Druidstone Park
Druidstone Park
3.5
This location was reported permanently closed
About
This woodland park contains sculptures, animals and beautiful walks.
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingWhat is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
109 within 3 miles
Attractions
187 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
3.5
194 reviews
Excellent
74
Very good
52
Average
29
Poor
19
Terrible
20
snaggletoothkent
Kent1 contribution
We visited the attraction with an eight month old. He loved the goats that came running up and could not stop giggling. We much preferred Druidstone to the nearby farming world; far more animal interaction and you can actually feed the animals.
The woodland walk was short but enjoyable. The fact that the paths were littered with sweet chestnuts and leaves added to the atmosphere, rather than having swept or concreted ones.
If you want a peaceful day out and are not expecting to be thrilled senseless, this is a lovely spot to wile away an hour or two. Children's playground well equipped, but could do with a baby swing, as our pre walker could not participate.
The woodland walk was short but enjoyable. The fact that the paths were littered with sweet chestnuts and leaves added to the atmosphere, rather than having swept or concreted ones.
If you want a peaceful day out and are not expecting to be thrilled senseless, this is a lovely spot to wile away an hour or two. Children's playground well equipped, but could do with a baby swing, as our pre walker could not participate.
Written October 9, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarbeargravesend
Gravesend34 contributions
Oct 2014 • Family
Not visited this place for a few years and after reading some of the recent reviews was a bit worried that it had 'let itself go' but all was well!
The entrance fee of ÂŁ5 for adults and just under for kids is very reasonable,the lady in the booth was smiley and helpful. Yes the place could do with a lick of paint here and there but who cares?! It is spotlessly clean,including toilets and eating areas. The animals are friendly,happy and well looked after,their enclosures are well maintained and spacious. The play area is fantastic,lots of little tikes type stuff in one area for younger kids and several different large wooden pieces of play equipment for the older ones,which all looked fairly new. Loads of seating for picnics dotted around park and the food served was lovely and well priced.
The woodland walk is really nice,lots of little surprises for the kids lurking in the trees and bushes. We spent 3hours here today including lunch and lots of play time,the toddler loved the play area and the baby loved the free range chickens! To be honest i think maybe some people expect too much for ÂŁ5 or lack the imagination and fun to make this place into a great little local place for their kids to enjoy! We thought it was a winner!
The entrance fee of ÂŁ5 for adults and just under for kids is very reasonable,the lady in the booth was smiley and helpful. Yes the place could do with a lick of paint here and there but who cares?! It is spotlessly clean,including toilets and eating areas. The animals are friendly,happy and well looked after,their enclosures are well maintained and spacious. The play area is fantastic,lots of little tikes type stuff in one area for younger kids and several different large wooden pieces of play equipment for the older ones,which all looked fairly new. Loads of seating for picnics dotted around park and the food served was lovely and well priced.
The woodland walk is really nice,lots of little surprises for the kids lurking in the trees and bushes. We spent 3hours here today including lunch and lots of play time,the toddler loved the play area and the baby loved the free range chickens! To be honest i think maybe some people expect too much for ÂŁ5 or lack the imagination and fun to make this place into a great little local place for their kids to enjoy! We thought it was a winner!
Written October 5, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
paganmum
Canterbury1 contribution
I live in Canterbury and have visited Druidstone on a number of occasions. The entrance fee is very reasonable at ÂŁ4.00 each and would suit families looking to find a nice day out without the high cost. You also have the option to buy animal feed so you and the kids can feed the many different animals as you stroll through the park. The park itself has a very nice relaxing feel to it and has never been over busy when i have visited. What i find to be most impressive are the enchanted trees with calved faces and toadstoles surrounded by bluebells and other beautiful flowers. There is also a sleeping dragon to be found somewhere in the forest!
