Tilgate Park
Tilgate Park
4.5
Bodies of WaterNature & Wildlife AreasParks
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
Duration: More than 3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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  • TeeCee
    8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Variety of Attractions
    Great place to visit. Love the cafe and the range of animals. Feeding the meerkats was a real treat. Also, the lake area is very nice and has connections to Malcolm Campbell who tested Bluebird for bouyancy there.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 9 December 2023
  • Caroline W
    10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Walled Garden Cafe Tilgate Park
    Such a lovely find in a beautiful setting. We were first in at 1000 and such a warm and friendly cafe. Food and drinks were delicious and fresh. After a great morning sitting chatting I then left behind an item that Annie and her team rescued and posted back to me. We will be back! Caroline
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled on business
    Written 6 March 2024
  • hevsdave p
    1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely mini zoo
    We had a wonderful time looking at the animals . Great burgers there and amazing service . Special mention for Robyn who served in the shop and took our entrance money . Very friendly and accommodating. The star of Tilgate
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 8 March 2024
  • lkm3s
    13 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful, well kept gardens and grounds, makes for lovely walk
    We take our dog on a nice leisurely walk through the forest and round the lake every weekend. This is a beautiful park to walk through and very well maintained. Dogs must stay on lead. The paid for activities are very expensive, but that is everywhere nowadays, good luck trying to have the sorts of days out from 20 years ago. Still, the walk is nice.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 19 May 2024
  • AJD28
    Gujarat, India477 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great for Summer Picnic
    A great location, plenty of parking. Enjoyable activities available ranging from Go Ape to various Watersports (kayak, canoe, pedal boats). The adventure playground is also good with a range of options. A nice path to walk around the lake, which is well paved for cycling/scootering. Woodlands to also take young ones on a little hike or across different terrain. Unfortunately a lot of dog foul throughout the fields, which can make finding a good picnic spot a challenge. A number of restaurants on site albeit excessively priced. A good day out in the summer with plenty to keep one occupied.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 13 June 2024
  • Rita G.
    Szekesfehervar, Hungary206 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Heart of the town
    Clean and nice atmosphere. There is always some events, you can sit by the lake or in the restaurant, have a drink or something to eat. Good for everybody, couples, friends, family, dogs. :)) People going there for a run or walk or just get out from busy work and relax. Thank you for all staff who keep it clean. 👍🏼
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 18 June 2024
  • Colin N
    Brighton, United Kingdom18 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Loved every second
    We went to Tilgate Park last weekend with my family. It's a lovely, well maintained park close to the bustling centre of Crawley. A particular highlight is the Nature Park. Lots of animals in really spacious enclosures that did a good job of simulating a natural environment. Very impressed how the keepers hid food so the animals had to hunt for it. One particular keeper, Jasmine, was really brilliant at interacting with the visitors around the Reindeer enclosure. She knew loads about them and presented her knowledge in an entertaining way. The children learned a lot. Would thoroughly recommend
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 22 June 2024
  • nebuchadnezzar2
    Hastings, United Kingdom114 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Walled Garden Community Cafe in the park…..absolutely fabulous
    Today was our first time at Tilgate Park We had a wander and ended up at the “Walled Garden Community Cafe” It’s a stunning centre and lots of outdoor tables, all with huge umbrellas. The service was fantastic and the food came out quickly. We all went for the sausage, mash and peas which was as good as any I’ve had it supposedly “gourmet” pubs!! Price very reasonable, the meals we had were £8.95. Drinks also excellent value. A huge menu to choose from and a fab kids menu. I’ve photographed the menu and put it here. We are going back next week to hire a pedalo on the lake then lunch again the cafe. I highly recommend going online to look at what is on offer here, especially with the kids holidays coming up.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 July 2024
  • Tina C
    Haywards Heath, United Kingdom1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Peaceful walk around the Lake
    Amazing walk around Tilgate Lake. So peaceful and quiet too. Mainly saw Dog walkers and runners. The Council Team do a great job keeping the park clean and tidy. Always good to veer off the main walkways as you find places like the Peace Garden.
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 7 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,411 reviews
Excellent
981
Very good
353
Average
46
Poor
13
Terrible
18

Robin S
Reigate, UK514 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
I haven't been to Tilgate Nature Centre and zoo for the bets part of a year, but in its newly-refurbished condition it is a real pleasure to visit now. There seem to be an even greater number and greater variety of animals than before, whether mammals, reptiles, insects or birds, and all in reasonably spacious enclosures or cages.

