Johnsons Zoo

Johnsons Zoo sits just outside St. Ives in Cambridgeshire, a proper old-school animal collection that feels like it's been doing its thing for decades. You'll find a mix of creatures here - nothing particularly exotic by modern standards, but the kind of place where kids can actually get close enough to see what they're looking at rather than squinting at something half a mile away across a vast savanna enclosure.

It's the sort of afternoon that works best for families with younger children, really. Toddlers and primary-age kids will get a genuine kick out of spotting the animals without needing the place to be enormous or packed with Instagram moments. Expect to spend a couple of hours here comfortably - you're not talking an all-day commitment, which frankly suits a lot of people fine.

The layout is manageable on foot, no serious hiking involved. Admission details aren't entirely clear, so ring ahead or check their website before you go - you don't want to rock up on a Monday morning only to find it's closed. St. Ives itself has decent facilities if you need tea or a loo break.

If you're basing yourself at one of the nearby holiday parks - Wyton Lakes, Waterclose Meadows, or Quiet Waters are all within a few miles - this works as a decent rainy-day alternative or a gentle morning out. It won't blow your mind, but it does the job on a family break in East Anglia.