Animal Park · Animals & Farms Portadown, Co. Armagh
C&J's Animal Park
A family-run animal park near Portadown — meet 100+ animals from lemurs and meerkats to wallabies and reptiles, with hands-on handling through the day.
5 photos
Wed–Sun, 11am–5pmSeasonal · last entry 4pm · check the day
A family-run animal park in the countryside near Portadown, home to 100+ animals — meet the ring-tailed lemurs, meerkats, wallabies and reptiles, and get your hands on them at the handling sessions that run through the day.
What you'll see — more than 100 animals, including ring-tailed and black-and-white ruffed lemurs, meerkats, Bennett's wallabies, chinchillas, rabbits, macaws, emus, and a reptile room of bearded dragons, tegus, milksnakes and axolotls. Many are rescues or rehomed pets.
Hands-on — handling sessions run through the day, and everyone gets a chance to touch or hold a variety of animals — snakes, lizards, rabbits, guinea pigs, tortoises and more, depending on the day.
How long — it's a compact, walkable park, so allow around one to two hours to get round the animals and the handling.
Cost — £10 adult, £8.50 child (under 16), toddlers 2 and under free; concession £9, and a family of four (2 adults + 2 children) is £33, with extra children £7 each. Check the current rate before you travel.
When — open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm; closed Monday and Tuesday.
Hours are seasonal and can change. The park lists its times as seasonal and subject to change, and posts any unexpected closures on its Facebook page — so check the day before you set off on cjsanimalpark.com.
Term-time Toddler Mornings may run at a lower rate. Reduced toddler sessions are sometimes offered — if you're coming with a little one, confirm the day and price with the park first.
Plan your visit
Pick your day and go say hello
C&J's opens Wednesday to Sunday from 11am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm and closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Those hours are seasonal and can shift, so it's worth a quick check the day before — the park announces any unexpected closures on its Facebook page. Admission is £10 for adults, £8.50 for children under 16, and free for toddlers aged 2 and under; a concession rate is £9, a family ticket (two adults and two children) is £33, and extra children are £7 each. It's a compact, flat park you can take at a gentle pace, and the animal handling runs through the day, so there's no rush to catch a single show.
Tea, coffee, ice cream & snacks at the entranceToilets incl. accessible & baby changingFlat gravel paths, accessible throughoutParking on siteIndoor & outdoor picnic areas
Worth knowing:
Opening days and times are seasonal and can change, and there's no full café on site — just tea, coffee, ice cream and small snacks at the entrance, with picnic areas indoors and out if you bring your own. Check the day and the prices on cjsanimalpark.com before you travel.
Before you set off
What to wear & bring
👟Comfy shoesPaths are flat gravel, so trainers or boots are grand — and easy underfoot for buggies and wheels too.
🧥A coat, whatever the sky's doingMost of the animals are outdoors, and if the rain comes the reptile room is the cosy backup — a soft, damp day is a lovely one to visit.
🧺A picnic if you fancyThere's no full café — just snacks and ice cream at the entrance — so a packed lunch is a good shout, with indoor and outdoor picnic spots to use.
🧴Hand gel or wipesPlenty of animal-holding, so handy for little hands before the snacks come out (there are handwashing stations too).
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Adults £10, children under 16 £8.50 (must have adult supervision), toddlers aged 2 and under free. Concession £9. Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) £33, with each additional child £7. Prices are subject to change — confirm the current rate when you plan your visit.
Season & hours
Open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm; closed Monday and Tuesday. Opening hours are seasonal and subject to change, and unexpected closures are announced on the park's Facebook page — check the day before travelling.
What you'll see & do
More than 100 animals, including ring-tailed and black-and-white ruffed lemurs, meerkats, Bennett's wallabies, chinchillas, rabbits, macaws and emus, plus a reptile room with bearded dragons, tegus, milksnakes and axolotls. Animal handling sessions run through the day — everyone gets the chance to touch or hold snakes, lizards, rabbits, guinea pigs, tortoises and more, depending on the day. Many residents are rescues or rehomed pets, and the park runs an education focus with local schools and groups.
Ages
Suits all ages — the hands-on handling and the close-up meerkats, lemurs and wallabies land especially well with younger children.
Food
No full café on site — tea, coffee, ice cream and other small snacks are available to buy at the entrance. Picnic areas indoors and outdoors mean you're welcome to bring your own food.
Toilets
Toilets on site, including accessible facilities and handwashing stations throughout. Baby changing available.
Dogs
As a park full of livestock and small animals, pet dogs are not suited to a visit — check with the park directly if you need to bring an assistance dog.
Getting around
Flat gravel pathways with accessible routes to all areas, so it's manageable with a buggy or wheelchair.
Parking
Parking on site at the park on Derryall Road.
How long
A compact park — allow around one to two hours to see the animals and take in a handling session.
Questions
Before you go
What days is it open?
Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm — closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Hours are seasonal and can change, and any unexpected closures go up on the park's Facebook page, so a quick check the day before is wise.
Can the children really hold the animals?
Yes — handling sessions run through the day and everyone gets a chance to touch or hold a variety of animals, from snakes and lizards to rabbits, guinea pigs and tortoises, depending on what's out that day. Handwashing stations are on site, and hand gel or wipes are handy to bring.
What animals will we see?
Over 100 in all — ring-tailed and black-and-white ruffed lemurs, meerkats, Bennett's wallabies, chinchillas, rabbits, macaws and emus, plus a reptile room of bearded dragons, tegus, milksnakes and axolotls. Many are rescues or rehomed pets.
Is there food?
There's no full café — tea, coffee, ice cream and small snacks are sold at the entrance, and there are indoor and outdoor picnic areas if you'd rather bring your own lunch.
Is it any good in the rain?
It works — most of the animals are outdoors, but the indoor reptile room and covered picnic space give you a warm-and-dry backup. Bring a coat and enjoy the soft weather.
Is it buggy and wheelchair friendly?
Yes — the paths are flat gravel with accessible routes to all areas, and there are accessible toilets and baby changing on site.
Getting there
30 Derryall Road, Portadown, Craigavon, Co. Armagh, BT62 1PL — in the countryside east of Portadown, with parking on site.
A family park built on rescued and rehomed animals
C&J's Animal Park sits in the quiet countryside on the Derryall Road, a short run east of Portadown in Co. Armagh. It was founded in 2008 by John and Elaine McCreery, whose farming background and love of animals started the whole thing off — it began, the family say, with a handful of chickens and grew from there into the wide collection you can meet today.
Over the years it's become a genuinely hands-on place. More than 100 animals now live here, from the ring-tailed and ruffed lemurs and the meerkats to the Bennett's wallabies, chinchillas, macaws and emus, and a reptile room where bearded dragons, tegus, milksnakes and axolotls draw a crowd. What sets the tone is that many of the residents are rescues or rehomed pets who've found a safe, permanent home — and the park leans into that, running an education focus with local schools and groups so children learn how to care for animals properly.
It's a compact, friendly park rather than a big commercial zoo, and that's the charm of it — you're close to the animals, the handling sessions put a rabbit or a tortoise or a snake right into willing hands, and the McCreerys are usually somewhere about, happy to tell you which of their residents came from where. A gentle, warm-hearted couple of hours, and children leave having actually held something.