East Park Drive, Blackpool

Blackpool Zoo With Kids: An Honest Guide

Blackpool Zoo is the easier sibling to Edinburgh: 37 acres of mostly level parkland a couple of miles inland from the Promenade. It is the day out to pick when you want animals without the hillside.

Why it suits younger children

The paths are wide, surfaced and mostly flat, which sounds dull until you have pushed a pram up a hill at another zoo. You can do the whole site without ever folding the pushchair, and a lot of the viewing points work at child height rather than adult height.

There is enough indoor space — the animal barns, the Playbarn soft play — that a wet hour does not end the day. That matters more in Lancashire than it might elsewhere.

How long you need

Four to five hours to see it properly without rushing. It covers 37 acres, so it is a full day rather than a half, but the flat terrain means the hours are less punishing than the same time on a hillside.

Arrive near the 10am opening, walk the far side first while everyone is fresh, then loop back. Last admission is 45 minutes before closing, and closing moves through the year, so check the day you are going rather than assuming.

The bit little ones love most

The farm animals, reliably. Donkeys, sheep, alpacas and cattle they can see up close at their own height, without craning over a barrier or waiting for something to emerge from the back of an enclosure.

It is also a good place to slow the day down when the bigger enclosures start to blur into one another. Ours spent longer with a donkey than with anything that cost more to feed.

The meerkats and the monkeys were the other two that held attention — again, both close enough to watch properly.

Going in winter

We went on a bright day between Christmas and New Year and it was one of the better decisions we have made. Quiet paths, no queues, low golden light across the lake.

The trade-off is daylight. Winter closing is earlier and last entry is 45 minutes before that, so an afternoon arrival leaves you very little. Start early, wrap up, and plan a couple of indoor stops.

Our honest verdict

Worth it with young children, and specifically easier than most big zoos for that age group. Wide level paths, viewing at child height, indoor options when it rains.

The trade-off is the walking distance rather than the gradient — 37 acres is a lot of ground for small legs even when it is flat. Bring the pushchair, pick two or three must-see animals, and do not try to see it all.

Prices and times checked on 31 August 2026 against the venue's own website. They change — confirm on the official site before you book.

Common questions