Days out are one of my favourite things, especially here in my home county of Kent. And of all the days out, animal parks have always held a special place. I visited them as a small child myself, then took my own children, and now I’m doing the same with my grandchildren. Three generations of memories, made in the same handful of places.

I thought I’d share my top five, in the order I feel works best for the whole family. Each one is always a fabulous day out, and each one offers something a bit different. There’s one on this list that quite literally changed my life. I’ll come to that further down. Here they are, ranked, with the map and a few personal notes from every visit.

Opening times vary seasonally and at Christmas, so it’s best to check each park’s website the day before you go.

1. Wingham Wildlife Park (top pick)

Wingham, Canterbury · Summer 9am to 6pm, Winter 9am to 4pm

Rusham Rd, Wingham, Canterbury CT3 1JL · winghamwildlifepark.co.uk · +44 1227 720836

Kent’s fastest growing zoo and family-owned. Home to the largest number of animal species of any wildlife park or zoo in the county. Tigers, cheetahs, red pandas, giraffes, meerkats, otters, sloths, ring-tailed lemurs, capybaras, arctic wolves and giant tortoises, plus a Dinosaur Zoo for younger visitors. Adult tickets £25, child £22, family of four £88.

Wingham Wildlife Park was a five-minute drive from where I grew up, and from where my children grew up too. When I was small it was called Wingham Bird Park (all those years ago). Now it’s home to far more than birds, with an array of wonderful animals, many of them rescued. There’s something here for every age, and we visited a few weeks ago with the whole family for another superb day out. Endless days of fun over the years. If you’re in the area for a one-off visit, it’s a great park to come to, even on a rainy day.

2. Howletts Wild Animal Park

Bekesbourne, Canterbury · Summer 9.30am to 5pm (6pm school and bank holidays). Winter hours vary

Bekesbourne Ln, Bekesbourne, Canterbury CT4 5EL · aspinallfoundation.org/howletts · +44 1227 721286

Kent’s original wildlife park, set across 90 acres of ancient parkland with more than 390 animals. The UK’s largest African elephant herd, Kent’s only giant anteaters, plus more gorillas, leopards and monkeys than any other zoo in the county. Walking with Lemurs is a lovely included experience, and the Animals of the Ice Age outdoor exhibition is wonderful for younger visitors.

Wear comfy shoes. It’s a proper walk around the whole site. The Annual Pass covers both Howletts and Port Lympne, so if you think you’ll visit twice across the year it’s brilliant value.

Howletts holds a special place in my heart. A few years ago I decided I should start running for my physical and mental health, and gave myself the goal of running 5k, then 10k. My first run was at Howletts, and I was so proud to achieve it. Running has never been something I’ve loved, but running through the park and seeing all the animals was therapeutic, and great for the mind. We’ve had many family days out here since. It has a different feel to Wingham, with more space, bigger animals, and the calm of ancient parkland to walk through. Always a fabulous day out.

3. The Big Cat Sanctuary

Smarden, Ashford · Pre-booked experiences only

Headcorn Rd, Smarden, Ashford TN27 8PJ · thebigcatsanctuary.org · +44 1233 439150

A globally recognised conservation and rescue centre dedicated to wild cats, including lions, tigers, Amur leopards, clouded leopards, snow leopards, cheetahs, pumas, fishing cats and the newest arrivals: rusty-spotted cats and rescued Eurasian lynx. Five lions were rescued from war-torn Ukraine between 2024 and 2025. Their Five Pillars are Welfare, Breeding, Education, Conservation and Rescue.

Important to know:

The Big Cat Sanctuary is not open for general visits. It can only be entered through pre-booked experiences. Options include the Big Cat Encounter, Overnight Lodge Stay, Guided Tour, Paul Hollywood Afternoon Tea, Photography Workshops, and the annual Big Cat Fest. Book well ahead, as everything sells out.

The Big Cat Sanctuary changed my life. I won a competition to visit for the day and feed the cats, and I was notified of the win just after my husband had passed away. A wonderful lady called Tanith brought me, my children and my mum a fantastic day that took us all away from the grief and heartache, just for a while.

Then something truly amazing happened. I was offered the chance to go to Africa with the sanctuary team, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I said yes wholeheartedly, and my youngest son came with me, drawn by the thought of doing conservation work himself. I’ve written about that trip elsewhere on the blog. If you’d like the full story, please do go and have a read of those older posts. I still meet up with five of the people I went on that trip with. We take days out together, catch up and have fun. Lifelong friends, made on the other side of the world. And, as it happens, a night out with these very friends is how I ended up meeting Paul. But that’s a story for another post.

