Is London Zoo worth it?
Worth it for families and animal lovers: a full day across 36 acres with lions, gorillas and penguins. Go on a term-time weekday and start at 10am opening.
📍Regent's Park, London NW1
Our pick: Entry Ticket · Free cancellation
Bottom line — is London Zoo worth it?
Worth it for families and animal lovers: 36 acres, big-name animals and a day's worth of feeding talks for £31. Go on a term-time weekday, arrive at opening and plan your route around the talks.
Quick Facts
- Opening hours
- 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (shorter in winter)
- Location
- Regent's Park, London NW1
- Age suitability
- All ages, built for families
- Wheelchair accessible
- Yes, most of the site is step-free
- Good cause
- Ticket income funds ZSL conservation work
How we scored the London Zoo
Our method£31 is steep next to regional zoos, but there is easily a full day here and the money funds ZSL's conservation charity.
Land of the Lions, Penguin Beach and the walkthrough monkey and sloth enclosures are the standouts.
School holidays and sunny weekends get packed, especially around feeding talks. Term-time weekdays are lovely.
A proper family day out with real conservation behind it. Pick your day carefully and it's excellent.
Best time to visit the London Zoo
Live forecastLondon Zoo is largely outdoor — slots below combine crowd levels with the live weather forecast.
- 9am🌤️Mostly sunny, 17°CGreat
- 11am☁️Cloudy, 19°CGreat
- 4pm🌤️Mostly sunny, 22°CGood
- 9am🌤️Mostly sunny, 20°CGreat
- 11am☁️Cloudy, 22°CGreat
- 4pm🌤️Mostly sunny, 26°CGood
Typical hour-by-hour →
Arrive at opening and plan your route around the feeding talks, which are the best moments of the day. Term-time weekdays are far quieter than school-holiday weekends.
Best London Zoo tickets, compared
All London attractions →| Ticket Type | What's Included | Price from | TripScore | Our Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
RECOMMENDED Entry Ticket Full-day zoo access |
| £31.00 per adult | 8.0 Best Overall | View tickets → |
Zoo Nights Adults-only summer evenings |
| £24.00 per adult | 7.6 | View tickets → |
We compare prices from GETYOURGUIDE · KLOOK · VIATOR · TIQETS …
What visitors say
4.0/5 · 100 reviews"Visitors to ZSL London Zoo rave about the variety of animals and exhibits, as well as the knowledgeable and friendly staff. Many families have praised the zoo's interactive activities and animal encounters, which have helped to create lifelong memories. While some visitors have noted that the zoo can be busy and expensive, the overall experience is well worth the cost."
Summary of 100 visitor reviews aggregated from booking partners.
Why the London Zoo is worth it
- ✓The world's oldest scientific zoo, open since 1828, in the middle of Regent's Park.
- ✓Land of the Lions, Gorilla Kingdom and Penguin Beach are world-class enclosures.
- ✓Walkthrough monkey and sloth habitats get you unusually close to the animals.
- ✓Every ticket funds ZSL's conservation and science work worldwide.
Common London Zoo mistakes
- ✗Going on a sunny Saturday or in school holidays, when queues form at every enclosure.
- ✗Missing the feeding talks by not checking the schedule at the gate.
- ✗Allowing two hours for what is comfortably a four-hour visit.
- ✗Visiting in winter and finding some outdoor residents sensibly hiding indoors.
How the London Zoo compares
Other top London attractions ranked by TripScore.
Worth it for families, especially on a rainy day: book the 10am weekday slot online. Adults without kids may find 60 to 90 minutes short for £28.
Yes for history lovers, less so otherwise. Book the 9:30am slot, use the Jeremy Irons audio guide, and don't visit on a Sunday — it's closed to tourists.
London Zoo FAQ
Is London Zoo worth it?▾
Worth it for families and animal lovers: Land of the Lions, Gorilla Kingdom and Penguin Beach headline 36 acres of Regent's Park, and ticket money funds ZSL's global conservation work. Adults without kids may prefer the summer Zoo Nights evenings.
How long do you need at London Zoo?▾
3 to 4 hours covers the main zones and a few feeding talks at a family pace. With young children and breaks, it stretches to a full day easily.
What's the best time to visit London Zoo?▾
Term-time weekdays at 10am opening. Spring is the sweet spot: animals are active, gardens are out, and the school-holiday crowds haven't arrived.
How do you get to London Zoo?▾
Camden Town is the nearest Tube station, about a 15-minute walk through Regent's Park. The 274 bus stops closer, and in summer you can arrive by canal boat along Regent's Canal.
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People also ask
Worth it as the anchor of a Greenwich day: the walk beneath the hull of the world's last tea clipper is unique. Pair it with the Royal Observatory.
Yes if you visit between July and September — the only time the State Rooms open. Book the 9:30am slot online to skip the gate queue.
Worth it for royal history without the crowds: Victoria's childhood home, royal fashion displays and the Diana statue gardens, all in about two hours.
Yes — for most first-time visitors to London, especially at sunset or after dark, but only book if you can get Fast Track on busy days.
Our pick · From
£31 · Entry Ticket
Last reviewed · Editorial verdict by tickets.uk editorial team · Structured feed