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 9, 3, and 1, finding a day out to suit everyone can be a challenge. But with our eldest’s love for capybaras and our youngest’s obsession 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. The spacious layout of the zoo made it easy to explore without feeling hemmed in, a definite bonus for someone like me who isn’t a fan of large crowds.

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. 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.

Dinosaur World

We headed over to the Dinosaur World part of the Zoo. Just in time our youngest AKA the dino super fan woke up from his nap.

Lemur Walk Through

Another highlight of our visit was the Lemur walk through. It was a pretty amazing experience seeing them up close. The boys loved it as did their Dad.

There was a good variety of food at the Zoo including hot and cold options and plenty of sweet treats available too. Our boys love an ice cream!

It’s Play Time

My boys love a good play area and the Zoo did not disappoint. They can spot a play park a mile off! Plenty of space to run around and burn some energy off and plenty of different areas to suit different ages.

We visited the Capybaras again before we went home to wave goodbye to Cinnamon and co. and our little ones were greatly amused seeing them tousling around together in the pond. Our 9 our 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.

My Top Tips

Pre-book your tickets online to save some pennies on the entry fee and to guarantee entry on the day too. You have until midnight on the day before your visit to pre-book. 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. There is also a list of all the animals and some facts about them so 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 along with any talks and feeding times too.

I for one am super excited for our next visit as I bought our Capybara superfan a Capybara experience at the Zoo for Christmas. I really can’t wait, eek! If you’re ever in the Shropshire area and on the look out for a family day out we’d definitely recommend a visit! If you’ve already been let me know about your favourite things about the Zoo in the comments.

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 30 animatronic dinos, there really is plenty to see!