Go Wild With These Animal-Themed Yorkshire Days Out
Plan your perfect day out this summer with our top picks of where to see the coolest animals in Yorkshire
Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Take a walk on the wild side with the chance to meet more than 400 animals (of 60 different species) at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. This is your chance to see a whole host of exotic animals including lions, tigers, leopards, rhinos, polar bears, giraffes and baboons and so many more. Right now, we’re particularly excited by the arrival of four tiny cheetah cubs! You’ll also learn about the vital work the park does with charities to help the conservation of the many endangered species found in the wild (and in the park). Dinosaur fans will also be thrilled by Pangaea – their immersive new prehistoric experience. If you want to maximise your time there, consider booking a room only metres form the park entrance at Hex Wildlife Hotel.
Yorkshire Hive, Hurst Lane, Auckley, Doncaster DN3 3QY
yorkshirewildlifepark.com
National Centre For Birds Of Prey
With three flying areas, including an indoor one for inclement days, this is the perfect place to see incredible birds take flight. Marvel at the hawks, owls, falcons and kites, get your picture taken with one of the resident owls, or set off on the Hawk Hike with a trained Harris Hawk and see if you can call it down to your fist. There are also more than 40 aviaries – just in case you haven’t seen enough feathered friends. Whilst you’re there you can stroll in the surrounding 300 acres of Duncombe Park’s parkland and follow the marked trails.
Duncombe Park, Helmsley YO62 5EB
01439 772080
ncbp.co.uk
Flamingo Land
Award-winning Flamingo Land offers visitors two very different days out because it’s not just a theme park, it’s a zoo too. If rollercoasters are your thing, Sik features an incredible 10 inversions – including an enormous 25-metre loop, a cobra roll, a corkscrew and a dizzying five heart-line rolls – or there’s Mumbo Jumbo’s heart-stopping 112-degree vertical drop. If you’re visiting with smaller children, Peter Rabbit Adventure is an adventure playground that will create plenty of excitement (with less G-force). Of course, no trip to Flamingo Land would be complete without a visit to the zoo where you can see everything from the most fearsome of the big cats, to the teensiest of frogs.
Kirby Miserton, Malton YO17 6UX
flamingoland.co.uk
RSPB Bempton Cliffs
Every year, the white chalk cliffs at Bempton are home to around half a million seabirds, around whose presence a whole host of summer activities now revolve. The birds (including gannets, puffins, guillemots, razorbills, fulmars, kittiwakes, herring gulls and shags) gather on the white chalk cliffs between March and October to raise their families. With a seabird centre, guided walks and nature trails, there’s so much to see and do here. The grass and scrub at the top of the cliffs provide the perfect habitat for birds but if you look out over the cliffs, you might be lucky enough to spot seals and porpoises in the water. They have lots of bookable events over summer like seabird cruises and conservation experiences for a truly memorable experience.
Cliff Lane, Bridlington YO15 1JF
01262 422212
rspb.org.uk
Sewerby Hall, Gardens & Zoo
There’s always something new to discover at Sewerby Hall, Gardens and Zoo. Set in 50 acres of early 19th century parkland, the Grade-I listed house has been restored to all its Edwardian glory, furnished with appropriate pieces from the Victoria and Albert Museum and beyond and is well worth exploring before you head out into the the walled garden, pleasure garden, picnic areas and zoo that await beyond its walls. From concerts in the orangery, to immersive performances form Rusticus Adventures for kids in the garden, magic shows and opportunities to learn fascinating facts about their animals in the zoo, there’s plenty to enjoy throughout the summer.
Church Lane, Sewerby, Bridlington YO15 1ED
01262 673769
sewerbyhall.co.uk
The Deep
This beloved Hull aquarium has been open for more than 20years now, but its fantastic displays and spectacular residents are just as much a source of wonder as when it first opened. The focus here is firmly on conservation and education, with a lot of emphasis placed on learning about the development of our oceans and marine life from prehistoric times to the present day, and what needs to be done to protect them into the future. Of course, it’s easier to appreciate quite what’s at stake when it’s swimming in front of you, so prepare to gawp at the underwater world populated by sharks, gentoo penguins, loggerhead sea turtles, eels and stingrays among the sea creatures to which the iconic building is home.
Tower Street, Hull HU1 4DP
thedeep.co.uk
