Longleat, Warminster

We had a great day out here in the summer, courtesy of Teco Vouchers! Loads for kids of all ages to see & do - take a picnic & leave it in the car until you're ready, as parking is very close to the entrance & you can go back & forwards at will. Take costumes & towels in the summer as there's a wonderful splashpool area for kids to run in & out of, which doesn't seem to be well advertised. Postman Pat's world was a big hit for my 4 year old, but even more so for his 68 year old nanny! If there are enough adults, split up to see the house without the kids, as there's plenty to entertain the kids elsewhere. We were told by friends to do the Safari section last, as many of the animals are asleep on warm days over lunchtime & we certainly saw lots of them. Must go back again soon & take husband!

We had a fantastic day out at Longleat Safari Park in August. We arrived just before opening time at 9.45am and managed to catch the first Bird of prey show. This was one of the best we have seen, with superb flight displays. The children were fascinated and the talk very informative. In addition to the obvious excitement of the safari park, there are close encounters with a range of animals, and wonderful opportunities for close-up wildlife photography. All I can say is Thank Goodness for digital cameras – I lost count of how many snaps were taken by the children! The house and grounds are spectacular, and there are enough attractions to keeps all ages happy. A very full day, but we did everything (except for the Postman Pat bit - children were too old for it!) A maze, adventure playground, motion stimulators, bat cave, and boat ride to see the sea lions and the Gorilla on his island, train ride on a mini choo-choo (my children are 10 and 15!) This place is totally geared up for families with children! Expensive but well worth going, good value if you can use the Tesco rewards vouchers to buy tickets in advance.

Longleat is most famous for it's highly acclaimed safari. There are simply tons of animals. We have visited both Knowsley Safari Park and Longleat and would vote Longleat a million times over; the animals are well looked after, they appear to be well spaced out and cared for. I think the whole experience is especially educational for younger children, and there are chances to see animals really close up, especially if you brave the monkey section. It isn't a myth though - your car does simply get ruined. We saw aerials and wing mirrors pulled off when we visited. Longleat, however, isn't just home to the fabulous Safari Park. It, of course, gets its name from Longleat House a 16th Century building steeped in history and myths. You can do a tour around the building but it probably isn't suitable for younger children. I expect it would bore them something rotten - fantastic for maybe older children who have a learnt concept of age etc. and adults. Other attractions include, a Safari Boat (we didn't quite manage this in our day - there's tons to do!), Old Joe's Mine, gardens and a couple of arcades. For children the main attraction area of Longleat is really appealing. There is a Postman Pat SDS village which has recently been renovated. The attraction, as I remember it isn't too riveting and doesn't require much participation - simply scenes with buttons to press. Children older than 14 can't enter the village unless they are accompanying a younger child. Other children's activities include an animal centre, longleat railway, tea cup rides and an adventure play castle. There are also motion simulators and the infamous hedge maze for older children. Longleat isn't open from November - February so, it's a Spring - Autumn Day Out. Tickets for all the attractions for children are around £15.00 and an adult ticket comes in at just over £25, safari guide books aren't inclusive in this price and are about an additional £5. There is an abundance of changing facilities, cafes, restaurants and toilets scattered throughout the attraction. None of these should ever be an issue. A great place, and fantastic value for money, despite what seems a pricey ticket amount.

We came here a while ago, and have an over riding memory of the boat trip you can take there, with sea lions ducking and diving around you, and you learn about the gorilla on the island who has his own hut, with sattelite TV (cartoons are his favourite). Hilarious. We actually came in winter time, as it was chilly and there were carol singers in the lobby of the stateley house itself, which was nice. We also loved the simulator ride, and the petting zoo where they had a display of the parrots for the kids, and lots of animals to stroke and learn about. Great play area, lots of picnic space, and opportunities to buy things there like drinks etc. The safari park was wonderful, monkeys climbing all over the car (not for the feint hearted) but this was my first time seeing a giraffe and I loved it (baby ones too). My husband is from Africa and a bit disaproving of safari parks most of the time, but he approved once he learned of the conservation work that goes on here. Brilliant day out - busy and lots of variety included in one ticket, which makes the lofty price of admission a little easier to bear (get it?).

We go back to longleat time and again. Too much too do in one day and a passport ticket allows you to go back and do the attractions you didnt do the first time within the space of a year! Our 3 year old absolutely loves the place and just wish they sold season tickets! Great play areas for young and older children. Safari, pets corner, boat trip with sea lions, hippos and gorilla!! Brilliant day out

Traffic jams definitely pass a lot quicker when you’ve got lions outside the window. That’s basically what a trip to Longleat in the high season is, a glorified traffic jam. You trundle your way past great scenery and fascinating creatures in a long slow fume-filled queue of cars. It’s kind of irritating. You’ve probably queued to get into the park too. Not to mention the M25 on the way…it’s good Longleat, but it is so worth trying to find a way of going in the low season. The bits where you get out and really have a look at the animals are great, as is the hippo lake.

Longleat Safari Park is great for kids as it allows them to interact with animals in their own environment. My son particularly enjoyed visiting Longleat as he had watched it so often on the BBC’s Animal Park. As well as driving around the animal park and seeing animals such as rhinos, giraffes and lions you can have a trip on the lake where you can see seals and hippos. You can also visit the house and grounds where you can go on the Longleat Railway and visit the Postman Pat village. There are also a number of eating areas which provide a variety of food. One word of warning though – don’t go in the monkey area if you are very particular about your car as it may get damaged!

We recently visited Longleat with our Grandson, daughter and son-in-law and can recommend it very highly. We thought the entrance fee was high and would not have gone in unless we were able to spend a whole day there. We had been staying nearby and arrived early when the park was fairly quiet. This was a good time to drive round the safari park with less cars about. The animals all looked healthy and well looked after. Our grandson was delighted to see the magnificent lions and so many other animals walking past the car. The monkeys did more than walk past and managed to walk away with a small memento (back screen wiper) beware! There is a choice of affordable places to eat and picnic tables too. We had a very reasonably priced roast dinner and later some very good local ice cream. Everywhere was child friendly with highchairs provided and clean changing facilities. The whole area is very well looked after and it was easy to find somewhere to buy a bottle of water, or find a rubbish bin and the toilet facilities are well placed. Apart from the Safari Park our grandson loved the train journey. The train and station was pure Thomas tank engine territory. Pets corner was a real treat and our grandson enjoyed stroking the rabbits and a snake!! The butterfly garden is interesting and tropically warm if it's a cold day. Don't miss the Safari boat that takes you past the island home of an elderly gorilla. There is something for everyone. After six hours we realised we would need another day to complete it all so it is important to prioritise.