We came on a Sunday in February with our son's family. The weather was decent and we had a great…read moretime. The animals seemed to be out and active. We appreciated the shuttle bus that took us to the primate area. The carousel was free during the winter, and our grandson rode it twice. We will definitely be back in the future.

I really enjoyed my visit to the Cleveland Zoo today with my grandson, husband, son and…read moredaughter-in-law. This was my first visit and it was great. Started with free parking...being from the Buffalo area, there is no free parking at the Buffalo Zoo. I also was able to use my Buffalo Zoo membership for a 50% discount. The animal enclosures made it very easy to see many of the animals very up close. As this is the off season many shops and eateries were closed but I am sure it would be a lot of fun in the summer months. A definite winner for a fun day for kids and adults too !!!

The Detroit Zoo's penguinarium and butterfly exhibits are exceptional, beautiful, worthy, heavenly…read more The train was highly restored and a treat to ride again! However, we were surprised when visiting after having the opportunity to travel and visit other community's zoos. When returning to our own zoo and comparing it to others and our recollection of the Detroit Zoo during its peak years, we wondered what's going on. Care and gardening quality of the property is significantly enhanced. Yet, there are far fewer animals. Isn't this a zoo's primary role. Distance to view animals is further than other zoos. We had to apologize to our out of town guests and remind them that the Detroit Zoo used to be better! Perhaps declining financial support from the City of Detroit over decades negatively impacted upkeep and care of the infrastructure and opportunity to support and care for large animal populations. Detroit Crain's reported that in 2008 and 2010, State of Michigan legislation was enacted to assist the state in preserving the Detroit Zoo and the Detroit Institute of Arts by creating new county taxing authorities with the power to levy taxes in support of the institutions. (Resident taxpayer visitor fees are still required.) Either even after 17 years current funding hasn't replaced what the zoo previously received in its glory days. Or, current leaders have different views regarding the purpose of the Detroit Zoo, animal populations and opportunities for guests to easily see them.

Love our zoo!…read more Historically it has always been a zoo doing the right things for the animals, the visitors, and the community. Consistently through my life this behavior has remained the same. We are passholders since the kids were born and have always felt we got our money's worth. The modern penguin and polar bear facilities are so great to experience and should not be missed. New things are popping up all the time so repeat visits never get stale. The after hour cash grab events are really all over the place and can be a little bit of a nuisance but this isn't uncommon for zoos or equivalent facilities in the modern era. Only once did we arrive on a spontaneous trip to the zoo to discover it was closed for a private event (this was at like 1:00 PM on a Saturday? Not sure what was up with that?). I do have to comment on our last visit to the Zoo Lights where there were two operational changes that made the visitor experience worse in what seemed like unnecessary ways. First, the trail (where they do the extra cost animatronic animals during the year but is decorated for Zoo lights) was being run in reverse direction from normal. My only guess was this was to attract people's attention through creating an artificial line by forcing people to enter through the small door exit instead of the standard wide open area. Maybe just better signage or lighting? Team member on the main path to guide people in? If it wasn't for this reason..I'm not sure what to think. The other was a forced path to direct you into the Events Pavilion where there was entertainment and other activities. Again, I assume this was to 'force' people to these attractions to make sure they didn't bypass. However, the path that was blockaded goes directly next to the Pavilion and we have never failed to notice it. This created a weird bottleneck and rattled our party by having to go directly into the loud and flashy environment at the end of a long trip. Once more..if this wasn't for my above guess..what are we doing? These are minor grievances compared to the years of fun and education the zoo has provided myself and my family. Oh yeah, and the water tower!

We had a blast with our granddaughter while in town! She loved getting to see the animals up close…read moreand feeding them. The additional walk thru park was a nice extra feature!

Came here in the cold, so a lot wasn't available. They did have zebras, ostrich, antelope, goats,…read moreturkeys, camels, kangaroos, wallabies, bunnies, cavy and all kinds of birds. When it's warmer they have ponies, giraffes, tons of snakes, lemurs, and an owl! (I love their owl- was here last year and his name is Merlin, and is disabled, but he is so stoic. Love him!) If you stay at the hotel it's only $5 for entry. This place is separate from the facility, and they don't really advertise it- but it is awesome! I was salty I missed it a few years back, but I make sure I get in here every time I get a chance!

Took the family to African Safari Wildlife Park and it did NOT disappoint. The kids loved feeding…read morethe animals right from the car--honestly felt like we were in a safari (minus the plane ticket ). Animals were super active and came right up to us. The walk-through area was a nice bonus too. Definitely one of those places where you leave thinking, "yeah, that was worth it." Would 100% go again.

We found this place in the local happenings paper and had to check it out…read more We liked the idea of a drive thru experience since we had someone who can't walk very well with us. There were so many animals that we got to see and feed! We didn't get to see the giraffes because it was still quite cold outside, so they need to stay in the warm. After the drive thru they had a really cool walk through part with load of other animals. We got to feed a turtle, goats, coy and even birds! They had tons of feeding experiences and lots of other animal to see. It was a really fun time and great for the kiddo. We will definitely be back!

