If you are looking for the best dinosaur park in the UK, then you have come to the right place. Dinosaurs seem to be everywhere at the moment and rightly so. Nothing gets our two and four-year-old out the house quicker than the promise of a dinosaur park in any shape or form. I must admit that us grown-ups are children of the Jurassic Park era and love a few oversized reptiles ourselves.
I have put together a list of some of the best dinosaur parks in the UK, this list also includes dinosaur museums and general UK dinosaur places. We have visited most of these, and I’ve added a few more suggested by my fellow bloggers.
UK Dinosaur Parks and Museums That we Have Visited:
Gulliver’s Dinosaur Park, Milton Keynes
Park Type: Dinosaur and farm park (Outdoors)
Cost: £40 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
There are two sides to this particular dinosaur park. The first is the awesome dinosaur-themed accommodation.
The animatronics were some of the best we’ve encountered. There were lots of different things to do, including dinosaurs to ride (check this out on Instagram), an observation tower ride and best of all a riverboat ride.
The collection challenge was excellent too. Ted was given a wristband and had to run from station to station. At each station, he scanned his wristband to hear clues to tell him where to go next. It was the most fun thing to do.
While a few of these places are dinosaur zoos (zoos that have dinosaur animatronics), this is the only one that is a dinosaur farm park. Also part of the dinosaur park is a farm park, and while we were there, they were also building a giant bug area. When it’s finished, we’ll just have to go back.
Read more about what to expect from Gulliver’s Dinosaur and Farm Park here.
Natural History Museum, London
Park Type: Museum (Indoors)
Entry Cost: Free
The Natural History Museum in London is the first place many people head to for dinosaurs. While not technically a dinosaur park, it was the first place I saw an animatronic dinosaur (back in the early 2000s). I was terrified. At that point, I was still carrying a post-Jurassic Park dinosaur phobia. They have the animatronic T-Rex that scared me so much as a teenager there even now, and it’s still a popular exhibit.
If you’re not being pushed through on a wave of schoolchildren, then the rest of the dinosaur exhibition is excellent too. The NHM is the best place I’ve seen large scale fossils. There’s plenty of other interactive displays as well.
The only thing I have to add is if you go to the NHM for the dinosaurs then stay for the other incredible displays. I have a blog post here with my top 10 things to see.
The NHM also runs sleepovers throughout the year (these are not free!). Read this review from Rock and Roll Pussycat for more information.
Jurassic Journey Dinosaur Park, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Park Type: Indoor dinosaur park
Cost: £36 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
A fun dinosaur park is an indoor adventure in Great Yarmouth on the Norfolk coast (You can read more here). I wasn’t sure what to expect as most other places we have visited have long, rambling walks with dinosaurs suddenly appearing as you go round a corner. It was excellent. It’s still relatively new, and that was evident in the quality of the animatronics.
It didn’t take long to get around as everything is much closer together than in the other dinosaur parks, but it ended with a decent soft play, so we were able to sit down for a bit. This is the perfect place for a rainy day it the beach.
The other thing to note was that the staff were particularly friendly, which will always improve the experience at any attraction.
Sedgewick Museum, Cambridge
Park Type: Museum (Indoors)
Cost: Free
If fossils are your thing (and they are mine) then get yourself along to the Sedgewick Museum in Cambridge. I realise that if you’re reading this and you have young children you have just run a mile. The cases upon cases of small rocks didn’t really do it for the baby either, she was much more interested in banging on the glass.
On the other hand, Ted loved it. I’m still fairly sure he doesn’t really know what a fossil is. That didn’t stop him being fascinated.
Seriously though, there was plenty for kids to do even if they only have a passing interest in fossils. There’s some really cool large stuff including a T-rex skull. They also have quiz sheets for older kids and games, puzzles and books for smaller ones. We were there during the holidays and they had extra craft activities on too.
I wrote a blog post on our visit. Check it out for more details on location and opening times.
Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure, Norfolk
Park Type: Dinosaur park (Outdoors)
Cost: £67.80 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
Roarr! has also recently been added to the list of attractions that offer half-price entry to anyone with an annual pass for any other on the attractions. You can read details and reviews in this post.
David visited with his family sometime in the 1990s, and many of the dinosaurs are the same. There’s also a lot of much newer cool stuff. There is some pretty good animatronics on the way in, a huge play area, indoor soft play and fossil dig.
