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West Calder · Zoo
Five Sisters Zoo with kids
Give Five Sisters Zoo plenty of time rather than trying to squeeze it between other plans. There are more than 160 species to see, plus outdoor play and places to stop for food or a picnic. Most of the visit is outside: the Lost Kingdom reptile house, restaurant and marquee give you useful breaks, while Leaping Lemurs Soft Play needs a separate ticket.
- Ages
- Toddlers to teens who enjoy animals
- Cost
- Paid; ages two and under free
- Weather
- Mostly outdoors
- Allow
- A substantial part of the day
Our family take
Choose it for a broad animal day near Livingston, with rescued brown bears, cheetah and the Lost Kingdom reptile house among the highlights. Outdoor play and picnic breaks help younger children keep going, while older children will get more from the visit if they enjoy wildlife.
- Mostly outside. Choose another day if you need dependable indoor cover throughout the visit.
- Allow for extras. Soft play and children’s rides cost extra. Rides and outdoor food outlets are seasonal and weather dependent.
- Slopes on the route. Contact the zoo about suitable routes if buggy or wheelchair access will decide your visit.
The practical details
Plan your visit
- October opening
- In October, the zoo opens 10am–5pm, with last entry at 3.30pm. Hours change seasonally; check your date before travelling. It is closed on Christmas Day and 1 January.
- Daytime admission
- Daytime admission is £21.95 for adults, £16.50 for children aged 3–15, and £64.95 for two adults and two children. Children aged two and under enter free. Concessions are £19.95; check eligibility and current prices before paying.
- Booking
- Ordinary daytime visits need no advance booking: pay at the entrance. Special events and animal experiences have their own arrangements.
- Soft play
- Leaping Lemurs requires separate admission and is for children up to age 11. It can also be visited on its own.
- Parking
- Free parking is available, with a disabled car park marked on the zoo map. Check arrangements with the zoo if you need a particular arrival setup.
- Toilets and changing
- Toilets and baby-changing facilities are marked on the zoo map. Contact the zoo if you need Changing Places or other specialist facilities.
- Buggy and wheelchair routes
- Some routes have steep slopes. Ask the zoo about a suitable route for your buggy or wheelchair.
ParkingCafé or restaurantPacked lunch spacePlay areaLost Kingdom Reptile House
7 October 2026
Visit official websiteA little more detail
Make it work for your family
Is it the right day for your family?
Is Five Sisters Zoo worth making the main family day?
It makes most sense when the animals are the reason for travelling. More than 160 species give families enough variety to move between larger mammals, smaller animals and the indoor reptiles without relying on seeing one particular animal.
Most of the visit is outside, and a family ticket is a substantial spend. Give the animals and outdoor play time rather than trying to fit in a second large attraction, and decide whether paid extras are part of your budget before the children see them.
Animal highlights and age fit
The rescued brown bears and Scotland's only cheetah are likely highlights for animal fans, while the Lost Kingdom reptile house changes the pace and provides a useful indoor stop. Animal visibility and activity can vary, so build the day around several areas rather than promising one perfect sighting.
Toddlers can combine short animal stops with outdoor play and frequent breaks. Primary-age children are likely to get the broadest mix of animals and play. Older children and adults will get more from the day if they enjoy wildlife; the rides are a small extra.
- Best for
- Toddlers, primary-age children, older animal fans and mixed-age families who are happy to spend much of the day outside. It is less suitable when you need a cheap short outing, reliable all-day indoor cover or a pavement-covered walk from public transport.
Weather and soft play
Dress for an outdoor zoo day. The reptile house, restaurant and marquee can break up rain, cold or tired spells, but they do not turn the whole attraction into a dependable rainy-day choice.
Leaping Lemurs has baby, toddler and junior areas for children up to age 11. A child aged 3–11 currently costs £7, a one- or two-year-old £4.50, and adults and under-ones £1 each. A soft-play ticket does not include zoo entry. You can visit soft play on its own if an indoor play session suits the day better.
Food, picnics and extra costs
Leaping Lemurs restaurant gives families a year-round food option, and picnics are welcome with an undercover marquee available. Brown Bear Café opens at peak times and some busy weekends; outdoor food outlets run at weekends and during holidays, weather permitting. Bring lunch or plan around the restaurant on a quieter day.
Children’s rides also run at weekends and during holidays, weather permitting, with an extra charge and some coin payments. Do not promise a particular ride before checking what is running.
Booking and getting there
Pay at the entrance for an ordinary daytime visit. The online shop sells posted gift day passes, so it is not a way to book a visit for today. Check special events and animal experiences separately.
Public transport is possible via buses near Harwood Church in Polbeth or West Calder station, but the remaining walk includes country-road sections without pavements. With small children or a buggy, consider a taxi for that last part of the journey.
Buggies, wheelchairs and changing
Use the zoo map to plan around the marked steep slopes and find toilets, baby changing and the disabled car park.
When to choose somewhere else
Choose another attraction when you need a low-cost short stop, full indoor weather protection or a public-transport arrival with pavements throughout.
Scottish Owl Centre is a smaller nearby animal option when a focused visit suits the day better. Jupiter Artland offers a different outdoor experience close by, while Blackness Castle works as a shorter history-led alternative rather than another large paid animal day.
Plan the rest of your day
Comparison guide
Summer family days out in Scotland
Compare outdoor days, animal parks, castles and rainy-day backups by age, cost and travel effort.
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Scottish Owl Centre
A smaller animal-focused visit around ten kilometres away when your family wants birds of prey rather than a substantial zoo day.
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Jupiter Artland
A nearby outdoor art and landscape alternative when sculpture, space and a more flexible route fit better than a zoo.