John Ball Zoo exceeded expectations. The tigers were wearing grooves in the ground with their pacing, the Patagonian penguins were putting on synchronized swimming clinics, the porcupines appeared to be tunneling to another zip code, and the meerkats... well... they were practicing the ancient art of invisibility. Despite it being 90° by 10:00 a.m., the mature trees provided so much shade that it stayed remarkably comfortable. The grounds are spotless and beautifully landscaped with a botanical garden vibe. What impressed me most was the thoughtful design of the exhibits. They feel spacious and natural for the animals, while also giving visitors and photographers clear views without constantly shooting through cages or fencing. It creates a much more immersive experience for everyone. The new ? funicular is a great touch because hills are much more enjoyable when someone else does the lifting. A fantastic zoo that's clearly been designed with both animal welfare and the visitor experience in mind. Well worth the visit. Checkout the pics for exhibit details! read more

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We stopped at the zoo for the Lantern Fest. Their customer was disappointing. There was a mixup and they told us the exhibit was over capacity. We were there to hike and this was part of our journey. There was too much confusion for such a simple experience. read more

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We like John Ball Park Zoo and typically visit for field trips or at most once a year to see how things have changed. We were bummed to miss the otters unveiling which is May 22nd. It was nice to see the Pygmy hippos, Red Panda and I guess they're in the process of getting giraffes? The lantern festival is still set up during the day, but the interactive exhibits are unplugged unless you come back for the event after the zoo closes where everything glows at night. I think that runs through June 12th? Might be fun to check out. Something not so fun is the new pay for parking at the zoo. $5 and you have to get it validated. Boo. Honestly, I feel like the zoo has become such a racquet. You pay for admission, pay for parking, and food is ungodly expensive if you don't pack your own lunch. Not to mention, the ropes course, riding a camel, VR opportunities, the funicular ALL COST EXTRA even if you're a member. I like the zoo, but not enough to give them my whole pay check. Didn't even take a peek in the gift shop. Though the beer and moscato floats were tempting! Sorry John Ball! Peace out. read more

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Came to the Lantern Festival after having a great time last year. It was as wonderful as expected this year. Make sure to catch the performance when you visit. They're so wholesome and fun to watch. Luckily it was warm enough last night so we also got ice cream read more

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I was out of town for a little trip, as we normally hit the Toledo zoo so it was really fun to use our reciprocal membership and hit up the zoo in Grand Rapids! This is the most unique zoo I've ever seen. It is very spread out and has significant elevation. It's unique that it's in the middle of a residential area, you can even see a church in school in the "backyard." it was fairly reasonable when we used our reciprocal membership for a family of five (one baby) we spent under $30 for admission and parking. They had some really interesting animals and we particularly enjoyed the meerkats, lions, and coatis! A particularly energetic meerkat was doing some salts which really entertained my baby. It just opened for the season yesterday, so a lot of the extra dining and extra attractions were not open, which was disappointing. We were really excited to come back probably next year and check out the lantern festival which they were setting up for. The lanterns were absolutely astounding and I am so impressed and they weren't even lit up. The dragon in fairy Garden areas were completely epic. It's not a zoo I would come to multiple times a year, but we really enjoyed our time here- especially using the reciprocal program where we got 50% off admission! read more

John Ball Zoo - Wallaby - Zoos Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Very nice walkable zoo with habitats neatly surrounded by an awesome nature walk. On this hot day, the bigger animals were pretty inactive, unfortunately. Loved the warthog and chimps. Spider monkeys were a hit as were penguins. Meats entertained along with lemurs. A nice reptile exhibit was impressive as well. 12,000 steps later, we needed a nap. read more

I had so much fun visiting John Ball Zoo. So many very cool animals, and such a friendly & happy staff. Beautiful art and sculptures everywhere. The animal habitats that were very natural looking and so aesthetically beautiful that it made for beautiful setting for photos, but even more importantly the animals looked comfortable and well cared for with emanates like water to cool off in and play in. The staff was friendly and helpful but one employee that stood out because she was so full of joy and enthusiasm that she caused me to want to post this review. Her name is Hope and she was hosting in the butterfly room when I met her. I am enclosing a picture that I snapped with her. I 'hope' that she sees this review. Thank you Hope for being so cool. ~ ks read more

