Binder Park Zoo Reviews

We often travel to Michigan to visit family, and this summer we decided to spend a weekend in Battle Creek to break up the drive from the Detroit area to Wisconsin.

We loved this zoo - it's arranged very pleasantly - lots of trees and shade - and there is a lot to see. We especially loved the exhibit with the giraffes and zebras - it was nice to see them active in a large expanse of land, instead of a pen. There were some baby giraffes there (just a few weeks old) and watching them try to walk was pretty adorable. And of course the highlight is getting to feed the giraffes. My younger son is a big animal lover and he still talks about this :)

Our only regret is that we really didn't have time for the rest of the zoo - the carousel, train, other exhibits, etc. We'll definitely have to come back!

After checking out from firekeepers casino we stopped by the zoo to spend the day. The kids had a blast on the carousel riding the tram and looking at the animals. Feeding the giraffes was awesome and we're all looking forward to going again.

Not recommended on hot days! Lots of walking of course..Outrageous prices for beverages which come without lids or straws READ THE SIGN they are so nice to tell you.,,,,,Animals are sleeping mid d

I hadn't been to Binder Park in a while, but really enjoyed my day trip while I was on vacation. It is certainly not the size of a big city zoo, but it is very nicely done and it feels like a big park.

Imagine a safari right here in Michigan. That is what you get when you visit this park that is run as a non-profit.

Binder Park Zoo is a Very fun place to visit. The zoo is laid out well. You get close to the animals and the staff are very friendly! The prices are very reasonable. This zoo is a must visit!

The Zoo Used To B A Recommened Place Until The Prices Went Up. And A Suggestion For The Hard Seats On The Train - Mayb Some Cushions? Please N ThankU.

love the animals and I got a coupon from the red roof inn and suites. The park should advertise more so people know about this wonderful place

I have been to zoo before and loved it then. This time I came with a friend to see the new baby giraffe. They have added to it. I am in love with their new lion exhibit. Not packed like other zoos and a nice quiet way to enjoy animals.

We hadn't been to the zoo since before the pandemic started. We took the kids today and we very disappointed. First Binder Park does not follow the CDC guidelines regarding mask. They force you and your kids to have a mask on outside even when socially distant. Second, over half the exhibits were closed and all of the food options were closed or VERY minimal. This was not a pleasant trip and we won't be back!

The animals seem well cared for. However, there is a ton of walking and not much to see. They don't have Lions, tigers or elephants. I had heard good things and I was expecting better I guess. So many other zoos out there have much cooler exhibits.

I was a little disappointed and thought there would actually be more at the Binder Park Zoo. My husband wanted to take our two year old grandson for the day to the zoo and he suggested here for a change and we would spend the night out that way. I had always gone to the Toledo Zoo before. I will say that the BPZ was clean, had nice walking paths and the bathrooms were also clean. There weren't very many people there on the day were were there, which surprised me. We did enjoy the tram to Africa and feeding the giraffe's. Our grandson loved the ride and the giraffe's the best. He also loved riding the carousel. The lions weren't out but my husband did get a glimpse of one way, way back with his big camera lens and could show our grandson who loves lions and was disappointed he couldn't see one. He also wanted to see polar bears like he had at the Toledo Zoo. The little train ride was nice for the kids, but when we first got there it was not running even though it said it was "open". I guess I was just a little disappointed because I thought this zoo was much bigger than it really is. $14 per person seems a little steep for how little it is. We did have a nice day with our grandson though.... so I guess that's what is important.

Drove 1.5 hours from Fort Wayne, Indiana to visit this zoo! It was well worth it and we will
definitely return in the years to come. We loved walking through the forest in Africa seeing the animals from different areas. Zoo was clean and staff was friendly. The girl at the admission window even told us about the baby red panda that was about to have a feeding time so we were able to see that.

