I’ve been visiting Paradise Wildlife Park in Hertfordshire ever since I was a kid. Being only a 40 minute drive from home, my parents used to take me there regularly when I was little and then I started visiting again myself as an adult and for me, it’s one of those truly nostalgic places where I kinda feel at home. I can’t say I’ve ever had a bad visit to Paradise Wildlife Park and despite knowing the place inside out and no longer having to rely on the map to get around, I always enjoy my visits, learn something new and come away having had a really lovely day out. Although I haven’t got kids myself and Paradise Wildlife Park is a family attraction, it definitely appeals to all ages (I saw a elderly man in his 70’s wandering around when I was there!) and has something for everyone.
I was kindly offered 2 complimentary tickets to the park for my boyfriend and I to go and have a visit in the lead up to Christmas. Christmas is always a magical time wherever you go but the decorations had just gone up when we went, the gift shop was decked out in Christmas items and they were building the Santa’s Grotto, reading for the Christmas period. It’s a great day out any time of year but Christmas is extra special, I think!
Animal Park
We began in the animal park, which is the biggest and the “main” area of the park. We headed straight for the lions, one of our favourite animals to see and watched them for a good 40 minutes, whilst two of the lionesses played together and the male lion came out too.
We worked our way round the other big cats, as they have a fantastic big cat territory at Paradise until we reached the smaller animals, such as the otters, red pandas, meerkats and penguins. Arguably, some of my favourite animals. We watched the otters being fed and listened to the talk from the extremely knowledgeable keeper, who told us that when buying fish at the supermarket, ensuring it has a “sustainably sourced” sticker on ensures that no other wildlife’s habitat was damaged during the fishing process, which I didn’t know before!
There’s lots of fab indoor and rain forest-esque areas in Paradise where the animals who require a certain temperature live. There’s a reptile house, which houses snakes, spiders, lizards and all sorts of things that make the hairs on your arms stick up! There’s a fantastic rain forest area which is home to marmosets, cotton top tamarins, emperor tamerins and lots more. I’ve always loved their collection of primates at Paradise Wildlife Park, one of my favourites being the gibbons which we we saw swinging and playing all around their enclosure.
World of Dinosaurs
I haven’t been to Paradise in over a year, so this was completely new and a surprise when we visited. There used to be a small woodland walk area on the other side of the park but since our last visit, they’ve transformed it into a real-life Jurassic Park, with life-size anamatronic dinosaurs, which roar and move (and breathe!) as you walk past them. With all the popular faces, such as Velociraptors, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Brachiosaurus as well as plenty I’ve never heard of, plus a ton of information about each one, I thought this area of Paradise was absolutely brilliant and kids are going to absolutely love it.
There’s an excellent photo spot right in front of the T-Rex where Carl and I had a lot of fun pretending we were in Jurassic Park for a good 20 minutes! We finished the day with a quick look around the 2 gift shops, the first one in the World of Dinosaurs, which had plenty of dinosaur related toys, gadgets and books and the second one near the exit, which has their general stock but as I said, was firmly geared up for Christmas when we visited!
Paradise Wildlife Park is a great day out option for all ages but especially families, as there’s so much to see and do from the animals, to the dinosaurs, feeds, informative talks, crazy golf, tons of children’s play areas and more. It’s always a lovely day out, whatever the weather and whatever time of year so if you’re within a reasonable distance and haven’t taken a trip yet, maybe pop it on your list of things to do this Christmas!
Have you ever been to Paradise Wildlife Park? What’s your favourite animal? (or dinosaur!) Let me know!
* Tickets into the park were kindly sent to me in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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This sounds like such an amazing experience! thank you so much for sharing!!
It was a fun day 😌
This place looks so great – I need to visit. Your pictures are stunning babe 💜✨
With love, Alisha Valerie x
It’s a lovely place to visit 😌
That looks like a fun day out. Your pictures are great.
Thank you 😌
This looks amazing, looks like a fab day out you had x
We sure did 😌 thank you!
Aww aren’t they all so cute!
They sure are 😌
I’ve never been to Paradise Wildlife Park but it sounds like a wonderful place. I really enjoyed reading your post! Such lovely pictures too. I remember seeing an animatronic dinoasaur at a garden centre I went to a couple of years ago and thought it was super cool! x
Thank you 😌 Dinos are so interesting!
I’ve never been there but it looks and sounds amazing. The pictures were fantastic. I now really have the urge to have a day out… great post!
