Category × County
5 Best Zoos and Wildlife Parks In Staffordshire
Compare the two ends of Staffordshire's wildlife list and the range is obvious. Drayton Manor Resort is a resort with a zoo inside it, so the animals share the day with rides and crowds. The Staffordshire Owl Experience and Birds of Prey Rescue Centre sits at the other extreme: small, focused, built around rescued birds. Between them, Trentham Monkey Forest lets you walk a path with monkeys loose around you, Peak Wildlife Park is the site with indoor space among the five, and Gentleshaw Wildlife Centre is a rescue centre families rate highly.
Top zoos and wildlife parks in Staffordshire
Showing 1–5 of 5
Zoos and Wildlife ParksGentleshaw Wildlife Centre
Zoos and Wildlife ParksPeak Wildlife Park
Zoos and Wildlife ParksTrentham Monkey Forest
Theme ParksDrayton Manor Resort
Zoos and Wildlife ParksThe Staffordshire Owl Experience and Birds of Prey Rescue Centre
Five listings, and no two of them offer the same day. Big and busy at one end, quiet and specialised at the other, with a walk-among-the-animals option in the middle. Match that to the child you are taking rather than to the size of the site.
Zoos and Wildlife Parks in Staffordshire: FAQs
Why is a theme park in the zoo category?
Drayton Manor Resort keeps animals as part of the site, so it earns a place in this list even though most families come for the rest of it. If wildlife is the actual reason for your trip, be aware the wildlife is one corner of a much larger operation, and the day will be noisier than a wildlife park. If you want both in one go, that combination is exactly what it offers.
What does walking among the animals actually involve?
At Trentham Monkey Forest the path runs through the enclosure rather than beside it, so the animals decide how close they come. Children find that thrilling and occasionally unnerving, and the rules about touching, food and bags exist for good reason. It suits a child who can follow instructions and stay reasonably calm. For a toddler determined to grab at everything, a conventional enclosure is the easier day.
Do the rescue centres suit young children?
They can, though the pace is slower and the site smaller than a wildlife park. Gentleshaw Wildlife Centre and The Staffordshire Owl Experience and Birds of Prey Rescue Centre both centre on animals that have been taken in rather than a designed visitor route, so the interest comes from the stories and the closeness. A short attention span will run out faster here than at a large park with a playground attached.
Which has somewhere to go if it pours?
Only one of the five records indoor space, and that is Peak Wildlife Park. The rest are outdoor sites, which makes the forecast a genuine planning factor rather than a detail. Waterproofs and spare footwear are the difference between a cut-short visit and a good one. If the day is a write-off, the county's indoor categories will serve you better than a wildlife park in the rain.