentioned on here very often....
Chester Zoo really is excellent, I highly recommend it! Thank you so much for the recommendations, I'm adding all those to my list. We're actually going to Paris in a couple of weeks, but to visit a different sort of zoo - Disneyland!! I'd love to see manatees.