17 Best Things to Do in London If You Love Animals

If you’re the kind of person who will stop walking because you spotted a fox, spend far too long watching ducks on a pond, or plan an entire day around seeing penguins, London has plenty for you.

You don't have to leave the city to find wildlife.

There are huge zoos, small city farms, wetlands filled with birds, parks where deer roam freely, aquariums beneath the London skyline and even places where you can learn what it takes to care for animals behind the scenes.

And that is what makes London surprisingly good for animal lovers.

Whether you want to see lions and giraffes, feed farm animals, photograph birds, watch deer at sunrise or simply spend a few peaceful hours surrounded by nature, here are 17 things to do in London if you love animals.

1. Spend a day at London Zoo

London Zoo is the obvious starting point, but there is a reason it remains one of London's best animal experiences.

Located in Regent's Park, the zoo is home to more than 700 species and has habitats ranging from lions and gorillas to penguins, giraffes, reptiles and butterflies. Current Visit London information highlights areas including Penguin Beach, Land of the Lions and Gorilla Kingdom.

You can also plan your visit around keeper talks and feeding sessions rather than simply walking from enclosure to enclosure.

If you're particularly interested in animals, allow several hours rather than trying to squeeze the zoo into a quick afternoon.

Best for: First-time visitors, families and serious animal lovers.

2. Watch penguins at Penguin Beach

You don't necessarily have to be obsessed with every animal at London Zoo.

You might just be there for the penguins.

Penguin Beach is one of the zoo's standout areas, giving you the chance to watch the birds swim, move around their habitat and interact with each other. Visit London's current guide specifically highlights Penguin Beach as one of the zoo's attractions.

It's also a reminder that sometimes the best animal experience isn't about seeing the biggest or rarest creature.

Sometimes it's watching penguins do absolutely nothing for ten minutes.

And somehow enjoying every second of it.

Best for: Penguin lovers and photography.

3. Explore SEA LIFE London Aquarium

SEA LIFE London Aquarium gives you a completely different side of London's animal world.

Instead of giraffes and lions, you're surrounded by marine life.

The aquarium currently has more than 500 species across 14 themed zones, including sharks, turtles, penguins, rays and tropical fish. Visit London also highlights its Ocean Tunnel and living coral reef.

Its location beside the Thames makes it particularly easy to combine with a day around Westminster and South Bank.

You could see marine life in the morning, walk along the Thames afterwards and finish the day somewhere overlooking the river.

Best for: Marine-life lovers and rainy days.

4. Meet farm animals at a London city farm

London has an unexpectedly large collection of city farms.

These aren't giant wildlife attractions. They are working or community-focused spaces where you can encounter animals such as goats, sheep, pigs, donkeys, chickens and other farmyard residents.

Visit London currently highlights farms including Vauxhall City Farm, Mudchute Farm and Park, Kentish Town City Farm, Spitalfields City Farm and Hackney City Farm, among others.

That makes city farms particularly good if you want something more relaxed than a traditional zoo.

Try Vauxhall City Farm

Vauxhall City Farm is right in central London and offers an easy countryside-style escape without leaving the city.

You can see farm animals, wander around the site and then continue exploring Vauxhall or nearby areas.

Best for: A relaxed animal day without committing to a huge attraction.

5. Visit Mudchute Farm on the Isle of Dogs

Mudchute Park and Farm is one of those London places that feels almost impossible to believe until you visit.

You can have Canary Wharf's skyscrapers in the background while standing beside farm animals.

The farm is part of a larger green space on the Isle of Dogs and is one of London's most unusual combinations of city and countryside.

It's especially good if you want an animal experience that doesn't feel like a conventional tourist attraction.

Best for: Exploring unusual sides of London.

6. Go birdwatching at London Wetland Centre

WWT London Wetland Centre in Barnes is one of the best choices if your idea of loving animals involves wildlife rather than traditional zoo animals.