John Ball Zoo - Our host in the butterfly house, Hope was a joy! - Zoos Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I'm a little apathetic to zoos, in general. They usually seem a touch sad. But John Ball Zoo is a small, upbeat zoo in Grand Rapids, with a lot of things to see besides animals. Visiting a zoo with children is a must, in my opinion. It's one of the places where they make the situation better! You'll especially want to visit this zoo with a child, because there are lots of things for kids to do and touch. There's a treehouse to play in, tunnels in some of the animal exhibits, zip lining, a ropes course, camel rides, and a funicular that will take you from one end of the zoo to the other. The exhibits are small, but there are fun things like an aquarium with penguins and a barn area where you can pet goats. There are a couple of small indoor exhibits (the aquarium being one of them), but not too many places to be indoors, so I might rethink visiting if the weather was going to be bad. A majority of the fun happens outside. We moved through the zoo with alacrity and spent maybe an hour and a half there. That was plenty of time for a tween and teen to spend at a zoo, and we saw everything we wanted to. read more

Went here for a school outing and the kids had a blast. There were plenty of animals to see and some small activities throughout to discover. read more

My second year of the Lantern Festival. It didn't disappoint. They do a fantastic job. It was a beautiful night to see all of the beautiful displays. read more

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It's fine. But bring plenty of money. Now they even charge for parking and everything inside is expensive. Was nice when you could afford to take your kids to the zoo. read more

We are so fortunate to have such a great zoo in Grand Rapids. It has a little bit of everything and the walking paths are gorgeous. Heads up, it even has an event center -getting married at a zoo would be spectacular! read more

Came to John Ball Zoo on August 31st with 7 family members, 2 of which were children. We all had a wonderful morning together walking around the zoo and seeing all of the animals. Food here is expensive, but that is to be expected at a zoo. Our family chose to bring a picnic to enjoy outside the zoo in John Ball Park after we explored for a few hours. I honestly could've spent all day watching the tigers, and my nephew also said that was his favorite exhibit. I hope in the years to come we are able to come back many times. All around John Ball Zoo is a fun place to enjoy the day, especially with kids. read more

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I went to see the Lantern Festival for the first time and it was absolutely wonderful! The zoo has ample FREE parking which is so nice. There is also a field and playground for something to do before or after visiting the zoo, or in this case, helpful for families waiting for their Lantern Festival call time. The staff is incredibly friendly and very helpful. The Lantern Festival doesn't showcase any animals due to the stark change in environment and usage of more space for pieces. That being said, there were so many extravagant and beautiful animal light sculptures that you didn't really even miss the real ones. All the exhibits and pieces were breathtaking and many moved and had unique elements like bubbles. I would definitely recommend this event to people of all ages as I saw a range of children to seniors, with handrails, seating, and ramps. I'm not sure if it's fully accessible but it did seem navigable for the people I saw. read more

We've been members at the zoo for a couple years now and it's one of our favorite spots in the city. You can tell how passionate all of the staff are about the animals and they are consistently upgrading and improving the exhibits and zoo. Hugo is a big hit as well as baby juniper the snow leopard! The lantern festival as well as the other seasonal events make each visit unique. Highly recommend for folks of all ages. read more

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The animals were clearly not properly taken care of. The aquarium smelled disgusting and the poor little penguins weren't moving, simply staring up at their metal ceiling. The bear looked like it was malnutrished and depressed, none of the animals had proper enrichment and all and I mean ALL of the enclosers were too small. It was depressing and sad. Don't go and save yourself the money. If I could rate zero stars, I would read more

