We love experiences. I adore making memories with my family, things that we can talk about over the years to come and this fabulous overnight stay at Whipsnade is certainly one of those fab experiences.

It was over 12 years ago since we last visited Whipsnade (way back when we lived down south before we had kids) and were very excited to be invited by Frubes (Who we have been working with) to come and spend the evening with them and the Minions at Whipsnade at the lookout lodge. We got to sleep next to the white rhinos and experience the zoo as no-one else gets to see it. It truly was a once in a lifetime experience and perfect for my animal lovers.

I love guided tours, but with children they can be a bit hit and miss. Thankfully the hosts are so passionate about the animals they manage to enthrall the children with their knowledge and enthusiasm. They really did make the tours amazing. Both the sunset one and the torchlit one too. There is something quite magical about watching the animals in a small group and also listening to the Lions roaring so loudly that they can be heard from the Meerkat enclosure when the zoo is closed!

I think a highlight for me was watching the wolves by torch light. The boys loved being taken from one part of the park to another on the open sided safari vehicle.

The lookout lodges are compact and cozy, but perfectly comfortable for a family of four and the toilet and shower block is only a few yards away.

The food was great, not the standard cafe fare and you can even grab a free hot chocolate before you go to bed from the reception area or have your bottle of fizz delivered to the cabin (We started one at dinner and the reminder was waiting for us at the cabin after our torch light walk)! Breakfast was hearty and set us up for the day and we all loved feeding breakfast to the chimps, bears and wild boar before the zoo opened to the public.

We had a fabulous experience at the zoo and would thoroughly recommend the overnight experience to any family thinking about it. It doesn’t cost much more than a stay in a good hotel and once you add on entry to the zoo and meals it is pretty great value and my children are still talking about it.

Add on zoo activities and crafts

I love going places and doing things sparked by the kids and since visiting the zoo they have really been inspired, so here is a round up of great add on zoo activities and crafts for after you have visited the zoo.

Frubes are giving you the opportunity to win ‘Minions of Prizes’ with special on-pack Minion Vision Goggles until 31 October 2015. Our stay at Whipsnade was courtesy of Frubes and the zoo. Did you see our Minions Frubes Milkshake?

Find more details on the Lookout Lodge sleepover experience at Whipsnade here. A sleepover at the zoo experience costs £378 for a family of four, including tours, meals, and a two-day entry pass to the zoo, with vehicle access. A daily family pass to the zoo is £64.58.