Here's why Cork people should holiday at Fota Wildlife Park

He pushes his nose through the gate and opens his mouth. Cautiously first, the children hand him leaves of lettuce. Maya doesn’t wait long to join in. She loves her snacks, Jenny tells us.

Every so often we catch our breath, it feels so surreal. Not only are we hand feeding two rhinos, we are stroking their skin.

Usually, on our regular visits to Fota Wildlife Park, we watch them from afar.

Today, we find ourselves wandering through their pens, peering inside the pool they soak in.

You can spot the annual pass holders at Fota a mile off. We are the regulars. Not quite at the level of the rangers, who know each giraffe by name, but we aren’t too far off them. We’ll notice a missing monkey, and have feeding times learnt off.

But never, in all my visits, have I noticed, Isla, the blind penguin, or thought I’d be eye to eye with a rhino.

We are on a behind-the-scenes tour of Fota Wildlife Park. And it’s magical.

We enter the kitchen, where the food is stored, and see their meticulous feeding charts.

We go inside the giraffe house, and feed the beautiful Bláithín. We meet baby Jai and Walter, the pelican.

And then we step inside the penguin enclosure.

We have a bucket of small fish to throw at the penguins. They like to catch them in their mouths, Jenny explains, so we try to watch our aim. They waddle towards us excitedly. All except one. She stands at our feet, looking upwards. The fish simply land into her mouth.

She’s blind in one eye, Jenny explains, and so she’s picked up this resourceful little trick.

We learn so much more during this exclusive visit to Fota.

It’s rare you experience your own county — or your local wildlife park — as a tourist from elsewhere. But truly everyone should try it.

We finish our tour of the wildlife park and return to our holiday home at Fota Island Resort.

Wrapping up work on a Friday, we find ourselves checking in within half an hour of me shutting my laptop. It feels effortless. So close to home, and yet still so far away. The woman at reception tells us of every nearby amenity. 

We know them well of course, but hearing them all in one sweep brings a new appreciation: there’s the wildlife park, of course, but there’s also the Titanic Experience, just over the bridge in Cobh, right alongside the ferry to one time prison, Spike Island. 

Or there’s Mahon Point, with shopping and the cinema, mere minutes away by car. The city doesn’t even get a mention, though that too is close by.

We’ve driven this road to Fota Wildlife Park over and over, and taken every tourist sign for granted. Until now. Suddenly we understand why this hotel, and its holiday homes, are so popular with families. The facilities right here in the hotel are enticing too. There’s a fairy forest for little feet to explore, right across from a playground expansive enough to lure older kids as well as smallies. All around are wooded walks.

Their golf course is another huge draw card, the spa and pool renowned locally. The Adventure Centre offers a full military training experience, if that’s your idea of a holiday.

Or you could just try one of the classes Fota Island has to offer at the Recreation Centre.

I can’t understand why we didn’t check in before.

We stay at the Fuchsia Lodges, one of two types of holiday home options on the hotel grounds. Set further back beyond the hotel, these 10 houses, tucked away behind a coded barrier, feel hidden, almost exclusive, with no signage to guide you there. 

Rabbits bounce along the grass as we arrive, and the kids squeal with excitement. The gardens back on to a green field, a football net positioned at the end tells us kids take centre stage here.

The house has a kitchen dining room, with sliding doors leading to the garden. There are teas and coffees on arrival, the fridge is stocked with milk, and we are greeted with chocolates and a welcome note.

The sitting room has two sumptuous velvet couches, a chandelier overhead. This is high-end living.

Upstairs there are three bedrooms. Think walk-in wardrobes, and en suites. The main bedroom is vast, with a balcony overlooking the garden.

One of the main draw cards is the hotel pool. It’s family-friendly, welcoming kids all day from 9am-6pm. And while the kids splashed, I booked into the Power Hour workout at the Recreation Centre, a brilliant balance of cardio and strength training.

If you are checking in, and fitness is on the agenda, suss out the Adventure Centre. I experienced an exhausting, but utterly exhilarating, morning bootcamp there a few years ago. This is hardcore, exactly what you expect the military to be.

If treats are more your thing, Fota Island Resort really shows its five-star credentials when to comes to dining.

The Cove restaurant has recently been upgraded, with lush green walls. leather seats, and brass light fixtures.

The Picanha steak with twice home-cooked chips is sublime, the service perfection. Breakfast the next day is just as impressive. Pancakes for the kids, and for the grown-up, the avocado on toast had an unexpectedly spicy kick.

We’ve experienced a day trip to the award-winning Spike Island in summers past, catching a ferry from Crosshaven. And we’ve explored the exceptional Titanic Experience. This little family-friendly pocket in the south needs to be appreciated by families — international, Irish and even local.

Go, be a tourist in your home city. You’ll enjoy it all the more knowing you’ll be checked out and home in 30 minutes.

Escape notes

• Vickie was a guest of Fota Island Resort
• A 3-bed Courtyard Lodge at Fota Island Resort costs €750 self-catering for 2 nights. A family room is €329 bed and breakfast per night for 2 adults and 2 kids. fotaisland.ie
• Fota Wildlife Park's VIP tours cost €185 per family with a 10% discount for Fota Wildlife Park annual pass holders. Children must be over four years of age, maximum of six (2 adults & 4 kids), includes admission price to the park. fotawildlife.ie