Feeding the cats was like a dream come true. They do amazing work in rescue, support, and conservation breeding. A day out here is unforgettable, but it’s different to any other animal park. It’s an exclusive kind of day out, and you can see how deeply loved the cats are by the team. More expensive than a standard zoo visit for a reason, and worth every penny of it. I’ve been back a few times since, and I’ll be going back again. Not your regular day out, but a proper special treat or occasion.

4. Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve

Lympne, Hythe · Summer 9.30am to 5pm (6pm school and bank holidays). Winter hours vary

Aldington Rd, Lympne, Hythe CT21 4LR · aspinallfoundation.org/port-lympne · +44 1303 264647

Sister park to Howletts and the second of the Aspinall Foundation’s Kent reserves. Safari-style with truck tours of the African Experience, gorillas, lions and the largest herd of black rhinos in the UK. Overnight pods, treehouses and lodges sit right beside the animal enclosures, turning a visit into something bigger.

Lots of walking. Buggies and the shuttle stops help. The Aspinall Annual Pass covers both Howletts and Port Lympne, which is a sensible buy if you fancy seeing both. The Christmas lights show is back for 2026, by all accounts bigger than last year.

Port Lympne has the safari, which makes it another different and fun experience. You head out across the reserve in a truck, looking out for rhinos and giraffes against views that stretch all the way down to the coast. Some days the animals are everywhere, other days they are playing a bit hard to get, but honestly, that’s part of the charm. The Christmas lights show last year was magical too. Paul and I walked the trails after dark with the whole reserve lit up, and it’s one of those evenings I’ll always remember. I believe they’re doing it again in 2026, bigger and better. We may just have to pay another visit!

5. Wildwood Trust

Herne Common, Herne Bay · Daily 10am to 5pm

Wealden Forest Park, Canterbury Rd, Herne Common, Herne Bay CT6 7LQ · wildwoodtrust.org · +44 1227 712111

Britain’s leading native species conservation charity, focused on protecting, conserving and rewilding native British wildlife. Rescued brown bears (Boki, and the most recent arrivals Malenky and Nanuq), a brand new state-of-the-art lynx enclosure that opened in November 2025, plus wolves, wildcats, beavers, bison, pine martens, red squirrels and dormice. Wildwood led the Blean Bison rewilding project just outside Canterbury, which has now welcomed its third generation of wild-born calves.

Wildwood feels different to the other four. It’s a native species conservation charity, focused on protecting, breeding and rewilding British wildlife. You walk through ancient woodland trails with the animals threaded in among the trees, more of the species you’d find in our own natural environment, plus a few rarer ones.

The bears are particularly special to me. Boki was rescued as a cub, rejected by his mother at just ten weeks old, and he became the first European brown bear to have an MRI and brain surgery after Wildwood discovered he had hydrocephalus. His story is a beautiful, moving read, and you can follow Boki’s diary on the Wildwood Kent blog. Their brand new state-of-the-art lynx enclosure opened in November 2025, part of plans to one day bring lynx back to Britain.

Be prepared to get a little muddier here, especially on a rainy day. And yes, go on a rainy day. It’s actually really fun. I’ve visited here many times over the years, with both friends and family, and I can’t wait to bring Ruben here soon.

Map: all five in one view

Wingham, Howletts and Wildwood cluster around Canterbury and the north Kent coast. Port Lympne sits further south near Hythe, and the Big Cat Sanctuary is over towards Ashford.

Practical round-up

• All five are family-friendly and well rated, and each is always a fabulous day out.
• The Big Cat Sanctuary is experience-only, not a drop-in. Book one of their experiences in advance.
• The Aspinall Annual Pass covers Howletts and Port Lympne together. Good value if you fancy seeing both.
• Experience days and overnight stays (Big Cat Sanctuary, Port Lympne) book up well ahead.
• Bird enclosures across UK parks have intermittently been under netting due to avian flu. Worth a quick check on the website the day before, just in case.
• Four of the five are registered conservation charities or foundations: Howletts and Port Lympne under the Aspinall Foundation, The Big Cat Sanctuary, and Wildwood Trust. Wingham is family-owned, with its own associated animal welfare charity, WWPAW. Whichever you visit, you’re directly supporting conservation work, which is a lovely thing to share with the children.

Final word

Kent is rich with animal parks, and each one carries so much care and love for the animals, their welfare and their future protection. These are the days, moments and memories that stay with us. Children’s faces lit up, dads enjoying every minute just as much as the kids, tired feet and ice creams on the way home.

These are just five, the ones we visit regularly. If you’ve been to any of them, or there’s one I’ve left off that you love, please tell me. And if you fancy following along, you’ll find the rest of our wandering on @my_jones_life.

Tamsin x