We went to Roarr! last September and since then they have invested 1.8 million pounds in a new restaurant and high ropes. Admission to the high ropes is included in the ticket price. However, you have to be over 1m to have a go. I think we’ll have to go back when May is tall enough!
We missed the dino bus and splash park too which both look fun. For more detailed reviews check out these blogs:
Crystal Palace, London
Park Type: Public park (Outdoors)
Cost: Free
Head to Crystal Palace for the original dinosaur park. The park and palace for which the area is named were built for the World Fair in 1851. The Palace is no longer standing, but the dinosaurs remain. Dinosaurs were still a new concept in 1851, and it’s fascinating to see how people from the mid-19th century saw them.
David and I visited Crystal Palace in the pre-kids era. It’s a surprisingly long journey into the wilds of south London (from central London), but the park is next to the train station. Crystal Palace was somewhere I had always wanted to go. The dinosaur park would definitely be good fun with kids. There is also a maze here. The foundations of the palace are still there along with information about the 1851 World Fair.
Paradise Wildlife Park, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire
Park Type: Zoo and dinosaur park
Cost: £81 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
Paradise Wildlife Park is part of the scheme offering half-price entry that I mentioned earlier. You can read more about the scheme here.
Paradise Wildlife Park is a popular zoo in Hertfordshire which also happens to have some awesome animatronic dinosaurs. The compact site is divided into the zoo side and the dinosaur side. Although it doesn’t take too long to walk around the dinosaurs, it is definitely a cool experience.
I have a detailed review of Paradise Wildlife Park (which includes the zoo bit) here.
You can also find out what my fellow bloggers thought here:
Birdland and Jurassic Journey, Bourton-on-the-Water
Park Type: Zoo and dinosaur park (Outdoors)
Cost: £38749278 (Click here for up to date prices)
We enjoyed Birdland and Jurassic Journey, which was a surprise. I have blogged about our day our there before. he birds are well worth the visit on their own, but the dinosaur trail was also excellent. It had an overly complicated stamp trail, but that’s standard for a dinosaur park. The fibre-glass dinosaurs were all cleverly arranged along the path.
Whitby Museum
Park Type: Museum (Indoors)
Cost: £10 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
Whitby is proud of its fossils, and there are many remarkable examples on display at Whitby Museum. We were impressed by the whole museum, especially the natural history section.
Read more about things to do in Whitby, including the museum and fossil hunting here.
Best Dinosaur Parks We Haven’t Visited (Yet!)
Here are some more of the best dinosaur parks in the UK according to other bloggers. These are indoor and outdoor dinosaur places for you to visit so you should be able to find somewhere near you.
All Things Wild, Worcestershire
Park type: Indoor and outdoor dinosaur park.
Cost: £50 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
“A fantastic year-round family attraction, comprising of animals, dinosaurs, soft play and much more to discover! With plenty of activities both indoor and outdoor, to keep all ages entertained whatever the weather!”
– from All Things Wild’s website
All Things Wild is an all-weather family attraction in Worcestershire. It has a dinosaur train that takes you around the dinosaurs, a dinosaur walk and an indoor dinosaur museum. They also have several other indoor and outdoor activities.
Find out more in this post from Lylia Rose.
Jurassic Cove Adventure Golf at Bents, Cheshire
Park type: Adventure golf (Outdoors)
Cost: £21 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
“Get ready to explore with our family focused attraction which will appeal to all ages, placing golfers in the midst of an ancient world surrounded by spectacular life-sized animatronic and static dinosaurs!”
– from Bent’s Garden Centre website
One of the many additional activities on offer at Bents Garden Center near Warrington in Cheshire is one of the best looking miniature golf courses I have seen. You can pop along and play Jurassic Cove Miniature Golf any time.
Find out more in this post from Mighty Mama Bear.
Blackgang Chine, Isle of Wight
Park type: Theme park with dinosaur area (Outdoors)
Cost: £96 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
“Marvel at the gargantuan scale of the life-size moving dinosaurs and encounter the most realistic experience since time began. The journey through the ‘Restricted Area 5’ enclosure will bring you up close and personal with dinosaurs of all types including an Argentinosaurus, bigger than a double decker bus and the biggest animatronic T-Rex in the country – but only if you’re brave enough!”
– from the Blackgang Chine website
Blackgang Chine is a theme park on the Isle of Wight with themed areas including a Wild West Town, Fairyland and of course a Dinosaur area.
Giving Up Normal went for a special evening tour of the dinosaurs.