I originally visited John Ball Zoo back in 2015 and left less than impressed. At the time, I didn't have children and felt the zoo lacked excitement and variety. Fast forward to today and am visiting again over the holiday weekend with my 2.5-year-old daughter. I'm happy to say I had a much more enjoyable experience, and I'm updating my review. The zoo is still on the smaller side and offers a limited number of animals, and many experiences do come with upcharges, for example, the camel ride is $9 for just 5 minutes, which felt steep for such a short experience. That said, there are clear improvements. What really stood out this time was how kid-friendly the zoo was. They have a free kids' treehouse play area, plus obstacle courses accessible for my toddler and another version available for older children and adults (for an added fee). These features added a fun, interactive layer to the visit that I hadn't appreciated before. The zoo environment itself is lovely with lots of shaded areas, which made walking around in the summer heat much more bearable, and the natural, wooded backdrop helps the zoo feel more like a peaceful outdoor escape. The layout is easy to navigate, and the staff were friendly and helpful. They were very interactive when feeding the otters, making for a fun display with some information. Overall, John Ball Zoo has made meaningful upgrades since my last visit, and experiencing it through my daughter's eyes gave me a new appreciation for it. While there's still room for growth, it's now a place I would recommend for families with young children. read more

This is a nice zoo. The downfall is much of it is built into the hill so a lot of the animals were in spots it was hard to see.

Was really disappointed that more than10 exhibits were not available. Only one snack/drink place was open that was at the entrance. Did enjoy the pandas, snow leopards. This place was busy due to spring break. Saw a tiger in terrible distress so I called the zoo but had to leave a message. Will call before so ever go again to see which exhibits are not open. Was quite a bit of money for 4 adults and a student. read more

I actually worked at a zoo for three years and have seen quite a few as a result. John Ball was very nice and well kept. Aside from the diverse collection of charismatic animals, it was very well maintained. The grounds are just as impressive as the animals. Cute place. read more

We were excited to see that lanterns at the zoo again this year. Last year we spent hours checking out the animals, walking through the lanterns, watching the random performers, and the live show. the price of the tickets are outrageous, especially when all the animal exhibits are closed, no live show and no walking performers. I don't think we will be attending again next year. read more

We went John ball park zoo lantern festival. This review is for lantern festival only. It was Memorial Day weekend so there were so many people. The display was beautiful but it was too crowded to be able to enjoy fully. read more

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Definitely worth the money to see this display of lanterns. We went online to book our tickets. Two adults one senior $78.00. we picked 9:30pm. Arrived at 9:20pm due to traffic and sat in a line. Great news they had staff directing traffic so we found a parking spot rather quickly. We walked up to the entrance and we're already passing lantern displays especially this giant dragon. It was so cool. We showed our tickets and poof were in Lickidy split. There was a well marked path to keep you in track. Lots of restrooms and snacks places if needed. I did feel like I was in a herd of cattle moving through it but it didn't suck. Everyone gave each other space to take pictures and we're really kind to off to take yours. But these were patrons not staff do I can't guarantee your group will be the same. There was SO much attention to details it was incredible to witness. Some moved, some were interactive, and everything was well lit and beautiful there was Oriental music playing throughout the walk to go with the theme and informational Placards explaining the animal and purpose. Highly recommend getting tickets and seeing. Suggestion would be a time slot during the night time so you get the most from the display. read more

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I've been to John ball zoo since I was a little kid more times than I can count and I've genuinely enjoyed the experience everytime as usually always for new and different reasons, last night was no exception. I got my first experience of the nigh time lantern festival with my family and when I say it was worth it I truly mean it. There was fun for literally every age group, the adults could get an alcoholic beverage while walking around, not to mention this gorgeous weather we've been happening makes for probably the most enjoyable cooler nights you can visit versus closer to the end in a few weeks. Either way if you weren't able to experience this last year like me, make sure to try and score a visit this year you won't regret it. read more

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I've been here before for normal zoo days, as well as other events but I really want to talk about their Lantern Festival! As always, there is ample parking and it's all a short walk to the entrance. This festival is at night so it was really cool being there at a completely different time than normal. The lights were fantastic! So pretty and the music was nice. The way they spaced out the ticket entrance times was nice as well. Tickets were $11 each for non members which is pretty on par for a regular zoo trip which is nice too. They had a couple concession stands open as well! I absolutely loved it, and can't wait to either go again for this event or their next one! They always have them going. Check them out! read more

