For the past 9 years I’ve been frequenting parks, zoos, farms and all manner of family-friendly, day out destinations. It is fair to say that I’ve become somewhat jaded at the thought of many of these outings. We have a select few which remain fun and fresh like Mead Open Farm which I recently reviewed here, but in the main, it’s not always my idea of a thrilling day out.

That all changed in the October week recently, when we were invited to review Paradise  Wildlife Park, Hertfordshire and I fell in love with this chap, below! We went with my fantastic friend Andrea and her two gorgeous children, Brandon & Siena.

I kid you not, I could not take my eyes off Baikal, resplendent in his stunning coat and spacious living area, revelling in the attention of us eager visitors.  We watched him being fed, observed how the keepers tease him back temporarily into his sleeping area in order to deliver his dinner, then watched open-mouthed as he bound towards the tasty treat.

PWP is the only venue in the UK to house all 5 of the worlds big cats, classified as such by their roaring ability and genetic makeup. They are Jaguars, Leopards, Snow Leopards, Lions & Tigers – oh my!

They are breathtaking! We got up close & personal, and we warmed to these feline furballs so much, we lost the plot for a bit and wished the bars weren’t there as this guy rolled over on his back, looking for tummy tickles! Harry took this picture of him on his phone and has WhatsApped it to everyone since – I had to include it!

Collectively, the animals at the park were a lively, entertaining bunch and there was never a dull moment watching their antics.

We all giggled at the cheek of this chappie, a Meerkat basking under the hot lamp chilling while all his counterparts played around having endless chasing games with each other.

The animals were so interactive, we were treated to quite a show!

And then there were the ones who were simply happy people watching!

What I loved in particular, other than my boy Baikal of course, was the compact nature of the venue.  It’s not a huge expanse for visitors, the  biggest space being at the back end for the animals’ happiness and wellbeing. For us, with children who dart all over the place at speed, then want to revisit the first sight they saw, we were relieved not to have to walk miles between areas as the park was so well set out.

It was a day filled with squeals of delight & whoops of excitement as each of our four excited children found their own favourite animals of the day.

As worldly-wise grown ups, Andrea and myself are not that easily impressed but we frequently exchanged open-mouthed glances at each other throughout the day as we got up close and personal with yet another awe-inspiring homage to Mother Nature. Neither of us have ever been this close to such amazing creatures and of every outing we’ve had with the children – and there have been countless! – this was unrivalled, the best experience ever. The children were fascinated, but with so many awesome sights to be seen here, they were soon off in search of the next spectacle.

Watching the keepers stand beside this graceful Cheetah, petting her and interacting so easily, was a sight to behold.

When the rain got a bit too much, there was a large, covered outdoor soft play which resulted in 4 very sweaty but happy faces as they bound around it like professionals. We had eaten our lunch alfresco during a dry spell at one of the many outdoor areas but had dinner inside the restaurant. We couldn’t believe it when, on a Friday night at 5pm, the staff were still happy to cook up tea for the kids from the extensive menu!

The staff were so accommodating throughout the day – the keepers and trainers were only too happy to wax lyrical about their beloved animals – and the park was so clean and family-friendly.

We cannot wait to visit again, and given that we were there on a wet, miserable day and had the time of our lives, it’s exciting to think what the sunshine will add to the experience. Top marks for Paradise, we will be back again very soon!

Have you ever been to PWP? Or are planning to go there anytime?

*We were gifted a complimentary family pass in return for a frank review