The Zoo offers various activities throughout the year, including encouraging kids to experience being a zookeeper, during their summer and Easter holidays as well as daily educational talks, and demonstrations about caring for its 19,000 animals, from feeding critically endangered gorillas to cleaning up after penguins.
This summer, London Zoo is bursting with weird, wild and wonderful discoveries as Horrible Science® continues to delight visitors of all ages until 2 September. Families can follow a trail packed with gruesome, grotty and genius moments, get involved in hands-on activities and enjoy laugh-out-loud experiences inspired by the bestselling book series.
Is London Zoo accessible for all?
Zoo welcomes visitors of all ages all year around with children under three years of age getting free entry! If older mobility restricted relatives are joining in, there are accessible step-free entrances pretty much everywhere. The site is big and requires a lot of walking, so taking a pram with you when visitting with young kids, is a very good idea.
What’s good for families at ZSL London Zoo?
Whatever your age and interests, there is bound to be something to captivate you at London Zoo. Since it was founded in 1826 the Zoological Society of London has had plenty of experience in educating Londoners on creatures great and small from every nook and cranny of our planet. Since it started the focus has shifted from entertainment to conservation and animals welfare. The animals – although still enclosed, have been moved around so they are very comfortable in their spacious enclosures.
ZooTown is a great indoor role-play experience where children can explore exciting future careers through imaginative play. From mini vets and builders to shopkeepers and zookeepers, kids can step into a world of hands-on adventure in the heart of the Zoo.
How much is a ticket to ZSL London Zoo?
Great summer value: save up to £39 and visit again for FREE
Families can make even more of the summer holidays with a London Zoo Family Ticket, saving up to £39 for groups of three or four. Eligible online bookings for visits up to 2 September also include a FREE return visit to either London Zoo or Whipsnade Zoo, redeemable until 16 October*. With two zoo days included for even greater value, it is a brilliant opportunity for families to enjoy more animals, more discoveries and more time together this summer.
Ticket prices vary depending on whether they are purchased online or at the gate. The best value for money, as always, is the annual Zoo membership that gives you free unlimited entries to London and Whipsnade Zoos all year round. Children under three are free to enter the zoo. Tickets can be purchased from the London Zoo website.
Are there discounts or special offers for tickets to London Zoo?
Sometimes there are offers available. Keep an eye online (or set up a google alert) also if you shop at Tesco’s there is the possibility to pay for your ticket with Clubcard vouchers. ZSL also takes part in the 2 for 1 offer run by National Rail, which is ideal if you travel to London by rail.
Is ZSL London Zoo good value for money?
A one off visit to London Zoo can become an expensive day out (especially for larger families) but as an occasional treat we think it is worth it. If you live in London, an annual membership with unlimited entries is great value for money if you can come to visit the London zoo multiple times during the year. There are lots of educational activities to get involved in and the Zoo is a fun experience for all the family. Bring a packed lunch to enjoy at one of the many picnic spots inside the Zoo and to save money on food and snacks which can add up very quickly. The cost of the ticket covers most activities and there is plenty to see and do.
- Kids Pass £1 for a 30 day trial: 1000+ discounts on Zoos, theme parks, cinemas, restaurants and more
How long should we spend at ZSL London Zoo?
It is definitely worth planning to spend a full day out. When we last visited, we stayed until closing time and we still didn’t get a chance to view everything or do half of the activities we initially thought we would get involved in. Allow for plenty of rest time and take it easy or the little ones will get cranky and tired!
Young Londoner’s best bits of ZSL London Zoo:
We love the London Zoo and enjoy our time there on every visit. Some of our best experiences at the zoo include:
- The Tiger Territory: it was our first time seeing a tiger and we were very much impressed.
- Walking alongside the lemurs – especially when a load of them presented their bums to us with those great bushy tails.
- Stroking and feeding the goats after seeing the Tiger. Our toddler was delighted by this and stomped his feet in excitement at being able to interact with the animals.
- Playing pretend in the Lion’s enclosure by pretending to be a bush keeper.
- The butterfly dome is very impressive and the butterflies are magnificent colours and great shapes and sizes. We thoroughly enjoyed walking amongst them.
- Watching the very calm and chilled capybaras! They look so relaxed and with zero worries just munching on grass and watching us come to say hello.
- The penguins at the Penguin Beach being as curious about us as we were about them.
What are the food options at London Zoo?
From breakfast muffins to pizza lunches, BBQs and street food to lattes, there’s a lot on offer in terms of food at London Zoo. The Aquarium Kiosk and the Terrace restaurant are the largest food outlets, but there are also smaller places to purchase snacks and drinks around the site (which often don’t have the same queues). And there is plenty of sitting areas to just take a break and enjoy a packed lunch.
Young Londoner top tips for visiting London Zoo
- Get there early! The animals are rested and the place is quieter before the bigger visitor crowds arrive.
- Check to see the cheapest parking options (if you are driving) or during summer take a canal boat down to the Zoo with the London Waterbus Company (great way to building up excitement with the kids)
- Pack a water bottle (ZSL does not sell single use plastic bottles) but they offer free refills and have a few water fountains dotted around the site.
- Bring a packed lunch or plenty of snacks to avoid spending too much on food.
- make sure you wear comfortable shoes and clothes as there is plenty of walking to do!
- Enjoy! Make great memories! Respect the animals, they are amazing!
Keep up to date with more family-friendly fun by following us on Instagram. For more ideas of things to do with the kids in London, visit our events and activities area which provides details of free and ticketed events and special offers from London’s finest venues.