Days Out In Leeds: Roundhay Park and Tropical World

Located just three miles north of the City of Leeds, Roundhay Park is one of the most popular gardens and tourist attractions in Britain. In addition to extensive gardens and park facilities, Roundhay Park is the proud home of Tropical World – a unique and multi-part exhibit showcasing tropical flora and fauna smack in the heart of West Yorkshire.

Tropical World at Roundhay Park

The entrance leads into a massive recreation of a rain forest environment, which includes a series of aquariums displaying a wide range of exotic and beautiful fish.

There is also the Butterfly House, where mature garden and forest environments and their plants play home to some forty species of butterfly. The butterflies on exhibit change regularly, so this attraction is well worth re-visiting throughout the year.

Next up is the Amazon Tank, where visitors can see the very largest of the tropical fish included in the entire Tropical World exhibition. Make sure to be on the look out for the extraordinary giraffe fish.

The Australasia House is home to an extraordinary waterfall in a unique lush planted setting. This magnificent waterfall is home to terrapins as well as giant ferns, and be sure to look up towards the sky to see the unique tree warts!

You’ll most certainly want to spend some time at the Creatures Corner exhibit where you will see snakes, water dragons, tortoises and lizards. You’ll also want to spend some time in the South American House and the Desert House, which transport the visitor to a unique and distant land.

Opening times:

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.

How to Find Roundhay Park

By Bus: From Leeds City Centre, ask driver for the stop at Roundhay Park, as Tropical World is about 200 yards from the bus stop.

Roundhay Park is on the 2 and 12 circular bus route. Bus Routes 2, 12 Roundhay Park or Moortown depart from New Market St., New Briggate in Leeds City Centre. They leave in daytime hours every 10 minutes, and Sundays and evenings every 20 to 30 minutes. Extra buses are allocated when there is a major event on in Roundhay Park.