Gosh, this was a blast from the past. Couldn't go to East Lansing without stopping by Potter's Park. I used to take my two oldest children here frequently. It's a great little Zoological Park! It's accredited by the AZA and offers amenities like stroller rentals, a quiet room. The hours depend on the time of year and admission cost is based on if you live in the county or not. They do offer discounts for senior citizens and military personnel. They maintain over 300 animals with popular exhibits like penguins, lions, and giant anteaters. They provide wheelchairs, strollers, and wagons for rent, plus a quiet room and sensory-friendly bags. This zoo is one of Michigan's oldest continuously operated zoos, with a history dating back over 100 years. My husband and I found it very enjoyable. read more

I was pleasantly surprised at Potter Park Zoo - for some reason I thought it would be small and not as interesting, but I was wrong. Nate and I met with some friends at this zoo recently and got to take advantage of our reciprocal John Ball Zoo membership to get in free. Parking is $7 per car for non-residents. The zoo is larger than I expected, with plenty of very active animals despite the heat. My favorite animals were the Pallas's cat, the black rhino, and the binturong. We walked around for a couple of hours and enjoyed the plentiful shade, and relatively flat paths (way fewer hills than our zoo). It was fun seeing some animals that I'd never seen before! This zoo is open year-round, which is really nice. If I lived in the area I'd probably get a membership. As a visitor, I don't think I'd need to go back again soon, but I'm glad we got to check it out. read more

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We had a fantastic day walking around the zoo this past weekend. Admission was only 6$ per person, since it's off season and honestly felt like such a steal! Bathrooms were spotless, and we got to see almost all the animals available. I gave 4 stars, instead of 5 because all of the food amenities were closed which i found odd. I understand it being slower in the winter months, but people still need to eat & grab a beverage. All in all, we really enjoyed our time here and would return in the future! read more

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This is a wonderful zoo! I just went to it on my class field-trip, and we had a great time! The animals were fun, and I took a bunch of videos! The only problem, for me, is that this place has barley any dining options. There is only one restraunt, one dippin dots, and only one gift-shop. Overall, just a good little zoo. :) read more

Nice little stop during a road trip. Some of the habitats are wonderful such as the penguins and the otters. There are a lot of informative signs throughout the zoo. There are a lot of wire caged animals making taking photos difficult. Some unique animals here and definitely worth the stop. read more

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This is one of my favorite zoos. It's small but has all the essential animals. Makes it a nice trip to just see them all hang out and be done. Minus all the excessive hoopla of the other zoos. read more

Potter Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

Much of what I wrote in May 2023 still holds. Yet, this time I went in October and everything was open. So... it took 2-1/2 hours instead of 2 hours. The pony rides don't seem to exist anymore - they moved the camel rides to where the pony rides are. Instead of a dozen people total (as in March) - there were at least 100 there - yet despite being a Saturday - it didn't feel crowded. There's enough space that people were spread throughout. They continue to make updates; phasing out old exhibits and replacing with more modern ones. There were moats in my first visit - those have been taken out as antiquated. Still the same variety of animals - only more to see! See my earlier review for more detail. read more

My first zoo experience. It was a little rainy. The weather was on and off because it's hurricane season. Some pictures it's sunny and others it's looks rainy but all were taking on the same day. The animals were healthy and exotic. The park was very clean and spacious. It was mostly empty because it was a Sunday with unpredictable weather. I saw an eagle, rhino, tiger, snakes, llamas, peacock, etc. My favorites were the penguins. One on the new chicks hatched on me and my boyfriend's birthday, June 16. They're just the absolute cutest. I also enjoyed the peacocks running around every where freely which allows you to be near them and really see their beauty up close. Overall a nice zoo. read more

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I feel happy we have a zoo that open 7 days a week and have animals in Michigan! I came here in my husband birthday and we enjoyed seeing different animals and taking pictures. We spent 2hours. They have a small food station in the middle of the zoo. People in the entrance were super nice and sweet. I highly recommend this place. read more

Potter Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

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Had an excellent time here with my 4 year old. Lots to see and explore! A must see for sure! Can't wait to return read more

