The Portland Japanese Garden nestled in the scenic west hills of Portland, Oregon offers a tranquil haven of garden paradise in an oasis of beauty. This Japanese gardens authenticity over 5 and a half acres, is said to be the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan. Offering five gardens of indescribable beauty, visitors can enjoy the flat garden which includes the dry landscape style of the karesansui garden, cleverly creating a sense of depth and space. The Strolling Pond Garden beckons with upper and lower ponds connected by a stream, both of which have stunning bridges, and the Tea Garden offers quiet and harmony in a wooden setting, and there is also a tea house for tea ceremonies. The Portland Japanese Garden also has a natural garden and a sand and stone garden as well as a gift shop.READ MORE

The Japanese Garden in Van Nuys, California blends traditional Japanese landscaping with modern Occidental architecture in a skilful and beautiful way, thereby balancing yin and yang or the positive and negative. The Japanese gardens blend of water and fragrance invites harmony and peace into your life as you tour the magnificent surrounds or just sit and contemplate in the tranquility. The Japanese Garden has a gift shop featuring stunning gift items from Japan, Asia and the Pacific including dolls, origami paper, parasols, ceramics, books, Buddha Boards and so much more. This facility is also available for rental and is the perfect venue for your wedding or special occasion.READ MORE

Marwell Hall in Colden Common, Winchester, is located in the centre of Marwell Wildlife, and is a beautiful grade 1 listed building. This former Seymour family home is now one of the most beautiful and unique venues for weddings. Having everything in one outstanding location makes planning for your special day that much easier. Marwell Hall has four venues for you to choose from, The Seymour Library with its ornate fireplace can accommodate up to 40 people in total, and has large windows and impressive doorways, creating a perfect atmosphere for your special occasion. The Long Room has a capacity for up to 80 guests, and with its grand doorways, is perfect for civil ceremonies. The Woodlock Room is a Medieval Hall, making it a delightful setting for your civil ceremony, and lastly there is Tudor Rose with its grand entrance and ornate fireplace, which makes it a beautiful area for drinks receptions and for the important photographsREAD MORE

At Marwell Wildlife in Colden Common, Winchester, we are passionate about the conservation of wildlife, and our hope is that through our work at the zoo we can instil the same passion in our visitors. Marwell Wildlife is set in 140 acres of beautiful countryside, and is home to more than 180 different species of exotic and endangered animals. If you are looking for a unique gift for yourself or someone special, regardless of the occasion, why not adopt an animal, its one way of supporting the work we do. Bring the family for a fun day out, take a trip on our rail train and enjoy our spectacular gardens, look out for capybaras, flamingoes, Brazilian tapirs, pygmy hippos, Southern white rhinos and Sulawesi crested macaques. Visit our African Valley and there you will see giraffe, zebra, waterbuck and ostrich roaming free. Our Australian Bush Walk is home to wallabies and kookaburra. If one day is not enough to see everything, you are welcome to make a return visit to Marwell Wildlife, we look forward to seeing youREAD MORE

The Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay Clwyd is a caring conservation-conscious zoo that is located in a perfect setting, high above Colwyn Bay, surrounded by beautiful gardens, breathtaking scenery and panoramic views. We invite visitors to our zoo to spend an interesting and informative day getting to know more about many rare and endangered species from around the world, and these species include Snow leopards, chimpanzees, Sumatran tigers and red pandas. There are many wooded pathways to meander along, and grassy slopes that are ideal for relaxing on, perhaps with a yummy picnic basket. Be sure to see our fascinating Zoonique presentations which include the magnificent Winged Wonders and Penguins Playtime shows, the exciting Sea Lion feeding and training shows and then of course, the favourite with young and old, the cheeky Chimp Encounter. Another favourite is the lemur enclosure walk-through which gives visitors an opportunity of getting within meters of these charming creatures. The Welsh Mountain Zoo offers year round catering facilities serving hot and cold food, as well as an ice cream and sweet shop. We look forward to welcoming you to our zoo for a fun, exciting day out. READ MORE

The Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia, PA, first opened its doors way back in 1874, and to this day is still housed on the same 42 acres of Victorian garden. The mission then, and now, is still the same, to engage in conservation for the protection of endangered species worldwide. Philadelphia Zoo is not only an attractive, family-friendly park housing 1300 animals, it is also a revered historic site. Among the popular exhibits are the Big Cat Falls, home to lions, tigers and jaguars, and the Rare Animal Conservation Center. First Niagara Big Cat Falls with its stunning landscape of waterfalls and lush, naturalistic habitats, gives visitors a face to face encounter with endangered big cats, including snow leopards, amur leopards, pumas, lions and a sleek black jaguar. There is an overhead tunnel system that allows cats to move from one exhibit to another, and visitors, beware, there could be a Amur leopard above the walkway, keeping its eye on you. With rock outcroppings and fallen trees, our big cats have abundant space to play and also enables visitors to watch their skills and agility, close up. When visiting the Philadelphia Zoo, you need to arrive early because there is so much to see and experience. READ MORE

At San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco we believe that we have created the ultimate center for wildlife by providing the best care and attention for the rare and endangered species entrusted to us. Our mission is to educate visitors to wildlife, and in so doing inspire in them a caring attitude for nature and conservation. We have established an eductional centre which provides formal and informing programs for children and adults alike, then there is a park and nature center which showcases native plants and gardens, and a bird sanctuary which is a bird watcher's paradise. And when you need to rest awhile, there is a recreation area where visitors can relax and have some fun. However, the main attraction to the zoo is, of course, the animals, who are housed in habitats ideally designed to show them off. Among the most popular animal exhibits are the African lions, gorillas, tiger salamanders, one-horned rhinos, awesome grizzly bears, to name just a few, and for the very brave, feeding time at the grizzly paddock is usually around 11.00am, be there, its a fearsome event. READ MORE

At Belfast Zoo in Belfast, Ireland, we put the care and wellbeing of our animals first, and our aim is to provide protection and a safe haven for endangered species, and to raise public awareness of conservation and biodiversity. Belfast Zoological Gardens first opened its doors in 1934, is home to over 1,000 animals and more than 150 different species, and we also welcome more than 300 000 visitors a year. The aims and objectives of zoos in general have changed dramatically over the years, for the better, especially the way in which animals are kept in captivity. The Belfast Zoo is proud to be co-ordinators of breeding programmes for the Francois langur, the black and white colobus monkey and the mabled polecat. International breeding programmes play a vital part in ensuring the survival of species under threat. Visit Belfast Zoo for a great family outing, and we will ensure you have a memorable experience. READ MORE

Chester Zoo in Upton by Chester, Cheshire, owes it very existence to George Mottershead who, as a young boy in the twenieth century, vowed to create a zoo that was different, one without bars, after he had visited a zoo in Manchester. This fine, upstanding young man kept his word and in 1930 he bought seven acres of land and housed the first animals of Chester Zoo. He would be so proud of how this zoo has grown, with 8000 animals and 110 acres of zoological gardens, in essence a zoo without bars. Visit Chester Zoo and meet our magnificent elephants and rhinos, 400 species of rare, exotic and endangered wildlife, in fact there are so many different animals everywhere on our amazing 110 acres of gardens. If you are looking for present ideas that are different, consider our new range of animal encounters and experience days, we have something for everyone. A day out at Chester Zoo is a day that will be packed full of fun things to do, in fact we know you will want to come back for another zoo experience. READ MORE

Welcome to Dudley Zoological Gardens in Dudley, Westmidlands, for a unique zoo experience. Our zoo was opened in May 1937, and nestles comfortably on approximately 40 acres of ground which features two scheduled monuments, a 11th century castle and limestone caverns, and Grade 2 listed Tecton buildings. We are also home to more than 1300 animals. Bring the family, together with a picnic basket, and we'll take you on a one acre walkthrough experience of Lemur Wood, here you will meet about 30 lemurs who roam free, and also learn about the zoo's conservation programmes in Madagascar for these fascinating creatures. Let's walk a bit further to Monkey Tails for a rainforest experience, and meet Saki monkeys, marmosets, emperor tamarins and especially the cheeky squirrel monkeys. You will even get to see monitor lizards. There is so much to see at Dudley Zoological Gardens, our Asiatic lions of which we are very proud, as there are less than 500 left in the world, African hunting dogs, alpacas, and so much more. And for the youngsters, a visit to Farm and Barn offers them an opportunity to get close to pygmy goats, giant English rabbits, guinea pigs and much more. We look forward to your visit, we know you will not be disappointed READ MORE