I went to the Detroit Zoo with my kids, and it was the best experience of my kid's life! (that was their words) they loved and laughed the whole time we took many pictures and had a mazing time! read more

We hadn't been to the Detroit Zoo in probably 30 years. I was blown away by the improvements they've accomplished in those 30 years. Yes, it's a long time and I realize that fact, but still... the improvements from then till now are really fantastic. For starters on navigating the zoo, there are map boards located throughout your walk and there's also a QR code reader on the boards so you can access the zoo app from your phone. As you traverse down the paths, there are food stops for the hungry kiddos and adults and plenty of little snack and sweets stations throughout the zoo and plenty of restrooms as well so no worries there. There are benches spaced throughout in case you need to take a little rest along your adventure walk. Most of the animals were out midday and that was our concern that it might be nap time for a lot of them. But we were very fortunate and saw almost everything we set out to see. We'll definitely have to go back because we didn't quite see everything we wanted to see. The penguin exhibit was fantastic. It's an arctic wonderland with a below ground level walkway so you can watch them swimming past as you walk along. The chimpanzees were a popular attraction and both kids and adults loved watching them playing and grooming each other and taking care of the young ones inside the air conditioned building. The air conditioned buildings with the indoor viewing are the best, especially on hot days so you can cool down as you watch the animals in their habitats The zoo itself is neat and clean with staff dispersed throughout in case you have questions or need help. They were actively working on new exhibits while we were there and we're looking forward to seeing these new additions that will definitely add to the fun zoo experience. Some exhibits have small entrance fees that aren't included in the zoo ticket price but they're worth it. It took us 3 hours to make it all the way around and that included a lot of stops and looking at and watching all of the awesome animals but next time we'll allow four because at the end just before closing we were rushing. From 30 years ago till now, the zoo is worthy of 5 stars with the way it has grown with the times. Get some Vitamin Z as one of their old commercial jingles suggest! read more

The Detroit Zoo's penguinarium and butterfly exhibits are exceptional, beautiful, worthy, heavenly. 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. read more

Love our zoo! 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! read more

It's the Zoo - what else needs to be said. The Detroit Zoo does a wonderful job with events for kids and is a great place for family, a date, or enjoy a late night event. I have wonderful memories going as a kid with my family, with my school, and now going as a parent. They have updated the food choices and have great animals to appreciate and love. read more

Detroit Zoo - Sloth bear - Zoos Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

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The zoo is one of my favorite spots to come visit with the kids. Its is so affordable too! You can get a membership for your family. If your kids are under 2 they get in for free which is super helpful. If your child is under 2, I highly suggest getting the individual plus membership. It allows you to be a named guest and then any unamed guest can get in free, and the child is free. This saved us so much money the first two years. They are currently in the process of renovating the left side, but you can see all the animals on the right side. There is so much to see anyway! The zoo is massive. They have so many different types of animals such as a massive penguin exhibit and butterfly exhibit. You can see beavers, red pandas, tigers, monkeys, apes, lions, zebras, etc. There are tons of enclosed exhibits to step into if its too hot outside. The polar bear and penguin exhibit are nice and cool inside. The reptile exhibit is very hot inside. If you walk back instead of the train, you will pass the amphibian exhibit too. If you get tired of walking around with kids, the best thing at the zoo is the train! It is only $3 per person and kids under 2 are free! We usually fold up the wagon and place it in the spot next to us if it isn't too busy. You can also place it in the back of the train. This train will take you back to the front of the zoo. Some people like to get on in the beginning and walk back instead. Overall, the zoo is such a magical place to visit. We have gone to so many different events here. We went to bunnyville on Easter. They had a huge event on Mother's Day too. In October, we walked around and saw all the decorations. They have Zoo lights in the winter as well. read more

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I've been to about 25 zoos in the last few years. This is one of the worst $62 during the day, well most of it is either under construction, or closed. The train wasn't running either why they add on eight dollars for parking is just a further kick in the pants. There was very little to see, I saw more squirrels than anything exotic. read more

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We came here for only a few hours to kill before our flight. We only got to see a few installations and some animals, but was happy with the park. I will saw that the beginning of the park is a lot of walking in between the entrance with a few installations to the larger part of the park. The penguin hall was so fun and very interactive for little ones. The butterfly pavilion was such a cool room. There were tons of butterflies and areas to sit down and just sit and enjoy the beautiful nature around. Great zoo! read more