Despite the very heavy rain we've had lately, the whole place was clean and tidy, and very well-maintained, and I couldn't see any areas that were closed off, althouhg there had evidently been some flooding, both in some paddocks and down by the lake.

We took some grandchildren there on a very chilly February day during their half-term holiday, but they were so intrigued by everything, that the cold and occasional drizzle didn't seem to bother them. When asked, their favourite creature was Terry the Talking Raven, though I suspect that the meerkats must have run him a close second. They were also very interested in the written descriptions of animals on boards, especially in the most dangerous in animals in Australia.

A visit to Tilgate is a very worthwhile and educational outing for children, young and old, and well worth the minimal entrance fee we now have to pay.
Written 19 February 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.

Dennis T
London, UK102 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
Even in early February, the park as a whole was spacious and pretty, a place for people to stroll and enjoy something of nature. The walled garden contained attractive features, such as box hedges and formal beds, but looked rather dowdy in winter.

The highlight for us was Tilgate Nature Centre, in effect a small zoo where they keep animals from all over the world. I was impressed by the variety of birds in spacious aviaries, the small herds of alpacas and dwarf goats and the exotic tortoises. Most animals seemed to be well cared-for apart from a pair of mongooses penned in with a dying Christmas tree for company. The Nature Centre costs only £4 for adult entry and obviously appeals to children too.

We also liked the Smith and Western restaurant. We can recommend the steaks and the red house wine, though the prices are on the high side.
Written 3 February 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.
Hi Dennis, Thanks for visiting the park and taking the time to write a review. We're glad you noticed the Christmas tree in with the mongooses. The mongooses have both indoor and outdoor areas in their enclosure and we use our Christmas trees to provide further enrichment activities such as foraging and play. Adding this kind of seasonal variety to their activities is really important when caring for animals. Come and say hello next time you visit the park, we would be happy to tell you more about our enrichment practices. Kindest regards, The Tilgate Team
Written 12 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

abailey77
Horsham, UK15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Family
Junior Keeper experience was amazing and great value. My kids 9 & 10 loved every second. Richard and Alex were brilliant at engaging them in details about animal welfare that they told us in detail when they came home. They spent time with so many animals, with Richard and Alex doing everything to give them an amazing day full of great experiences they won’t forget. Also got loads of pictures of them with the animals to remember. Highly recommend.
Written 19 February 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.

leetemum
Worthing, UK60 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
Bit disappointed with Tilgate now to be honest. Tried to book Animals (Nature Reserve) but full all week and the play park was not open either.
Waited ages for take away food to be prepared in the cafe and may as well have just eaten it at the cafe as it took so long to arrive.
Toilets were OK and reasonably clean. Could do with more toilets to be honest as the ones by the car park get busy at peak time. Also be aware the the pay and display car park is only taking credit cards and not Cash.
We normally stay here all day but because of the play park was not open and unable to get a slot for the animals we called it a day after 2 hours.
Written 26 August 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.

TheBoyFromTheNorth
Reigate, UK52 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
Tilgate Nature Centre.

I arrived at 11am to be so nicely and well greeted by a member of staff (who, sadly, I didn't catch his name!)I was slightly anxious, but felt we needed to visit the centre and enjoy the experience with my 2 ¾ year old daughter.

We were 'checked in' and given a drawing sheet, map and bag of goodies.We were advised about no food, smoking, touching etc. in a polite but concise manner.As I had a 2 ¾ year old, I was advised where the toilets were and handwashing, sanitising etc.All delivered with a feeling of confidence. This put me at ease.He also handed a little fluffy orange pom pom toy to my little girl who was made up!

The entire nature centre was so well laid out, the signs and route was great, we saw everything we have seen before and we felt safe.We barely saw anyone else during our 2 hours in the centre. The staff around the site were friendly.The animals kept myself and my crazy 2 ¾ year old captivated.We felt safe enough to stop near the reindeer and 'draw' them sitting on a bench.

We didn't use the toilets, but we did sanitise regularly, washed our hands on exit (warm water - what a blessing!)As we left the gentleman that greeted came out to get some feedback on our visit.ALL very positive.
We have been here 4 or 5  times over the last 2 years, and it has never failed to keep my daughter engaged and having fun.

