One day last week, the kids and I rather spontaneously decided to pack up a picnic and head to Belfast Zoo.

Having been before, I knew to be prepared. The location of the site is on very steep ground, so sensible shoes are a must. I knew Aaron would need his buggy, and I knew to take drinks and snacks for the boys. Trust me – you don’t want to be running back to the shop to buy water when you are half way round the attractions.

Of course, at the Zoo you never walk very far before you reach another attraction or seeing another view which makes you stop and appreciate your surroundings. In fact, Belfast Zoo is host to more than 140 different species of animal. Many of these are endangered in their natural habitat, and the zoo tries to replicate as authentic an environment as possible.

As well as the endangered wild animals, there are also some farm animals and reptiles, and an educational centre.

Here are some of the photo’s I managed to capture of our day.

I have to admit that one the most popular stops for us was the huge play park. My boys really enjoyed stopping at the picnic area and playing at the zoo themed park. I guess they are still at that age where food and freedom win out over most things!

We didn’t manage to see everything the zoo had to offer, but considering the age of my boys we did well!

All in all, a great family day out! For more information, prices and opening hours, you can check out the Zoo’s website by clicking here.

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