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I feel very grateful to love so close to this zoo! This zoo was the first to have bar-less cages and is consistently updating their enclosures to make them more human and animal friendly! They also no longer sell single serve plastic water bottles and strongly encourage visitors to bring reusable water bottles, which I really appreciate. They host multiple after-hours events throughout the year and I have attending both Polar Beers and last night's Summer Sips. The Detroit Zoo is currently hosting a super fun animatronic exhibit called the Dragon Garden that I highly recommend. read more

Detroit Zoo - Lounging kangaroo - Zoos Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

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Came here to kill time before my flight and loved it. I would say the best strategy is to take the train ($3) to the back and walk your way south to the entrance. We saw a bunch of animals and ended with the penguins which I loved. The Polar bear was so cute playing in the water and I loved all the shading this zoo has. They also have good food and craft beers options. Would love to come back. read more

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Awesome zoo! I took 3 kids here on a cold day and we spent for 4 hours walking around. You could easily spend the day here during a summer visit. There is a good mix of animals and exhibits with several indoor sections. Highlights: Penguin building and Antarctic expedition Reptile house Amphibian house Wolverines and red pandas playing River otters Kangaroo walk We even stopped halfway through to get a snack of chicken fingers and fries. Although pricey they were good. read more

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While attend the Detroit Zoo with my daughter. I have never see such disrespect at a family place. We went into Table 28, a restaurant in the zoo. I ordered my daughter macaroni and cheese. After waiting 35 minutes. I went up with my receipt and told the girl at the counter it has been 35 minutes and I have not received my Macaroni and cheese. She told me 5 more minutes. Well how many 5 minutes do it take for macaroni and cheese people!! She then gave me a bowl of macaroni and cheese. I told her my daughter macaroni and cheese had a chicken tender extra. She reached around her back grabbed the tender off the counter behind her with her hand and placed it in the bowl. FOR REAL THIS IS WHAT WE DO AT YHE ZOO. I will never be back. I will continue to go to Toledo Zoo. I am beyond angry with this zoo. My mommy daughter day was ruined !!! read more

Detroit Zoo - The restaurant that I was disrespect at!!!!' - Zoos Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

We really like the zoo! We have a family pass- there's an option to give a pass as a gift, which is such a fun option. My daughter loves the penguins, and the new exhibit is great. And doesn't have the smell the old penguin exhibit had. Love the butterfly house. There's just so much to see and so much room to walk around and explore. Did eat at one of the restaurants last time we were there and I got a Mediterranean plate- it wasn't great and was overpriced but I feel like to be expected there. Fries/chicken tenders my daughter hot, and soup my husband got were pretty good though. read more

Detroit Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

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We met up with some friends and their kids for a morning visit to the Detroit Zoo recently. You can save money by buying timed entry tickets online ahead of time, but Nate and I have a membership at the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids so we got a reciprocal discount of 50%. We just had to show our zoo pass at the ticket gate. You also have to pay $8 for parking, which was included in the admission price. It was a super hot day and there isn't a ton of shade at the zoo. We really didn't see many animals, and honestly I'm glad we didn't have to pay full price ($27 per person at the gate). Of course it's never a guarantee that you'll see animals when you visit the zoo, but it was a bit of a bummer. The zoo is pretty large - I clocked 2 miles walking and we covered most of the area. They have lots of food and beverage options, but you can bring in your own food and (non-alcoholic) drinks. The giraffes were the most exciting animals we saw. I'm glad we got to check out the zoo, and if I lived in the area, I'd probably have a membership. For a one-off visit, it was just okay. read more

Detroit Zoo - Detroit Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

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My son learned marine animals in kindergarten and loves penguins so had to visit here over spring break. This zoo touts as having the largest penguin exhibit which we were amazed. It is on the scale of sea world with 2 tunnels and cool viewing areas where water splashes towards a small tidal pool. Also, underwater viewing areas where penguins dart around. Rest of zoo is okay but penguins easily make this 5 stars. Gift shop only at penguin building since renovations underway at gift shop. Also not much option for food either probably for same reason. Admission not bad under $50 including parking with AZA reciprocal membership. read more

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I've been to the Detroit Zoo since I was just a toddler and from then to now it is still one of my favorite areas yet and will always be I love walking around in such a gorgeous environment to see all the animals and most out of everything ride the carousel! read more

Detroit Zoo - Spring kindergarten field trip to the zoo May 2013 - Zoos Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

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The zoo always has something special going on for the kids. Parking is easy and getting in is usually really quick, especially if you buy the tickets beforehand. read more

