Elephants, meerkats and more than 130 acres
An elephant ambles across the sand, and somebody small refuses to move on.
Chester Zoo covers more than 130 acres, with thousands of animals, so nobody sees it all in one day. A favourite animal each, the one everyone most wants to meet, makes a good route through the day.
The zoo's app has the map and the day's talks, handy to download the night before. Last entry is an hour before closing, and the hours change with the season. Anything you miss is a reason to come back.
Over the winter, an afternoon ticket makes a gentler half day. It brings zoo entry from 1pm and a seat at Our Story with David Attenborough, a 50 minute journey through 4.5 billion years of Earth's history, projected all around you. Adults and children pay the same.
- 17 October 2026 to 31 January 2027Chester Zoo afternoon ticket with Our Story
Young meerkats 
The butterfly house
Little ones, grandparents and everyone in between
Little legs tire, grandparents need a bench, and there is always one more animal to see.
Chester Zoo is a long day on foot, so it helps to pace it for the youngest and the oldest in your group. Buggies, wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be booked at the zoo, along with carer tickets, sensory guides and advice on assistance dogs.
Our family breaks guide has more ideas for every age, from Roman stones to river boats.
A Humboldt penguin 
A Komodo dragon mid yawn
Getting to Chester Zoo
Coats on, snacks packed, and the zoo bus a short stroll through the old streets.
The bus is the easy way to Chester Zoo from the city. The Stagecoach 1 or X1 leave Stand K at Chester Bus Interchange often, seven days a week. Wake up at Enjoy the Pause, an independent family holiday home within the walls, and Stand K is a 12 minute walk from your front door, so the zoo day begins without a car park to queue for. Our walking map lets you see the routed journey from the house to the stand.
Driving suits a car full of pushchair, snacks and spare clothes. Your free parking space is 10 metres from the front door. From the A41, the brown zoo signs beat the sat nav, and Flag Lane North is a dead end, not the way in.
We are a holiday home in the city, not accommodation at Chester Zoo, so zoo tickets and travel are arranged separately. Chester Zoo tickets come direct from the zoo for the day you choose. For the house itself, booking direct with us gives you our best price.
- Walk to the zoo bus at Stand K
- Stagecoach 1 or X1, seven days a week
- Free private parking space
- Zoo tickets bought direct from the zoo
Packed lunches from your own kitchen
Sandwiches wrapped the night before, and breakfast on the table before the zoo bus.
The zoo lunch can be made in your own kitchen, with a full oven and hob, a fridge freezer and a dishwasher. The Tesco Express on Pepper Street is close by for snacks and drinks.
Arriving late after a long drive? Stock the fridge with two days' notice, and the basics are waiting, so breakfast on zoo day is easy.
Breakfast before the zoo bus
After the zoo, a bath and an early night
Muddy shoes off at the door, a warm bath running, and everyone flops on the sofa.
Coming home tired is the best part of staying close. There is a bath for the little ones, a washer-dryer for muddy clothes, and books, toys and games waiting in the living room.
Both bedrooms are upstairs, a king and a double, with blackout curtains for an early night. Bedtime can happen while the grown ups keep the living room downstairs to themselves.
Bringing a baby? Add a note to your booking, and the travel cot, high chair, baby bath and stair gate are ready before you arrive, at no charge.
A bath for tired little legs 
A jungle puzzle for after the zoo 
The travel cot, in the main bedroom
A Chester morning before you head home
Children racing round a real Roman arena, with the old stones warm in the morning sun.
The next morning suits the city. The Roman Gardens are a 3 minute walk from the house, with the Roman amphitheatre a little further on, open air places where children can explore real Roman stones. For a slow last morning, the best things to do in Chester are all close by.
Grosvenor Park's play area and miniature railway are a short walk further on (the railway runs on set days). On a wet morning, the free Chester games on our Fun page fill the time before the drive home.
The Roman amphitheatre 
A path through the Roman Gardens
Quick answers about a Chester Zoo break.
Is Chester Zoo worth visiting in winter?
Yes. Chester Zoo is open every day of the year except Christmas Day and Boxing Day, with shorter opening hours in winter, so an early start makes the most of the short days. On winter evenings, Lanterns & Light turns the zoo into a glowing trail, with tickets of its own.
How long do you need at Chester Zoo?
A full day. Chester Zoo covers more than 130 acres, with thousands of animals, so the hours pass quickly and there is always something left for next time. Last entry is an hour before closing, and the hours change with the season, so a winter day is shorter than a summer one.
Where can I stay near Chester Zoo?
Chester city centre makes an easy base, because the zoo sits on the northern edge of the city and buses run there often. Enjoy the Pause is a two bedroom self catering holiday home inside the city walls, with a kitchen for the picnic, a private parking space and the zoo bus a short walk away.
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