Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park
BEST FOR
Ages 0-12
ENTRY
from £7.50
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Waltham Abbey
What it’s like
Farm animals to feed, swan and teacup rides, a giant bouncy pillow and adventure play, all outdoors near Waltham Abbey.
This is a proper farm day rather than a quick petting-zoo stop. Kids get their hands on pigs, goats, zebu, donkeys, ponies, rabbits and guinea pigs, then there's the Swan Ride and Teacup Rides to queue for, a Hilltop Adventure Play area with bridges and towers for the older ones, and a separate Farmyard Play Area for the smaller kids who'd get flattened on the big stuff. The giant bouncy pillow is the one they'll be dragging you back to on the way out.
Admission is £7.99, or £10.50 if you're going during a peak period like May half term, and the site is upfront that booking online saves you money over paying on the day. There's no need to book though, you can just turn up and pay at admissions, which takes the pressure off if the weather forecast is dodgy. Once you're in you can stay until closing at 5pm (4pm in January and February), and nobody's rushing you out.
Bring a picnic if you fancy it, or there's the Orchard Café for lunch. Parking's free, including overflow, which is one less thing to budget for. Worth knowing it's cashless only, so leave the coin jar at home. Most paths are hardstanding and fine for a buggy, but a few of the play areas have that natural, bark-and-mud composition that doesn't play nicely with wheels, so you might end up carrying a pushchair over a patch or two.
It's an outdoor day out, and the site is honest that they'll close early if the weather turns properly bad. A few enclosures, meerkats, Critter Corner and the wallaby walkthrough among them, aren't currently open, so don't build the whole visit around seeing a wallaby.
What’s on here
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Ages 0 to 12, with separate play areas for toddlers and bigger kids
- Booking
- Online booking saves money. Walk-ups welcome at admissions
- Parking
- Free on site parking
- Pushchairs
- Hardstanding footpaths in most areas
- Wheelchairs
- Disabled toilet and accessible changing area available
- Dogs
- No dogs or pets allowed on site, or left in cars
- It's cashless only, so no point bringing coins for anything
- The wallaby walkthrough, meerkat enclosure and Critter Corner are currently closed
- Some play areas have natural, uneven surfaces that don't suit buggies or wheelchairs
- November and December are shut apart from Santa experience bookings
- Dogs aren't allowed on the farm itself, only on the café decking
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£7.99 standard admission, rising to £10.50 in peak periods like May half term. Booking online works out cheaper than paying on the day.
Do we need to book in advance?
No, you can turn up and pay at admissions. Booking online just saves you a bit of money.
Is it suitable for a toddler?
There's a Farmyard Play Area aimed at younger children, separate from the bigger Hilltop Adventure Play area. Under-2s have their own toddler pricing during peak periods.
What's there for older kids?
The Hilltop Adventure Play area has bridges, tunnels, towers and slides, plus crazy golf and a giant bouncy pillow.
Is there food on site?
The Orchard Café is open during standard hours. Picnics are also allowed on site.
Is parking free?
On-site parking is free, with overflow parking nearby too.
How long can we stay?
As long as you like up to closing time, which is 5pm most of the year and 4pm in January and February. They may close early in bad weather.
Can we bring a pushchair or wheelchair?
Most paths are hardstanding and fine for wheels, but some play areas have a natural surface that isn't buggy or wheelchair friendly. There's a disabled toilet and accessible changing area on site.
Are dogs allowed?
Dogs and other pets aren't allowed on site or left in cars, apart from service and guide dogs. They can sit with you on the café decking if you're just popping in for a drink.
What payment does the farm take?
It's a cashless site, so bring a card or your phone.
Do you do birthday parties or school visits?
Both birthday parties and school visits are catered for, with school visit tickets priced at £7.50.
Is the farm open in winter?
It closes for most of November and December apart from Santa Claus Experience bookings, then reopens with shorter 10am to 4pm hours in January and February.
Featured in 2 Huddlepin lists
See all Farms & Petting Farms in London · Things to do in London
MAKE A DAY OF IT