I took my 5 and 7 year old grandsons, and all told we had a great time. We arrived shortly after the zoo opened to avoid heat and crowds, which worked out well. There are two main sections: one for African exhibits, which you access via either footpath or free tram, and the other for everything else. There were many different animal species exhibited, from lions to wolves to bears to prairie dogs. The zebras, monkeys, and most of the swamp section were closed off, which was disappointing, but there was still a lot to see. Feeding the giraffes was a highlight, but bring your own lettuce (theirs is ridiculously expensive). The extensive grounds are beautiful, with woods providing much-appreciated shade (less so in the Africa section). All the foliage meant that sometimes it was hard to find the animals in a particular exhibit, but we wouldn't have wanted them to be in bare cages. There also are misters, though the water was warm so not as cooling as we hoped. Walkways in the first section are paved or made of synthetic recycled materials for easy walking; walkways in Africa are a bit rougher. For kids (or grownups) who need a break, there's also a $3 carousel and a nice playground. Also bungee jumping and face painting, though they were too pricey for us. Plenty of vending machines and a couple places for snacks or meals; we didn't try them so I can't vouch for quality or price. We stayed about 3 hours, which was enough for most of the exhibits and time for the carousel, gift shop, and some playtime.

If you are a regular 'zoo-goer', you have undoubtedly been to or know about Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek.

Started in 1977, with the assistance of many benefactors and organizations in Battle Creek, it was originally intended to be a children's zoo on a modest 83 acre parcel that was part of the Charles Binder Park System. Today, it has expanded to over 400 acres and multiple exhibits including the signature 'Wild Africa' But the zoo is not done yet. Son there will be adding a lion exhibit and a bear exhibit to that variety.

Wild Africa is a short tram ride from Battle Creek to the plains of the Serengeti. When you get there you ARE in Africa with all the trappings and atmosphere of a village in the wild plains of the jungle. From there your tour leads you from the village to the Twiga Overlook where you can feed the giraffes and watch a variety of the different animals out on the savanna. Then see many other varieties as you continue the path back to the village and hop a ride back to the good ole USA.

But that is only part of your day at the Zoo. They boast having many different animals in the various venues including the Cheetah, Kangaroo, Wallibes, Zebra, just to name a few. Also, a Tortouse that is about 150 years old that can be seen wandering the grounds from time to time. Being that old, he has seen a lot in his very long life - including the Civil War, invention of electricity and airplanes, and a man on the Moon!

Binder park Zoo is heavily involved in animal and species conservation and survival. It has a multitude of community out reach and educational activities at the Zoo and elsewhere. You can find out about all that by going to the Zoo website.

As one young visitor noted on a very warm and muggy Michigan summer day ... "I didn't know it got this hot in Africa!" It is very well worth the trip!!

Binder Park is a wonderful zoo. The park is spacious and yet you don't feel like you are walking forever between exhibits like some zoos. We went on Labor Day and although there were a lot of people there it didn't feel crowded at all. One of the positives about this zoo is that there is a lot of shade. It was a very hot, humid day and yet much of the time we were walking in the shade. The zoo also had a lot of "misters" going so you could always cool off in a spray of cool water. The tram ride to Africa is free and you feel like you could be stepping off in another country! Feeding the giraffes is a big highlight as you feed them from a platform which is as high as their head so you are up close! Watch out for their long tongues!! We ate lunch at the zoo and spent about 4 hours total. A great day. Well worth the visit!

Grandkids from California say this is best zoo. They can get close to the animals.They really like feeding the giraffes.

If you haven't visited Binder Park Zoo, you are in for a pleasant surprise. It is a beautiful setting and you will see animals in large areas, not small cages. Ride the free tram to the Africa area and you can see zebras and gazelle on the savanna or feed the giraffes. It doesn't feel like you are in Battle Creek Michigan. First class experience for all ages. Beautiful picnic area outside the zoo. Pack a lunch and spend the day.

I feel bad rating Binder a 2 but we essentially paid $55 to walk an empty zoo. We go to a lot of zoos and this one does not compare favorably. I wouldn’t mind paying the money if it was worth it but, unfortunately, it was not.
-lots of empty exhibits
-lots of wear and tear on existing exhibits
-we did not see where there were any indoor exhibits (possibly just missed them)
-poor zoo layout (be prepared to walk 15-20 minutes to the Africa exhibit or stand around waiting for 15 minutes for a tram)
-everything in the zoo is way overpriced

My advice is to skip Binder and go to John Ball in Grand Rapids or Patawatomi in South Bend.

We had a family of 14 in August. It is very nice, it's spacious & natural feeling. I think it is more enjoyable than the Detroit zoo because at that zoo we feel like we are looking at a big concrete mess of animals smothered into the city. We have fed the giraffes at both zoos, Binder Park is casual, relaxed & you can buy buckets of lettuce & the Detroit Zoo is rushed & I think it's one cracker or something similar. Binder Park Zoo is wooded (bring bug spray) which allows for shade to keep cool, it is relaxing to be in nature & overall it is a very enjoyable zoo. However, it is lacking some of the popular animals (lions coming soon) which we were all pretty disappointed about but it also has some animals that we have not seen at other zoos. Look online, call ahead or stop in the Battle Creek Visitors Bureau for a $2 off coupon.

