Zoos, Farms and Aquariums in Wales

By Wales.org | Nicholas Barrett, Founder & Editor | Updated October 2026

Wales has more animal attractions per square mile than any other part of the UK outside of the Home Counties. From the only giraffes in Wales at Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire to the National Zoo perched high above Colwyn Bay, from a tropical rainforest in the middle of Swansea to a working lobster hatchery on the shores of the Menai Strait, the country packs a remarkable range of zoos, aquariums, wildlife parks and interactive farms into its four distinct regions.

What sets Welsh animal attractions apart is their connection to the landscape. You won’t find generic out-of-town safari parks here. Instead, you get a conservation zoo with panoramic views of Eryri’s Carneddau mountains, a sea zoo built directly on the shoreline of the Menai Strait, and a 52-acre wildlife park set in ancient Pembrokeshire parkland where you can hand-feed wallabies on a walking safari. This guide covers every major zoo, aquarium and farm attraction in Wales for 2027, with specific details on opening times, best ages and how long to allow, so you can pick the right day out for your family without any guesswork.

📱 Quick-Reference Comparison

We’ve combined location and key details so you can compare the best options at a glance.

Pricing tip: admission rates vary across seasons (peak vs. off-peak) and are almost always cheaper when booked online in advance. We recommend checking each official attraction website for live daily rates.

🗺️ Find These Attractions on Our Interactive Map

Want to see exactly where each zoo, aquarium and farm is in relation to your accommodation? Our fully interactive map of Wales plots every major attraction, making it easy to plan driving routes and find nearby holiday cottages.

Zoos and Wildlife Parks

Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo — Pembrokeshire

Folly Farm is the most visited paid-for attraction in Wales, and for good reason. Across 120 acres, it combines a proper zoo (giraffes, lions, penguins, rhinos, sloths, red pandas, crocodiles and over 750 animals in total), a traditional working farm (the Jolly Barn), a lovingly restored indoor vintage fairground with 18 rides, and Wales’s largest indoor adventure playground (Carousel Woods). Around 50% of the attraction is undercover, making it one of the best wet-weather family days out in the country. Folly Farm has won “Best Day Out in Wales” from Visit Wales and “Most Accessible Attraction in Wales” from Euan’s Guide.

Folly Farm’s Kifaru Reserve is home to a genuine conservation success story: critically endangered Eastern Black Rhinos. Glyndŵr, born here in 2020, was the first rhino ever born in Wales, and the programme welcomed a second critically endangered calf in December 2025.

A particularly useful feature is the free return visit within seven days of your first trip, just get your receipt validated at admissions before you leave.

• Address: Begelly, Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire, SA68 0XA
• Opening: open daily from 10am, closing times vary seasonally
• Parking: free on-site
• Dogs: not permitted (guide dogs excepted), day kennels available nearby
• Accessibility: excellent, wheelchair-accessible routes, accessible toilets, wheelchair-friendly fairground carriage. Free Essential Companion admission via the Access Card scheme

Folly Farm also has its own holiday park with touring pitches, glamping tents and lodges. If you’re visiting Pembrokeshire with young children, staying on-site means unlimited access to the park during your stay. See our glamping in Wales guide for more options.

Welsh Mountain Zoo — Colwyn Bay, North Wales

The Welsh Mountain Zoo is the National Zoo of Wales and the oldest zoo in the country, established in 1963. Set across 37 acres high above Colwyn Bay, it offers panoramic views across the coastline to the Carneddau mountains, making it one of the most dramatically located zoos in the UK. Residents include snow leopards, chimpanzees, red pandas, Sumatran tigers, meerkats, lemurs and a colony of Humboldt penguins, alongside an evolving Madagascar zone featuring a lemur habitat built from reclaimed, locally milled wood.

• Address: Flagstaff Gardens, Colwyn Bay, LL28 5UY
• Opening: open daily year-round (closed Christmas Day)
• Parking: on-site, including Blue Badge spaces
• Accessibility note: the zoo is built on a steep hillside. Wheelchair-accessible routes are marked on the free map available at the entrance, but visitors with limited mobility should be prepared for gradients

The zoo operates as a registered charity and is actively involved in breeding programmes for endangered species. If you’re visiting Llandudno and Colwyn Bay, it combines well with a walk along the Victorian promenade.

Manor Wildlife Park — St Florence, Pembrokeshire

Manor Wildlife Park is Wales’s only walking safari. Set across 52 acres of protected Pembrokeshire parkland near Tenby, the park’s walkthrough exhibits let you come face to face with many of the animals, you can feed wallabies by hand, share a bench with ring-tailed lemurs, and watch Sumatran tigers through barrier-free viewing glass. Other residents include red pandas, gibbons, zebra, rhinos and Brazilian tapir.

