Bristol Zoo Project is not in Clifton any more. It moved out to Blackhorse Hill in South Gloucestershire, near Cribbs Causeway, after the old Clifton site closed. It's open daily from 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm, and a day ticket costs £25 for an adult and £20 for a child if you skip the optional donation, or £27.50 and £22 if you add one. Parking on site is free.
It's a different site to the old Bristol Zoo
If you remember Bristol Zoo Gardens in Clifton, this isn't that site with a new name over the door. The Clifton gardens closed permanently in September 2022 after 186 years, one of the oldest zoos in the world, and the old site is now being redeveloped into housing. Bristol Zoological Society moved its animals and conservation work out to what had been the Wild Place Project site at Cribbs Causeway, rebranding it Bristol Zoo Project. It's a much bigger plot of land, around 50 acres of woodland, gardens and meadow, built around conservation projects rather than a traditional zoo layout. If you're specifically looking for the old Clifton building, it's now closed to the public, so don't plan a visit there.
Tickets and prices
| Ticket | With a donation | Without a donation |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £27.50 | £25.00 |
| Child (2 to 14) | £22.00 | £20.00 |
| Child (under 2) | Free | Free |
| Family saver (2 adults + 2 children, or 1 adult + 3 children) | £84.15 | £76.50 |
Prices are the day-visitor rate and can change seasonally, so treat this as a guide and check the zoo's own booking page before you travel. Annual membership is also available if you think you'll visit more than a couple of times a year.
Opening hours
Bristol Zoo Project opens daily from 10am to 5pm, with last entry to the main site and to Bear Wood at 4pm. During very hot weather some animals, including the red panda, may be brought off show for their welfare, and the Tropical House can close intermittently to manage temperature, so a small amount of flexibility helps if you're visiting in a heatwave.
Getting there
The zoo's address is Blackhorse Hill, Bristol, BS10 7TP, just off junction 17 of the M5, close to The Mall at Cribbs Causeway. If you're driving, parking on site is free, though it's worth booking your admission ticket in advance during school holidays and peak weekends since the car park can fill up.
Without a car, the Stagecoach route 12 bus (Bristol Parkway to Severn Beach) and the Y2C service both stop on Blackhorse Hill within a couple of minutes' walk of the entrance, and First Bus route 1/2 stops nearby on Catbrain Lane, about a 10 to 15 minute walk away. For a wider look at buses, park and ride and taxis across the city, see our guide to getting around Bristol.
Is it worth the trip
Because it's out at Cribbs Causeway rather than in the city, it works best as a half-day or full-day trip rather than something you fit in between other plans. The site is large and mostly outdoors, with woodland trails alongside the enclosures, so it suits families who don't mind some walking more than a quick indoor visit. If you're weighing it up against the city's other family days out, our guide to Bristol with kids covers how it compares with SS Great Britain, M Shed and We The Curious for cost and time needed.
It also makes a natural half of a bigger day if you're coming from outside Bristol, since Cribbs Causeway itself has shopping and food if the weather turns. For other options further afield, see our guide to day trips from Bristol.
Food and facilities
There are food outlets around the site selling hot and cold drinks, pizzas and sandwiches, plus a site map you can download before you go to plan a route around the enclosures you most want to see. Coach parking is available but limited and needs to be pre-booked separately from regular car parking.
If you're comparing this against other things to do outside the city centre, our roundup of things to do in Bristol covers where a zoo day fits alongside museums, parks and paid attractions closer to town, so you can decide whether a trip out to Cribbs Causeway is worth it for the day you've got planned.