This zoo believes in very natural habitats. This is nice for the animals but it means you can't always see them. I think this zoo is rather pricey for what you see and can do.

Very spacious zoo...lots to see and lots of walking to keep kids occupied...the new lions exhibit will be great once they get more comfortable with their area...food not to pricey either...

I used to take my kids here when they were small. They enjoyed this place at Halloween. It's all lit up for Halloween. I think there is a petting zoo.

Took the Mrs. mid week for a quite walk around the zoo and had a fab time. Loved all the animals and especially the giraffes. You can feed them for a small fee and have a great experience too. It is really growing and a great day and picnic places too.

The zoo is a wonderful place to take the kids and grand kids. Lots of animals is a peaceful setting.

This is a smaller zoo but managable in a day with a toddler. Love the train taking you to the Giraffs and zebras where you are able to purchase food to feel them...real fun!

The joys of having purchased a family membership..... We just recently moved to this area and one of the first things we did is purchase a family membership online. Well we did pay for it and received the email confirmation but never actually got the membership card in the mail. Whenever we go to the Zoo we have to explain the situation, present the email confirmation and jump through hoops because they can't even find our name in the system. WOW.
The staff is most always incredibly rude and anything but knowledgeable (and I am not talking about knowledgeable in terms of animal facts). A simple "excuse me could you point me in the right direction to the nearest bathroom" is often rewarded with incredibly rude remarks such as "Look Lady - I don't know okay - there will be one along the way somewhere". You can just tell that they don't care. While the park is pretty clean it is old and a bit ran down in certain areas. The park isn't labeled very well either but that's a different story. What angers me the most is the fact that a lot of exhibits are blocked off without any warning and that makes navigating a bit difficult. You just end up in a dead end and have to turn back around. The cafeterias offer a very small selection of food with barely any variety and at a hefty price. You can have greasy junk food or greasy junk food or greasy junk food. Most other Zoo's I have visited offer decent meals at a reasonable price but this one doesn't!
Anyway. It's a Zoo and the kids love the animals but I honestly think that there is a lot of room for improvement. Like A LOT OF ROOM

As a native of Battle Creek, MI I grew up with Binder Park, exhibit by exhibit. Now my grandchildren are experiencing a petting zoo, feeding giraffes, see woodlands by train, tram and walking. There are clean sanitary restrooms, a snack bar, picnic area. A wonderful place to see and experience. Children and families can experience planned activities to interest for conservation and open worlds for everyone.

This is a great zoo, we spent the whole morning and we were not able to see everything as the kids got way too tired but we enjoyed every second we spent there. Our favorite parts were feeding the giraffes and watching the bears so playfully climb up a tree, we could have sat there and watch them all day long. We di not get to see the baby giraffe but we fed 2 other friendly ones. I can't post the bears because it is a video😖 the site won't let me.

Very nice and friendly zoo, fun feeding the giraffes they come right up to you. Monkey exhibit we also liked. Nice walk with lots of shade and parking.

Our family enjoyed a visit to Binder Park Zoo on a Friday afternoon. We were disappointed to see the price increase to feed the giraffes ($8 for 5 lettuce leaves). The Africa area is shaded and a nice walking path. There is a great place to enjoy a picnic lunch before you enter the park. It would be nice if they would have a fast line at arrival for people who have the zoo membership, the check-in process is not efficient.

It's a nice zoo with a big variety of animals. The part of the zoo I found the most interesting was wild Africa, they have giraffes that you can feed lettuce, cheetahs, monkeys, zebra, and a bunch of others. I was there about 3 hours. Everywhere u look there are chipmonks. It's a lot of walking. The main part of the zoo had 2 bald eagles, black bear, wolf, kangaroo, prairie dogs etc. I would go back. A good way to spend an afternoon

We enjoy the variety of animals at Binder Park Zoo. It is a nice zoo, mid sized so nice for us as we are getting a little older and not quite the stamina we had years ago but enjoy going to zoos just the same. The zoo is nicely maintained and has been adding and changing things since our last visit.

