East Anglia Zoos
We are lucky in the East Anglia to have a range of wonderful zoos and wildlife parks. Each East of England zoo offers something different to visitors and provides a unique experience. This year we have loved visiting many of them. Some we have been to before and some are new to us. If you are wondering how we can do this without breaking the bank then read on. If you are just here to look for a great day out in East Anglia then read on too, there are some fantastic ones listed below.
East of England BIAZA Zoo Pass Discounts Explained
How have we been saving money on East Anglia zoo tickets? It’s simple, we bought an annual pass for one of the zoos and this gives us 50% discount to every other zoo on this list. The discount is in addition to the benefits you get with a pass anyway.
I have listed below all 11 East Anglia zoos and aquariums signed up to the scheme. The cost of annual passes at each zoo varies wildly from £24 to £85 for an adult pass, as do the potential savings. I have included the entry price for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 paying children) and the costs for an annual pass to help you compare.
There is a lot to consider when deciding to buy an annual pass in addition to the initial cost. It is important to consider how many times you will realistically be able to and want to visit. Often the best pass to choose is the one closest to home as you can easily visit more than once. We are able to pop to our local zoo if we have a few hours to spare in an afternoon.
You should also consider what other benefits your pass will give you. Some of the more expensive passes on this list may not seem great value but they give you completely free entry to other zoos and aquariums in their group. Other common benefits include cafe and shop discounts.
Africa Alive!
Location: Kessingland, Suffolk, NR33 7TF
High Season Cost: £75.80 for a family of 4 (Under 3s are free)
Annual Passes: Annual Passes: Adult £60, Child £40 (Includes Banham Zoo)
Africa Alive is a large zoo focused on African animals only. We absolutely loved our visit. The big central paddock with the rhinos and giraffes is a highlight. Miss May was excited for the piggies (Red River Hogs) but left talking about zebras. Ted wanted to see the lions and I was giddy for fennec foxes (they are so cute!). David discovered a new love for fossa. The safari train also caused much excitement.
As well as giving you half price entry to all the East Anglia zoos on this list, an annual pass to Africa Alive will give you free entry to another East Anglia Zoo partner at Banham in Norfolk (more on that zoo below).
Booking.com Booking.comAmazona Zoo
Location: Cromer, Norfolk, NR27 9JG
Cost: £35 for a family of 4 (under 4s are free)
Annual Passes: Adult £27, Child £20
Amazona Zoo is located near Cromer in Norfolk. It has a particular focus on Animals from South America.
We love North Norfolk but we have never been to Amazona Zoo so here’s what Jaymee from The Mum Diaries thinks:
My boys loved exploring Amazona Zoo as there was so much to do! Seeing the Caiman was one of our highlights! The weather was lovely when we visited so we made full use of the fab outdoor play area and the giant bouncy pillow!
Jaymee Heaton from The Mum Diaries
Banham Zoo
Location: Banham, Norfolk, NR16 2HE
High Season Cost: £79.80 for a family of 4 (under 3s are free)
Annual Passes: Adult £60, Child £40 (Includes Africa Alive!)
We have been to Banham Zoo many times but not for a few years so Mandi from Big Family Little Adventures let me know what her family thinks:
We love Banham Zoo, especially the penguins and the camels, the children love getting up close with all the goats in the pet area and they offer such a diverse range of animals to keep all seven children happy. Their annual pass is amazing and it gives you free entry to their sister park Africa Alive.
Mandi Morrison from Big Family Little Adventures
Jimmy’s Farm
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP9 2AR
Cost: Unclear, the gate prices are not advertised on the website.
Annual Passes: Adult £40, Child £30
Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park is one of the few parks on this list that we have never been to. It first opened as a rare breeds pig farm in 2006 when it was followed by a BBC TV documentary. In 2016 it gained a zoo license allowing it to keep more exotic animals (and be part of this scheme).
Sarah from Boo, Roo and Tigger Too and Becka from Mummy Est. 2014 have both been to Jimmy’s Farm:
Jimmy’s Farm is a real mixture of activities for families. From the beautiful nature trail to the butterfly house, a wonderful play area for children. Plus depending on the date you are visiting there is often additional activities or entertainment being held. With farmers markets and craft sessions to name just two of them.
Sarah Anguish from Boo, Roo and Tigger Too
Jimmy’s Farm is a spacious and fun place to visit as a family. We enjoy feeding the animals, walking through the butterfly enclosures and playing on the playground. We always stop for something to eat from the outdoors cafe, and then pop into the farm shop to treat ourselves to some sausages. Very reasonably priced too.
Becka Smith from Mummy Est. 2014
Linton Zoo
Location: Linton, Cambridgeshire, CB21 4NT
Cost: £39 for a family of 4 (under 2s are free)
Annual passes: Adult £35, Child £25, Family £100
Linton Zoo is a small zoo in East Anglia with a big focus on breeding programs. It is also our local zoo and where we purchased our annual passes. We’ve been making the most of our passes and have visited several times. We have a different favourite each time we visit, I’m a fan of the porcupines and lemurs. David likes the tapirs (they are awesome). There is also a small playground and bouncy castle which breaks up our visits nicely.
