Sometimes, you just have to embrace spontaneity—and that’s exactly what we did on our last family getaway. On a whim, we decided to visit Hoo Zoo in Shropshire, venturing further afield than our usual family outings. It had been on our radar for a while. With 3 boys aged nine, three, and one, finding a day out to suit everyone can be a challenge. Our eldest loves capybaras. Our youngest is obsessed with dinosaurs. Hoo Zoo seemed like the perfect choice—and it certainly didn’t disappoint. We visited during the October half term, and although it was busy, it never felt overcrowded. This is a definite bonus for someone like me who isn’t a fan of large crowds. I tend to avoid visits in holidays for this reason.

Capybara Encounter

As soon as we arrived, we naturally made a beeline for the capybaras. Even if you’re not a capybara enthusiast, you might have heard of Cinnamon, one of Hoo Zoo’s most famous residents. Have you heard the story of how Cinnamon became a star? Cinnamon made headlines last year after her daring escape. She was said to be “living her best life” during her week-long adventure not far from her enclosure before being her safe return. It was great being able to see the Capybaras up close. Considering that they are in fact a rodent, they’re pretty cute! Did you know that Capybaras are excellent swimmers? We saw them playfully tousling about together in the pond at the front of their enclosure. This greatly amused the boys; even our one year old was giggling at their playful splashes!

A Dino fan’s Dream

We then headed over to the Dinosaur World part of the Zoo, it’s all included in the Zoo entry fee. Just in time our youngest AKA the dino super fan, woke up from his nap. The setting in itself is beautiful, a wonderful woodland walk with the addition of these pre-historic creatures. We visited in Autumn so it looked extra pretty with all the leaves underfoot. There are over 30 dinosaurs and other beasts to discover on your walk around. The towering animatronics were pretty impressive, it was like stepping back in time. Our youngest didn’t stop making dinosaur sounds all the way around.

Lemur Forest

Another highlight of our visit was the Lemur forest. It was a pretty amazing experience seeing them up close. The forest houses a family of ring-tailed lemurs. You get to walk amongst them through the lemur walk. They seemed like pretty chilled-out creatures—though I’m sure they have their wild moments too! The boys really loved the walk through as did their Dad and I.

It’s Feeding and Play Time at the Zoo!

After our walk with the lemurs, it was time to refuel and let the boys burn off some energy. There was a good variety of food at the Zoo. There’s something for everyone—from hot meals to sweet treats. We got some sandwiches, sausage rolls and cheesy chips to share. We ate outside on the covered picnic benches. We had a good view of the boys at play whilst we waited for our food.

My boys can spot a play park a mile off! They love a good play area and the Zoo did not disappoint. There’s lots of different sections dotted around including climbing frames, swings and sand pits. They loved the giant jumping pillows. There is plenty of space to run around and burn some energy off. It was the perfect pre-road trip workout before our long drive home.

My Top Tips

Pre-book your tickets online to save money and guarantee entry during busy periods. You can do this up until midnight the day before your visit! Download the app – Hoo Zoo have their very own app which is free to download. I’d highly recommend downloading it before your visit so that you can get the most out of your day there. The app has an interactive map that will help guide you around the park. My eldest two love taking charge and leading the way using the map on the app. There is also a list of all the animals and some facts about them. You can plan what you want to see ahead of time if that’s your vibe. You’ll also find a list of all the things going on on the day of your visit. As well as times for any talks and feeding times too.

We visited the Capybara again before we went home to wave goodbye to Cinnamon and co. Our 9-year-old announced, completely unprompted might I add, “This has been my favourite day ever”. That’s pretty high praise from a boy who doesn’t usually give too much away without at least some questioning. Hearing those words from our typically reserved eldest was the cherry on top of an already fantastic day.

I for one am super excited for our next visit to Hoo Zoo. It’s already planned as I bought our Capybara superfan a Capybara experience for Christmas. I really can’t wait, eek…it wasn’t a gift for myself honest!

If you’re ever in the area we’d definitely recommend a visit for a good family day out in Shropshire!

What would be your must-see attraction at Hoo Zoo? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear about your adventures!

About Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World

Hoo Zoo is a small family run zoo located on the outskirts of Telford, Shropshire. It’s nestled in 32 acres of woodland and paddocks and offers a unique mix of exotic animals alongside some pre-historic inspired dinosaur animatronics. With over 100 species of animals and over 30 animatronic dinos, as well as the play areas there really is plenty to see and plenty to do!