This place is always worth the drive and having a little one to wander and explore with, just makes it all the more special and memorable. It's quite the expansive property, so make sure you and your little ones are ready for a trek, but it just feels so lush and peaceful, mixed with excitement of getting to feed the giraffes and goats! I'd be hard pressed to find a kid or adult that wouldn't have a blast hear especially when the weather is nice read more

Binder Park Zoo - The big bear statue - Zoos Near Me - Battle Creek, Michigan

This zoo is very big in terms of area - and amazing given it isn't in a major metro area. Most of the animals have large enclosures. The biggest is an open savannah-type area that has a lot of room with zebras, addaxes, ostriches, and other African animals. The zoo has 2 major sections separated by a half-mile road where you take a tram. In the main section, there's a small train ride for the kids, a good-sized dinosaur playground, and a ropes and climbing course (that is huge and costs extra). In this section, there are a variety of animals and the major attractions - along with a boardwalk to stay out of muddy areas. There's a boardwalk in some places (where it is prone to mud) and paved paths in other areas. There's a petting area where you can feed goats. The second section is solely Africa and themed appropriately. And... there is an area where you can feed giraffes. We spent 3 hours to see it all - and got in close to 3 miles of walking. read more

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We had such a fun family day at Binder Park Zoo! This was my little man's very first zoo experience, and he loved looking around at all the animals. We were lucky that so many of them were out and active, which made it extra exciting. The highlight for us was definitely the safari section--feeding the giraffes is such a unique and memorable experience. Our little guy wasn't quite ready to feed them himself (maybe next time! ), but he loved watching mom and dad do it. The train ride out to the safari was nice, though we did have to wait a bit since only one was running, but it wasn't too bad. After exploring, we decided to walk back instead of waiting again, which was a nice option to have. We also really appreciated the wide variety of animals and how much space the zoo has--it does mean a bit more walking compared to some other zoos, but it makes the exhibits feel more open and enjoyable. Visiting on a Friday morning was perfect since it wasn't busy at all, which gave us plenty of time and space to enjoy everything. Overall, we had a wonderful time and can't wait to come back when our little man is a bit older to experience it all over again. Highly recommend Binder Park Zoo for families looking for a fun day out! read more

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Easily able to navigate this in just about an hour or two. All the lush foliage really lends itself to being in the animals natural environment. One of the best zoos I've ever been to. I felt like I was on the other side of the world. And our conductor on that kiddy train ride was fabulous! I didn't catch his name, but he was so animated, blowing the whistle on the train to keep us all amused. read more

Binder Park Zoo - Python! - Zoos Near Me - Battle Creek, Michigan

Maintained very well by the city of Battle Creek. Great displays that will be sure to delight all from young to old. Ride the train to the Africa safari side, ride the transport or walk, but don't miss the carousel and treats before you visit Africa! Perfect place for a family outing and there are pavilions before the parking lot for large private groups. Many events are schedule throughout the season! Gift shop as you exit to take home a touching memory. read more

This is a fantastic zoo. I highly recommend it. Six of us went yesterday; it was the first time for 4 of the 6. They were so surprised by the number of exhibits, the natural surroundings, and that most of the day was in the shade. Do be prepared for walking and some on an incline when visiting Wild Africa. I clocked over 10,000 steps on this visit. My favorite part is visiting the giraffes. There are three that you can pet and feed lettuce (available for purchase). If you like zoos, Binder Park Zoo will delight you! read more

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We thought it was just a tiny and regular zoo but it was so amazing and we ended up spending all day there. It had many special animals like lemurs. It also was priced adequately and we also loved the rope course. read more

Hello,, My daughter and her family, my husband and I decided to go to Binder zoo. It's a very beautiful zoo. I would say , get there at opening about 10 am and plan on a lot of walking . Wear good shoes. We went early in the season , June 8, when it's cooler out. we saw all the animals . From bears to cheetahs to lions etc. It was fun. and enjoyable. The cost was about 80 to get in, Food was about 80. yes a bit high but it's a fun day . The most fun was the giraffe area. you can feed them with lettuce you purchase. make sure you take the tram up, why ? it's a rough walk uphill ! its about .5 mile but mostly uphill. There are plenty of stations for eating. The food is like that of fast food but I thought it was good. Anyway, it was a great experience for us ! Enjoy ! read more

