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Potter Park Zoo

4.0 (63 reviews)
Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Potter Park Zoo Photos

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Tammi W.

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.

Amethyst W.

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.

Rhino
LaShawnda G.

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.

Enas B.

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.

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! :)

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!

Kelly H.

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!

Welcome
Alice K.

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.

Family enjoying the monkeys
Jennie C.

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.

Billy L.

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.

Our national bird
Glenn R.

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.

Kristin H.

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.

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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!

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Review Highlights - Potter Park Zoo

Highlights for us were the arctic fox, otters, red pandas, snow leopard, tiger, lemurs and bonobos.

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Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park - Camel

Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park

4.5(63 reviews)
41.4 mi

Boulder Ridge is our go to place to celebrate our kiddo's birthdays and one of the local gems that…read moreI always send people to or recommend. Small enough that you get up close and personal with the animals. Although small, they have SO many cool animals. Nowhere else in GR can you feed a giraffe! They have a lovely walk that brings you up to some unique animal enclosures that makes it feel like a safari. You can feed parakeets, camels, kangaroo, too. They have things for kids to play on, ride, educational areas, etc. They also have a concession area. Everything is always super clean, too. I feel like every year they add more and make it that much better! Always a high recommendation!

What an absolute hidden gem of an animal park! From the moment we walked in, we were impressed by…read morehow unbelievably clean and well kept everything was. It also wasn't crowded at all, which made the entire experience feel relaxed and enjoyable instead of rushed. One of the best parts was the animal feeding experiences throughout the park. Getting to feed a giraffe was something we'll never forget and Leroy the giraffe completely stole the show He was easily one of the coolest experiences we've ever had and definitely where some core family memories were made. The exhibits were thoughtfully done too. The animals seemed to have plenty of space while still allowing guests to get close enough to really enjoy and appreciate them. Every staff member we encountered was kind, helpful, and added to the positive experience. This place deserves way more attention. Such a fun, memorable day for our family!

Photos
Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park - Giraffe

Giraffe

Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park
Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park - Social little prairie dogs interacting with a fan

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Social little prairie dogs interacting with a fan

Deer Tracks Junction - Drooliest animal.

Deer Tracks Junction

4.4(57 reviews)
57.6 mi
$

We did the lights on the day before Christmas Eve with our grand kids ! What a blast so many lights…read moreand quite a value for a carload . The kids loved it

If you're a first time visitor, I highly recommend going through both the "Safari" and the main…read morefarm. For the drive thru safari, they have a variety of animals, from Alpacas to bears to camels to giraffes. You can purchase a bucket of feed for $9, but make sure you hold on to the bucket tight, because all of the animals are super strong! We ended up losing one of our buckets to the deer, haha! In the main farm area, they have some really cool play structures and tunnels that go underground and above ground. The kids had a blast crawling all over the place. Our favorites were the bird exhibit and the bear exhibit. The birds are not afraid of humans and will flock to you as soon as you enter their area. Im the bear section, we got to see the two brown bear brothers wrestle and "fight" over who got to sit in the pool. The brown bears were very interactive and would run with the children along the fence, back and forth. The biggest hit for our kids was the corn kernel area. It's essentially a giant pit filled with dried corn kernels. Our kids played in there for a good hour and didn't want to leave! It's also a great place to relax and cool down out of the heat. They have a bunch of animals that you can pet and hold if interested. For us, the safari was a great one time experience and likely wouldn't be something that we would drive through again, but the main play area is where we will definitely be going back to time and time again!

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Deer Tracks Junction - So hungry.

So hungry.

Deer Tracks Junction - Too far away to feed.

Too far away to feed.

Deer Tracks Junction

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The Creature Conservancy - Sloth climbing across the ceiling

The Creature Conservancy

4.8(52 reviews)
50.9 mi

The Creature Conservancy is pretty awesome! I pass by it all the time but finally had a chance to…read morevisit during open hours on a Sunday. It was pretty delightful & the staff were super friendly and interacting with the animals. The CC was started 20 years ago with Al the Alligator! He was dropped off at the Vet clinic and they started CC all around him. Pretty awesome. It's not a massive space so it was perfect to get there at 3:30pm - in time for the 4pm show which is followed by an Al the Alligator feeding! We checked out all the habitats on the outside as well. Super cool experience - I'd love to come back for one of their turtle yoga, 18+ paint nights, etc. They always have pretty cool themed programming. Also follow their social media - they post the best content!

