Whipsnade zoo. Worth a visit?

snoopsmydogg

Off down to Brighton to see some family next weekend and the wife has suggested setting off a day early, stopping off at whipsnade on the way down and then staying over in Luton for the evening.

Anyone been recently and is it worth a visit? Will be 3 of us including our 3yr old son so not keen on blowing the best part of £60 if we are going to be in and out in an hour or 2. Been looking for deals online but nothing coming up as yet.

AchillesLeftKnee

Oh, cheers for that. You've managed to start an argument. The missus refuses to acknowledge that she's been there. She has. I was there!

*cough*

If you're after an afternoon out, and the kids are into animals, it'll certainly do it. Plus, it's pretty weather proof as you can drive round most of it (it's quite big) and park near whatever bits of fauna catch your attention (and also take your own food, thereby saving a bit if needs be). We went in winter and the animals outnumbered the visitors, so no peering over several rows of other visitors to try and catch a glimpse of whatever bit of the gazelle that's sticking out of it's hutch.

I seem to remember the lions were pretty good, with a perspex viewing area from which the lions could view kids from up close and salivate. The elephants walking about the place in a Jungle Bookesque train were very impressive, as was the magnitude of their bodily functions when they stopped for a comfort break.

Having said all that, the missus still insists it didn't happen, so there's an outside chance I'm making that up, but given that I've only ever been to three zoos, one of which was Marwell (which was pants), one of which was Longleat (which was amazing), and the other was on a hill near the bottom of the M1, I'm pretty sure I've got the right one.

(Please address all complaints regarding this review to British Airways, Harmonsworth)

fast as fupp

zoos are pretty horrid seeing as most of the animals exhibit disturbed behaviour as the dont particularly enjoy being held captive.

mikeabanks

As zoos go Whipsnade is a good one. Pretty expensive if you take the car in but that will pay for itself if you take food in as the cafes are expensive.

CambsNewbie

snoopsmydogg wrote:

Off down to Brighton to see some family next weekend and the wife has suggested setting off a day early, stopping off at whipsnade on the way down and then staying over in Luton for the evening.

Anyone been recently and is it worth a visit? Will be 3 of us including our 3yr old son so not keen on blowing the best part of £60 if we are going to be in and out in an hour or 2. Been looking for deals online but nothing coming up as yet.

For the love of God please don't stay in Luton for the night! Anywhere but!

Never been to Whipsnade, but if you are coming down the M1 then Woburn safari park isn't too far out of your way and that's a good day out. Also got the house to look round if thats your kind of thing...

snoopsmydogg

CambsNewbie wrote:

snoopsmydogg wrote:

Off down to Brighton to see some family next weekend and the wife has suggested setting off a day early, stopping off at whipsnade on the way down and then staying over in Luton for the evening.

Anyone been recently and is it worth a visit? Will be 3 of us including our 3yr old son so not keen on blowing the best part of £60 if we are going to be in and out in an hour or 2. Been looking for deals online but nothing coming up as yet.

For the love of God please don't stay in Luton for the night! Anywhere but!

Never been to Whipsnade, but if you are coming down the M1 then Woburn safari park isn't too far out of your way and that's a good day out. Also got the house to look round if thats your kind of thing...

Dont mind where we stay, would have travelled the full journey but thinking it may be a little too much for the 3yr old.

Thanks for the suggestion though, i'll look into Woburn as well.

pitchshifter

Whipsnade is great, but do not stay in Luton.

hmm

+1 for Woburn. There are some lovely small hotels in Woburn high street as well, certainly 'different' to staying in Luton.

snoopsmydogg

Have just checked the online booking for the hotel, even though the wife said she had booked Luton it looks like we will be staying in Milton Keynes for the night (not sure if thats better or worse). To be honest I don't mind where we stay as it's only for the night and having the little one in tow means we won't really get out to sample any local nightlife anyway.

Checked out woburn safari too after the recommendations and it looks pretty good so will have a word with the mrs and see which one she fancies.

Giraffoto

Whipsnade has one big advantage over Woburn - you can stand and stare whenever you want to. In a safari park you're restricted to driving past the creatures you want to see, and potentially being held up in a traffic jam, unable to see anything interesting, until the cars in front want to get out of the way. Whipsnade allows you to stand there watching the rhinos or elephants or whatever else for as long as they're there. Also if something's not showing its face before lunch you can pop back and see it later without having to get out in the car again. Woburn does have a nice little area where you can wander around and see things, it's just that the bigger animals aren't there.

So yes, well worth a visit. And if the lions stare at your children, take the opportunity to tell them that they naturally select the easy ones in the herd . . . .

snoopsmydogg

does whipsnade have a childrens area where they can get in amongst the animals? I took the lad to the south lakes zoo last year and he loved being in with the penguins and lemurs.

I know woburn has something similar but its a good point about being stuck in the car and not able to roam around.

danlikesbikes

snoopsmydogg wrote:

Dont mind where we stay, would have travelled the full journey but thinking it may be a little too much for the 3yr old.

Thanks for the suggestion though, i'll look into Woburn as well.

Agree making the little one drive that far might be pushing it

Both Whipsnade & Woburn are pretty good for the kids.

As you can see I'm from MK if you let us know where your staying I can tell you what else there is too do?

d87francis

http://www.aspinallfoundation.org/port-lympne

Whipsnade is a nice zoo, but I prefer Port Lympe as it has the house and gardens to look around as well. It's not too far from Brighton and there are plenty of very nice B&Bs along the south downs.

Giraffoto

snoopsmydogg wrote:

does whipsnade have a childrens area where they can get in amongst the animals? I took the lad to the south lakes zoo last year and he loved being in with the penguins and lemurs.

Yes, the lemurs (right in front of you as you go through the main gate) is a walk-through area, and the lemurs can jump all around you if they feel like it. If you do the "Passage through Asia" drive-through bit you can sometimes get very close to the deer, camels and yak, too

Peddle Up!

I enjoyed it the last time I went, but not as much as that new programme on the BBC "Doctor Who".

ballysmate

Do these safari parks still have baboons? Heard some right funny tales of cars getting taken apart as the people sit helplessly inside.

Giraffoto

Ballysmate wrote:

Do these safari parks still have baboons? Heard some right funny tales of cars getting taken apart as the people sit helplessly inside.

It's generally fairly small monkeys that leap on the car and cr@p on the bonnet. Baboons can run to the sort of size, strength and love of a challenge where merely locking the doors won't do it. I've had bactrian camels rubbing against the car in Whipsnade. Gives it a lovely shine





(that last bit was a lie. You'd need to wash the camel first)