On the last full day of our holiday to Cornwall, we visited one of our favourite local attractions; Newquay Zoo.
Every time we holiday in Cornwall, we always make time for a visit, so we couldn't leave without continuing our decades-old tradition.
Newquay Zoo is a small but lovely little zoo on the outskirts of the popular seaside town of Newquay, which you'll probably know is famous for its beaches and surf culture. It has an interesting collection of animals to see, with everything from lions and wallabies, to penguins and tapirs, although, there are few big creatures and most of their menagerie is made up of smaller animals like monkeys, lemurs, and birds. This doesn't make a visit any less exciting, but if you go in expecting to see elephants and giraffes, you will be disappointed.
We visited just before midday on a slightly drizzly Friday last September. Due to Covid restrictions, we prebooked our tickets online, and also rented a mobility scooter, which cost a non-refundable £10, as the zoo rents them in from another company. It was easy to collect on arrival, and the helpful staff also provided us with a map of the recommended routes around the zoo as it is hilly in places, and the scooter had all the stamina of a sloth.
We had a fun couple of hours wandering around seeing all the amazing animals and plants. I particularly loved seeing the slow loris, tapirs, capybaras, and otters, and even saw a couple of species I'd never seen before, like the wildebeest and the dusky pademelon- a type of wallaby from Papau New Guinea. The wildebeest were cuter than I was expecting, and had the most amazing long eyelashes. The pademelon had such sweet little faces. Also, have you seen the 'eyebrows' on the Philippine spotted deer? Someone should've told her that over-plucking is never a good idea.
I also enjoyed walking through the peaceful Japanese-style garden by the otters and hornbills, and looking out over the lake, which has little islands home to lemurs and marmosets, and is edged with so much greenery. We were a little late in the season to see the gardens at their best, but I always enjoy seeing the huge hydrangea bushes blooming in the summer, and they have so many interesting sub-tropical plants you don't see every day further north in England.
It only took us two and a half hours to get around the whole zoo at a leisurely pace- even with rest breaks- but as someone with chronic pain, I find its small size makes for an ideal day trip. It's big enough to be fun and interesting to visit, but small enough that it's less tiring to explore than many other zoos in the UK. It's still a challenge, but I usually only need a few days to recover instead of a month. You could stretch out your visit to a half day, but you'd be pushed to spend a whole day there without doing laps. It's okay, though- it leaves you more time to spend soaking up the sun or catching some waves at the beach afterwards.
Of course, we couldn't leave without browsing the gift shop. No, seriously; we couldn't. They cheekily make you exit through it. I didn't buy anything this time, but good luck getting out without making a purchase if you visit with kids.
We had a great day at Newquay Zoo, and it was a lovely way to spend the last day of our holiday. We're heading back to Cornwall again this month, and I've no doubt that we'll be back for another fun day out. We just can't keep away.
If you're an animal lover and ever in North Cornwall, make sure you pay Newquay Zoo a visit. It's well worth exploring if you're in the area and want a break from visiting beaches and harbour towns.
When did you last visit the zoo?
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