• Address: St Florence, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, SA70 8RJ
• Parking: free on-site
• Accessibility: mostly wheelchair-accessible with a flat area near the entrance. Motorised rides available for hire (£10). Some steeper areas in the Valley of the Apes may present challenges, call ahead on 01646 651201

If you’re staying in Pembrokeshire and want a quieter, more intimate wildlife experience than Folly Farm, Manor Wildlife Park is the one to choose.

Aquariums

Anglesey Sea Zoo — Brynsiencyn, Anglesey

Anglesey Sea Zoo is a unique aquarium built directly on the shoreline of the Menai Strait, with views across to the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia). Unlike most UK aquariums, it focuses exclusively on native British marine wildlife, over 150 species across more than 40 tanks, including octopus, lobsters, conger eels, seahorses, jellyfish and sharks.

The Sea Zoo runs genuine conservation programmes including the Lobster Hatchery of Wales, a seahorse breeding programme and a marine animal rescue network.

• Address: Brynsiencyn, Llanfairpwll, Isle of Anglesey, LL61 6TQ
• Season: open daily from February half term to end of November, limited winter opening
• Return visits: standard tickets are valid for 6 days from purchase
• Dogs: allowed outside but not inside the building (dog pens with water provided)

Outside, there’s a pirate-themed adventure playground, crazy golf, and a picnic area with views across the Strait. Combine with a visit to nearby Anglesey attractions like Newborough Forest.

Indoor and Tropical Attractions

Plantasia Tropical Zoo — Swansea

Plantasia is an indoor tropical zoo in the centre of Swansea, a genuine rainforest under glass, housing over 40 species including crocodiles, meerkats, monkeys, leopard cats, parrots, snakes and exotic butterflies across two climate zones. You enter through a giant tree into the canopy and work your way through the undergrowth. It’s compact enough for toddlers (who go free) but engaging enough for older children, with a dedicated Vital Venoms & Practical Poisons room exploring venomous and poisonous species.

• Address: Parc Tawe Retail Park, Swansea, SA1 2AL
• Opening: open daily 10am–5pm (last entry 4pm)
• Weather: 100% indoors, one of the best rainy-day activities in South Wales

If you’re visiting Swansea Bay, Plantasia is within walking distance of the city centre and easy to combine with a trip to the Gower Peninsula.

Pili Palas Nature World — Menai Bridge, Anglesey

Pili Palas is an exotic butterfly house on the island of Anglesey, filled with tropical flora and fauna. The handling sessions with reptiles and insects are a highlight for children. It sits just off the A5 near Menai Bridge, making it a convenient stop on a day touring Anglesey. Allow 1–2 hours.

• Address: Menai Bridge, Anglesey, LL59 5RP

Farms and Petting Zoos

Wales is packed with family farms that open their gates to visitors, offering hands-on experiences with lambs, goats, ponies, pigs and poultry. These tend to be smaller, cheaper and less crowded than the big zoos, perfect for toddlers and younger children. For a detailed rundown, see our dedicated guide to petting zoos in Wales.

If you want to take the farm experience a step further, consider booking a farm stay in Wales, a growing number of working farms offer holiday accommodation where children can help with feeding, egg collecting and lambing (seasonal).

Zoos and Aquariums by Region

Planning Your Visit: Practical Tips

• Weather planning: Welsh weather is unpredictable. Plantasia (100% indoors), Anglesey Sea Zoo (mostly indoors) and Folly Farm (50% undercover) are all reliable wet-weather options. Manor Wildlife Park and the Welsh Mountain Zoo are primarily outdoors
• Booking: most attractions offer cheaper tickets when booked online in advance
• Dogs: most zoos and aquariums in Wales don’t allow dogs (guide dogs excepted). Anglesey Sea Zoo has outdoor dog pens with water
• Accessibility: Folly Farm is the standout for accessibility. Manor Wildlife Park has motorised rides for hire. The Welsh Mountain Zoo is challenging for wheelchairs due to steep hillside paths

Conservation: Why Welsh Zoos Matter

Welsh animal attractions aren’t just about entertainment. The Welsh Mountain Zoo runs international breeding programmes for endangered species. Anglesey Sea Zoo operates the Lobster Hatchery of Wales. Folly Farm is the only Welsh farm park with Rare Breed Survival Trust approval, and Manor Wildlife Park has made conservation its central mission.

For more on wild animals in their natural habitat, see our comprehensive guide to wildlife in Wales, including where to spot dolphins in Cardigan Bay, puffins on Skomer Island, and red kites in the Cambrian Mountains.

Frequently Asked Questions