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The Zoo was amazing!I loved all the animals but most of all in my opinion the meerkats were the best defiantly go if your in the area! read more

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Beautiful way to spend a morning or afternoon. Love the Pygmy hippos, lions, tigers, flamingos...so many endangered animals thriving at the Zoo. Friendly staff, beautiful, clean grounds. Great value. read more

I have fond memories of going to John Ball Zoo as a kid and now I'm happy to say that as an adult, it's still one of my favorite places to visit. Nate and I have had a zoo membership for the past few years, and I think it's a great investment. It's only $90 for two adult members in the same household, and regular admission tickets are $14-$19 per person depending on the time of year. As zoo members, you receive a 20% discount on food and retail, free or reduced admission to over 150 reciprocal zoos and aquariums across the country, and discounts on select special events. There have been many updates to the zoo since I started coming when I was younger. The main entrance area is one of the most recent updates, and they're currently working on a brand new habitat for some new animals, including pygmy hippos! That isn't expected to be complete until next summer, but it's been fun to watch the construction. JBZ is getting some koalas later this summer, so we've been watching the construction of that habitat too! No matter what the weather is like, you're always bound to see some animals out and active. We like going when it's cooler to see some of the big cats roaming about, while other species like the monkeys prefer to stay inside when it's chilly. I love that every time you visit, you'll experience something different. My favorite animals are Oscar the black footed cat, the wallabys, and of course the red pandas. The John Ball Zoo is AZA accredited and they do a lot of great work in research and conservation, including participating in the Species Survival Plan that helps protect animals from extinction. They offer amazing behind the scenes opportunities - one year I got Nate one for his birthday and he got to go on exhibit and feed the penguins by hand! It was such a unique experience and something we still talk about to this day. I think some of these encounters are still postponed due to covid, but I hope they start up again soon. As Grand Rapids residents, we're lucky to have this zoo nestled right in the heart of the city. I often stop by on a sunny afternoon just for a quick visit and I always leave feeling happier! read more

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Yay another zoo lol. You suddenly realize how many zoos you go to once you are a parent. Anyway we came here and it was of course nap time for lots of animals. But the dinosaurs made up for it, my boy loves dinosaurs plus they're never hiding or sleeping :P it was a nice zoo and it was not a total rip off to buy a slushy. Enjoyed our time here. read more

We took part in the Lantern Festival a few days ago and had a great time! We live in the Los Angeles area and have gone to these evening light festivals at both the LA Zoo and the Santa Barbara Zoo. John Ball Zoo put on a much more extensive show in my opinion which was great. There was a quick bit of live entertainment (dance troupe) performing as well as many places to stop and take photos within the light displays. While on one of the elevated walkways, we saw a porcupine walking back and forth on a piece of timber, so cute. I'm looking forward to coming back during the day in summer to see the animals. read more

Where to start? For anyone with a conscience, this zoo is an instant depressant. They - and Meijer - should be ashamed of wasting money on a pointless lantern/light show when the animals have such pitiful enclosers and enrichment. John ball zoo cares more about their visitors than the animals they imprison. My husband and I went for the first time in over a decade (we both are typically against zoos) just to see the penguins, as they are his favorite animal. I realized that the main bathrooms provide more daylight than they do. The penguins are forced to look at bright/unnatural LED lights that face their enclosure and don't seem to have any outside access. The large birds can hardly fly a few yards due to such small and short enclosures. Every animal besides the meerkats seem to be depressed. The geese in the parkinglot have better lives. Even the fish in their piss-poor aquarium seem depressed. The city of Grand Rapids should be ashamed also. It is so obvious that they and the zoo do not prioritize the animals whatsoever. Aside from nearly every enclosure being too small for these poor animals, they are entirely lacking in plant life to make up for it. They do not even attempt to create natural enrichments for these animals. The tiger was pacing, one of the owls was rocking back and forth. What a terrible existence they ALL have. Shameful place. JBZ needs to do much better, and the LEAST they could do is try to make these enclosures more enriched with plant life and less LED's and fake skies. Do better. I'm saddened for the pigmy hippo that is a recent addition, as the two of them also have an embarrassingly small area to be trapped in. We saw a minimum of 3 fish in the main aquarium that were all the way to the bottom of the tank on the ledge of the glass hardly moving. I'm motivated right now to put effort into a mass boycott of this prison. It's clear that all of their donated funds go to enriching the visitors. No child is worth keeping wild animals captive for years to inevitably be in chronic depression or madness. ​ read more