Detroit Zoo - Had a fantastic time at the Detroit Zoo Boo - Zoos Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

The Wild Lights at the Zoo are so cute ! You can't see too many animals at night but the Detroit Zoo did a great job of creating some great magical lights throughout. There is just enough to go and not get too cold on your round, overall a fun tender experience. Really differentiates it from its usual exhibits. read more

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Our 10th zoo as a couple and we'd rank it high on the list! It has almost everything you can think of! We had a lot of fun watching the baby chimpanzee tumbling down the hill, saw the polar bear live and active on land, got good interaction with many animals. I appreciate the layout of an in and out loop style (1.7 mi) that made it super easy to navigate. We skipped food this time but looked like a lot of options. Restrooms throughout and zoo keepers to chat with. Parking was $8 and we had a 50% ticket discount with reciprocal zoo membership - make sure if you are a zoo member in any city you ask if they have reciprocity! 2 adults no kids took us about 2.5 hours to see everything. read more

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This zoo is HUGE and has so much to offer! The layout of the park is great as well. It's very well maintained and clean! The train is an awesome touch especially for those who don't want too or can't walk all the way around back to the beginning of the park. My husband and i plan on getting a membership here, as we can tell we will be frequent visitors! read more

This is not my favorite zoo in the area, although it has potential. I feel like there is a lot of unused space and a lot of walking where you don't see anything. The penguin exhibit is very neat and so is the polar bear- Arctic Circle. They are adding on which this should be done in 2026. I am excited to see how it turns out. I did get to see the baby gorilla and it was adorable. The gorilla and the chimpanzees have a very large habitat although it's not my favorite I will still come back. read more

Wow-it's been well over 40 years since I've been here to the Detroit zoo. It's absolutely incredible. I wrote on the same train through the park that I wrote on when I was a kid. I was a frequent flyer when I was younger as my cousin and I would get on the bus and head down to Royal Oak and the zoo was right there at our fingertips. I had an experience today that I haven't had before and I young lady by the name of Heather really saved me. A gentleman noticed that I wasn't walking so well and probably wasn't feeling so well and offered to have a golf cart. Come get us and take us back to the entrance where we were headed . We were almost there, but it probably was a couple blocks more. We already walked somewhere between three and 5 miles and my feet were just gone in my knees out chow chow out anyway with the negativity. Heather was so kind and didn't make me feel ridiculous or anything, she brought all the way back to Exit! We will definitely come back. It was my nephews first visit and he is 35 years old so it's very evident to me that we need to continue trying some life experiences that he was not fortunate enough to have. About the animals there areas are so much larger and there are obvious enrichment objects around so that they aren't bored all the time. I would think that humans might entertain them, but you never know. read more

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The zoo is under renovation right now which is good. More is coming. Food options are limited right now. Finally saw the river otter, whatttttt! The wolves are always out. Beer is pricey, but they have beer. read more

Detroit Zoo - Relaxing Garden near entrance. - Zoos Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

Went to zoo boo this year. This was our 5th time going. We will not be returning. They closed half of the zoo, no penguin house, no polar bears, lions, tiger etc. We basically paid for a nice walk. We saw ducks, reptiles and 3 camels. That was it! Wrote to the zoo asking about the change, still charging the same amount, but only seeing 2-3 animals. No response. DISAPPOINTING!!! Don't go is my advice read more

We love the Detroit Zoo! If you plan on visit three or more times, look into getting a membership. We purchased it and have visited the zoo more times than we normally would. It's good exercise and it's fun to see the animals. I suggest going to the zoo on cold days - sometimes you will have the zoo to yourself, or pretty close to it. There were water filling stations throughout the zoo, but they can be a little harder to find in the Winter as the outdoors stations are winterized. We usually fill it up in the penguin exhibit and at Table 28 (the restaurant near the Arctic Ring of Life entrance) - both are indoors and open during the Winter months. read more

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Nice smaller zoo, we enjoy going for Christmas lights and during the early summer months. In my opinion they need to offer more food venues. But a nice little zoo. read more