Thank you 😌
Would love to go there sometime! Looks fun! 💜
It sure is! 😌
I wish a Wildlife Park was nearby for me, I’d most likely be there every weekend! I love how close you can get to take a photo of the lions; in the first one (I think that one is the female – based on my Lion King knowledge that is haha) she looks so so still and focused. The male lion looks like he’s prepared the snooze an imaginary alarm clock haha, but it does look like a bright sunny day there!!
WAIT! Red pandas! In mind they were only black and white, didn’t know there were different breeds (oops)! I actually saw a sustainably sourced sticker before but never knew what it actually meant, so thank you for writing that down, now I know 🙂
The little red panda looks as though he/she is posing for your photo with that small little smile!
The sign they put up of deforestation really puts things in perspective, there was an ad that was banned on TV that mentioned this I believe? I really hope that deforestation decelerates because at that point where will all the wildlife live if there are no forests to live in.
OHH A REAL LIFE JURASSIC PARK SECTION! It looks so amazing, I’d probably spend 20 minutes re-enacting specific scenes for photos too hahaha!
I have to say my favorite animal from this post has to be the Red Panda – it looks so so adorable!!
Sahara
http://saharas-dreams.blogspot.com
Yep that first lion is a female 😌 She was very chilled. The male was rubbing his face on that trunk for ages – it must have some sort of scent on it! And yep there are actual red pandas and they’re SO cute! 😌
I wish I lived closer to Hertfordshire because this wildlife park looks like so much fun and I’ll definitely be trying to visit at some point! All these animals are so adorable and it looks like they’re already getting into the festive spirit.
Soph – https://sophhearts.com x
Hope you get to visit one day! 😌
I’ve never been to Paradise Wildlife Park before, but it sounds like so much fun! Red Pandas are the cutest, so you kinda’ had me right at the beginning of this post tehe.
Hehe, they’re so adorable aren’t they like I LITERALLY can’t get over how cute they are.
Oh wow! I love to visit places like this! I wish it were close to me. I love your photos.
http://littlemissmelanie.com
Thank you. 😌
I used to visit there a lot when I was younger, I remember really wanting to work there when I grow up! I love your photos of the place, brings back so many memories.
Awh cute! I’d love to work there!
I haven’t been before but looks like a fab place! I love going to wildlife parks, my favourite animals are probably tigers, red panda’s and otters, I could probably list loads more, there’s just too many to love!
Chloe xx
http://www.chloechats.com
There are tigers there too – there’s a lovely little cafe that overlooks them 😌
Wow. I have several students who would love that place. Even more exciting is the dinosaur exhibit!
The dinosaurs were pretty cool, kids would love them 😌
This sounds like such a lovely trip! I love wildlife parks like this but I’ve not been to one in ages. I’m adding this to my list for the future, especially as a Christmas day out. I love the red panda but all the animals are so cute! xx
Tiffany x http://www.foodandotherloves.co.uk
Hope you get to visit soon! It’s so cute around Christmas with all the lights 😌
Great photos – thanks red panda is adorable x
http://www.ofbeautyandnothingness.co.uk
Thank you 😌
CUTE. I squeaked out loud at the animal at the top. Is it a kind of raccoon? If you said the name I’m sorry I couldn’t find it! Looks like you had a fun day- and I also would have pretended I was in jurassic park 😂.
xo Chelsea
It’s a red panda! They’re so cute 😌
I want to visit!! Xx
It’s a great day x
I love penguins! Did you see the David Attenborough programme on them the other night? It was brilliant! Katie x
I didn’t! I’ve heard it was good though. I’ll make a point to give it a watch 😌
It’s super good!
Never been but it looks like a really great day out! Plus Red Pandas – they are so friggin’ adorable, as are the Otters, could watch them forever! 🙂
Sarah x
http://boxnip.co.uk
We were literally watching the otters for around an hour 😂
Sounds like such fun, I love otter talks xx
It was really interesting 😌
Omg i used to love Paradise Wildlife Park as a kid!
I think I love it more as an adult haha!
Totally need to go back as an adult!
The World Of Dinosaurs looks amazing!
Love, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
It really was! I really enjoyed it even though it probably wasn’t aimed at my age group haha!
Ah, I do love red pandas. I have never been to Paradise Wildlife Park but I think I’ll have to make the effort to go!
If it’s close enough, I’d definitely recommend!