The absolute best thing! Plan to spend a whole day here. The layout is thoughtful, there are plenty of refreshment stations, and the gift shop was top notch. I loved my time here. read more

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The zoo was fun and a lot larger than expected. I think we spent 4 hours there, rode the train, and rode the tram. There are a lot of animals to see. The large cats (there was a bus you walk onto to get a great view of the lions and the snow leopard was cool) and the orange and black bird I photographed were some family favorites. Prices were typical of most zoo's and the food was also (burger, hot dog, ice cream...). It was hot out, so we rode the tram to the rear half of the zoo. This take you to a long path (0.8 miles?) where you can view the animals of Africa. It was set up well, but my kids were done about a third of the way through. If I had to do it again, I would do the first half of the zoo, break for the kids to have ice cream and ride the carousel, then do the back half. You can only exit at the entrance, so keep that in mind if your kids are getting finicky later on. read more

Binder Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Battle Creek, Michigan

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This is an adorable little zoo. A great place to spend about three or four hours walking around. The day we went it was pouring, but a bit of rain never stops us. We vacation rain or shine. It was a good start to our day since we had much of the place to ourselves at the start of the day. It is not too costly to get in and they accept affiliated zoos for the 50% off discount. It was about $14.50 before the discount. They only charge a $2.00 parking fee, which is very cheap compared to most zoos in Michigan and Ohio. At first we did not see many animals, but by the end of our day we saw most of them. Some things were not operating. I am not sure if it was due to the pandemic, season, or shortage of workers. The nature center was closed, some animals were off exhibit, and the train was not operating (it looked like it was under construction). It also looked like there might have been a play structure, but that was not available. The one dipping dot stand I saw was closed too. They were getting ready for a dinosaur exhibit/ walk through soon for people who like that activity (I am one of those people). The zoo is small. The first section has wolves, wild cats, owls, bears, Australian animals, and a restaurant. They also have a carousel with a small snack bar. Then they have the most adorable tram that takes you to see the African animals. That is the best part of the zoo, and worth the entire trip over here. I loved their African wildlife. They are put in such a large space to roam freely. They have a .8 mile long trail along the outside to see the different animals. They were all out and easy to spot. I enjoyed this section the most. You can also feed to giraffe for a reasonable price. They have a small gift shop and a snack bar with scoopable ice cream and popcorn. Upon leaving they have a nice gift shop. They emphasized to keep my receipt and I could come and go as much as I needed throughout the day. But since the zoo is not too large, I am not sure how long most people spend here, as mentioned, putting aside about half a day would be suffice. The downfall of this zoo is their food game. One of my favorite zoos, Toledo, has some unique food and beverages. This zoo does not allow you to bring in outside food or drinks. That is fine, we left our snacks in the car, and because of its size, you can go back and forth very easily. But since they do not allow food, they should offer more to their customers. They only had a couple candies in the gift shops. The dipping dots were closed. The one restaurant had very limited options, mostly things you could buy from the grocery store and put in the car. They did not have their veggie sandwich option and only had potato salad or macaroni salad as sides. They only had maybe three or four actual things to eat here. The African ice cream stand was out of most flavors. So it would have been difficult for us to eat here. I do not even know if they had water fountains or if they were working. I liked their spacious park look where they kept the trees and plants indigenous of the Battle Creek area. I liked their many tree canapes and their draped flags decor to showcase different countries and regions of the animals. read more

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Had a blast! From Florida and your zoo did not disappoint. Very family friendly and lots to do. read more

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Not what I was expecting. Thought I would be here for an hour or two. This is one of the most amazing zoos I have visited. Stayed for three hours and I will definitely come back. Cannot describe what I saw. Trust me you need to visit this place. My tip is take the tram to Africa. read more

