There are a huge variety of animal attractions in the South West to enjoy – from vast zoos and magical aquariums, to petting farms and educational wildlife centres.
Pennywell Farm
Lower Dean, Buckfastleigh TQ11 0LT
A Full Day of Family Fun at Pennywell Farm. Treat your family to a full day of family fun and animal action at Pennywell Farm. With a different activity, show or display every half hour, hundreds of friendly animals and four FREE rides, you won’t waste a single minute. Bottle feed baby animals, race ferrets, meet hedgehogs, explore ponds and enjoy fantastic entertainers every day during the Devon school holidays. You can even cuddle one of the world famous Pennywell Miniature piglets or groom and pamper our very sociable pint sized ponies. Pennywell Pig Racing is a must and we guarantee you won’t have experienced anything quite like it.
There is plenty of indoor space to play and picnic and if it rains during your visit we will give you a FREE return ticket.
TEL: 01364 642023 www.pennywellfarm.co.uk
The Donkey Sanctuary
Slade House Farm, Sidmouth EX10 0NU
The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth, Devon is open 365 days a year. Our donkeys love to meet new people, so come and discover their unique characters and stories here in Sidmouth, Devon – completely free of charge. Explore our exciting new indoor attractions and find out just why donkeys matter through fun, interactive displays. Embark on a journey into the far reaching work of The Donkey Sanctuary and the vital lifeline donkeys provide for communities around the world in the new Exhibition Barn. Donkeys and mules are at the heart of everything we do; visit the Understanding Donkeys Zone to learn everything you need to know about these wonderful animals.
Tel: 01395 578222 www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk
The Mare and Foal Sanctuary
Coombe Park, Littlehempston, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6LW
Horse welfare charity The Mare and Foal Sanctuary rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes horses and ponies in need – and you can see our wonderful work first hand at our Visitor Centre near Totnes.
You’ll experience a full working yard and the friendly faces of our many horses and ponies, as well as enjoying spectacular countryside views. We also have a gift shop full of souvenirs and more to remind you of your day, and a cafe serving delicious hot and cold drinks. And best of all… it’s free entry!
Tel: 01626 355969 www.mareandfoal.org
Miniature Pony Centre
Wormhill Farm, North Bovey, Devon, TQ13 8RG
The miniature pony centre sits on the edge of wild and magical Dartmoor in Devon is a hidden gem of all things small, cute and cuddly. Can you imagine being able to go into a paddock and to be surrounded by miniature ponies and tiny foals? The joy of being able to stroke and cuddle them is something to remember forever. The Miniature Pony Centre is an animal lover’s idea of heaven located in the heart of Dartmoor National Park!
Tel: 01647 432400 www.miniatureponycentre.com
World of Country Life
Sandy Bay, Westdown Lane, Littleham, Exmouth, Devon, EX8 5BY
World of Country Life is a family owned visitor attraction in Exmouth, Devon. With a busy programme of daily activities, a museum of farming, extensive vintage vehicle collection, acres of indoor and outdoor play areas, wide variety of animals to interact with and a fantastic on-site restaurant, a visit to World of Country Life is an excellent day out for the whole family, whatever the age, whatever the weather!
Tel: 01395 274533 www.worldofcountrylife.co.uk
Shaldon Wildlife Trust
Ness Dr, Shaldon TQ14 0HP
We are set in an acre of peaceful woodland gardens on the Ness headland, just above the beautiful fishing village of Shaldon. The Zoo offers a tranquil setting and benefits from ample council run parking on our doorstep. We look after, and help preserve, some of the rarest and most endangered animals in the world. You can also have free re-entry on the same day, so after exploring our local area and having some lunch, you can come back and see the Margay and Civets’ feeding times!
Tel: 01626 872234 www.shaldonwildlifetrust.org.uk
Dartmoor Zoological Park
Sparkwell, Plymouth PL7 5DG
Join us for a fun packed, animal filled day, on the edge of one of the UK’s most beautiful landscapes. Hidden on the borders of Dartmoor National Park, Dartmoor Zoo boasts a wonderful 33 acres of woodland, celebrating a wide range of exotic and native animals, including the biggest variety of Big Cats in the South West of England. From Tigers to Tortoises, you’re bound to find some of your favourites, and with our unique enclosure designs you’ll feel closer to these beautiful animals than ever before.
Tel: 01752 837645 www.dartmoorzoo.org.uk
National Marine Aquarium
Plymouth PL4 0LF
Discover an underwater world – starting in with local animals Plymouth Sound and journeying all the way to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia! You’ll start your visit with the largest native exhibition in the UK – exploring fish you’ve heard of and the many more mysterious animals that live on our doorstep. As you dive deeper into the Aquarium, our Eddystone Reef tank will blow your mind with the UK’s largest single-tank viewing panel (it’s like a fishy cinema screen).
Our Atlantic Ocean tank – home to large nurse sharks, sand tiger sharks and our new lemon sharks – is the deepest in the UK, with 2.5million litres of water. We’ve also got fantastic smaller displays, from lionfish to family favourites such as clownfish and some very, very smiley pufferfish.
Tel: 0844 893 7938 www.national-aquarium.co.uk
