Are you excited for that WILD day out in Grand Rapids, kids? You just have to head to John Ball Zoo to spend the day exploring your wild side, and enjoy amazing animal encounters with creatures from all over the world!
Have you ever come face to face with those feline predators – the tiger? Perhaps you want to immerse yourself in the world of aquatic animals, as you explore the coast of Pategonia, or even as local as the Michigan stream?
Kids can watch those cheeky penguins play, come face to face with eels, or admire the tropical fish all in a 40,000 gallon Kelp Forest tank and tide pool.
Those grand and iconic bald eagles call John Ball Zoo home, or you can see what wonders the tropics hold with their vast diversity of reptiles and amphibians. Don’t miss those beautiful mammals too, including the sloth!
It wouldn’t be a zoo without a trip into the Savannahs of Africa, where you can picture yourself on the plans of Mokomboso Valley with baboons, monkeys, chimps – all in one of the largest exhibits in the nation!
Kids can also enjoy a camel ride too – pretty cool! The fun doesn’t stop either at John Ball Zoo for kids with Red’s Hobby Farm, where kids can pretend to be sailing with the pirates, or trying to spot the ring tailed lemurs.
From mountain lions, to grizzly bears, to the smallest frogs, John Ball Zoo is a great way for kids to learn all about the creatures of the world – and you don’t even need to leave Michigan!
Let’s get WILD!
THE GOOD: VERY NICE ENTERANCE, THE PEOPLE WERE FRIENDLY AND WHEELCHAIRS ARE AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE. THE BAD: VERY STEEP WALKWAYS TO GET AROUND, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE PUSHING A WHEELCHAIR, THE FUNICULAR WAS NOT WORKING, THE LION CAM WAS BROKEN, MANY DISPLAYS WERE POORLY MANTAINED, THE AQUARIUMS WERE DIMLY LIT, HUMID AND SMELLED BAD, WE DROVE OVER 100 MILES FOR THIS AND WERE NOT IMPRESSED, EVEN BATTLECREEKS BINDER PARK ZOO GIVES YOU A MUCH MORE PLEASANT EXPERIENCE, (THOUGH THEY CHARGE FOR WHEELCHAIRS). ONE LAST THING, MANY ZOOS’ AND MUSEUMS HAVE FREE OR REDUCED RATES FOR VETERANS ACTIVE DUTY AS WELL AS RETIRED, NOT HERE.
Been here couple times as a child & I enjoyed it very much! Lots has probably changed in the many years since ive been there! Would like to go back soon!
This zoo is much better Binder Park! There is always something fun and interesting to see and the animals are so lively and look so healthy! It was well worth the trip!!!
i think that John Ball Zoo is a bit overrated, it’s really cool to go there but I feel that everything goes by really fast and there is only a general selection of ‘exotic animals’ but I guess it’s more of a kid place than entertainment for an adult
Nice