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This experience was great. I was really excited to see a zoo that had such an open space for the animals. Bring your most comfortable running shoes there's quite a bit of walking. There is so much to see. Feeding the giraffes was perhaps my favorite part. You do have to pay for the lettuce leaves that you feed the giraffes so bring a couple bucks :) read more

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We love Binder Park Zoo. While it is not one of the bigger zoos that's you'd find in a big city, Binder Park Zoo is the perfect size for a young family to pretty easily seen everything in one trip. The Wild Africa portion at the back of the park is accessible by free tram or a half mile walk (uphill going out, heads up), and it comprises about half of the park. The exhibits are pretty nice throughout the zoo, but there is some obvious wear from years of foot traffic. That said, they are doing a nice job updating the zoo and maintenance projects seem to be underway. It pays to be a member as you get to bypass super long lines on nice days with the members' entrance. All in all, Binder Park is a hidden gem on the outside of Battle Creek. read more

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Been coming here a long time, since it opened in 1977, I was born in 1971. I love this place is always had good memories Dad loves zoos and instilled a love of them in me. This is a fine example of a lovely small zoo that is growing and improving. It is about 400 acres. With lots of trails and animal exhibits, I think on Memorial Day we walked 5 miles. For those we can't walk that far there are trams and a cute little train. Kid carts to rent and I think even electric scooters. If you are local you should consider a membership, will save money and help support the zoo! read more

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We were here a short time and only got to see about half of the park. That half was nice enough to make me want to go back and see the whole place soon. The zoo has a jungle feel and is humid with so much forestry and water. It's mostly shade because of this too, which is nice. But do not ignore the humidity aspect. Make sure you dress appropriately. We saw several animals in the short time we were there. Some of the enclosures were a bit small for certain animals who are really in need of more space to roam. The children's petting zoo was fun and offered a few ways for some hands-on exploring. The kiosks/train/and other adventures were closed. We were there on a hot day in August and finding a drink was nearly impossible. Considering daylight was longer at the time, it would have been nice if they would not have closed everything down prior to park closing. They lost stars due to cost. We arrived with only an hour to quickly enjoy the sites. There is no discount for later in the day arrivals. We paid the full $14.25 for adults and $12.25 for kids. They offer wagons for children at $7 a piece. Food/drinks are pricey same as most parks like this. This may not seem like a lot to some, but if you have a large family or a group, it's another story. The parking was free, or at least at the time we were there. Yes, I'd go back and hope the rest of the park lived up to my expectations. read more

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Binder Park Zoo is a great local zoo which is handicapped friendly! Even the tram to take you to Africa where the giraffes are is handicap accessible! It's a great place to spend the day. You can feed the giraffes and maybe even get licked by the giraffes. There are zebra and gazelles in the African area as well. There are predatory animal displays also at the zoo -- coyote, wolf, snow leopard, etc. There is a petting zoo area for the kids; and if you're lucky, the peacock will do his dance for you! Very beautiful! The grounds and displays are well kept. Bathroom facilities are clean. There are snack foods that you can snack on at the zoo, but it's a zoo so don't expect a gourmet meal. They also have a few water fountains around the zoo, but I would recommend bringing a couple bottles of water, you can get really thirsty especially on the warmer days! read more

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I have been here, twice and have enjoyed each time, I walk the trail, for my part of Michigan this is a great stop, always seeing , a lot of people about. I made this weekend, for the start of summer. Always get a good feeling after my visit. Worth your visit, a very family friendly business. The staff seem available for questions. Love animals, love this place! read more

Binder Park Zoo - Dinosaurs to look at. - Zoos Near Me - Battle Creek, Michigan

This used to be one of the best Zoo's around. The manager change a few yesrs ago really screwed it up. They are more into statues of animals then into live ones. I won't go there anymore. Did not renew membership read more

Pleasantly surprised by Binder Park Zoo! It's so vast and green that it almost reminds me of an arboretum. I came specifically for Bonteboktoberfest and was impressed by the size of the event & overall organization/coordination of the event. I didn't feel the need to pay the extra $30 for VIP because it was plenty spacious. I also loved that some of the animals were out, so I got to see Oolong, the new baby red panda! I'll be back for another event and/or when it's open for the season again! What a fun Battle Creek gem! 278/365 read more

Great Zoo for a smaller town. Lots of fun for the family and kids. Lots of parking. Easy to get to.

