We went in May, two adults, the kind of day that doesn’t feel rushed even when you’ve already been there a few hours. Light cloud, thin sun. The sort of weather where you keep a jacket tied round your waist because you can’t quite decide.
There’s a pause after the gates, a moment of recalibration. Maps are unfolded, folded again. People stand slightly in the way, not meaning to. A buggy wheel squeaks. Somewhere a tannoy crackles and then goes quiet. It takes a while to realise how big the place is, and longer to accept that you won’t see everything. That felt fine.
We started walking without much plan, following paths that curved away rather than heading straight for anything specific. The zoo has a way of spacing things out. Long stretches of green where nothing much happens, then a cluster of people leaning forward, hands on railings, waiting. Often the waiting is the point. A group of adults stand longer than they expect to, hoping for movement. Sometimes it comes. Sometimes it doesn’t.
There were animals that kept their distance. Shapes half-hidden by trees or glass catching the light at the wrong angle. You get used to looking twice. The enclosures feel lived-in, not staged. Muddy corners, long grass left to do its thing. A keeper walks past with a bucket and no one makes a fuss. It’s quietly reassuring.
Sound travels oddly. Children calling out names. A low, steady hum from somewhere mechanical. Birds you stop noticing until they stop. In places, the zoo goes quiet enough that you can hear your own footsteps, the gravel shifting under trainers. Then you round a bend and it’s busy again, people pressed up close, phones held up briefly and then put away.
We ate when we realised we were hungry rather than because it was lunchtime. The food queues moved slowly. Tables were half-full, half-abandoned. Someone had left a map weighted down with a coffee cup. It felt like a place where you don’t need to rush eating because there’s nowhere you need to be next.
Walking is really the only way to experience the place now, and it suits it. You notice gradients, how the paths widen and narrow, how some sections feel almost park-like while others pull people together. There are benches everywhere, and they get used. Older couples sitting quietly. Parents taking turns. People watching people more than animals for a bit.
There were moments of mild frustration. Paths closed for maintenance, a long detour that wasn’t obvious until you’d already committed. A viewing window fogged over. A sign explaining why something wasn’t visible today. None of it mattered much. It slowed things down, if anything.
By mid-afternoon the light changed. Shadows stretched across the paths. The zoo felt calmer, as if some visitors had peeled away. We noticed things we’d missed earlier. A smell of damp earth. Leaves brushing against arms. An animal shifting its weight and then settling again.
By the time we left, feet sore, heads full but not overloaded, it felt like we’d spent the day outside rather than at an attraction. We didn’t talk much on the walk back to the van. That seemed like a good sign.
Top things to do in Chester Zoo
If you’re planning a visit, these are some of the things worth doing while you’re there.
- Walk the longer loops rather than hopping between highlights. The quieter paths give the day a better rhythm.
- Spend time in the gardens as well as the enclosures. They’re part of the experience, not filler.
- Plan a late lunch to avoid the busiest period around midday.
- Sit and wait at one enclosure rather than moving on quickly. Something usually happens if you give it time.
- Use the indoor habitats if the weather turns, they break the day up well.
- Leave space for wandering without a plan. Some of the best stretches aren’t signposted as anything special.
- Time your exit for later in the afternoon when the light softens and footfall drops.
Key information for visiting Chester Zoo
Arriving by campervan
Approach roads are straightforward main roads. No height or width restrictions on the usual routes.
Parking
Large on-site car park suitable for motorhomes and campervans during the day. Overnight parking is not permitted.
Facilities
No camper-specific services on site. Nearest campsites and CLs are outside Chester.
Walkability
From parking to entrance is a short, flat walk. Inside the zoo, expect a full day on foot.
Best times to visit
Early morning and later afternoon are quieter. School holidays and weekends are busier.
Quirks
It’s bigger than it looks on the map. Once you commit to a direction, detours can add up.
Information
Address: Chester Zoo, Moston Road, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1EU, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.chesterzoo.org/
Latitude: 53.226186 (approx)
Longitude: -2.887823 (approx)
What3Words: move.sunset.onion (entrance area location)
Directions: From M56 follow signs to Chester, then A41 towards Upton; follow brown tourist zoo signs to the zoo entrance off Moston Road.
Note: Large free car park on site suitable for cars and campervans for day visits.