I took my autistic son here in November due to the decreased admission pricing. Can't write enough about what a beautiful place this is. It was absolutely immaculate, all the staff were so kind and friendly and the animal exhibits were beautifully taken care of. I was shocked; so often zoos can be so depressing due to neglect or poor habitats for the animals. All the habitats were gorgeous, incredibly maintained and even had a personal story about the animals there with their names, etc. There was a petting zoo as well! One of the first places I've been to that had much consideration for adaptive needs and had quiet areas and a sensory garden. There is a park for kids to play on too. The grounds were so clean and nice and they had all the pine trees decorated for the holidays (mostly sponsored by local businesses or in memory of someone). Such a nice touch. The QR code map was off-putting, but they had maps everywhere just like in the mall so it wasn't an issue at all. Restrooms throughout the zoo made it so convenient and they were very clean which does make a difference. Even all the hand sanitizers throughout the zoo were full of hand sanitizer. Can't say enough nice things about this place. We drove an hour to get there but it was more than worth it and we will be going back in the spring as there were some attractions that were closed for the season, but still an incredible experience! read more

Potter Park Zoo - This is one of the eagles there and they told a little story about "Luca" who likes to be vocal when he sees his caretakers and he was! :) - Zoos Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

First time visitor. It was a mid-way point for my college freshman to meet their roommate for the first time. It wasn't a large zoo, as I had expected in a larger city, but a good variety of animals. My big kid was excited for their first ride in a camel and had a good goofy time. I could watch the silly otters all day, and my favorite is the tortoise. It was exciting to see the baby lemur, too! read more

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Awesome zoo. The secret is to go in the buildings. The animals in there are interesting. Loved everything about this zoo. A true must see when in Lansing. read more

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Today, we had a wonderful fall outing at the Potter Park Zoo. We enjoyed seeing many of the animals up and moving in the cool crisp air. A few family favorites were the swimming and playful otters, the bald eagles, seeing three lions, a tiger, walking snow leopard, and learning about the black rhinos mating cycle. Our kids also loved climbing on the spiderweb and taking photos in the animal cutouts. We were impressed at how two zoo keepers came over to our family unprompted to tell us about the animals we were looking at and how all the zoo keepers patiently answered our children's questions when we stopped them. We were bummed a couple of summer family favorites weren't open like the petting zoo AND would still recommend making an off season trip. Very worth it. read more

Potter Park Zoo - Family enjoying the monkeys - Zoos Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

It was one of those rare 70 degree November days and we took a trip to Lansing and thought we would spend a couple of hours at the Potter Park Zoo. It is small but some of the enclosures for the animals are quite impressive. We went during Covid so the indoor areas were closed and you had to wear masks in certain areas. All in all a pleasant experience. read more

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We had the good fortune to visit this nice little Zoo last weekend. As a lifetime animal lover, I generally prefer smaller zoos. Although they don't have as much as larger zoos, you can usually get closer to the animals. This zoo is set in a beautiful wooded area. There's plenty of parking and even on a Saturday afternoon, it was never crowded, which is a great selling point. Our favorite exhibit was the Tamarinds. Small white topped monkeys with some babies. Adorable, although I didn't get any pictures of them. The otter was a lot of fun too, swimming back and forth to the delight of us all. The lions, although napping through the heat of the day were beautiful. The rhinoceros is a very majestic creature. Exceptionally pleasant day visiting such a nice zoo. read more

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We loved this little but fun and full of unique animals zoo. Exhibits well done and big with lots to see and do. Highlights for us were the arctic fox, otters, red pandas, snow leopard, tiger, lemurs and bonobos. We would love to come back again in warmer weather. read more

Potter Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

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Always a great zoo to visit. So much to look at there. We heard the lion roaring so much. Loved the misting stations they had set up to keep us cool this summer. Nice this zoo is open all year. Can't wait to visit again. read more

We had so much fun! Even though we were five adults without children. $12 for us non residents and $5 for parking. Totally worth it. We loved the parakeet exhibit where we could feed them. At one point, One hid in my purse for awhile! They have a small petting zoo too, so we got to pet the goats. All of the workers were really nice too. It was the perfect girl day! This is a pretty cute zoo, not too huge, so you don't feel like your legs are going to fall off. read more

I liked that it was small so you could totally see the whole thing without walking 15 miles (like at other zoos nearby). That was great. That said, the various habitats were very small. The penguins should be rehomed to a zoo that can properly "store" them - little huts makes for poor viewing, poor living conditions. Just ... ew. Most of the other animals seemed happyish but it seemed confining. It was a little pricey. The food wasn't a total rip off, but the entrance fee was a lot and they charged for parking. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon, and we saw the whole thing before our kids got bored. But it is a visit once and then be done type of place. read more