Such a disappointing visit! Everything is closed, animals are missing, what a waste of time and money! read more

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So I never knew the zoo even existed. We found it by mistake on a fluke and missed an exit they really should look into better advertisement this would be a definite destination and worth the commute. I would say personally that the only gripe I have would be two things 1 the concession food left something to be desired and most of the carts or secondary locations or closed or empty and when you are hiking as much as you do at this location being able to get refreshments or take a break would help. And secondly that the last quarter mile of the Safari hike was basically a overgrown narrow Trail through the woods with nothing to look at or see it seems like they started the exhibit and didn't have enough money to finish. Thirdly the signage around the entire property and eating two different exhibits is confusing at best but poorly executed or non-existent we almost went down a couple random trails the layout just didn't make sense. If they would fix those three things it would be a definite Five Star as of right now it's a Solid 4 and 1/2 regardless I truly wish you all would start allowing half points That being said this was an epic find and by far I would say it is better than the Detroit Zoo hands down and probably even with the Toledo Zoo but the exhibit seem much more thought out here and Interactive I would come back to maybe 3 times a year versus Toledo or Detroit where if you go once in a year or every other year you're pretty much set. The Nature Preserve is so large it has rolling sweeping Hills and all the animals seem quite content it is definitely a good job bye the zoo staff even the corridor of flags provide shelter from the Sun and makes you feel like you are somewhere else. One of the best selling points aside from the extreme amount of hiking and walking that you will do here wear comfortable shoes is that 90% of it is covered by tree growth and shade where you are walking through up north like tunnels and that helped on an extremely hot 90 degree day that in itself makes the trip worthwhile if you have small children that way your children are not in the sun baking like in Toledo or Detroit plus the fact that you can hand feed a giraffe is just downright cool and a great experience for a child let alone an adult We definitely will be back it just seems like the same needs a little bit more funding to make it 100% complete read more

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This is a great little zoo. I am a big city girl from Los Angeles and Las Vegas so I haven't been to a zoo since I was a kid. In Vegas we have a Lion Sanctuary that's about it, and it does have one giraffe in it so to see this zoo with such a great number of animals was awesome. I saw at least 5 giraffe in their 17 acre grass, tree filled enclosure. There were also zebra in there with them. I saw monkey's and birds and frogs and a cheetah. This is a great zoo. My family had a fun time, very worth every dime. Oh and the ice-cream cones were awesome! read more

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This is literally a great zoo, especially for a city like Battle Creek! I love this place and have many fond memories here. I LOVE the wolves! I wish they had more wolves! And I do wish they would stay open a little later. read more

Great zoo especially the African area with a large open grassy area for the animals. Don't skip the giraffe feeding, its amazing. I usually take the tram first and head to Africa first as its my favorite. The flags of all the continents is a wonderful way to experience Africa. Also many different animals are in this zoo and some adorable abandoned bear siblings read more

Binder Park Zoo - Seeing the animals since its too cold for the beach - Zoos Near Me - Battle Creek, Michigan

