Zoo rainy day guide

Visiting us in rainy weather

Many of our animals love the water, but we understand that you might not! The British weather can be unpredictable, but don't let grey skies put you off visiting the Zoo.

There are plenty of indoor areas and sheltered spaces to enjoy, come rain or shine! Follow our top tips to get the most out of your day, even when the weather isn't on your side.

There might be a bit of a wait to get in

The usable space in our car park can be reduced when the weather's not playing ball, which might mean a one-in-one-out system or a bit of a queue to get in at busy times if you're travelling by car. Please allow a bit of extra time for this, it'll be worth it when you get in to explore our shared spaces of wonder - our thousands of animals await!

Travel by public transport

Pack your wellies, folks!

At our huge 600-acre site, there is a great deal of open space and grassy verges all around you. Naturally these can get a bit muddy in wet weather so we'd strongly recommend bringing along wellies and suitable footwear to keep your tootsies dry while you explore.

Step inside our Aquarium 

The fish may be wet but you don’t have to be! Delve deeper into the fascinating underwater worlds of freshwater fish in our Aquarium. 

Warm up in the Butterfly House 

Our Butterfly House is one of the largest of any UK Zoo, and is the perfect place to warm up on a cold or rainy day. Surround yourself with more than 30 different species of colourful butterflies, and look out for our African dwarf crocodiles too! 

Explore the our drive through safari 

Passage through Asia gives our animals lots of space to roam and grass to graze on, and look out for our Pere David's deer and axis deer wading into the large natural lake. Jump aboard the steam train* or visit in your car*. 

Hullabazoo Indoor Play

Little ones can crawl, climb, and swing through our Hullabazoo indoor play area, while you enjoy a rest with a selection of quality food and drinks available within the vicinity.

Make use of our sheltered spaces 

Many of our outdoor exhibits also feature sheltered or indoor spaces where you can see our animals out of the rain. African wild dogs, giraffes, lions, hippos, zebras, elephants, Hullabazoo Farm, cheetahs, to name a few. 

Grab a bite to eat

Rest your legs and discover our delicious food and drink options in our Base Camp Restaurant, Viewpoint Kitchen and Deli or the Visitor Centre Café. 

Embrace the rain! 

Some of our animals love the rain, especially our penguins! So p-p-pick up a poncho or an umbrella from our shop and get exploring! 

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