Nice small town zoo. The grounds are well kept and clean. There are not a multitude of animals, but overall a nice zoo. There are a lot of young kids and family's and that is good for a zoo. We bought the annual membership to help them provide for future. I will go back again for sure. read more

I like to call this " the Little Zoo that Could". The Potter Park Zoo is a delightful place to go on a warm afternoon. This isn't just your ordinary zoo, it's a collection of zoo animals in a park. It's tree covered and very nice for just strolling around. Your basic animals are here, nothing exotic. No fighting large crowds, no walking miles to see all of the animals, no overpriced snacks. Sure this place isn't for everyone; the hardcore zoo goers will have lots to complain about here. But when it comes to zoos, I'm a casual user and this fits my style perfectly. read more

Potter Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

It was great!! It was a blizzard out and we still had fun. A nice lady in the gift shop made us hot chocolates before and it was all around a very fun experience! read more

Potter Park is a huge zoo with lots of animals, they even let peacocks walk about the zoo which I think is pretty cool. They have gift shops. read more

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It was a very hot day so the fact that it is small was a blessing. We got to see an American Bald Eagle up close and personal, within 6 feet, and got to see a Black Rhino, and a Tiger as well. It is an enjoyable experience, and if you have small children it is perfect. - read more

I didn't think I would get to see one of the most endangered species on the planet when it comes to big cats. The ticket prices were very low, and I would have paid twice twice amount to just see this beautiful specimen. For being a much smaller zoo, kudos in participating with the conservation program, community inclusion with business partners and educational programs. Well worth the cold weather as this is the best weather for the magnificent snow leopard to bask outside in all its glory. read more

Although it has an up and coming downtown, and of course being the capital of Michigan, there are few really big attractions in town, at least from a surface impression. Our hosts suggested a trip to this zoo as something fun to do. As zoos go, it's pretty small, only about 20 or so acres. The small size makes it so that there are still quite a few of the smaller types of habitats, which is a little disappointing to see in a couple of cases. They've got a pretty decent assortment of animals, with no real theme. The highlight of the park for me was the parrot feeding area, an enclosed habitat with the opportunity to feed a flock of small parakeets and other birds of that type. This is definitely a fun afternoon activity for a family outing. read more

Potter Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

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This is a nice little zoo situated in a nice big park next to the Lansing River Trail. Another reviewer (Latisha T.) has done an excellent job of reporting the prices and hours, but it is important to note that there is a pretty steep price differential between resident and non-resident admission and parking. Additional amenities and attractions include: -Wings Down Under a bird feeding area ($1 per bird food stick) -a garden themed around the senses -a goat petting area -camel and pony rides -a train ride for little ones -2 snack bars (though I have never seen the one towards the front of the zoo open) -a gift shop -cartoony animal cut-outs for people to stick their heads through for photos A wide variety of animals live at this zoo, and most of them seem to have nice enclosures. My biggest zoo dislike is when the animals seem unhappy, and for the most part Potter Park Zoo does a really nice job of prioritizing animal comfort over human viewing, while still providing many viewing opportunities. The only animal that seems a little unhappy (based on only 4 visits and a total NON-expert opinion) is the tiger. He or she has been pacing every time that I have visited- though it seems like there are well loved entertainment objects in the enclosure. The animal staff that I have interacted with during my visits have all been friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to educate. A highlight was watching the penguins get fed- the fellow who did it was funny and informative. I have only been in the gift shop once, but it seems to sell standard "zoo gift shop" things and the cashier was very nice and helpful. The concession staff folks are young and seem generally confused, but well-meaning. Give it a shot, especially if you live in the area. I think the otters and the Wings Down Under alone are well worth the resident admission! read more

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I'll keep it simple. This zoo is great! It's low key, low cost, and lots of fun. The staff is very friendly and the animals are awesome. They don't have giraffes, polar bears, or pandas. But they do have tigers, lions, penguins, and a MOOSE!! They also have little activity's for kids which you can pay for like a $3 pony rideYou can spend hours of fun exploring and picture taking and finish it off with an ice cream cone and fun souvenir! read more