Raptor Foundation
Location: Woodhurst, Cambridgeshire, PE28 3BT
Cost: £24.20 for a family of 4 or 5
Annual Passes: Adult and Child £24, Family £36
Possibly the most obscure “Zoo” on this list. So obscure that I haven’t found anyone who has visited to quote (if you’ve been please let me know in the comments!). The Raptor Foundation is primarily a rescue and rehabilitation centre for native birds of prey. They also run falconry courses and have daily flying displays. I am sure I will be back to update this entry as soon as we have used our passes to visit.
Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure
Roarr! in Norfolk was recently added to this list. You can read more about this attraction in my post on the best places to see dinosaurs in the UK.
Paradise Wildlife Park
Location: Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, EN10 7QA
Cost: £81 for a family of 4 (under 2s are free)
Annual passes: Adult £85, Child £70, Family £300
Paradise Wildlife Park is the most expensive on this list of East Anglia Zoos. We haven’t been yet but we’ll be glad of the discount when we do. The kids love dinosaurs so that will be a bonus and hopefully the rest will live up to its name.
Update: We have visited Paradise Wildlife Park, read our full review here.
Jaymee from The Mum Diaries had this to say:
The dinosaurs at Paradise Wildlife Park was a big highlight for my 3 boys! There is so much to do that even for the day we didn’t get to do everything! My boys loved the dinosaurs and if the weather was better I am pretty sure they would have loved the splash park too!
Jaymee Heaton from The Mum Diaries
SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth
Location: Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR30 3AH
Cost: £71.80 for a family of 4 (under 3s go free)
Annual Passes (includes all SEA LIFE Centres): Adult and Child £75, Family £60 per person (3+ people)
SEA LIFE in Great Yarmouth is the newest addition to this list. We have been to several of the SEA LIFE centres in the UK (including Great Yarmouth) and I’m always impressed with how different each one is. They are always really interesting for the kids with something new around every corner. I have my fingers crossed that SEA LIFE Hunstanton will be added to this list soon.
Sarah from Boo, Roo and Tigger Too had this to say about SEA LIFE in Great Yarmouth:
Located on Great Yarmouth sea front. SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth is a great family attraction to visit. Home to a variety of different species, with a recent update to their Jellyfish area. Plus an interactive submarine for the children to discover more about the fish within the centre.
Sarah Anguish from Boo, Roo and Tigger Too
Shepreth Wildlife Park
Location: Shepreth, Hertfordshire, SG8 6PZ
Cost: £46 for a family of 4 (under 2s are free)
Annual Passes: Adult £75, Child £55
We had our first visit to Shepreth Wildlife Park for the first time recently and found a great small zoo. We were particularly enamoured by the red pandas. Read our review here.
Here’s what Clare from The Mummy’s Always Write has to say about Shepreth Wildlife Park:
While on the smaller side it is perfect for those with younger children. The enclosures are a good level for young ones to see inside and the paths mean no one will run off out of sight. With a lovely cafe and soft play for the rainy days and an indoor reptile house. Use your Tesco club card points to keep costs down.
Clare Nicholas from This Mummy’s Always Write
Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens
Location: Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR29 3DR
Cost: £50 for a family of 4 (under 4s are free)
Annual Passes: Adult £45, Child £30
We also went to Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens for the first time recently and were really impressed. They have a number of stand out star animals which you are able to get really close to. We sat within a foot of two of the most beautiful tigers I have ever seen for some time. We walked close some enormous crocodiles and alligators and sleek leopards. Their tree-top paths mean you feel within reach of the animals while still being able to respect their privacy. The whole place had a special charm that the whole family loved.
Booking.com Booking.comWoodside Wildlife Park
Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN3 5DQ
Cost: £43 for a family of 4 (under 2s are free)
Annual Passes:
Woodside Wildlife Park is a little further away from the other zoos on this list. We are often in the Lincolnshire area (our favourite theme park is there) so hopefully we will find time to drop in.
It sounds like a great day out. Here’s what Suzy from Our Bucket List Lives thinks:
This is a small wildlife park in Lincolnshire which has so much on during the day you will be able to spend a full day out there. They have a lot of animals that you don’t normally see in UK parks. Some of these star in a daily show. You can walk over a bridge with crocodiles below, stroke a skink and hold a snake and if you’re lucky you might hear their wolves howling. We love to watch the tiger being fed. What an amazing creature! They have a cute little playground and plenty of other animals to see.
Suzy McCullough from Our Bucket List Lives
I hope my summary of East Anglia zoos helps you decide which one to visit or which one to get a pass for. If you have visited any of them I would love to know your opinion. Please drop them in the comments below.
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The pass sounds like the best way to do this especially with the range of places you can go! What a great tip for us thrift mums!
This zoo pass seems like a great way to save money and see so much!! What a great list of things to do with it!
Oh my, what incredible zoos! And the pass sounds perfect!
Annual passes are always great to save a bit of money and I find they encourage me to get out and explore more as well. This one sounds fantastic.
What a great list of zoo options for families! Such variety!
This zoo seems pretty amazing! What a great breakdown, thank you!
These passes are such a great deal! I have never heard of them.
What a great post, I had no idea there were so many around.
It’s not too far from us so I think we will definitely need to check some of these out over the summer x
Such a great idea, my local zoo did a similar deal and it’s a great way to explore other parts of the country or even abroad. We had passes to go to the Amsterdam Zoo, amazing!
Some lovely suggestions for places to visit. I have heard lots of good things about Jimmy’s Farm