Hampshire is home to a variety of incredible animal attractions, offering the chance to get up close to some amazing wildlife. From Marwell Zoo, where you can see exotic species from around the world, to the charming Deer Safari in the New Forest, there’s something for every animal lover. 🦦🦓🐇
With a mix of wildlife parks, animal farms, and interactive experiences, Hampshire offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy animals in their natural settings. Here are some places we highly recommend, and there are even a few spots we’re excited to check out ourselves!
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New Forest Wildlife Park
The New Forest Wildlife Park is a great attraction on the east side of the New Forest, near Southampton. Although a smaller attraction, perfect for half a day there’s still tons to do and it is perfect for families with younger kids.
They have diverse animal species, including wallabies and our faves the giant otters. The staff were clearly very passionate about what they do and we loved the feeding times and talks throughout the day, they have a big focus on conservation at the park and the animals looked well taken care of. 🦦🦘
The park is set in woodland so some great winding trails to explore and their huge adventure playgrounds for both younger and older kids are brilliant. We enjoyed a picnic at one of the many picnic tables surrounding the older kids adventure playground.
Definitely worth the visit to see some of the amazing animals up close and the passion the park has for the conservation of these amazing animals! 🦌🐁
📍New Forest Wildlife Park, Deerleap Lane, Longdown, Ashurst, Hampshire SO40 4UH
Marwell Zoo
Marwell Zoo is the ultimate family day out, offering an exciting and diverse range of animals for everyone to enjoy. From majestic giraffes and playful penguins to exotic tigers and curious lemurs, there’s something to captivate animal lovers of all ages.
The zoo is set in beautifully landscaped grounds, perfect for a relaxing stroll, or for spreading out a picnic on the grass in front of the Marwell House. With plenty of space to explore, the kids will love the adventure with the many playgrounds the zoo has to offer.
Whether you’re watching the animals interact or enjoying the scenic surroundings, it’s a animal attraction that shouldn’t be missed! 🦓🐧
📍Marwell Zoo, Thompson’s Ln, Colden Common, Winchester SO21 1JH
Hawk Conservancy Trust
Images from Hawk Conservancy Trust Website
The Hawk Conservancy Trust is a fantastic animal attraction, set in 22 acres of woodland and wildflower meadows. Home to over 150 birds of prey, the Trust offers exciting flying and feeding displays, along with interactive shows where the birds can flying right over your head!
It’s a great opportunity to learn about these incredible birds and their conservation while enjoying the outdoors. Definitely worth a visit! 🦅
📍Hawk Conservancy Trust, Sarson Ln, Andover SP11 8DY
Images from Hawk Conservancy Trust Website
New Forest Reptile Centre
Image from Forestry England Website
The New Forest Reptile Centre is a fantastic stop for animal lovers exploring the beautiful New Forest. With its impressive collection of native reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates, it offers a hands-on, educational experience for kids and adults alike.
The centre provides a unique chance to see local species like adders, slow worms, and lizards up close in their natural habitat. The friendly staff are always on hand to share fascinating facts about these often-misunderstood creatures, making it an engaging and fun day out. Plus, the surrounding forest offers plenty of opportunities for a scenic walk after your visit. 🦎
📍New Forest Reptile Centre, A35 Bournemouth Rd, Lyndhurst SO43 7GR
Deer Safari – New Forest
Image from Burley Manor Website
The Deer Safari in the New Forest at Burley Manor is an awesome way to spend the day with the family, especially if you want to see some amazing wildlife up close. On the safari, you’ll get the chance to spot herds of deer roaming freely in their natural habitat, along with other animals like ponies and cattle.
It’s a fun and exciting way to explore the forest, and you’ll get to spot these beautiful animals in the wild. Whether you’re a nature lover or just looking for a unique experience, the Deer Safari is a fantastic animal attraction! 🦌
📍Deer Safari, Burley Park, Burley, BH24 4AA
BirdWorld
BirdWorld on the outskirts of Hampshire is a smaller animal attraction than your larger local ones but this does mean it’s a nice quiet day out too. It’s not as modern as some too but it’s got some fantastic areas and facts for the kids to get immersed in as well as the fact it’s home to some of the world’s rarest birds and 40% of the species that live at the park are threatened with extinction.
Our visit was around 3 hours and enjoyable with some fun interactions.
✨Interactive areas for kids including playgrounds and exhibits with things to spin around and more, Louis’ fave was the indoor area called Love & Colour.
🗣️ Talks from keepers at times throughout the day with a info board near the entrance
✅Perfect for toddlers and buggy friendly pathways too
🗺️ Birdworld is the United Kingdom’s largest bird park, covering 26 acres
🐧 They have two penguin species: Humboldt Penguin; African Penguin
📍BirdWorld, Holt Pound Ln, A325, Farnham GU10 4LD
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Manor Farm
Images from Manor Farm Website
Manor Farm, nestled within the River Hamble Country Park, is a charming farm that’s home to a variety of beloved animals, including pigs and horses. Beyond being a delightful animal attraction, the farm offers interactive feeding experiences and the chance to hold adorable creatures like guinea pigs and rabbits.
The farm is set within beautiful grounds, perfect for a relaxing walk after visiting the animals. You can stop by the onsite café to enjoy a delicious lunch, or treat yourself to a coffee and cake. Definitely worth the visit especially with little ones!
📍Manor Farm, Pyland’s Ln, Southampton SO31 1BH
Images from Manor Farm Website
Longdown Activity Farm
Images from Longdown Activity Farm Website
Longdown Activity Farm in Hampshire is a fantastic animal attraction for families and animal lovers alike. With its wide range of farm animals, including goats, pigs, cows, and chickens, visitors can enjoy interactive experiences such as feeding baby animals and petting them. 🐐🐖🐄🐓
The farm also offers exciting activities like tractor rides and a play area for children, making it an ideal destination for a fun, hands-on day out. Its welcoming atmosphere and educational opportunities make Longdown Activity Farm a great choice for anyone looking to connect with nature and enjoy a day in the countryside.
📍Longdown Activity Farm, Deerleap Ln, Ashurst, Southampton SO40 7EH
Images from Longdown Activity Farm Website