Disappointing experience - too much construction, too few animals. I've always came to this zoo as a little girl, I am now 19. I've loved the Detroit Zoo so much so this review really hurts me to write.. I visited the Detroit Zoo today, and I have to say, it was a huge letdown. There was so much construction going on throughout the zoo that it felt more like a construction site than a place to see animals. Yes, upgrades are great! But many of the exhibits were closed, and the few that were open seemed sparse and underwhelming. For the price of admission ($56, 24/each and $8 parking), I expected a full zoo experience, but instead, I found myself walking past closed-off areas and empty enclosures. It seemed like nearly half the animals were inaccessible because of all the construction.. There were hardly any animals to see, and the ones that were on display didn't seem particularly active which is okay because that's deemed to be expected. They should've listed this on the website because if I had known how much of the zoo was under construction and how few animals would be available to see, I definitely wouldn't have gone. Overall, it was a waste of time and money, and I won't be coming back anytime soon. Definitely disappointed.. read more

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I would do less than 1 star if able. We did the zoo goes boo and drove all the way from GR for this event. We paid $25 per person, so $75 total for me, my husband and my 4 year old. Initially I thought it was expensive but let it go thinking that the experience would be worth it. Long story short it was not worth the price at all. 99% of the zoo was closed with most areas where the animals were closed off. They had 8 candy stations for hundreds of people that attended, so it was very crowded and congested. It was a complete waste of time and money. My suggestion is to advertise before hand that the zoo itself would be closed, as we would have never had went if we knew ahead of time. I would not recommend this event to my worst enemy. read more

The zoo has done a great job of updating animal enclosures over the years--the penguin house is so nice now, and was a big hit w the kiddos we were with! We also loved being able to see all under the polar bears, although they were swimming out of view. Favorites were the bird sanctuary, penguins, polar beans, and red pandas! It was a hot day, and we wished there were more water fountains throughout the park, so we didn't need to buy anything. read more

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Small enough to walk. Large outdoor areas for the animals, clean, friendly staff, polar bear exhibit includes indoor glass tunnel for viewing. Parking was close and convenient. Cost was reasonable. read more

Detroit Zoo - 1yr old gorilla w/ 38 yr old dad. Bald eagles, Bison, Polar bear, 2-humped camels, Halloween decorations. - Zoos Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

Went to the zoo for the first time in 25 years on Memorial Day. Thought it might be free as it was added to my property taxes a few years back. Was shocked at the $42 admission charge. Checked the Cleveland and Toledo Zoos, which are rated higher than Detroit's, and the prices were substantially lower. Didn't seem to be as many animals as I remember and a lot of the attractions were closed or under construction. read more

Truly an awesome zoo. The penguin enclosure is awesome. Animals were very active today. Weird that so many restaurants were closed (+ carousel and train) when the weather has been so nice. Definitely worth a visit! read more

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The wild lights at the Detroit Zoo never disappoint. It was cold however they had amazing warming stations read more

Detroit Zoo - One warning spot - Zoos Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

I have so much fun at the Detroit Zoo! The large park homes a huge amount of animals, from reptile rooms to a walk-through kangaroo exhibit. They do a lot of rehabilitation here and take great care in studying and nurturing the animals--most of the critters seem happy with their habitats and fellow habitat-mates. They interact a fair amount with human visitors too. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable, ranging from general trivia down to a critter's 'human' name and personal habits. Our favorite exhibits are the monkeys and the meerkats. On our first visit, an enormous gorilla was clomping around an indoor play area when he suddenly barreled over to us and pressed himself up into the glass! The guide said he had only seen him do it once before, it was truly incredible! I also HIGHLY recommend the Wild Lights event in the winter season. Though most of the zoo is asleep, the park shines bright with enormous lit-up animals. They serve a variety of hot beverages to walk around with too. And let me just say that a hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps kept me very warm when it was in the single digits! The Zoo is a great staple to the community with festive park exhibits like this, as well as local events such as fundraiser fun-runs. They offer education courses too. Admission and food prices were standard, I'd recommend bringing your own water bottle to fill up in the park through the day. I give this four stars though because we went on one of the hottest days during the summer and some of the larger animals seemed completely miserable. It's wonderful the Detroit-area is fortunate enough to have a zoo--it's well-funded and well-kept. Most people would probably never see a tiger or a camel in-person if it weren't for zoos like this--it's a great place for all to learn and appreciate. But I wonder if they would be better off at a wildlife park that was much more like their original habitat and climate. read more