Located within Belle Isle Park,this is the oldest aquarium in the United States. Opened in…read more1904,this historic venue features freshwater and marine fish. The building features a unique green tile ceiling which is worth a visit just to see it! Admission is free but a 5.00 donation is suggested. A typical visit lasts 15-30 minutes. Parking is free.

Belle Isle Aquarium is such a charming little surprise. It feels like stepping into a time capsule…read morein the best way. Yes, there are fish and tanks to check out, but honestly, half the joy is just admiring the architecture. The tile work, the arched ceilings, all the tiny details... it's beautiful and full of history. It's an easy, low-pressure stop where you can wander, take it all in, and not feel rushed. For anyone with little kids, heads up that some tanks sit a bit high, so you may end up lifting them to see--but even then, they're still wide-eyed and excited. It's short, sweet, and totally worth the visit. Such a special little gem, I'm really glad we stopped in.

Stumbled upon Whispering Pines and what a treat! You have to call for an appointment. They worked…read morewell with our group (12 ppl) and were even able to offer us a group discount. Amazing assortment of animals you'd never imagine being on the back roads of Lexington, but they are! Not really a destination, but a great stop for an morning or afternoon of interesting exploring. Bring change and you can feed the barn yard animals (they have feed machines - they dont eat actual change). We had mostly elementary age kids, much older and they'd probably run through the place in 15 minutes.

This was not worth stopping for. After driving back and forth down the street we found the place…read more It was unmarked so we called and the person who answered phone was no help. She told us she brings animals to schools and it was not a place to visit.

My 19-year-old son and I received tickets to the Cleveland Aquarium as a Christmas gift from my…read moreparents. They know we value experiences, which made this a perfect gift. They also gave us zoo tickets, but we personally avoid zoos due to animal treatment concerns--however, we do enjoy aquariums. We visited on a weekday and parked on the street to save on parking, which was easy to find. The aquarium itself is very easy to navigate and not overwhelming. I did bring a mask with me because the flu has been going around, but interestingly, the only time I truly needed it was when we first walked in. The initial room--focused on local Ohio rivers and lakes--had a very strong, unpleasant smell that caught me off guard. I was briefly worried the entire aquarium might smell that way, but once we moved past that section, the odor completely dissipated and I was able to enjoy the rest of the visit comfortably. From there on, the experience was wonderful. While the aquarium is on the smaller side, it truly has everything you need. We took our time, enjoyed the visuals, and really appreciated the calm, immersive atmosphere. My favorites were the beautiful green snake (I can't remember the exact name), a stunning bird, and, of course, watching the fish--especially the tropical fish--glide through the tanks. Overall, it's a great aquarium, easy to get around, thoughtfully laid out, and absolutely worth the visit. We had a wonderful time.

I've been wanting to come for a while now and finally did it on a rainy day... and wow this was…read morefun!! TIP: call ahead and see what time they are feeding the sharks... I sadly missed but heard it was very awesome to see!! They even have children's activities in the beginning to grab if you want to make it educational and they offer them in both English AND Spanish... so that was awesome to see!! It's definitely a lot bigger than you think and it's fun to walk through all the twists & turns!! The sharks and shark tunnel were super fun to see and do, as was the sting ray touching!! Seeing all the different fish, turtles, frogs and birds were cool as well!! I wish the squid was swimming around but she was chilling in the corner when we were there - still crazy to see how big they really are!! I would love to come back here for one of their events, I have heard they are super fun! I now have a feeling I'll be checking out more aquariums now when I visit new cities!!

I mean - what's not to love. They have animals. You can feed the animals. The animals are all…read moretame and want fed. Walking around is a little strenuous. Old people may have trouble with stumps and elevated walking. Bring your walking stick or cane. $12 for adults. Less for kids and seniors. This is a low key stop. You'll spend 2-3 hours here. But the crackers - don't waste your money on corn unless feeding the geese. Earlier you gone the hungrier the animals are. I fed everything you were allowed - all the animals were gracious and no biting or spitting.

Like many others in PA, I grew up coming to this facility. Yes, it was a good experience through my…read morechild lens. I love animals, and the experiences I had at Pymatuning as a child certainly reinforced that love. However, having now grown into an adult, I can tell you this is a deplorable place. I have learned what well run "zoos" look like, as well as what actual conservation sites look like. This place is so far removed from an animal haven that I cannot fathom consciously supporting it with my hard earned money. To parents I say this: How are you comfortable bringing your children to a sightseeing tour of misery? Your willful ignorance is just as malicious as the people who intentionally let these animals suffer. Personally, I will never visit this facility again, unless it is to celebrate forced closure. I implore anyone reading this to reflect on what I've wrote here, and to research what you support so easily.

Great open area to run around in if you are a kid or an adult. Seems maintained well. Next to a…read moreriver but looks protected so no worries of falling in. There are cement paths to walk or bike on and a small water park (that was closed as it was winter). Area seems a bit low key but friendly enough.