One of the things that many American visitors dream of when they visit the UK is seeing castles, stately manor homes, and other such pieces of antiquity that just aren’t available in our young country. I remember being amazed when I looked down at where I was standing in Westminster Abbey and seeing a date carved into the marble floor: 700-something AD. A full thousand years before my country even existed!
If you’re coming to the UK in the winter, however, you may need to look into alternate opportunities to soak up British culture, especially if you’re outside of London and the Home Counties. Many of the attractions that you might have on your list are not open in the winter time, simply because they don’t have heat. So I’ve started a series of posts designed to give you some other ideas for days out in the cold, and I’m starting, again, with what I know.
Tropical World in Leeds offers an afternoon of sub-tropical educational entertainment and it’s mostly indoors! To be fair, I visited Tropical World in the summer, but the only part that I remember as being outdoors were the ring-tailed lemurs whose enclosure is just outside the exit. Included in the walk-through are such exhibits as The Desert House, Butterfly House, and Amazon Tank. The Desert House is by far my favourite, simply because it has meerkats. Not this kind, though, sadly:
This kind:
In addition to these cute and furry residents, Tropical World is home to butterflies, spiders, snakes, and birds, all represented in their natural habitats as much as possible. Birds and butterflies roam freely in their “rooms,” and visitors soon feel as though they’ve been transported to a rainforest – a very nice change from the ice and snow just outside the walls. If you’re feeling adventurous, you’ll find more pictures of my visit to Tropical World within my Flickr set of my 2007 Yorkshire Vacation.
Currently at Tropical World is a new exhibit, Morelets Crocodiles (Crocodylus Moreletii). They are young as of yet, but when they reach adulthood they will join whistling ducks and a pair of macaws in the South American House. Be sure to bring a good camera and take your time walking through all the houses at Tropical World. This link provides virtual tours of each to give you an idea – or just warm you up a bit.
Opening times & Charges (updated May 2008):
Summer (BST)
10am until 6pm (last admission at 5:30)
Winter (GMT)
10am until 4pm (last admission at 3:30)
Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Admission charges
Adults £3.19
Children (aged 8 – 15yrs) £1.96
Under 5’s free
Leeds/Breeze card holders free
Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
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Winter Tourism, Volume One: Tropical World, Leeds
One of the things that many American visitors dream of when they visit the UK is seeing castles, stately manor homes, and other such pieces of antiquity that just aren’t available in our young country. I remember being amazed when I looked down at where I was standing in Westminster Abbey and seeing a date carved into the marble floor: 700-something AD. A full thousand years before my country even existed!
Tropical World in Leeds offers an afternoon of sub-tropical educational entertainment and it’s mostly indoors! To be fair, I visited Tropical World in the summer, but the only part that I remember as being outdoors were the ring-tailed lemurs whose enclosure is just outside the exit. Included in the walk-through are such exhibits as The Desert House, Butterfly House, and Amazon Tank. The Desert House is by far my favourite, simply because it has meerkats. Not this kind, though, sadly:
This kind:
In addition to these cute and furry residents, Tropical World is home to butterflies, spiders, snakes, and birds, all represented in their natural habitats as much as possible. Birds and butterflies roam freely in their “rooms,” and visitors soon feel as though they’ve been transported to a rainforest – a very nice change from the ice and snow just outside the walls. If you’re feeling adventurous, you’ll find more pictures of my visit to Tropical World within my Flickr set of my 2007 Yorkshire Vacation.
Currently at Tropical World is a new exhibit, Morelets Crocodiles (Crocodylus Moreletii). They are young as of yet, but when they reach adulthood they will join whistling ducks and a pair of macaws in the South American House. Be sure to bring a good camera and take your time walking through all the houses at Tropical World. This link provides virtual tours of each to give you an idea – or just warm you up a bit.
Opening times & Charges (updated May 2008):
Summer (BST)
10am until 6pm (last admission at 5:30)
Winter (GMT)
10am until 4pm (last admission at 3:30)
Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Admission charges
Adults £3.19
Children (aged 8 – 15yrs) £1.96
Under 5’s free
Leeds/Breeze card holders free
Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
The next installment will find TOB visiting the National Media Museum in Bradford. Stay tuned!