There are a couple of open farms around Belfast but what sets this one apart for me is the fact…read morethat they produce their very own ice cream from their very own cows. How cool is that? The grass grows, the cows eat the grass, the cows make milk and the clever people at Streamvale make ice cream from the milk. You can even watch them making it. Of course the bet bit is eating the ice cream which is lush. The rest of the farm is well worth a visit, with all the usual farm type animals - horses, sheep, goats , ducks and chickens. When there are lambs on the farm, kids can even give them a bottle feed of milk which they love. The kids that is. Although I suppose the lambs love it too. Kids can also have a pony ride, feed the chickens and enjoy the slide through the hay bales. At Christmas, Streamvale is just magical - an elf tells a Christmas story and then you take a tractor ride up to the top field to see the herd of reindeer which live at Streamvale. After the kids have fed the reindeer, you then walk back down to the farm by torchlight singing Jingle Bells. Truly enchanted for kids big and small. PS the reindeer are very popular at Christmas so make sure you book well in advance.

Spring has sprung, summer's in the air, but wait...my little cuckoo has grown up and left the nest…read morefor college. That's why I borrowed my nephews to go to our fav farm for a day out. Streamvale is dead easy to get to (behind the Dundonald Ice Bowl) and ticks all the boxes for a family trip. Nature walks, baby animals, big animals, petting and cuddle-time...everything that's fun and informative about animals and farming. For the parents there's a tea room and toilets (again, I seem to have a toilet obsession going on, but when a 5 year old says 'toilet', you jump to it!). Streamvale has seasonal events too - and a great up-to-date website. And to finish mums off, there's insects and a Mouse Farm-bleuch! But on the plus side: Grandparents go free in May (god forbid you should want to spend time away from your precious little ones, but Victoria Square is surely a 'me-time' destination?!!!)

I really enjoy zoos and had a great day out here. It almost sounds silly to say I enjoy zoos. Some…read morepeople are vehemently opposed to them because wild animals are kept in captivity and I suppose away from nature. I see why they would. But some of the animals were born in zoos or like some of the elephants here were rescued from horrible conditions in circuses. How anyone can be cruel to these beautiful creatures is beyond my comprehension. I find there's just something so soothing about watching giraffes, elephants, zebras, penguins and other wonderful creatures. The sea lions were comical as they honked at each other as each objected to sharing the one rock in their pond. It's also hard to read the little signs beside so many of the animals as they invariably say that they are endangered, with a loss of habitat or hunted for food or hunted by poachers seeking to make money on their skin or horns. This zoo is in a great setting, quite hilly in parts and with technology we know we walked over three miles going about inside. The staff are mega friendly, they organise lots of feeding times and give an insight into the animals while feeding them. It's also in a great location and the grounds are seriously well kept. Downsides for me: the food offerings for humans are pretty poor - I did notice there wasn't much demand either - and there's lots of big beast animals not there. No hippos, rhinos, crocodiles, camels, polar bears. Many of the zoo animals here are vegetarian with a small number of meat eaters so that might keep down their running costs. It's a place worth supporting.

My kids loved every moment of their time at the Belfast Zoo. The staff were incredibly friendly and…read moregave up tips every time we interreacted with them. The walk around the zoo was pleasant, although a bit hilly at times, but it was so calm and tranquil. The animals were clean and looked well cared for, so what more could you ask? There is a cafe on premises which is very popular.

The wildfowl and wetlands trust are tasked with maintaining and protecting sites throughout the…read morecountry such as castle espie in comber. Protecting sites for birds also helps protect other wildlife and provides refuge from development of housing in rural areas and gives generations of people the enjoyment of seeing our wildlife not just within parks but outside of site boundaries too.

I cannot believe no one has reviewed this place…read more They have more reptiles than any other zoo I have visited and they are very well looked after. Whenever I ask "Dublin or Kilkenny" my child still says Kilkenny !!!

I have brought my kids here numerous times and they have enjoyed it every time from the pony…read moretrekking to the old houses, to the play park, really worth a visit and is a must for any trip up the Antrim coast. Wee tip is to take the tour of the site it is very bumpy but it's really interesting to see and hear about the farm and its history!

I have a somewhat strange soft spot for seals so the Exploris Aquarium is one of my favourite…read moreplaces to go for a family day out. The experts at Exploris take in and care for seals which have been rescued from the coast suffering from injury or illness. Mind you, sometimes there are no seals in the seal sanctuary which is obviously good news for the seal population but not for the selfish visitors who want to see them. Check the website before you go to see how many seals are being cared for. The aquarium has loads of other stuff to see and learn about. The first thing you see when you go in is a huge touch tank where there are frequent talks from the expert staff who encourage visitors to touch the fish and rays which is great fun. There are lots of tanks and pools as you make your way through the aquarium, including one which has a wave splashing too and fro. The most exciting bit is the largest tank which has sharks in it. Only little ones but still very exciting nonetheless and throughout the day divers go into the tank to feed the sharks. There are loads of fish and rays in this tank too to really give you an idea of how the species interact in the open sea. You can view this tank from the side through the glass walls or from above as a bridge is suspended above it. Exploris is relatively pricey to get in - £22 for a ticket for a family of 4 and even if you take a break in the café and visit the shop (both of which will see you forking out more cash), I think the most you will spend there is a couple of hours. Stretch out your visit by taking a picnic and going to the park right next door.

Jaw dropping, awe inspiring, beautiful marine creatures…read more Take a trip to Exploris Aquarium and witness the amazing spectacle of what life is like in our local waters. I'm a water baby, always have been, always will be and sea life fascinates me. Lucky mites get to live in the water all day every day, why can't I! They don't even get wrinkles! Bah! Jealousy aside, this attraction is a fascinating peek in to the marine world. It's educational and fun; a great day out for the family or there's a tour/workshop facility available for school trips. You can watch in amazement as the divers hand feed the sharks, even walk across the murky depths on the bridge above the shark tank! Make sure you visit the discovery pool where you get hands on action with the flat fish! The staff give regular presentations and talks throughout the day about an interesting range of topics, so if you're a sea geek, don't miss this! The aquarium is also home to The Seal Rescue Centre *arf arf* where sick pups are nursed back to health before being released into the wild. This is a great programme which ensures the rehabilitation and ongoing care of our local seal population. Yay! There are regular exhibitions held on location so contact them before you come to see whats on. For example, this year there is; shark week, seal week, a puppet theatre and art / photography exhibitions. This year seal week is 6 - 14 Nov ...See you there! As of August 2010 - Prices: Adult £7.00 Junior (16 years and under) £4.50 Family (2 adults and 4 children) £22.00 Family (1 adult and 4 children) £19.50 60 years +, Disabled and unemployed £4.50 Under Fours Free Opening Hours: April - August: Mon - Fri 10am - 6pm Sat 11am - 6pm Sun 12noon - 6pm September - March: Mon - Fri 10am - 5pm Sat 11am - 5pm Sun 1pm - 5pm For such an interesting, informative day, Portaferry is only about an hour away from Belfast so if you're stuck on a rainy day don't miss it! Or do as we used to and pack the kids away, hook up the caravan and come stay in the caravan site next door and make a weekend of it!

Closes at dusk. Open at dawn, there is a large selection of waterfowl, barn museum, and picnic…read moreareas. They have rare breeds such as Dexter/Irish Moiled cattle and Saddleback pigs. This is a Georgian farmhouse with Gloucester Old Spot or Tamworth pigs and ornamental fowl. You have to arrange farm tours but there's a barbeque, children's play area, and sculpture trails.

Brilliant place to spend an afternoon. Best bit its FREE!!…read moreFarm is good, usuel farm animals pigs, chickens, sheep etc. Goats are brilliant and loads of ducks etc to feed. You can feed them your own bread, got to be fresh. Wash hand basin for cleaning hands available also. Good car park but the farm isnt really very busy. Park beside it is good, again another good sized car park and nice walk upto the park. Lovely place for a picnic in the summer.

My girlfriend and I live in America and were visiting my family here. I had visited the park 7 or…read moreso years ago and it seemed to be struggling back then but it is completely different now. We had an amazing time and particularly loved the otters and lemurs. The scenery and views of the island also add to the experience. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for something to do while visiting.