Columbian Park Zoo admission is $3, so that basically means that you can't say nothin' about this…read morezoo. You're getting in for free, practically. Any complaints that you have are null and void. That said, this zoo is very small. But I kind of dig that, because if you have children with you, then you can get through the entirety of this zoo before they melt down and lose interest. The Columbian Park Zoo is the perfect size for people with young children, or people who have short attention spans for zoos. (Hi!) You see animals, you see flowers and plants, you walk a little, and then you're done. In and out in half an hour. You could spend a half hour at this zoo like I did, or you could spend way more time. The penguin exhibit was pretty entertaining, and I could see spending some time there, looking at the penguins doing their thing. There are also some interactive exhibits for kids and things like that. One of my favorite areas is the Family Farm, which is where the baby goats can be found. There's a petting zoo where you can interact with the baby animals and their mamas. Signs caution you to be aware that animals can bite! But the babies are just cute, and I didn't encounter any biters. There are a few places to get drinks and snacks here, but it's a small zoo, so the options are limited. I think you can bring your own food and drinks, though.

-the train was down for the day which was a disappointment…read more-carousel was fun and decently priced -the "zoo" itself is great for kids with goat petting zoo and walking through the wallaby sanctuary -I would say you get what you pay for

Children were so excited to see all the animals. Fantastic place for adults and children to visit.read more

Absolutely wonderful - Healthy happy animals, and…read morebeautifully taken care of ! A joy to visit and... I will return

Who would have thought in middle of North West Indiana you would find this Gem tucked away they…read moreoffer both a walk and drive thru experience to enjoy the animals it's a Great Spot for kids they can explore and they won't get lost

From the owner: Sandy Oak Ranch is Northwest Indiana’s only exotic wildlife adventure! Escape to the quiet country…read moreand embark on a journey through captivating exhibits from the comfort of your own vehicle. The driving path will end in the parking lot where you can enter our walk-thru exhibits and enjoy the natural landscape that surrounds you.

We really enjoyed our visit at this reindeer ranch! The gift shop was filled with lots of reindeer…read moreand Christmas products, an old-school furnace in the middle to keep it nice and toasty, an upstairs full of colorful Christmas decor and trinkets. The highlight was the running train in the middle on top floor as you sit and sip on the hot cider while waiting for our reindeer tour at around noon. Luckily at the time we went we were the only once so we basically got a private tour. Who knew reindeers love graham crackers? It had snowed a couple days before so it was so special to see all the reindeer in the snow. The lovely gal answered a lot of our questions about the farm and the reindeer and my 4 yo daughter really loved feeding and patting the friendly and soft reindeers. It looked like they had a fun playground and an onsite cafe (it was closed) and some other amenities around but they were all covered in snow when we went. The only thing is it would have been nice if they plowed their parking lot after the snow for safety. This was in the same town we were visiting family so it was very close. I thought it was worth the price ($12) and I would recommend this for other families to come check out with their little ones and have a unique experience!

Such a cute little place. Did the corn maze with a bunch of friends, was so fun despite the heat…read more The little christmas shop was super cute. I wish they had some proper drinks like cider or something for the hot days but they just had this smashed pumpkin pie with icecream and a donut on top. It was delicious but a whole lot of sweet assortments I guess. Would love to return and do the maze in moonlight, if not for the horror movies I watched

The Washington Park Zoo is a relatively small city-owned zoo in Michigan City, Indiana on the…read moreshores of Lake Michigan. I typically head up to Lake Michigan about once a year for my trip to the lighthouse, but this zoo is relatively close so there's typically a visit here when it's open. The zoo opened in 1928. and has pretty limited hours with typical closure for the season in December. In addition to the varied zoo hours, features within the zoo can also have limited hours. For example, the observation tour is only open 10am - 3pm daily. Animal buildings close 1/2 hour before the zoo closes. The safari train is closed for the 2026 season. Other features vary. So, if you've got your heart set on a specific area, it may be best to check. This entire part of Michigan City is somewhat iffy in terms of accessibility. This includes the zoo. It's not dreadful - I can typically maneuver around, but there are definitely some inclines, stes in places, and other accessibility concerns. As one other review notes, they do have wheelchair rental for free, however, wheelchair users who have difficulty on inclines will want to make sure support is nearby. There's a discount for Michigan City residents. Prices otherwise include Adults ($12), Seniors 62+ ($10), Children 2-11 ($10), and Children 1 and under are free. The zoo, which encompasses 15 acres and is set on a hill, is also a wildlife sanctuary. It offers outreach, camps, pollination, etc. Overall, I'd call the Washington Park Zoo a solid local zoo and wildlife sanctuary. I'd be unlikely to call it a destination zoo of any type, however, it's a nice addition to a visit to the Michigan City area. I always like hitting the zoo when I'm at the nearby lighthouse. I'm a big fan of the Michigan City coastline, and while I wish Michigan City would build this up more (and make it more accessible) it's still a beautiful area. Again, in terms of of accessibility this is one of those features best experienced with a companion and I'd say due to the historic nature (like the tower) of certain areas you should probably expect not being able to do quite everything here. I'd still return and frequently do. If you do make it up the tower, definitely check out the views. Pretty amazing.

This place is not worth the drive. The cost to enter is…read morehigh. The parking is very unpleasant. Will never return again. Very disappointed by the recreational department that runs this area. There is something mentally deficient with these folks. A V O I D - at all costs.

This is the most wonderful Farm I have ever been too. Tons of Alpacas and Angora Rabbits. My…read moredaughter just loves to go to this farm and run around with the Alpacas all day. Beautiful peice of property and just outstanding management. We look forward to returning.

From the owner: Raising Quailty Alpacas & Angora Rabbits. We harvest there…read morefiber and sale it in raw, roving's, handspun yarn, & handmade products.

Colin came to our mosque this past weekend. We had the show outdoors and it was such a hit! He kept…read morethe kids engaged and it's very interactive. Also, his price seems pretty fair. Would highly recommend.

We had an amazing experience with Crosstown Exotics! Mike came to our high school class that works…read morewith preschoolers, and he was absolutely fantastic with both our little and big kids. He was incredibly educational while also being funny and engaging, which kept everyone interested the entire time. The kids loved getting to see and learn about the animals up close, and you could tell Mike is truly passionate about what he does. It was such a unique and memorable experience for our class. Everyone had a great time, and we're already looking forward to having him back next year. Highly recommend!

Fun stop for food, fun stuff and bathrooms. Bypassed the ice…read morecream building (next time), didn't have time for the restaurant ( and it opens at 4), and went into the cheese building for a yummy cup of tomato soup and a delicious and filling grilled cheese and chicken sandwich. YUM! Some cute merch and a dedicated cheese tasting room too... Off to the big store by the gas pumps and dog bark ( yes, what they call it)...where they sell more cheese, ice cream, soaps, soup mixes, more fun merch, as well as standard gas stop sundries.

Stopped here to charge car and walked into a whole farm world! They have a gas station, museum,…read morehotel, restaurant, working farm! Bathrooms are clean and they have some fresh made treats to purchase. Picked up an egg salad sandwich and little baggies of various cheese. They also had hand pies that I might have to try next time. The egg salad sandwich had very nice soft bread and nice flavor. Would make a stop here again in a heartbeat.

Small but mighty. On the pricier side but you can't beat this experience. I reside in Chicago &…read moreneither Brookfield nor Lincoln park can come close. The giraffe feeding was worth the price of admission alone. Extremely close encounters to most animals & some exotic & rare animals I've never heard of. There's an adjacent playground & splash pad for free so the little ones will be entertained.

We had a good time here. We were able to see some animals be pretty active. We really enjoyed the…read moretrain ride and definitely loved feeding a giraffe and ravenous fish.