The wetland reserve provides habitats for water birds and other wildlife, with visitors able to explore ponds, wetlands and walking routes.

Visit London specifically recommends the centre for getting close to otters and water birds.

This is also one of the places where slowing down genuinely makes the experience better.

Bring binoculars if you have them.

And don't expect every animal to appear exactly when you want it to.

That's wildlife.

Best for: Birdwatchers, photographers and anyone who prefers wild habitats.

7. Look for deer in Richmond Park

You don't always need an enclosure to see animals in London.

Richmond Park is famous for its free-roaming red and fallow deer, and the huge park gives them plenty of space to move around.

Visit London describes Richmond Park as a place where visitors can spot deer and other wildlife across its 2,500 acres.

The experience is particularly different from a zoo because you aren't walking between exhibits.

You're walking through their environment.

If you're photographing deer, keep your distance and never approach or feed them. The aim is to watch wildlife without disturbing it.

Best for: Wildlife photography and peaceful walks.

8. Head to Bushy Park for more deer

If you enjoyed Richmond Park, don't stop there.

Bushy Park is another excellent place to look for free-roaming deer.

The park is particularly atmospheric in autumn, when the changing colours and deer create one of those scenes that barely feels like London.

Visit London includes Bushy Park among its recommended places to see deer and wildlife in the capital.

Go for a walk rather than simply arriving, taking one photo and leaving.

The joy here is in slowly exploring.

Best for: Autumn walks and wildlife photography.

9. Visit Battersea Park Children's Zoo

Battersea Park Children's Zoo offers a smaller-scale animal experience in one of London's major parks.

It is particularly suited to visitors who want something more manageable than London Zoo.

The setting inside Battersea Park also means you can combine the visit with a walk around the park rather than spending the entire day inside an attraction.

Best for: Families and younger animal lovers.

10. Discover animals at Hanwell Zoo

Hanwell Zoo in west London is another option if you've already done the more obvious central London attractions.

It offers a smaller zoo experience and gives you another reason to explore west London.

Visit London's current zoo guide lists Hanwell Zoo among the smaller zoos in the capital alongside Battersea Park Children's Zoo and Golders Hill Park Zoo.

For Londoners who have already visited London Zoo several times, this kind of smaller attraction can make for a different day out.

Best for: A quieter zoo visit.

11. Visit Golders Hill Park Zoo

Golders Hill Park Zoo is another unusual option.

It's located within Golders Hill Park beside Hampstead Heath, making it easy to combine animals with one of north London's best-known green spaces.

This is particularly useful if you want to turn an animal visit into a wider day out rather than making the zoo the entire itinerary.

Start with the zoo, explore Golders Hill Park and then continue towards Hampstead Heath.

Best for: Combining wildlife with a north London walk.

12. See animals at Chessington

If you want something much bigger and don't mind travelling beyond central London, Chessington World of Adventures gives you both a theme park and a zoo.

Visit London's current animal guide lists Chessington among London's major animal attractions, with lions, penguins and other species alongside the theme-park rides.

This makes it particularly useful for groups where not everyone is equally obsessed with animals.

One person can chase the rides.

Someone else can spend their day looking at wildlife.

Best for: A full day out with animals and rides.

13. Take a trip to Whipsnade Zoo

For an even larger wildlife day, consider travelling north of London to Whipsnade Zoo.

Visit London describes it as the UK's largest zoo and includes it among the major animal attractions accessible from London.

It's different from a quick central London attraction.

You should think of it as a proper day trip.

The larger setting gives you another way to experience animals outside the tighter urban environment of central London.

Best for: A full-day wildlife trip.

14. Visit a city farm you've never heard of

One of the best things about London's animal scene is that you don't have to stick to the famous attractions.

Visit London currently lists 13 city farms across the capital, including Freightliners City Farm, Belmont Children's Farm, Deen City Farm, Kentish Town City Farm, Mudchute and Vauxhall.

