Tropical World
BEST FOR
Ages 0-15
ENTRY
from £5.50
SETTING
Indoors
BUGGY FRIENDLY
Yes
What it’s like
A warm, indoor rainforest walk with free-flying birds, meerkats and a Creature Cavern, done in under two hours.
You walk through a rainforest floor with a waterfall and birds that genuinely fly loose around the building, not stuck behind glass. There's a canopy level with monkeys and tortoises, a Yorkshire desert zone with meerkats that toddlers seem to gravitate towards, and a Creature Cavern for the ones who want something a bit darker and stranger. Creature corner has the Madagascar Day Gecko, which is the sort of thing a seven-year-old will bring up at teatime.
It's all indoor, so a rainy Tuesday is actually a decent reason to go rather than a reason to stay home. The site reckons on 1 to 1.5 hours to get round, which sounds about right for the size of the place, and your ticket is valid all day if you fancy a lap of Roundhay Park and coming back in. At £5.50 a child and £9.50 for an adult it's not pocket change for an hour and a half, though under-3s are free and one carer goes in free with a full-paying child.
The one that catches people out is toilets. There aren't any inside the attraction itself, only at the entrance and in the café, so sort that before you head into the rainforest bit with a toddler who's just had a drink. Bags and coats have nowhere to go either unless you've booked one of the education rooms, and you can't bring your own food into the café, so lunch means buying there or booking a room for a packed lunch. Access is properly thought through otherwise, with level paths, ramps and power-assisted doors throughout.
Dogs aren't allowed at all, including assistance dogs, because of the free-flying birds, which is fair enough but worth knowing before you set off with the family spaniel in the car.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 0 to 10; older ones will still like the Creature Cavern
- Last entry
- 30 minutes before closing
- Booking
- Purchase online in advance or on the day from gift shop
- How long to allow
- Typically around 1 - 1.5 hours
- Food
- Tropical World Cafe with hot food until 4pm (3pm in winter), vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free options
- Wheelchairs
- Accessible throughout: level access, wide paths, power-assisted doors, accessible toilets
- Dogs
- Not allowed. No assistance dogs due to free flight birds and animal welfare
- Getting there by bus or train
- In Roundhay Park, accessible by tram
- No toilets inside the attraction itself, only at the entrance and café
- Bags and coats have nowhere to go unless you've booked an education room
- Café food stops at 4pm in summer, 3pm in winter
- It's in Roundhay Park, reachable by tram, with playgrounds nearby if you want to extend the day
- Dogs of any kind aren't allowed inside
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£9.50 for an adult, £5.50 for a child aged 3 to 15, under-3s go free. LeedsCard holders get a discount.
Do we need to book?
No, you can buy on the day from the gift shop or get tickets online beforehand.
How long does a visit take?
Around 1 to 1.5 hours, and there's no time limit once you're in.
Can we leave and come back in the same day?
Your ticket is valid all day, though you'll need to queue again to get back in.
Is it OK for a toddler or in a pushchair?
The paths are wide and level with ramps and automatic doors, so pushchairs get around fine. Under-3s are free.
Where are the toilets?
At the entrance and in the café. There are none inside the attraction itself, so use them before you go round.
Is there somewhere to eat?
There's an on-site café with hot food, though it stops at 4pm in summer and 3pm in winter. You can't bring your own food in to eat there.
Can we bring a packed lunch?
Only if you've booked one of the Ann Maguire Education Rooms, otherwise it's café food.
Are dogs allowed?
Not even assistance dogs, because of the free-flying birds and animal welfare.
Is there anywhere to store bags or coats?
Not unless you've booked an education room, so travel light.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
Level access throughout, wide paths, ramps, power-assisted doors and accessible toilets in the building. A carer goes free with a paying visitor who needs one.
What are the opening hours?
Every day from 10am to 6pm, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. It closes at 2pm on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and shuts fully on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
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