Where to stay near Longleat for the perfect half-term escape

Lions, tigers and bears, oh my. Forget the Serengeti, the Bengal plains and the Canadian Rockies, a drive through Longleat Safari Park is just as wild - and we've rounded up the very best places to stay near Longleat for a fun family getaway.

Whether you're heading there for an October half term holiday in the UK or a winter weekend away with the kids, the family-friendly attraction on the outskirts of Warminster in Wiltshire provides you with the perfect excuse to escape to the country for a few days.

Opened in 1966, Longleat Safari Park was the very first drive-through safari to open outside of Africa. It's now home to 500 animals, including African lions, Amar tigers and hordes of mischievous monkeys and meerkats.

Just three hours' drive from London, Longleat Safari Park is considered one of the best places to take kids in the country. The self-drive safari experience takes around three hours and explores the East African Reserve, where you can see Rothschild giraffes, ostriches, wildebeest and zebras. There is Monkey Mayhem, home to troupes of rhesus macaques, and Big Game Park, where Nanju, Marashi and the rest of the southern white rhinos roam.

Longleat's most popular attraction is Lion Park, home to two prides of African lions, where if you time your visit right – 9am Wednesdays and Saturdays – you can witness them being fed.

There's so much to see at Longleat, it's impossible to cram it all into one day. Whether you're travelling from near or far, you can turn it into a mini-break and book a hotel, B&B or glamping pod nearby to make the most of your time in Wiltshire.

Here are the best places to stay near Longleat for an unforgettable adventure with the family.