Lincoln Zoo

What it’s like

Sumatran tigers, red pandas and reptile handling sessions, with hand-feeding slots for tigers, penguins and meerkats too.

The animals here are the proper draw, and the list is longer than you'd guess for a Lincoln day out: Sumatran tigers, white wolves, penguins, red pandas, bears, crocodiles. There's a daily reptile handling session too, where trained reptiles get passed round under staff supervision, which matters because the zoo runs a strict no-touch policy everywhere else. If your kids are the sort who press their faces against every enclosure, that reptile session is going to be the bit they talk about on the way home.

There are also hand-feeding experiences on offer, with tigers, penguins, sloths, monkeys and meerkats named on the list. That's a proper step up from just looking through glass, so worth building your visit around if it's on the day you go. With under-2s free and prices otherwise sitting between £15 and £17.50 online, a family of four comes in around £63 if you book that way rather than paying on the door, where prices shift.

Food-wise, the tearoom does home grown and local produce with vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options, but they'll tell you straight that chips aren't on the menu. It's a small, deliberate stance rather than an oversight, so if your child lives on chips, pack a backup. The site is fully accessible with an accessible toilet near the entrance, though there's no wheelchair or scooter hire if you were relying on that.

Gates are open 10am to 4pm every day except Christmas Day, which gives you a decent stretch to see everything without feeling rushed. Birthday parties run 11:45am to 2:30pm from £14.95 a child, with one free adult admission thrown in per child and a minimum of eight kids to book one.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

All ages, under 2s go free and there's plenty at ground level

Food

Tea room with variety of freshly made food including vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options

Wheelchairs

Fully accessible site. Wheelchairs not available for hire

Dogs

Assistance dogs and emotional support animals only

Parties

Birthday parties 11:45am-2:30pm, from £14.95 per child including one free adult admission, minimum 8 children

• Book online rather than on the door, since door prices are higher and vary
• No chips at the tea room, it's a deliberate healthy-food policy
• There's no wheelchair or scooter hire, so bring your own if you need one
• Reptile handling and hand-feeding sessions run daily but check timings once you're inside

Plan your visit

Animals

• Bears

• Crocodiles

• Penguins

  Humboldt penguins housed in a custom-built enclosure with free-flying birds and an underwater viewing pool, part of an International Breeding Program.

• Red Panda

  Two Red Panda sisters, part of the International Breeding Program.

• Sloth

• Sumatran Tigers

• White Wolves

Areas to explore

• Endeavour

  Conservation building rebuilt from the former Sir Joseph Banks Conservatory, home to endangered species.

• Tropical Paradise

Also on site

• Tea Room

  On-site cafe offering food including vegan, gluten free and dairy free options.

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