detroit zoo

Not only are there lots of animals but the day we went all of them were outside! All the enclosures are decent size fit their inhabitants and place is fun and easy to navigate. Great family day!

I brought my 3 year old son to this zoo and when it was time to leave, he would not come with me! They have a great enclosed aquarium where the polar bears can swim over top of you and plenty of other fun things for kids to see and enjoy! They even had a groundhog hole where you could poke your head up through the hole that was enclosed in glass and the groundhogs were all around you! I will definitely be returning this summer!

The Detroit Zoo really has a lot to offer. The butterfly house is AMAZING, and the polar bear exhibit with the underwater glass tunnel makes you feel like you're swimming with them! The natural settings in the exhibits add a lot to appreciate, in addition to being better for the animals. Can't wait for the new penguinarium!

This is the best event ever. Everyone guests and workers dress up. They have corn mazes, pumpkins carved into animals, and treat stations located throughout the zoo. The animals are all out for the children to see. We go every year. A must go to for Halloween.

We live nearby so we have a family season pass. Love to go walk around even in the colder months just to get out of the house. Always a nice time.

If you stop by at any time of the year, you will see different animals doing different things depending on weather. Morning are best to be there the animals are very active. Winter is great because you almost have the whole place to yourself.

My kids and I love to visit during the winter months. True not all animals are on exhibit but the ones that are really make the cold temps worthwhile. Our visit last month on a very snowy day was proof of that! The polar bears were very active, playing in the water and interacting with each other. We spent nearly 45 minutes watching them.

Husband and I spent Saturday 2/7/15 there. The zoo opens at 10:00, and we arrived within a few minutes of that. We were able to park in the garage (fee of $6.00 added when purchasing your tickets at the gate) very close to the entrance. Since we had a zoo membership at the Toledo Zoo, we were able to get a deal on the tickets, which was a nice bonus. There are adequate rest rooms throughout the zoo, and their locations are well marked. The brochure/color map they provide is well put together, but needs updated, as some of the information about closed exhibit inhabitants being moved elsewhere was not well explained (see comments below) Upon entering we observed that the walkways were all snow free, which was greatly appreciated. Some of the exhibits were closed for the winter (carousel, train, zebras, ice cream vendor, shop), which was understandable. Others were indoors and still viewable. Unfortunately a few of the animal locations were not readily marked. We initially missed both the baby giraffe and the rhinos. Had a nice lady with two kids not seen us fumbling with the map and stop to advise us, we would have never known about either of those exhibits. The entrance to those areas frankly looked like the staff had been using them solely, and since there was no signage we assumed they were off limits to visitors. For example, this writer started to walk into the stabling area for the zebras, which IS closed for the winter. Fortunately a nice staff member intercepted this writer & redirected her toward the correct path.The polar bear, seal and penguin exhibits were amazing. The bird and butterfly exhibits, as well as the reptile and amphibian houses, were just the thing to elevate spirits during a cold and dark MI winter. The volunteers were well informed and enthusiastic!There was a nice young woman in the domestic animal barn area that was cleaning stalls. While doing so she was accommodating in answering our questions. She was very well informed, and it was obvious that she enjoyed her charges.We had lunch at the Artic café, which was the only place opened. Prices were pretty high-just what one would expect from an amusement-type park. The only really outrageous price was for the small drink. Paying $2.25 for a tiny plastic cup with zoo drawings on it was ridiculous. After about 10 sips the cup was empty. And no, I don't want a cup that I can refill at a discount when I live over 75 miles away from the zoo. Since soft drinks cost a restaurant only pennies, how about a small non-reusable Styrofoam cup for $1.00? Until then, bring your own.The gift shop had numerous items, including a myriad of nice stuffed animals that were very reasonably priced. My only suggestion would be to offer some nice jewelry for those of us without children at home. I was interested in purchasing a necklace or some earrings, but there was NO inventory at all.Despite these few recommendations, I would definitely return. It is a gorgeous facility with pleasant staff. The few families with children that braved the cold seemed to be having a great time.

Last year we went to the Tampa Zoo and had a really good time. We decided to get the annual pass which also gets you discounts at other zoos. I assumed that it would be an investment that would not really be worth it. I was so wrong. We have been making the most of this pass which brought us to the Detroit Zoo with my nephews. We had a great time. We started at the Penguin Exhibit which was excellent, the smell was a little overwhelming but the boys were really excited to be able to be so close. The variety in the reptile area was amazing and again, we were able to get very close. I was also very impressed with the Polar Bear exhibit, very interactive and obviously a lot of money has been put into it. Unfortunately, there were no bears to come out. The zoo is huge, so bring a great pair of walking shoes. Everything was very clean, except for the fountain area where the geese need to be cleaned up after. The price of food and snacks was comparable to other zoos we have been to. We had a great experience. Read somewhere that they are going to be doing some more upgrades, I can’t wait to see what they do next.

There are many pluses and minuses regarding zoos. The Detroit Zoo has been around for near 100 years. They have been active in breeding programs and have been a source of education for tens of thousands, or more, of children. It is unfortunate that zoos are necessary but they are. Well worth visiting and support.

Our Family loves the Detroit Zoo!!!!!! Animals, Food and Family - what more could you ask for!!! The Zoo is always clean and they have some Very Fun events throughout the year.

I grew up in the area and used to visit at least once a year with my family for for school field trips. Over the years they have worked to update a few of the exhibits - the polar circle, butterfly house, and soon the penguinarium. They have also moved out a few species. This limits the selection of animals to view, but I'm glad they've given some consideration to the suitability of the climate.

We went on a cold winter day and didn't know where to go to see the giraffes, apes, and rhinos. The entrances to their buildings were not well marked. The first building we came to (the aviary) was temporarily closed due to a private event, and we couldn't find anyone to direct us. Most of the docents were inside the buildings.

I have an annual pass which I've renewed for some years now. I enjoy the zoo most in Spring, Fall, and Winter (don't miss it!) I always take my camera with the big lens, for you never know what beast might put on a show. The summer is hot/crowded, but the rest of the time, it's a real gem. Great way to get some exercise, a little quiet solitude, and watch mother nature's creations at their finest. Great for all ages, unless someone doesn't walk well. It's a big place.

The zoo was huge and very beautiful but at the same time it really upset me. I'm a major animal lover and whenever i seen the penguins, the little sand fox, and the tiger really upset me. The penguins were way to crammed up in that so called "habitat" the literally barely had anywhere to swim even if the wanted too. And the little fox, you could tell that baby had so much anxiety and looked as if it were terrified of something. Seeing that really broke my heart. And lastly the tiger. He looked so lonely, and all he did was walk back and forth. He should at least have some toys in there to enterain himself with or even another mate. All that was depressing to me.