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While this zoo is on the smaller side, our almost 2 year old absolutely loves it! I'm struggling with the right words to describe Potter Park Zoo because while we always have a good time, I feel as if it's...tired. This isn't a knock on the zoo at all because the staff is great, there are plenty of animal exhibits etc. but I just feel like it needs a little facelift. We've gone twice in the last two weeks and I have noticed that the landscaping needs work, there are tons of leaves stuck in enclosures, paint is chipping etc. BUT- it's still such a great gem for the Lansing area. I'd also like to add that both times we've got, there has been plenty of staff working on certain exhibits so I know that work is being done. On to some of the good stuff. You can bring your own lunch, which is awesome. They even have areas with picnic tables for you to use. There are water stations placed throughout the zoo so you can get a cup of water or refill your water bottles. There are plenty of shaded areas to stop and rest if it's warm out and your little ones need a break. They have an adorable train ride ($3 per person) and the older gentleman who operates it is very kind. Peacocks roam around the zoo and let you get semi-close, which is a fun experience for the little ones. There's also a petting zoo area with goats (free, I believe) and a pony ride area ($3). Parking was $3 and the entrance fee was $6 per adult. Overall, I feel like this could be a regular family outing that would provide some fun and education while allowing the kids to get some energy out and for you to bring your own snacks etc. We thoroughly enjoy PPZ! read more

Although the zoo is quite small, I loved how close I was able to get to the animals! They also had a fair variety of different animals such as amphibians, birds, typical zoo animals like tigers, farm animals, and etc! This zoo also offers camel rides!! Unfortunately I wasn't able to try it out because this event doesn't start until later in the summer, but I'd definitely come back just to get the experience! Ps: if you are afraid of birds, beware of roaming peacocks! They're everywhere!! read more

The zoo just reopened this week after shutting down for the COVID outbreak. During that time, they have been active on social media, providing updates on the baby rhino (Jaali), baby otters, and other animals. You can tell that the staff take pride in the zoo. They've done an amazing job preparing the grounds for the return of visitors, making sure things are clean (lots of staff periodically sanitizing surfaces) and well-organized (plenty of signage and paw prints painted on the paths to encourage one-way flow of people). We had a wonderful time, and it was great to see Jaali in person! read more

Potter Park Zoo is the best zoo I have ever been to. They have a good selection of animals and the park is small enough to easily see everything it has to offer. I have been obsessed with rhinos since I was a little girl, and this park boasts a habitat for not one but TWO rhinos! Unfortunately, the male rhino, Jello, passed away not too long ago so the female, Doppsee, is alone right now. But the habitat is there and I am hopeful they'll get another male soon and maybe we'll see some baby rhinos in a few years! I was also lucky enough to be the recipient of a rhino encounter from my sister. My sister spoke with the staff and gave me a half hour in the rhino hut, petting Doppsee and feeding her apple slices. It was the best moment of my life. And we were all dressed to the nines because it also happened to be the day my sister got married! Best Maid of Honor gift ever! After I spent time petting and feeding Doppsee, we wandered around the zoo taking wedding photos near the different animals. It was a seriously magical day. I can't imagine larger zoos giving a better opportunity. I love this zoo. read more

My family just had an amazing day here! I love this place. Is it as big as Detroit or Toledo? No. But they have a great collection of animals, a nice little snack area and plenty of fun activities for the kids. Here is what we saw...tigers, lions, penguins, otters, eagles, foxes, fish, ostriches, peacocks, tortoises, frogs, birds, snakes, kangaroos, rhinoceros, monkeys, lemurs, mandrills, owls, leopard, wolves, and a bunch more whose names escape me. Sound like a tiny crappy zoo? I didn't think so... We also got to ride a pony and a camel, feed llamas, pet goats and they have an aviary where you can buy seed sticks and feed parakeets. I know, that doesn't sound too exciting but, it is a room full of about 100 parakeets and they fly out and land on you and your seed stick and eat. My daughter was freaking out excited, buy a couple seed sticks cause they eat em' up fast! Bottom line, this zoo is smaller than others but they pack so much into that small space. It makes it so you can stroll leisurely with the little ones and not bring the stroller. We saw the whole zoo in about 3-4 hours and we didn't feel like we wanted to pass out from exhaustion afterwards. Granted, if I didn't have a child, I might not have enjoyed it so much but aren't zoos for the kids anyways? As for the review that claimed that the animals looked abused. The only animals that looked sick were the ones being rehabilitated, they do a lot of that here. In other words, the zoo is caring for these abused/ sick animals to help them! It's a great time and really inexpensive. Pony rides $3, camel ride $4, seed sticks $1 (bring cash!). Parking $5 (also cash only). Admission would have been $22 (non-resident) for my husband, daughter and I but we had a free pass (won at an auction for my daughters preschool). Not too shabby for and afternoon packed with fun! read more