Mighty Claws Adventure Golf, Various Locations
Park type: Adventure golf (Outdoors)
Cost: £28 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
“Magical landscapes, life-sized dinosaurs and super crazy golf. All our courses are packed with wonder, joy and non-stop fun. Each one completely unique and adapted from our fantastically funny children’s book series, Mighty Claws Adventures.”
– from Mighty Claws Adventures’s website
This adventure golf course is more than just golf. Mighty Claws aim to be educational as well as fun. They have golf courses at Bournemouth, Colchester and Southampton.
Here’s what The Life of Spicers thought of the Bournemouth location.
Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park, Devon
Park type: Zoo and dinosaur park (Outdoors)
Cost: £58 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
“Dotted throughout the Dinosaur Domain & the Valley of the Dinosaurs are over 19 animatronic and static dinosaur models and let’s not forget our life sized model of Tyrannosaurus Rex, the star attraction, who along with our Megalosaurus & Dilophosaurus wakes up every hour on the hour to delight and terrify in equal parts!”
– from Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park’s website
We love a dinosaur park/wildlife park combo, so this attraction in Devon sounds right up our street.
Find out more in this post from The Mini Mes, and Me.
Dinosaur Isle, Isle of Wight
Park type: Museum (Indoors)
Cost: £18 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
“Dinosaur Isle is Britain’s first purpose built dinosaur museum and visitor attraction; based in Sandown on the Isle of Wight. The Island’s diverse geology contains a wealth of fossils that tell us much about the past and gives clues to the effects of possible future environmental changes.”
– from Dinosaur Isle’s website
Dinosaur Isle on the Isle of Wight is a purpose-built, interactive museum dedicated to the island’s fossils.
Find out more in this post from Loopy Lou Laura.
Dinotopolis Softplay at Bluewater, Kent
Park type: Soft play (Indoors)
Cost: £40 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
“Make your way through three storeys of soft play in the Dino Jungle, power yourself around the Raptor Run and get creative in the Discovery Cove”
– from Dinotopolis’s website
This sounds like a fabulous soft play with lots for kids of all ages to do.
Find out more in this post from Counting to Ten.
Lapworth Museum of Geology, Birmingham
Park type: Museum (Indoors)
Cost: Free
“From rocks and fossils to volcanoes, earthquakes, and even dinosaurs, the Museum captures the imagination of all ages.”
– from Lapworth Museum’s website
We’re big fans of a Natural History Museum, and I know Ted would love the Pterodactyl at Lapworth Museum of Geology.
Museum of Natural History, Oxford
Park type: Museum (Indoors)
Cost: Free
“Oxfordshire is home to the discovery of the first dinosaur to be scientifically described: Megalosaurus bucklandii. On display with Megalosaurus are three other species of dinosaur discovered in Oxfordshire, as well as exact replicas of dinosaur skeletons from around the world, including Tyrannosaurus rex.”
– from Oxford Museum of Natural History’s website
Another great Natural History Museum, this time in Oxford.
Find out more in this post from Red Kite Days.
Tenby Dinosaur Park, Wales
Park type: Dinosaur park (Outdoors)
Cost: £47.50 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
“Deep in the depths of our labs, terrifying creatures have been brought back to life at The Dinosaur Park Tenby! Step back through the mists of time where iconic creatures like the T-Rex, Velociraptor and other beasts are waiting for you around every corner…”
– from Tenby Dinosaur Park’s website
There’s plenty to do at this dinosaur park in Tenby, Wales.
Find out more in these posts from Shiftworking Mum and Loopy Lou Laura.
Dinosaur World, Torquay
Park type: Indoor dinosaur park
Cost: £27.80 for a family of four (Click here for up to date prices)
“Torquay’s Dinosaur World is a fun interactive indoor exhibition that brings the world of dinosaur to life.”
– from Dinosaur World’s Website
This is a fun looking indoor dinosaur attraction in Torquay. It reminds me of Jurassic Journey in Great Yarmouth.
Find out more in this post from Mighty Momma Bear.
For Pinterest
Oh this is great!! I have a dino lover too – saving for the future 😉
You clearly have a dinosaur fan on your hands. This is a handy blog post for the future
Fun! We love traveling to the UK, so I’ll save this in case we have a dino lover in the future. 🙂
Oh we love dinosaurs. I don’t think people every outgrow a fascination with them. Great round up.
This looks so fun! My daughter loves dinosaurs 🙂
My kids would love this!