Like our previous visit, there was no issue with parking as there is a huge car park available for guests, which is also free of charge. The young girl on reception was very welcoming and we purchased tickets for my parents, who had come along to join us for the day. Our entrance was slightly different on this occasion, as due to there being a Halloween theme running that week, we had the chance to walk through the spooky tunnel to reach the main site.
As soon as we were outdoors, the kids were adamant that we needed to take the obligatory funny photo, before continuing with our visit.
When we last had our day out at Puxton Park, we missed out on a few things, which included the tractor ride & falconry display, so before we set off anywhere, I made sure that I checked the timings for these events to ensure that we did not miss them this time round. The children remembered the meerkats from their last visit, so we decided to start from the back of the attraction where they are located and work our way forwards throughout the day.
As we made our way to the Meerkats, we passed some beautiful animals, so we stopped at regular intervals to say hello and take a look. One thing that really impressed us was how clean and tidy the whole park is. The paths are clear and well maintained, which made it great for Grandad to be able to walk along, without having to worry about any bumps or holes. As we got closer to the meerkat compound, the fence maze caught Riley's attention and he quickly ran in, determined to complete it all by himself. He did manage to do it on his own, then he did it again, and again, and again! In the end we sat down on a nearby bench as he seemed more than happy just running round and round the maze, whilst Emma and Ben enjoyed bouncing on some nearby trampolines.
Once I had finally managed to convince Riley to leave the maze (of course on the promise that he could return later) we went over to the meerkats, where we literally could have watched them for hours.
Opposite to the Meerkats is a large animal barn, that contains a variety of farm animals including sheep, goats, shetland ponies and alpacas. There is also a lovely petting zoo area where you can stroke and hold guinea pigs and rabbits. This whole area is nicely set out and very clean and tidy. Each enclosure has plenty of space for the animals and their homes are designed around a little town theme. Our personal favourite was 'Miceland'!
After spending some time with the animals, my phone alarm went off to alert me to the fact it was nearly time for the tractor ride. We therefore made our way over to join the queue. Riley was very excited by this point and couldn't wait to climb onboard the tractor trailer to go on a little journey. We hadn't been waiting long, before a young man arrived with the tractor and reversed the vehicle to the start of the queue. We took our seats and set off on our bumpy ride towards the large cow sheds. The driver stopped for a short while in each shed so that the children could see all the animals. He told us about the different breeds of cows and what food they could produce. The jersey cows were my favourite, they are so adorable! It was also very interesting to learn about all the work that goes in to producing some of the food & drink that we take for granted, such as milk, butter, cheese and ice cream. These are all so readily available in the supermarkets, but I hadn't actually thought much about how they were produced beforehand. It was therefore a bit of a learning curve for me, as well as for the kids.
Once our tractor ride was completed, both the kids and Grandad were hungry and thirsty, so we headed over to the Meadows Restaurant to get a bite to eat. There was a lovely selection of cakes available, as well as delicious looking hot meals. As I had already eaten a large breakfast that day, I decided not to purchase anything but Nana and Grandad both bought some sandwiches each and the kids all bought a lunch box that contained a sandwich, drink and some snacks.
After lunch, it was time for the falconry display. We were all really looking forward to watching this as hadn't had the chance to do so on our last visit, so we walked over to the display field and took a seat on one of the benches. The falconry expert introduced numerous birds to us including an Eagle and an Owl and told us more about each species. It was fascinating watching the speed that they can travel through the sky and it was also incredible to see them up close.
Riley's favourite part of the day however, was on the lovely little train ride, that took us on a journey around the small lake. This was really enjoyable and it was great to see Riley enjoying himself so much and making 'Choo Choo' noises as we travelled around.
The remainder of the day was spent enjoying the many play areas that are available for the children. These range from large adventure playgrounds, to fun filled sand play areas, as well as a huge three storey indoor soft play zone. There is certainly plenty of choice and more than enough to keep families of all ages entertained.
Once again we had an absolutely fantastic visit to Puxton Park and it is certainly one of my favourite attractions that we have visited in the South West of England. On both of our visits I have found the customer service to be exceptional, the whole park clean, tidy and well presented, and wonderful facilities and events to keep you busy in all weathers. We have been very lucky that on both of our visits we had lovely sunshine, but the soft play area, animal barn & cow shed are all indoors, so there is still plenty to see and do on a rainy day too.
Puxton Park Christmas Events
Puxton Park is open all year round except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. They have a great range of fun festive events planned for the next few weeks, that are sure to delight and entertain families of all ages.
They have gone all out with their plans for this year and have even created a brand new attraction especially for Christmas! The space between the JCB Dig Sandpit and the Crazee Golf Course, has been transformed into a Santa's Grotto, with adjoining events room. This new feature will be a comfortable home to both Father and Mrs Christmas, as well as their loyal elves. Santa's Grotto will be open every weekend in December from 10am til 4pm and December 19th to 23rd from 10am til 4pm. The Grotto will also be open on Christmas Eve from 10am til 2pm. Guests are invited to enjoy the new Cosy Cottage and Events room where they can visit the Puxton reindeer, enjoy Christmas stories, create beautiful crafts and even watch some Christmas films. For an additional charge of £5 children can also visit Father Christmas and recieve a special present.
In addition to the Santa's Grotto, Puxton Park will also be hosting their very first Grand Light Switch On Event, which shall be taking place on the 2nd December. The event will commence at 3pm, with the light switch on at 4pm and closing at 5:30pm. There will also be some very special guests in attendance as the cast of the Weston Playhouse's Aladdin pantomime come along to enjoy the festivities, including TV celebrity John Altman, who played Eastender's Nasty Nick. An official ribbon cutting ceremony for the parks newest attraction 'The Cosy Cottage' will also take place.
From the 19th to the 22nd December, Puxton Park will also be hosting their annual supper with Santa. This event includes a buffet tea, ice cream, funky disco and a present from Santa. After the meal, children are invited to play in the spectacular 3-story soft play area, whilst parents can sit back, relax and enjoy a tea or coffee. This event does carry a charge, so to obtain the most up to date information or to reserve & purchase tickets, please either visit reception or call on 01934 523500.
Attraction Details
Puxton Park, Cowslip Lane, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset
Parking - Yes, there is plenty of free parking available.
Opening times - Daily from 9am til 5:30-pm Monday to Sunday (excl. 25th/26th December and 1st January).
Entry prices - Entrance costs vary, so please visit Ticket Prices to obtain the most up to date information.
Website - www.puxton.co.uk/
Twitter - @PuxtonPark
Facebook - Puxton Park
*Disclaimer - We received a complimentary family ticket to provide our honest opinion and review of the attraction. We purchased three additional tickets for our accompanying guests. All opinions and photographs are my own unless otherwise stated.