We went for the Halloween at the zoo, ZooBoo. It was a wonderful time. It is geared for kids, but that does not mean that adults will not have fun as well. Makes sure to get the tickets for the African exhibit on your way to the hayride.

I love, Love, LOVE this place! I used to hike the trail to the Africa exhibit every weekend. I adore feeding and PETTING the giraffes! I've been to parks were you can feed them, but Binder Giraffes are the most sociable giraffes I've ever knows! As long as you have treats for them, and sometimes even when you don't, you can pet their bristly lips and fuzzy muzzles and sometimes even their ossicones! It's soooo worth it!

When I left Michigan, they were just finishing up the carousel, which turned out lovely. A lot of the things have aged since I was there last, but it's been eight years, so one should expect that. The Kalahari Kitchen wasn't open, which was a definite bummer. They used to have gyros back there, but not sure if they do anymore. The Beulah's Kitchen was okay, but pricey for what you got. And if you have any junk in your trunk, don't go to the dining room, the seats are far too small. Head to the picnic tables. They're shaded and far more universal.

Over all the gift shop is high price wise, but they have a decent selection of interesting things. I don't do tee shirts, and that's good because they didn't have much over a medium, and the prices for wear were just too high. They do have a little something for everyone, though; so it works out okay, I think.

The animal exhibits are still just beautiful. A few of them are even better now than they were before. The red panda exhibit is lovely, the prairie dogs have certainly improved and widened out. And the Cheetah exhibit has really grown up.

Still, the Giraffes are what Binder is all about, and I think they know that. They're the superstars and everyone comes for them, and they are the ones everyone remembers.

Go for the giraffes, not the food or gifts. Hike the trail if you can. It's still beautiful, especially in September/October. And take your time! It's a lovely experience!

We had a great time, but holy moly it was HOT!! A lot of walking expected at any zoo but there was a lot of hills. I definitely recommend the tram ride otherwise you are walking uphill for a half mile walk. We got to feed the giraffes, saw the wolves, the carousel was closed for Covid and most of the food areas were closed. We had a great time and there was plenty of parking. Also they offer AAA discounts at ticket sales.

Took my grandkids to this zoo and paid a hefty admission price for 5 children under 12 and 3 adults including myself. I thought the zoo was poorly structured and the viewing of the interestin animals such as the big cats Cheetas and grey wolfs and the very few exotic animals they have seemed to be highly sedated. Not impressed or will we return.

Binder Park Zoo is a very nice zoo. It features animals like snow leopards, kangaroos, bears, etc. There is also a children zoo and a swamp boardwalk. I can't say much about the swamp boardwalk because it was closed for repair when we visited. The Wild Africa exhibit was awesome. There are lions, cheetahs, colobus monkeys, and more. There is also a huge plain filled with many savannah animals, including giraffes. You can even pet and feed the giraffes! This is a very fun zoo, and I recommend visiting it sometime.

We've gone two years in a row and we arrive right at 11am so we get to park close to the entrance. The food is phenomenal. Good number of exhibits and diversity of animals. Being able to feed the giraffes is always a highlight.

Our family has watched this zoo mature along with our family. Th highlight is always feeding the giraffes with the grandchildren. But my personal favorites are the huge tortoises! Events during Halloween and Christmas make this a three season visit!

Lots educational opportunities and also just plain fun with a carousel and face painting!

I live in an area that has 2 quality zoos, so when my Battle Creek friend said that he wanted us to see the Binder Park Zoo, I was ambivalent, thinking Battle Creek is a smaller city, so their zoo will probably be small, too. My amazement began just driving into the zoo parking area. It was so beautiful! But then, we were delighted by so MANY animals becoming animated just as we got to them. We delightfully fed a giraffe. Two different peacocks displayed their plumes. A black bear splashed in a pond and then danced with one of the other bears. And one of the lemurs made me laugh. He ran around his territory and stopped in front of us, stood on his hind legs and stretched his arms out, as if to say, "Tah-Dah!" And I think that little lemur can certainly take a bow for the Binder Park Zoo. Thank you for entertaining us!