On our way back from Ann Arbor, our two daughters were growing restless in the back seat. We were approaching Battle Creek and figured there would be a mall or restaurant off the highway to allow us to stretch our legs. We saw a sign for "zoo" and said "what the hell." We figured it would be a petting zoo or some small farm with animals behind rickety fencing, but holy poop, we were wrong. We followed the signs for Binder Park Zoo and eventually drove down the winding one way street towards the parking lot. The entrance made it seem like a legit zoo with large animals and other fun things, but we, being snobby Illinoisans, only knew of Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo so we were skeptical. After checking the website and seeing the admission prices, I was hesitant to continue with our plan, but Ashley reminded me that we stayed in a pretty crappy motel in Ann Arbor so I didn't have say in this decision. Kids were 3-11 were something like $11 so we lied and said our three year old was 2. Sorry Binder! We walked into the park and observed it was like the zoo people took a forest preserve and cut out large sections of trees for different animal enclosures. Much different than any zoo I've been to. I'm not saying it was bad, it was just different. We saw bears, dingo, many peacocks that just walk around free, petting zoo with goats, wolves, and other typical zoo animals. However the highlight of the zoo, and what would make me go back in a heartbeat, was the African area. You can either walk to the separate part of the zoo or take a free zebra tram to this section. We decided to walk. You enter the African section by walking under all the flags of the African countries, I thought that was really cool. When you get to the area, it looks like you are transported to Africa: different style buildings, authentic artifacts from safaris, signs warning of poachers. It really sells it. You can then see wild African animals in their natural setting. Not behind glass, not confined to some small plot of grass, but an actual HUGE savannah that they get to roam around. Acres upon acres of land. Zebra, giraffes, gazelle, etc. The cheetah had to be in a separate spot of course due to the gazelle. It was awesome. After walking some paths, you get to a higher ground where the giraffes heads are right by your legs. Here, you can purchase some romain lettuce to feed the giraffes!! It was 5 leaves for $6 and SO WORTH IT! It was easily the coolest animal experience I've ever done. That was the last part of our Binder experience. We rode the zebra tram back to the parking lot and headed home. What we thought would be a pathetic petting zoo turned into one of our families coolest vacation experiences! read more

Binder Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Battle Creek, Michigan

Binder Park Zoo is still a phenomenal destination. This was my first time back in about 9 years. The zoo isn't showing it's age at all. Everything looks new. Lots of changes but same enough to still feel familiar. Still love the African Adventure. I missed tour guide banter it used to have during the trip. This is very much a "walking" zoo. You'll definitely get your "steps" in. That being said there are tons of benches scattered about, and misters to help you cool off. The animals. This is definitely a smaller animal type zoo. The giraffes are pretty much the star attraction. No elephants or rhinos or hippos. A few larger bovines in the African section. But I don't feel the experience suffers for it. If anything it makes it feel more intimate. As far as the giraffes, the feeding station is always a huge draw. Be prepared for it to be crowded with kids & adults trying for perfect photo ops. But everyone is typically friendly and accommodating to each other. You can only feed the giraffes with lettuce leaves (Romaine?) purchased from the attendant. $2 per leaf. Yep. It's kind of pricey for just a piece of lettuce, but hey you get to feed the giraffes! If you haven't had that experience yet, it's worth the price of the lettuce. I'd like to mention that the staff here is also very friendly & professional. They actually look like they enjoy their jobs. I didn't see one annoyed face among them the entire time. Small things like that can really improve the experience. Very family oriented. Food & bev prices were high, but not ridiculously high. Really nice gift shop at end. Large picnic area near parking. Can easily spend the entire day here. If you haven't been, make it a goal! Pro Tip: If it looks like rain, don't chance it, grab that umbrella! We got caught in a flash shower on the Africa side and places to huddle out of the rain are sparse and far between! So we got soaked, but to be honest it kind of made the African experience more realistic feeling :D read more

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I'd like to start this review by saying I visited Binder many times in the 90s as a child. My husband and I had an annual family pass from 2015-2019 and we brought our young children dozens of time a summer, so I'm very familiar with the zoo. We haven't been back since 2019 and went last Sunday with our two kids and 4 friends of our daughters to celebrate her birthday. The admission cost us approx $130 & we hardly saw any animals. We didn't see one Peacock free ranging around the zoo. The bears windows were covered in condensation so we couldn't see them. The entire loop through the wet lands is gone. It was always fun to walk along the wooden path, no more wild horses back there either. The deck where you can feed the fish and turtles was also boarded off. There are two giant metal robins in one exhibit. There were lots of metal butterflies and birds around the zoo, they seemed to have replaced the actual animals with metal sculptures. The entire petting zoo is filled with metal dinosaurs. They used to have a neat rabbit exhibit kids can crawl in the tunnel and pop up in the middle of the exhibit... gone. We'll there are velociraptors in it but the sign for rabbits is still there. There is no longer half of the walking trail in African. The only things the kids thought were cool were the giraffes & the lions. read more