Small but busy zoo, i enjoyed watching the bears and toucans. I don't know if because still winter/spring or cold they don't have lot of animals out but I recommend to come for the lights it would be beautiful to watch. Loved the Chinese decoration for the light show it was a quick tour maybe 2 hours and 1/2 to walk thru in our visit. Parking is free good for that public transportation near by and closed to the city. It has activities for kiddos defiantly kiddo friendly Zoo. read more

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One of my new favorite small zoos. You get a 1/2 off discount if you're a Detroit zoo member too! It's nicely organized, and although small, it has a lot of cool exhibits. read more

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I decided to surprise my mother with a small road trip to an event at this zoo which was basically illuminating light show which you walk through the zoo. This was our first time going so we honestly didn't really know what's expect but it was okay. Unfortunately you did not get to see any other animals (PERIODT); It was strictly a light show and Lego animal sculptures throughout the zoo. Would we go back probably not for that event but once again it was still something new to get out during the pandemic. They allowed so many people inside and it was not crowded which I do appreciate that and it was handicap accessible all throughout the zoo. My mother was pleased so that's all that matters. read more

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Had a great time with family! we enjoyed seeing all the lanterns throughout the zoo and the animals. Employees were very informative and helpful. We plan to come again later this summer! read more

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Who doesn't love a good zoo? I was up early and the weather was cool, so I figured it was a good day to visit some relatives, so off to the zoo I went. Admissions only like $19 which isn't terribly bad, and parking's quite easy here. The layout here's kind of frustrating with tons of hills and for someone who has problems walking far distances (me) it got to me after a while. I wish I would have rented a scooter, but it was to late by the time I realized. So, FYI, if you have problems walking like I do, rent a scooter! They have tons of exhibits which I got to see, and it was a pleasure to look at all the animals. I think I covered most of what I wanted to see, which was a bonus for sure. Most of the zoo's shady, so I wasn't worried about a sunburn. They have tons of benches here which was great to take a break on. They also have a zip line here which I didn't want to do, along with other activities as well. They used to have bird feedings which I wanted to do, but due to the bird flu outbreak, all the birds were not out for display and no bird feedings were happening. SADNESS! There's also a nice park/playground area as you pull into the zoo, so even if you don't go inside the zoo, the kids can play and hang out while instead. Thank you JB Zoo, you really did not disappoint! read more

Lantern festival was amazing, but it was so crowded it was hard to enjoy without bumping into someone. Parking was a nightmare. They'll help you find parking but won't help you find the way out. There was hardly any directions on how to get out and the directions we did have were unclear. read more

A wonderful zoo, nice zoo to visit when in or passing through Grand Rapids. Note: Funicular views are not worth the trip, but great if you want to walk down and not up. read more

This is a great zoo. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because they need to work on their hours. They opened at 9, but by 10:30 many animals were still not on exhibit such as the chimps and lions. They need to either have keepers start their days earlier (I am a former keeper and one zoo I worked at we started at 6 am to ensure all animals were on exhibit by open at 9am), or open the zoo later. Other than that, I was very pleased. Exhibits were nice and well maintained. The animals had enrichment. The grounds were well kept. There were several nice amenities around the zoo such as bathrooms and concession stands as well as a nice gift shop. This zoo is clearly a great asset to Grand Rapids. They're lucky to have it! read more

This smaller zoo is so walkable. The events are wonderful. It is such a great part of Grand Rapids.