It's always a fun filled day at binder park zoo! We choose to visit in April because admission is cheaper $10 per person.
A handful of animals were not out due to the weather like the giraffes. This we knew prior to visiting but choose to go anyways. Their Facebook page states if the weather is not 60 degrees by noon the giraffes and certain other animals do not go out. However there was a ton of animals left to see, we were not disappointed.
The animals seem very well cared for. Love the petting zoo part with the goats. Make sure you bring Quarters- you can feed them. There is also a little playground at the zoo. And a giant dinosaurs where you can look for fossil's.
The little train was not working this trip but the tram to Africa was working just fine.
Over all for 1 adult and 1 child it cost about $50 that does not include food. We choose to ate at subway right down the road from the zoo. There is a carousel the kids can ride for $2 per person also there is face painting.
This zoo is well maintained and we will visit again soon!

I have been here twice, and although it is on the smaller side, they have a good variety of animals and very nice displays. There is one eating area that looks out onto the African/Safari animal section, so that is pretty cool. They also have an excellent giraffe exhibit and it's so easy to reach the giraffes for feeding times.

What an amazing zoo in a wonderfully wooded and authentic forested area. The animals were, for the most part, very active. There were some very unusual animals in this zoo and the tram taking you to the remote African exhibits was perfect. Not necessary, but when the feet are already tired, this was a great way to keep on going! 100% love this zoo and all that it had to offer!

Great place to visit! Easy for busses to drive up to picnic shelters with bathrooms. Easy to follow maps and directional signs. Always love our visit here! Be sure to bring a water bottle and bug spray if you go on the nature walk. I also bring an ice water spray fan for hot days...you can purchase cold air in a step-in capsule, but I'm too cheap to do that.

What a gem this zoo is. We loved our day here with our grandsons. We loved the the Wild Africa exhibit, the lions, the petting zoo, the tram and the train. The zoo is clean and easily walkable.

While there are lots of things to see, what makes Binder Park special is the "Africa" exhibit, which you can get to by tram or a LONG walk. No bars or glass between you and the animals, who are grouped together as they would be in the wild. Feed the giraffes at the feeding venue. It is expensive to buy romaine lettuce, but totally worth it to get to feed them by hand. Be sure to walk the entire loop, otherwise you miss other interesting animals, like the Watusi cattle. Nice children's area with a petting and feed area with goats & other gentle creatures. A wonderful carousel. Also, a nice walk through some wetlands. A small amphitheater with presentations, check the schedule. Food stands available and of course, a really good souvenir stand with a large variety of items. Ample parking, lots of shade.

We went this past weekend (4/22/18) and it was less than exciting.

I have a 4 yr old and a 1 yr old. I know this is the beginning of the season, however they just were not prepared. We paid to ride the carousel and just as we got on the person with the key (I didn't know they operated by key) left for lunch. So we were stuck on it for over 20 minutes and when I asked for a refund because my kids could sit any longer, the cashier got pretty aggressive with me and told me it would take even longer to get the refund because she didn't know who to do it. We stuck it out, but wanted to get off that thing ASAP.

Outside of that incident, overall the zoo is very spaced out. Which pre-kids is great for my husband and me, but with two little kids it was brutal. It felt like we could get trapped in a certain section and would take at least 20 minutes to "get out".
For example, to go to the Africa section you had to take a pick up truck towed tram to that part of the zoo then once you got to the exhibit where the animals were it was almost a 1-mile walk in a circle to back to the same place. That was way too much for my kids especially since the animals were really far apart. You would see something, them walk another 10 minutes for seeing something else. Not a fun experience with the littles. HOWEVER, the giraffes were very cool. Feeding them was amazing and you could even touch them.

TIPS:
If you have little ones but sure to have an all-terrain stroller and lots of snacks.
Wear comfy shoes.
If you want to do the entire zoo, plan for a good 4 hours with lots of walking.

We've been members at this zoo off and on for many years. We take the grandkids every month or so. It is very relaxing for the most part, with lots of shady areas. The maintenance level has fallen off considerably over the years, especially in the swampy, boardwalk area, but it is still a very nice place to visit, especially for the young ones.

We always visit zoos in our travels and still enjoy our local one each summer.
Binder Park is clean, innovative and the people care about the animals. Our Grandparent membership pays for itself with days of fun with the kids! The giraffe feeding station is the family favorite and the new bear exhibit is great! Highly recommend for out of state quests, or locals!

We love this zoo. It's a smaller zoo, but full of attractions and animals. It's easy to navigate and can be done in a few hours.

Really like this zoo! It has two sides, a more traditional zoo/ garden and the Wild Africa Exhibit. After a six minute tram ride, you kind of feel like you are in Africa. It is a nice walk where you stumble into exhibit after exhibit complete with props. This is where you can feed their giraffes a must do. Take your camera and spend the day.