10 stars!! My husband found this place and it's amazing!! Sooo many animals and better than the Zoo…read morebecause you don't have to walk a ton and the workers are very friendly and personable. There are a lot of things you can look at without paying such as the Tegu (big looking lizard), an Owl, tortoises, parrots, black swans, muskrat, llama, horses, and one other animal. But if you pay for admission, you can enter their buildings that have lots more animals like sloths on the ceiling, a reindeer, an emu, mongoose, warthog, clouded leopards, a cougar, and a 300 pound alligator! There are many animals inside for sure! General admission is $15 and it's considered a day pass which means you can leave and come back (the lady clarified for us). Kids above 2 are $13 and those 2 and under are free! Loved this place and def coming back!

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The Creature Conservancy - Gift shop

Gift shop

The Creature Conservancy - Sloth climbing by a crate for napping in.

Sloth climbing by a crate for napping in.

The Creature Conservancy

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Binder Park Zoo - Savanna

Binder Park Zoo

3.8(107 reviews)
45.6 mi

This place is always worth the drive and having a little one to wander and explore with, just makes…read moreit 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

This zoo is very big in terms of area - and amazing given it isn't in a major metro area. Most of…read morethe 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.

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Binder Park Zoo - Lemur at Binder Park Zoo

Lemur at Binder Park Zoo

Binder Park Zoo - Carousel at Binder Park Zoo

Carousel at Binder Park Zoo

Binder Park Zoo - Chai Pride Bus at Binder Park Zoo

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Chai Pride Bus at Binder Park Zoo

Wilderness Trails Animal Park - Swan and Geese at Wilderness Trails Zoo

Wilderness Trails Animal Park

3.3(67 reviews)
54.5 mi

The cages and homes for these animals are way too small…read more I just visited this zoo with my partner and cannot believe that a place like this is still open in 2025. I've just signed multiple petitions to try and have these animals relocated to a better fitting home. Truly heartbreaking to see.

Recently planned a meet up at Wilderness trails zoo with some family. It had been a few years since…read moreany of us have been there, and seeing it now, with many renovations completed, it looks fantastic, and functions with a much better flow. The entrance, and gift shop, is easily 4 times it's original size; and they always have the cutest collection of plushes. The grounds, and habitats appeared well maintained. The animals were all quite active, playful, and seemed to be healthy; the petting farm area is always a must stop when you visit. The staff are great too; friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. The zoo now offers animal experiences for an extra fee, which can be purchased online or at the entrance, adding a more private element of fun. I will say though, I was really bummed that the Rainforest area was now only open as an "experience" purchase. Years ago it was easily my favorite exhibit, but unfortunately is now out of my price range, especially for a family (as I found the experience costs to be a bit high), so we were unable to see it. Overall we all really enjoyed our outing at the Wilderness Trails Zoo. They did a great job keeping the walk area around the zoo shaded, you could find animal feeding stations and hand sanitizer in many locations, seating widely available, a picnic/eating area, prepackaged ice cream bars/dippin dots in store, children's playground, clean restrooms, and plenty of parking available as you first arrive. This zoo is definitely worth the visit, and I'm sure I'll be having another day trip here again soon.

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Wilderness Trails Animal Park - Main Building/Entrance at Wilderness Trails Zoo

Main Building/Entrance at Wilderness Trails Zoo

Wilderness Trails Animal Park - Primate at Wilderness Trails Zoo

Primate at Wilderness Trails Zoo

Wilderness Trails Animal Park - Parrot at Wilderness Trails Zoo

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Parrot at Wilderness Trails Zoo

Potter Park Zoo - zoos - Updated May 2026

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