Some are particularly interesting because they are tucked into neighbourhoods you might otherwise never visit.

For example, Freightliners City Farm in Islington is a working community farm with rare-breed animals, a sensory garden and other features, and Visit London currently lists it as free to enter.

So if you've already done the obvious tourist attractions, choose a neighbourhood and find its local farm.

That's a very London way to spend the afternoon.

Best for: Discovering lesser-known London.

15. Go looking for London's wild birds

You don't necessarily need to pay for an animal attraction at all.

London's parks, wetlands, reservoirs and waterways can be surprisingly good places for birdwatching.

The London Wetland Centre is the obvious dedicated option, but parks and open spaces across the capital can also reward patient wildlife watchers.

The key word is patient.

Don't walk around expecting wildlife to perform for you.

Find a quiet spot, stay for a while and see what appears.

For anyone who enjoys photography, this can also become a surprisingly rewarding hobby.

Best for: Free or low-cost wildlife watching.

16. Book an animal experience at London Zoo

If simply looking at animals isn't enough, London Zoo also offers dedicated animal experiences.

Current ZSL experiences include opportunities involving armadillos, penguins and tigers, as well as a Junior Keeper experience. These are separately booked experiences rather than something automatically included with ordinary zoo entry.

The appeal is that you get more insight into how animals are cared for rather than simply observing them from outside an enclosure.

If you're considering one, check the current age requirements, availability and experience details before booking because these experiences vary.

Best for: Serious animal lovers looking for something more memorable.

17. Look for London's smaller animal parks

Sometimes the most memorable animal encounters are not the famous ones.

Places such as Maryon Wilson Animal Park in southeast London and Crystal Palace Park Farm offer smaller-scale opportunities to see animals while exploring parts of London that many visitors never reach.

Maryon Wilson Animal Park is in Charlton, while Crystal Palace Park Farm sits within Crystal Palace Park.

They are very different from London Zoo.

And that's exactly the point.

If you've already done the major attractions, finding these smaller animal-focused places can turn a normal neighbourhood trip into something completely different.

Best for: Finding lesser-known animal spots.

So, where should you go if you really love animals?

It depends on what kind of animal lover you are.

If you want big animals and a classic zoo experience, start with London Zoo.

If you're obsessed with marine life, head to SEA LIFE London Aquarium.

If you prefer farm animals, explore one of London's city farms.

If you love birds and wildlife, the London Wetland Centre is a completely different experience.

If deer and photography are more your thing, Richmond Park or Bushy Park should be on your list.

And if you simply want to discover a side of London that doesn't feel like the usual tourist itinerary, choose one of the city's smaller animal parks or farms.

A few things to remember when visiting animals

The best animal experiences aren't always the ones where you get closest.

Don't feed wild animals unless the attraction specifically allows it. Don't chase wildlife for a photograph, and give animals plenty of space.

At zoos and farms, follow keeper instructions and any rules around touching or feeding animals.

For wild deer in particular, keeping your distance matters. You're entering their environment, not a petting zoo.

And always check the official attraction website before travelling. Opening hours, feeding sessions, animal experiences and seasonal events can change.

The best thing about London's animal scene

What I like most about London's animal attractions is that you don't have to choose between wildlife and the city.

You can watch penguins in Regent's Park in the morning.

See deer in Richmond later that week.

Photograph birds in Barnes.

Visit a city farm surrounded by skyscrapers.

Or spend an afternoon watching animals at a zoo you've never visited before.

That's the fun of it.

You start looking at London differently.

Instead of asking, “What landmark should I see next?”

You start asking, “What animals can I find here?”

And suddenly, there are a lot more places to explore.

Planning your next London day out? Discover more neighbourhood guides, hidden gems, food spots and things to do on LondonYaar.com.

Follow @rohan.londonyaar for more London inspiration, recommendations and things to discover around the city.