Let me first start off by saying that my son had a great time but, at 4 years old, he would find most things involving animals really fun. For us adults.. the experience was quite different. Let us start that, despite having logos showing rhinos all over as you enter... no rhinos. Not a huge issue but I love them so I was just a little sad about that. Same with elephants but, I am sure, most animal fans know about that whole thing so I was not expecting to see any of them. Also, despite the site and logos showing lions, there are no lions at this zoo yet. That was sad.... The "swamp adventure" was a complete waste of time for us. The walkway was wet from rains making it VERY slippery and dangerous. Saw several people (including my son) fall due to this and think it should be anti-skid to prevent this. As we walked, we saw one woman who appeared to have sprained her ankle.. The walkway also had several area where nails were sticking up and/or the wood was rotted away around the nails exposing them. Very unsafe ! In addition, the walkway would bow beneath our feet as we walked which just felt plain out unsafe... I guess this is not a huge issue but may become one if left unattended. I would suggest completely SKIPPING the BO&O Railroad (paid attraction) as it goes by NOTHING. Seriously, it is a train ride through the woods and not near any attractions. It was the most worthless ride I have ever found at a zoo and ended up frustrated that we even had to pay for it. I do not expect it to go by all the attractions but, since we have to PAY for it, go by something for Gods sake lol There is quite a bit of walking from attraction to attraction for the relatively small amount of animals worth seeing at this zoo. Not a big deal but I would love to see more attractions and, possibly chances for children to have more interactive possibilities. The giraffes were amazing but feeding them is FAR overpriced. $2.00 for 1 leaf of lettuce to feed them. Come on now, I know lettuce costs money as do the attendant and upkeep and care for the animals but $2.00 per LEAF ? That is what, $100-$150 per head of lettuce ? Wow..... read more

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My favorit place in Battle creek.MI！！！I went to there 2 times.It was really good place to walk！ read more

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Hello, My Mom and I just got back from Binder Park Zoo Yesterday July 16th 2023 around 11 am when the park opened and what A joke. To start off we waited in lines for around 3 hours just to see Animals and to buy food. Then we had to spend about another hour or so just hiking Trails without seeing any Animals at all and could not use the trolly without waiting in another 30 Minute line seeing the park was understaffed and only had one trolly running. The one line we stood in to see the Giraffes was behind a PAY WALL after standing for over 30 minutes, So only got to view them for less than 10 or 20 Seconds before a worker very rudely ask us to move along that they had a long line today and had to get others through and bye PAY WALL I mean after you get to the front you are then shown a little sign saying 2 dollars for a piece of Lettuce or 5 pieces for 8 dollars to feed them. We then decided to go eat lunch and stood for another 15-20 minutes to be told there Air Fryer was down and we could not even get fries with are Burger or Hotdogs witch where still 10 Dollars each and 4.50 for a gatorade if you just wanted a P and J it was 7.50 not including your drink, I understand the food is going to be a bit pricey but was no 5 Star Burger at any means we have at better food at Mcdonald's. I would also beware if you have kids and use a Stroller or Wagon that not all of the paths you half to walk to get from point A to point B are paved there are spots where you are just walking through dirt and Mud so make sure to wear your hiking boots and not your dress shoes.I know that this is just how are day went there but we did end up getting a refund felt more like a scam show then a day out at the zoo so if you do decide and take the chance at Binder Park and do have a bad Experience it is worth the extra 10 minutes to get your money back. I use to love this zoo has a kid so it's a shame i even had to type this but next time we will go to John Ball Park or to Brookfield in Chicago. read more

Binder Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Battle Creek, Michigan