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Okay, so perhaps I was a little dramatic in my 2019 Detroit Zoo review when I said "I won't be back for 5-10 years," haha. Came here today with three other adults and two children, and we all had a good time. My boyfriend and I actually bought a membership, so we'll be back later in the year, too. My favorite exhibit is still the penguins. Apparently it's the largest penguin aquarium in the world - Google says it's about 33,000 square feet. Last time I was there, the penguins were not in a good mood, but this time they were frolicking and very happy. The kangaroo exhibit is also pretty cool as you literally walk through the middle of it. Only disappointment is that there was only one red panda out and about. If you are just buying a daily ticket, buy it online - originally, in April, we did that, and it was $15 per adult plus $8 parking. Because we didn't use it in April, we were allowed to use it today, but had to pay the upcharge for the gate price ($23pp usually, aka another $16 to get in). We parlayed that into a membership, which worked out - the membership for tri-county residents is $103, and so minus $54 for today's visit, it was only $49. Members are able to park in the surface lot, too, but non-members have to park in the garage. We had lunch at Table 28, which overall was tasty - it was a bit overpriced but the zoo essentially has a captive audience so that makes sense. Looking forward to coming back here soon to use our membership! read more

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Having a zoo membership is the best gift for parents of little ones. This is a pretty big zoo, so having a membership allows people to come as often as they'd like without feeling obligated to see every single thing each time! I wish there was even more hands on/climbing opportunities for little ones that need more than just walking throughout the zoo The rope bridge over the red panda trees is a great addition! We were there for 3.5 hours and when asked what their favorite part was, one of my kids said playing on the playground LOL There's a train that runs from the front of the park to the back of the park and you can get one way or round trip. I like that the bathrooms have built in step stools for kids Bringing in your own food/drinks is a really nice perk. There are lots of places to sit and eat. I love how there are so many things the Detroit Zoo offers, and their special events It can be a peaceful place, especially when it's not as busy read more

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Had a unprofessional, uneducated and very disrespectful experience at the gate. I brought my certified service dog with me on his birthday. The young girl that scanned my QRCode tells me I have to wait for someone to bring a tag for my dog. He arrives 15 minutes later and did NOT know the Federal Service Dog required questions to ask me; I had to reiterate or inform him of the two questions legally allowed. The issue escalates as a Supervisor reaches in the back of her for a Green bandana-- and says this should be displayed while inside. Then she rudely ask for my driver's license; please inform me of your proper procedures and NOT just rudely take my Drivers License as this is NOT on the website. The QRCode was Scanned once then when asked to come back into the window the Rude Supervisor says I can't scan that code again-- I said I was asked by the young lady to step aside to wait for big foot in the cart to unintelligently ask me questions about my service dog. The entire process shouldn't have been so unprofessionally enforced. I had a discussion of my situation to one of the volunteers inside as I was trying to cool off from the entry point situation. The volunteer even knew that they have had issues of entry for service dog processing. read more

Detroit Zoo - Employee was telling me it was just used. No kidding !! - Zoos Near Me - Royal Oak, Michigan

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Detroit Zoo What can I say? Look at all the pictures and reviews. Wow. This is the largest zoo in the state of Michigan. Indeed. It's huge. Food. Animals. Rides. Benches. Water. Many women use this place to waste time with their kids while their man are at work. Good way to waste 3-4 hrs. Avoid hot days. There is not much shade here. Plenty of animals to keep you and your kids busy. Highly Recommended read more

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We went to the Zoo Boo - Halloween event last weekend. This is more "merry not scary" fun event that featured family-friendly Halloween-themed entertainment throughout the zoo, suitable for all ages. It was the last weekend to enjoy the ZooBoo activities which included Spooky Animal facts, festive pumpkin displays, a flash-mob performance, a Juggler, photo opportunities and much more. The entire Zoo was open, allowing guests to visit all their favorite animals, learn spooky animal facts and enjoy festive pumpkin displays. It was fun to visit the animals with some added Halloween flair. Seeing the animals out and active was the best part. Weather was little cold so we didn't wanna walk the whole zoo with little one. We didnt get to explore the whole zoo but to what we got to see it was good. We were handed a goody bag at the entrance and walked into various activities throughout the Zoo. We had a fun time walking around to view all the Halloween activities and blow up decorations. Masks were compulsory to attend the event and other indoor spaces. Advance tickets were recommended and no walk-up tickets were available. Overall we had a nice evening ! read more

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This place is the best part about living in Royal Oak. The Penguinarium is a blast (don't miss the Shackleton exhibit!), the Arctic Ring of Life unique, and the Butterfly house is iconic. Don't forget to feed the peacocks a chili cheese fry. IMAX movies for the philistines. A wonderful experience in all four seasons - don't miss the Wild Lights at Christmas. read more