As we left , we did wander through the park, it was busy, but generally seemed well distanced.
The Maze and Playground was shut.
Written 17 August 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.

MikeyG53
Emersons Green, UK5,438 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
We visited Tilgate Nature Centre (a zoo in Tilgate Park) in this residential suburb of Crawley, only a couple of miles from the city centre. I have not been to a zoo in many years having, but now a member of my family is one of the full time zookeeping staff, it was arranged for us to call and have a bit of a tour of this Crawley Borough Council owned zoo.

The zoo is contained within a very attractive area that features the Tilgate Forest Recreation Centre, a treetop adventure zone, two lakes and a golf course. Bounded by the A23 to the west and the M23 to the south this area is easily accessible, and must be a major boon to the residents of Crawley and its neighbourhoods and, as we were, people travelling in from anywhere in the West Sussex area. We, as visitors, from Bristol were very impressed by what we say of the whole area and, of course, the zoo itself.

We were given an extensive tour of the area that my daughter runs and watched her go about her duties until all tasks for the day had been completed. We were then shown around the whole site which was far larger than we had at first conceived. Importantly the zoo has areas available for expansion and more species will be added. The impressive number of species on display were set in what were really natural environments, and thus we were happy that the animals were well cared for and, most importantly, respected.

Of particular interest to us were the ring-tailed lemurs, the collection of birds including owls and macaws, and the meerkats. We booked to meet the meerkats inside their enclosure, we sat holding the feeding bowls (containing meal worms) whilst the meerkats climbed on our laps, and shoulders, to feed. We were not allowed to touch them due to COVID restrictions (you cannot sanitise an animal to prevent onward infection). It was a fabulous experience and we did not feel uncomfortable at any time, and we were very amused by these very likeable critters from Africa.

We were mightily impressed by the whole place and by all of the staff we encountered.
Written 24 August 2021
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.

Trish C
Crawley, UK206 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2021
The park caters for everyone, solo visitors, couples, families, and dog lovers. Enjoyable walk with a couple of places for a drink/cuppa and snack (all made fresh per order). There were lots of different people, dogs on leads, off leads, families with babies, toddlers, children, teens, adults, older people and some cyclists. Choices of different things you can do, playground, nature, etc (check the website). Only downfall it's hard to judge when you pay for parking. Do you pay for an hour, or two hours? I actually paid for 2 hours but if I was going to have lunch there I would have needed to pay 3 or 4 hours, so due to this I found I had spent 90 mins so didn't have time let to use the restaurant.
Written 9 November 2021
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.

Tm
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Family
Just a word of caution, we visited on Sunday and left very disappointed. A lot of the enclosures were empty with sign saying animals had been moved or not available at that time. We totally understood that it was a very hot day and some animals would prefer to remain in the shade but even with this the amount of animals were very limited even in the indoor exhibitions. The queues were long and the entrance fee not cheap so when we left we suggested to staff that a sign be put up at the entrance to warn people of the limitations but the staff were not interest and the same with the complaints office who just made excuses but made no offer of informing customers prior to entry to the nature park.
Written 9 August 2022
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.

leetemum
Worthing, UK60 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2021
Unfortunately when we visited the play park, maze, animal centre, etc were shut. Still had a walk round the lake but it was very cold and not even the ducks were interested in the duck food we had bought outside the Smith & Western. The Cafe in the walled gardens were open for food and drink but it was very busy and you could not sit down inside and the walled gardens themselves were also shut.

Hopefully the play park will open soon as they were laying the groundwork when we were there. Also the maze, etc will reopen soon along with the animal centre which is normally our favourite bits.

Not sure what happened to the shire horses and shetland ponies that used to be there in the stables or the fields behind. Hopefully they will make a comeback too.
Written 9 April 2021
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.

leetemum
Worthing, UK60 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
What a nightmare it was today at this well loved Park. We had to queue for 30 mins due to only one Pay and Display machine working. All the others were out of action. Car Park was full and several people went home as you cannot expect young children to wait so long.

Rest of the park was lovely when we finally got in though the Nature Reserve has doubled at the price of £7 for adults and £6 for children. Some of the enclosures need to be trimmed of vegetation as you could not see the animals which was a shame. Also the well loved board walk is still shut!

We loved the new playground though a fence needs to be put in dividing the big swings from the slide so young children cannot run out into the path of a swing. Also where is the beloved jeep that has been in the park for years?
Written 4 August 2021
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.

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TILGATE PARK (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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