Well, not as many animals as I would have liked to see. Did enjoy the giraffes. A lot of walking and animal sections were far apart. The grounds were beautiful. Walking in woods was pretty cool for a zoo.

nice place to go for a walk we payed 13.50 just to see a white peacock and a white monkey what a rip off

Clean, friendly, so much to see. There is a wide variety of animals to see. There is a train that goes around the zoo. A tram that takes you to wild Arica, as soon as you step off the tram you literally feel like you are in Africa. You see zebras, giraffes, and ostriches .

This zoo is on the small side, but it is excellent It is well kept, very clean and very well laid out. The area where you can feed the giraffes is excellent! My grandkids are really too old for the children's petting zoo, but they enjoyed it anyways. I like how they provided hand sanitizer in mounted machines for after petting the animals. It would be hard to come up with a valid complaint about this zoo.

My dad and I visited this zoo in July 2012 and absolutely loved it. We both visited with the intention of taking photos and were not disappointed. The animals are spread out and it's a very large zoo, so wearing sneakers or good walking shoes is a must.There is an area to feed giraffes and many shady areas so visiting in summer was no problem. There is a petting zoo area with goats and other animals as well. This zoo probably tops my list of favorite zoos so far in the eastern US.

Really cool zoo in a mid sized town, new additions every year on two, good way to get your feet wet without driving to far.

It is unusual to find so many features in a small-town zoo. The giraffe exhibit is a lot of fun. Many of the animals were very close and well seen. Lots to entertain the kids.

My mother and I took my boys up to Michigan to go to the zoo because someone had told me about it. We got to the zoo about 10 minutes before it opened so I am not sure if that is why it was so amazing but in all the different zoos and sanctuaries we have been to this one was top notch! We got to see so many of the animals awake and active. The wallabys were hopping around and playing tag (lol), the bears were rolling around with their "toys" and one of them even climbed up in to the tree house. We also got to see the lioness playing with one of her "toys". These were just the top highlights of this amazing trip! The zoo was outstanding! It is a smaller zoo, which was super nice because we did not have to feel rushed. I highly recommend going to "Africa" - awesome!!

I used to take my children here every Mother’s Day. We would have a picnic and spend the whole day enjoying the zoo. We’re back in Michigan for a visit and decided to take our grandson for a day of fun.
What happened? Run down, animal exhibits non existent. Windows with so much condensation you couldn’t see the animals. Park is falling apart. So sad and very disappointed. Come on Binder Park get your act together.

I attend this Zoo with just another thought of a typical small zoo. Boy was I wrong. This Zoo with its acres of property suprised me with its detailed exhibits to its great friendly staff. I was in awe when I reached the giraffe exhibit and was actually able to feed them! And the views were spectacular. Food was affordable and overall I would recommend this if your visiting beautiful battle creek Michigan.

The zoo is beautiful. There is a lot of walking involved, especially also to get to areas where there aren't any animals (safari-type setting and decor in wild Africa). This part can get boring/tiring for kids or the elderly. However it was still great to just relax and take our time to walk around. It was humid and hot in many areas and I got tons of mosquito bites, so definitely bring your bug spray and sunscreen, or cover your arms/legs.

The best part was the interactive parts where you could feed the animals. We fed the giraffes and goats and really enjoyed that. They give you a piece of lettuce for $1 or I think a bucket of leaves for $5. It was so much fun to feed the giraffes. Their tongues are so long that they can even reach into your buckets and pick up lettuce to eat. There were a whole bunch of exotic animals to see. Their lion exhibit area is still being set up so no lions. However we did see cheetahs, snow leopards, and various types of wolves/wild dogs. There is a HUGE turtle also at this site and it's amazing to see. You'll also see the red panda, prairie dogs, European-style cattle, kangaroos, peacocks, llamas, monkeys, ostriches, zebras, vultures, bald eagle, an aviary, etc. It's very scenic and a great place to also go take a walk. There is a tram that goes from "international depot" to Wild Africa. We took the tram and I'm glad we did because it would have been quite a walk and there were no animals on the way. Any water bodies had plenty of mosquitoes so it would not have been ideal to walk that whole way.

The adult prices were $13.50 per person. We didn't really eat there but got a small gift from the gift shop. Overall it took us just under 4 hours to see the whole place, including the gift shops, at a strolling pace.

it's an older smaller zoo. Nice variety of animals. Not all were out due to the weather. It made for a nice afternoon.