The kids will love it and im sure you will too if you tend to be the sort of person who appriciates the simpler things in life instead of fast pace themeparks accompanied by fastfood. But you do have to go in late spring or summer to enjoy the full effect. One review mentioned the animals where not well cared for and seemed hungry. From my experience the animals have always looked very content and they are not feed so much by staff on visiting days because they mainly get there food from the visitiors. There is a little cafe where you can buy food and drink. I cant remember the prices but from what i can remember it was not all that expensive. If arriving by car there is a large car park and if traveling by bus then there is a bus stop just outside the entrance on the main road. I am going to visit during this easter half term and will travel to the park by catching the whitstable bus from canterbury bus station.
All in all, a lovely relaxing day out for all the family : )
The kids will love it and im sure you will too if you tend to be the sort of person who appriciates the simpler things in life instead of fast pace themeparks accompanied by fastfood. But you do have to go in late spring or summer to enjoy the full effect. One review mentioned the animals where not well cared for and seemed hungry. From my experience the animals have always looked very content and they are not feed so much by staff on visiting days because they mainly get there food from the visitiors. There is a little cafe where you can buy food and drink. I cant remember the prices but from what i can remember it was not all that expensive. If arriving by car there is a large car park and if traveling by bus then there is a bus stop just outside the entrance on the main road. I am going to visit during this easter half term and will travel to the park by catching the whitstable bus from canterbury bus station.
All in all, a lovely relaxing day out for all the family : )
Written April 6, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jdfere
1 contribution
Jul 2019
The old bag on the gate was so rude I almost turned round and went straight back to the car.
I would have done so, if I had not had my young Godchild with me, and a couple of visiting friends.
Once inside we found it had a sort of run-down charm, and my Godchild did enjoy it.
It's a bit like Blackgangchine, but inland.
I would have suggested it to other people as a nice way to fill an hour or two if they had very young kids. But the family running it do not deserve any custom.
I would have done so, if I had not had my young Godchild with me, and a couple of visiting friends.
Once inside we found it had a sort of run-down charm, and my Godchild did enjoy it.
It's a bit like Blackgangchine, but inland.
I would have suggested it to other people as a nice way to fill an hour or two if they had very young kids. But the family running it do not deserve any custom.
Written April 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jenny503900
Deal, UK1 contribution
Apr 2011
I'd heard a lot about it and am aware that it used to be a wildlife park. There I think is the point. DRUIDSTONE IS NOT A WILDLIFE PARK. What it is in reality is an opportunity for anyone, family or otherwise to enjoy a natural setting in a relaxed and well managed way.
The animals of course are great. It doesn't have to be a Siberian tiger to be interesting. Nothing jumps through hoops. What you or the children get to see is what animals would be like if they lived by you. The setting is well pitched for a wander through the glorious bluebell woods, a good laugh watching the alpacas being strange, have a simple but well cooked meal, or your own picnic where you can watch the kids play close by,whilst a peacock wanders past.
The staff aren't all over you trying to get you to buy things but there's a shop for the woodland animal pencils etc. They welcome interest in the animals, while taking a back seat and letting you get the peace the place has to offer.
In some ways what I like about Druidstone is what it's not. Bear with me here. It's not pushy, it's not too crowded to breathe. It's not London Zoo with a picture of an elephant or lion on the ticket and none waiting for you past the gates. It's not cripplingly expensive to take the family to and lastly it's not a big frenzied day out.
If you want to go to a zoo park and see gorilla's, go to Howlett's. I love it there too. But if you want a place to relax and enjoy a bit of nature without getting mugged on the way in, Druidstone does the job for me.
The animals of course are great. It doesn't have to be a Siberian tiger to be interesting. Nothing jumps through hoops. What you or the children get to see is what animals would be like if they lived by you. The setting is well pitched for a wander through the glorious bluebell woods, a good laugh watching the alpacas being strange, have a simple but well cooked meal, or your own picnic where you can watch the kids play close by,whilst a peacock wanders past.
The staff aren't all over you trying to get you to buy things but there's a shop for the woodland animal pencils etc. They welcome interest in the animals, while taking a back seat and letting you get the peace the place has to offer.
In some ways what I like about Druidstone is what it's not. Bear with me here. It's not pushy, it's not too crowded to breathe. It's not London Zoo with a picture of an elephant or lion on the ticket and none waiting for you past the gates. It's not cripplingly expensive to take the family to and lastly it's not a big frenzied day out.
If you want to go to a zoo park and see gorilla's, go to Howlett's. I love it there too. But if you want a place to relax and enjoy a bit of nature without getting mugged on the way in, Druidstone does the job for me.
Written May 16, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Samantha O
London, UK3 contributions
Jul 2018 • Friends
This could be a lovely place but you need to look after your animals better, it's a very hot day and none had water, nearly all were showing signs of being too hot and trying to find shade in their un exciting pens. The lambs need shearing and both the sheep and lambs have some awful growths and sores which look painful. The goats are losing their hair and all looked desperate for food. The alpacas were sheared although poorly and the rams did have water which was green and full of algae. The park has no enrichment for either the animals or guests, set in the middle of woodland it could be beautiful but instead is dead and not looked after. Poor animal welfare is something that can't go unmissed when you are promoting it as your business, sort it out!
Written July 13, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tomthum10
Canterbury, UK3 contributions
Aug 2015
This place was better than I thought it was going to be, after reading some extremely negative reviews on Druidstone park I was not expecting much but as I am only fair I felt I had to go and make my own opinion of the place. paying only ÂŁ10 for entry for me and my girlfriend I thought this was extremely reasonable unlike wingham at ÂŁ15 each!!! The staff are extremely friendly and as I gather, is a close nit family buissness, they look hard working and caring. I have previously been to Druidstone about a year ago and I can see to this day, a clear improvement in the condition and activities provided by the park. The animals seem well cared for and I think it is great due to how close you can get to the animals to feed them. Yes it's not howletts zoo or port lympe however they have never advertised to even compete with them so after reading the bad reviews written on here I can only feel ashamed of the people who expect so much from such a child friendly, calm and peaceful wild life park that offers the one thing most parks do not offer; an intimate environment with the animals and customers. I can only praise this park for its great prices, great quality of food, good company, friendly staff, beautiful animals and overall a comfortable safe place to bring your children and enjoy the wildlife. Lastly I would like to add that it disgust me to see these awful reviews written about this place, after seeing family's throwing/leaving rubbish around the park and disrespecting the animals (chasing the chickens) and breaking the owners property such as, fences and statues ect. All in all I will be visiting again!
Written August 9, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cass83
Edinburgh, UK7 contributions
Sep 2014
Came here after seeing it advertised on a Canterbury website as it looked lovely. First impressions were not good after nearly wreaking the car in the car park, and we're not improved inside. After paying entry to a woman who looked more like she was doing community service rather than working in a family attraction, we were knocked out by the rancid fat smell coming from the cafe opposite. We wandered around the park in about ten minutes it really is that small. The animals consisted of sheep, pigs, donkeys, deer, alpaca, goats and a few chickens. The donkeys were loose and skittish they had escaped their run down pen, which is scary as small children were walking behind and were liable to being kicked. The paths were broken and ill defined. The woodland was overgrown and full of nettles and the statues were broken. The pond was dry. It honestly looks like it has been abandoned for the past ten years. The "adventure park" was as run down as the rest and the toilets are filthy. All in all ÂŁ10 not well spent for an hour. If you want to go to a wildlife park go to Wildwood, if you want to see farm animals go to a farm or go to the woods for free.
Written September 21, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
louisemcfarlane
Kent, UK1 contribution
May 2018 • Family
Went to the park today with two toddlers. The state of the animals was absolutely appalling. It was exceptionally run down and quite clearly the animals were uncared for and unloved. No effort has gone in to the thought and maintenance of this place and there is no regard for the welfare of the small selection of animals. There was sheep unsheared and lambs with sores untreated on their backs. Majority of the animals had no water and the ostrich was living in overgrown grass. The goats were visibly losing their fur and the bigger goats were desperately trying to reach up for food. Also, the pigs had no water and the water the rams had was green! The toilets were atrocious and all they had baby wise was a small changing mat in the corridor. They were filthy! The shop offered no healthy food, just junk and ice cream. The walk through was overgrown and other than the play park, it had nothing to offer. The lady at the entrance was the rudest person I have ever encountered! No manners, unwilling to help and exceptionally rude! I would not return or recommend this place.
Written May 20, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David H
Canterbury, UK20 contributions
May 2017 • Family
The main thing that attracted us to Druidstone is the price - compared to most attractions in East Kent the cost of entry for the family was really low. Once you accept that it's not an expensive day out, you have to accept that it isn't going to be like visiting Howletts or similar major tourist attraction.
The park is quite compact and the range of animals limited, and I could hear one or two people muttering about it being unimpressive but I think that's unfair. You're paying for your children to walk around a magical bluebell wood (at this time of year) and feed lots of interesting animals, most of which have plenty of background information written on the signs. There is also a decent children's play area with quite novel climbing equipment, and a cafe / gift shop to boot. The reason why I gave the place a 5 star rating is because, for the money, you are getting a really nice morning or afternoon out which younger children should thoroughly enjoy. If you go expecting more for your money then obviously you'll be disappointed and of course there are things that could be updated / improved, but if you want a place that's very pleasant and worth the ÂŁ5 entrance fee, this is a great option. Three little bags of food for ÂŁ1 is enough to amuse the little ones before they reach the play area and there are plenty of picnic benches, albeit not in the best condition. It's a small, family-run place that has an intimate feel to it rather than something grand, and if you go along knowing what to expect it'd be churlish to walk away being overly critical.
Importantly, the animals appear well cared-for and the entrance money would only just cover their upkeep, so the fact that the facilities are fairly basic is the trade-off that you accept by choosing this rather than a big zoo.
The park is quite compact and the range of animals limited, and I could hear one or two people muttering about it being unimpressive but I think that's unfair. You're paying for your children to walk around a magical bluebell wood (at this time of year) and feed lots of interesting animals, most of which have plenty of background information written on the signs. There is also a decent children's play area with quite novel climbing equipment, and a cafe / gift shop to boot. The reason why I gave the place a 5 star rating is because, for the money, you are getting a really nice morning or afternoon out which younger children should thoroughly enjoy. If you go expecting more for your money then obviously you'll be disappointed and of course there are things that could be updated / improved, but if you want a place that's very pleasant and worth the ÂŁ5 entrance fee, this is a great option. Three little bags of food for ÂŁ1 is enough to amuse the little ones before they reach the play area and there are plenty of picnic benches, albeit not in the best condition. It's a small, family-run place that has an intimate feel to it rather than something grand, and if you go along knowing what to expect it'd be churlish to walk away being overly critical.
Importantly, the animals appear well cared-for and the entrance money would only just cover their upkeep, so the fact that the facilities are fairly basic is the trade-off that you accept by choosing this rather than a big zoo.
Written May 6, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ellie C
Canterbury, United Kingdom
When is Druidstone park open again for the season?
Written March 3, 2020
in term time they are open Friday to Monday 10:00 17:30
Written June 29, 2019
How much do they charge for entry?
Written June 17, 2019
Think it was about ÂŁ6 for an adult, ÂŁ5.50 for a child. Under 3 free.
Written June 18, 2019
The park is open Fridays to Monday’s in October and closes at the end of the October half term. They usually have a little bat hunt which my kids really enjoy.
Written September 3, 2018
No not really unless you are semi dependent. The car park is a grassed area where cars are parked on verges which could be difficult. Some areas have concrete paving but there are wooded areas with uneven dirt paths and the picnic areas are not paved with uneven grass surfaces. There is a disabled toilet but it is not purpose built and more of an add on to tick the box and not ideal.
Written August 11, 2018
As far as I am aware they only allow guide dogs , probably because of the access to small farmyard animals and geese,etc
Written August 27, 2017
We went in the Autumn and hardly anyone else was there. Another two families at the most.
Written May 10, 2017
what are the opening times
Written June 18, 2016
10am until 5.30 last entry 4.30
They are open Friday Saturday's Sunday's and Monday's.
Written June 18, 2016
Last time we've been i think it was five pounds per person.
Written April 21, 2016
Showing results 1-10 of 10
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing