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VisitEngland’s Awards for Excellence are a big deal in the hospitality world. From pubs to hotels, they highlight the businesses striving to make people’s trips to England unforgettable, going above and beyond for their patrons.
A trip isn’t just about where you stay or what you eat, though. It’s about the sort of things you can get up to. And for VisitEngland, there’s one English attraction that offers one of the best days out in the country. England’s best large attraction for 2026, according to VisitEngland, is Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park in Wherstead, just outside of Ipswich. VisitEngland called the farm a ‘centre of excellence’ and handed it the gold medal for providing ‘truly memorable visitor experiences’.
Jimmy’s is home to more than 100 species and breeds, including tapir, crocodiles, camels and Ewa the polar bear, who was rescued when her previous zoo in Sweden closed down. It’s also got the UK’s largest pack of Arctic wolves and, last year, it welcomed resident lions and tigers.
Visitors can get up close to some of the creatures with various animal experiences, talks and feedings. You could give a tapir a tummy rub, meet an anteater, shake hands with lemurs, feed Diego the brown bear or stroke the capybaras. One recent visitor said on TripAdvisor that the park has a ‘great laidback atmosphere’ while others have praised it for how well the animals are looked after and how much space they have to roam.
The ‘Jimmy’ of Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park is TV’s Jimmy Doherty, a zoologist and conservationist. A BBC TV show started following his life on the farm in 2004 and since then, he has starred in the likes of Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast with Jamie Oliver and Big Bee Rescue.
In response to the accolade, Doherty said: ‘To be recognised as England’s Best Large Visitor Attraction is incredibly special. When we first started Jimmy’s Farm, we had a simple vision to create something unique that brought together farming, wildlife and education in a way that inspired people.
‘This award is a testament to the extraordinary team who make that vision a reality every day and to all the visitors who have supported us throughout our journey.’
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