What a cool zoo. It was clean. Good for little tots because it is in a natural wooded area which offers a lot of cover. The African safari was awesome! It was like that scene from Jurassic Park when you see the dinos in their natural habitat. Except here you see giraffes, zebras and a whole lot more wandering around in a natural savannah setting that had to be fifty acres yet you have a vantage point to see it all! It's not a huge zoo but we still had to walk some. Wheelchairs and kiddie carts are available.

Being from the St. Louis area, we are blessed to have a world class zoo that is free to get in. Big drawback at this zoo as it is quite expensive to get in. Then when you get in, they charge for everything and it's not cheap. To feed the giraffes, they charge $2 for a few thIngs of lettuce. A frozen slushee (small) was almost $9! Not a huge variety of animals but what they do have are roaming in a very large habitat which is nice. The zoo appears to be in a nature preserve as the entire zoo is in a wooded setting which is very nice. It is hilly and some of the walking areas are rough which makes it difficult for those with strollers or disabilities.

This Zoo is wonderful, it feels like you are in a rainforest when you first walk in. Feeding a giraffe has been on my life list, and today I fulfilled it. It is not a large zoo, but very nice. And the tram over to the Africa side is wonderful, especially on a hot humid day like today.

I am a student living in Allendale, so needless to say my friends and I have been pretty bored. A friend and I drove to Binder park and we had a great time! The grounds were beautiful and the park had plenty to see. The staff was friendly, and I never felt like I wasn't getting what I paid for. The food was also great and felt totally worth the price as well. I would recommend Binder park to anyone who was looking for a fun day trip. Thanks for a great day!

As indicated in the subject, this zoo has been going downhill the past few years. We live nearby and are members but it needs some work.

We recently moved to the area, and purchased an annual family pass for the zoo since it's only 15 minutes from the house. It paid for itself on the first visit as it allowed us to skip a very long line at the entrance to go right in. I wish that we had known that we could go to the Exit area to access this for members, but appreciated the employee who was walking around after a short time to tell people in line that members could step out.

The zoo was a lot of walking - as some reviewers have stated. But that's typically what a zoo is - it's spread out, with different environments. I thought some of the environments seemed too similar to what would be a "Michigan" environment vs an animal's native environment, but the seasons are changing so maybe they change the animal environments?

The kids area was fun - and there were lots of people congregated around the goats to be fed. I chuckled at the massage chairs located right across from this area. Must have been a demand for parents - or a money maker.

The carousel in the flag area and food court is a nice touch - and that it's covered should ensure it lasts for a while.

We didn't ride the train - it was closed the day we went, but will definitely when we go back.

Since we're local, we invested in the souvenir cup with only a $1 refill option for pop. Good deal if you're going back - or it's a hot day. I felt that the price for a bag of popcorn and pretzel was outrageous -but again, it's a zoo. You're expecting to pay fo the experience and raise money for the zoo to keep going.

Saw there's a gift shop but didn't go in.

It's a decent sized zoo - and will be fun to explore, I'm sure.

I brought the kids to the zoo and forgot about the end of year School field trips. We left as it just became too much.

The zoo has elaborate exhibits and feeding the giraffes is a great experience for all. The walk back to and from Africa is doable but not all that fun.

We love the theme nights like the wine tasting and beer fest. Great way to showcase the zoo in a new light.

Went to the annual Zoo Boo for the Halloween themed visit. Great for kids, small to teens. We had a blast. You gotta go!

They just added dingos to the zoo. They have over 600 animals there. Yuou will find it a wonderful visit.

A nice zoo, but no lions or elephants. There is a lot of walking here. They have a train ride but you don't see many animals from the train ride, and there is a tram ride to the Africa section but again you don't see any animals from the tram, you first have to walk to get to the tram then walk about .8 mile when in the Africa section in order to see animals. Takes about four hours to do the zoo. The whole thing could have been laid out better but I'm sure it's too late now.

We love being Zoo pass members! We can visit anytime, spend a couple of hours or all day! Plenty of room for the kids to burn Off energy. Animals are in habitats, not in pens so they are spread out. There is plenty of walking but the adventure to "Africa" is delightful! Feeding the giant giraffes is wonderful! I do wish that some of the older parts of the zoo were freshened up some, especially the children's area. Overall, we always have fun!

We enjoyed our visit. Highlight was feeding the giraffes. