Tourist attractions offer half term fun
TWO tourist attractions in the East Midlands are offering something for everyone this February half term.
Whatever the weather, there’s so much to see and do at Twycross Zoo during February half term!
From February 15-23, families looking for a fun-filled day out should head to the Midlandsbased conservation charity, where they can see over 500 animals from over 125 different species, some of which are the rarest on the planet.
The 80-acre zoo also has a selection of stateof-the-art indoor habitats, offering the chance to escape any February drizzle. From the awardwinning £3.5m Chimpanzee Eden, home to a troop of cheeky chimps, to Butterfly Forest, Giraffe Savannah and Gibbon Forest, there’s plenty of places to take shelter from the unpredictable British weather.
Visitors can also get up close and personal to some of Twycross Zoo’s newest residents, including Sumatran tigers, Jahly and Sialang and Eastern black rhino, Nandi, all of whom arrived at the zoo in 2019 as part of a major European breeding programme, which sees zoos across the continent working together to maintain incredible species.
Not only that, children can also find out more about some of Twycross Zoo’s most popular species in its jam-packed programme of daily animal talks, hosted by its very own knowledgable keepers.
After all the monkeying around, there are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat, including the relaxing Himalaya visitor centre. Families can also enjoy a hot drink from Costa or lunch at The View Restaurant, both overlooking the Snow leopard habitat – a perfect spot to see the beautiful big cats enjoying the chilly weather. The venue also hosts a giant indoor, soft play jungle where children can run wild!
Twycross Zoo is open 364 days a year relies on the generosity of its customers to support its vital conservation work. For further information or to book tickets, please visit www.twycrosszoo.org
And family-favourite attraction, Drayton Manor Park, has the perfect way to keep the kids entertained this February half term.
The Staffordshire-based park is inviting families from across the UK to spend their half term break (February 8-9 and 12–23) at Drayton
Manor Park, home of Thomas Land with characters from the much-loved books and TV series.
Visitors are invited to join Thomas and Friends and blow off some steam at Europe’s only Thomas Land, home to 25 rides and attractions suitable for children and adults of all ages, from totfriendly favourites to exhilarating mini coasters for seasoned theme park attendees.
Under twos go free at the park. Younger children have a host of Thomas & Friends attractions to choose from, including riding the gentle roundabout Blue Mountain Engines and reaching for the skies on Winston’s Whistle-Stop Tours, featuring views of Thomas Land! Jeremy Jet’s Flying Academy is the perfect ride for little pilots; climb into one of Jeremy’s planes and take off into the air as the ride gently rotates and the planes soar through the sky.
For children wanting to brave their first mini coaster, there are a whole host of options, from Cranky the Crane’s exhilarating Drop Tower, which sees passengers get lifted up to the sky before an exhilarating drop back to the ground, to the speedy Troublesome Trucks Runaway Coaster.
Selected family-favourite attractions such as Accelerator and the 4D cinema will also be available during the Thomas and Friends half term to provide entertainment for children of all ages. Visitors will also have access to Drayton Manor Park’s 15-acre zoo before the park officially opens for its annual Thomas & Friends weekends, running from February 29 to March 22.
The zoo is home to over 100 different species, including the stunning scarlet macaw, curious slender-tailed meerkat and fluffy red panda.
Animal-lovers can learn about all tigers, red pandas, reptiles and more at Drayton Manor Park’s hourly zookeeper talks, and the Fat Controller and his friends will also be on hand to provide fun and giggles at their Balcony Shows throughout the day.
To make sure the fun doesn’t stop when the park closes, Drayton Manor Park also offers flexible Stay and Play packages.
The family owned and run park is offering ticket discounts of up to 40% off the gate price when booking in advance. Tickets are available online at www.draytonmanor.co.uk/februaryhalfor through Drayton Manor’s ticket line on 0844 472 1950.