Twycross Zoo

The primates are what draw most people to Twycross, and fair play - watching a troop of gorillas or orangutans from a reasonable distance beats most zoo experiences. It's one of the UK's leading primate collections, which is either brilliant or sobering depending on your view of captive animals. You'll spend a good three to four hours here if you're thorough, longer if the kids want to revisit their favourite enclosures twice.

Families with younger children get real value from the place. There's enough to keep them occupied without feeling rushed, and the layout means you're not trudging miles between exhibits. Older kids interested in conservation will find plenty to engage with - the zoo runs proper education programmes, not just "look at the monkeys" stuff. If you're staying at one of the caravan parks nearby - New Forest View or Bosworth Lakeside Lodges are closest - it's an easy drive in from Atherstone.

Admission isn't free, but the website has current pricing and opening hours you'll want to check before you go. Weekdays are quieter than weekends if you can swing it. The cafe serves decent enough food, though you won't mistake it for anything fancy. Worth building into a broader Leicestershire trip rather than making it your sole reason for a holiday, but if primates are your thing and you've got kids in tow, it delivers on that front.