Came here for a date on a cool November afternoon during the week, and I had a great experience. Great variety of active animals that seemed well cared for. Not crowded at all, but that may be because we were there during the week and in the off season. The red panda, Arctic wolves, river otters, and spider monkeys were particular stand outs to me, but others may like all of the big cats. If you're looking for a nice afternoon with your children or a significant other, you need to come visit this Zoo! read more

I really love this zoo; it's an unexpected gem in the middle of Lansing. I never expected a medium-sized town like Lansing to have a zoo that compares to, say, the Detroit zoo, but Potter Park was a lovely surprise. There are a lot of exotic and not-so-exotic animals in the zoo, including a variety of big cats and the obligatory farm animal petting area for kids. They just rebuilt the rhinoceros exhibit and brought in 2 rhinos, and the bird/reptile house has a good variety as well. This zoo is the perfect spot for an afternoon visit; it's not so big that you'll be exhausted after walking around, but there's still plenty to see. I highly recommend visiting, especially on reduced-fare days like Be A Tourist In Your Own Town, or during many of the other specials that happen throughout the year. Winter visits are also super inexpensive if you want to brave the cold! read more

Our second year doing Breakfast with Santa! We had a great time, saw Santa and got to walk around the zoo and hear the Tiger roar! Fun!

ZOO HRS.: April-October 9am-6pm; Nov.-March 10am-4pm. PARKING: Resident $3, Non-Resident $5. ADMISSION: April-Oct. Adult Res. $4/NR $10, Senior Res.$3/NR $8; Children 3-12 $2/Under 3 y/o FREE. ADMISSION NOV.-MARCH: All Adults- $2; Children ages 3-12- $1; Children under 3-FREE The zoo has restrooms, food vending, wheelchair and stroller rentals and a gift shop. It is a smoke-free facilty which is absolutely fantastic for those who don't smoke, allergic or sensitve to first or second hand smoke. (Heeey think about the kids and Yes I'm not a smoker!!!) This is my second visit at this zoo. The 1st time was a family trip which was fun and interesting. This time around it was my child's end of the year class trip. The nice part was having parent chaperones to help with the kids. So we split up in groups of 3 or 4 and went on our own litle adventure throughout the zoo. I suggest bringing a sack lunch with you because things at the zoo could be a little costly, especially with a group of kids. There is a area, on the left before entering the zoo,set up with picnic tables and a kids playground to eat and give the kids another (different) chance to burn some more energy before leaving the zoo. The day was about 78degrees F out with a slight breeze. It was not too hot, which made it the perfect temperature to walk around with the kids without them getting agitated quickly. The teachers gave the children a two page paper with pics and names of animals, classiifed by groups that they had to check/mark off after learning/collecting info on that particular animal. And after finding/seeing all the animals on the pages they (we) was treated with our choice of vanilla, chocolate, or vanilla/chocolate swirl ice cream cone that was delightful treat in the heat. This time around, a lot of the exibits were closed for some reason or another but enough aninmals were seen to occupy and educate Pre-K class. It was disturbing to have a train ride for $3 per kid. The disturbing part was that the train ride was only a small circled path, nothing exciting! The kids was excited to get on but the really sad part was that they wer even more excited to GET OFF!! Can you say BORING....the charge should've been $1! So overall, I'd say "it's an experience of a life time", "you live and you learn".....at least the kids got out of the classroom setting and had some fun. *Sigh*...Next time I'll try another zoo. read more

My daughter is 18 months and we got to the zoo once or twice a week. We live close by so we like to walk there often. It's a nice cheap day trip for us where we can pack our own lunch to eat there. We always make a stop for her to ride the ponies while there. I let her her out to walk and it takes about 1 to 1.5 hours for us to walk through the park. I am not sure how much older kids would enjoy it since it's not very big, but it's perfect for our family. We did the Zoo Boo last year and loved it! read more

Potter Park Zoo - We love being able to see all the animals at Potter Park! - Zoos Near Me - Lansing, Michigan

Great little zoo. Perfect place for the grandparents to introduce their little angels to an interesting assortment of nature's finest. We especially enjoyed the big cats! read more