I finally made it out here, and thoroughly enjoyed the park. The animals were active, the exhibits were clean, and there were plenty of things to see/do. The biggest complaint I have is that I drove all the way out here (2 + hours) and am greeted with a sign stating that a large portion of the African area was closed for construction. Although I completely understand the need for renovations, I think it would've been helpful to have that posted somewhere on their main website. Had I had known that, I would've rescheduled the trip to a different time when the entire park was accessible. Overall, a very nice, well-kept zoo, at least from the sections that I did see. read more

Absolutely terrible, there's hardly any animals (most are off-exhibit) and the rest are not active. Most of the habitats are very small and we noticed there was no water for any of the animals (It was 90 degrees out). The zoo is also unnecessarily spread out, so be prepared to walk for miles uphill in the forest with nothing to see. The hike brings you to the "African desert" which then leads to more random hikes to see animals that aren't on display. There is a gift shop, an ostritch, and some cows. Not worth the hour long walks. The signage is terrible pointing out where to go or what animals are where. Lions and giraffes are advertised, but they are nowhere to be found. Wish I could get the $32 back I spent on just the 2 tickets, not including gas for the four hour car trip. Total scam. read more

Family favorite in our household! The family pass is worth every penny. Traveling and visiting zoo's in different states is a hobby of ours and we will still always love our Binder Park! read more

The Binder Park Zoo is a very fun day, as long as your expectations are not insanely high. It's a low budget zoo and you can tell. Exhibits are fairly small with sparse viewing areas. Food is served cafeteria style, etc... But with all that said, you get what you pay for, and admission is cheap ($15 for adults). It's a very fun and easy day, especially if you have kids. Some things to check out: Free petting zoo Annual events Animal feeding Bring good walking shoes. You'll do a lot of it. read more

Binder Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Battle Creek, Michigan

I've been visiting Binder Park Zoo since I was a child. I even worked here for a summer in high school, so I'm quite fond of it. The animals seemed to be well cared for and happy. The senior zoo staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. The teenagers are sullen and emotionless (basically your average teenager), but they get the job done. Make sure to visit the goat because they are adorable and love to be brushed. Wild Africa is by far the best place in the zoo, so be sure you spend most of your time there. The zebras, giraffes, and antelopes run free together in a wide open space. There is an overlook where for $5 you can get a bucket of lettuce and feed the very hungry giraffes. Don't get your bucket too close, because they'll steal your lettuce with their long tongues. They giraffes will even let your pet them in you keep the lettuce coming. The downside to this zoo is the fact that things are not up to date. They still have the dinky train that they had when I was a kid. I'm 5'2" and I struggle to climb into the thing and sit with my toddler. Things haven't been kept up all that well, I will assume due to lack of funding. The playgrounds in the children's petting zoo area are terrible. There's a slide that the kids seem to like, but the steps to the slide and the bottom of the slide are in two different areas, so a parent can't just sit back and relax. If you can see the steps, you can't see the bottom of the slide. It's also not uncommon to see things broken and out of order. While on the trail in Africa, we were hot and dying of thirst. We were thrilled when we came across a soda machine, but were devastated to see that it wasn't working. That seemed to be pretty typical. Luckily they are currently adding some exhibits and making some upgrades. I'm really looking forward to the changes they have planned in the coming years. read more

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I love Binder Park Zoo. I grew up going here and still frequent to this day. My favorite part, along with many other peoples, is the giraffes. I love that you can ask the zookeepers questions and they help educate you about the species. The baby's (well at the time of this review) name is Hulka, and he's super cute and friendly. This zoo is small, but good for an afternoon trip with the kids, or just somewhere to walk around. It is also a member of the AZA Reciprocal List, which means if you are a member at another zoo you will probably get into this zoo at half off! Check this list to see if your zoo is also a member: https://www.aza.org/assets/2332/reciprocitychart2016.pdf Finally, this zoo has a lot of Poke Stops and gyms if you or your kids are into that. read more

Binder Park Zoo - Stretching out on a warm afternoon. - Zoos Near Me - Battle Creek, Michigan

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Great affordable zoo that my family enjoyed, especially the African area with the animals. Be prepared to do a LOT of walking which could be difficult for older people but I loved it. read more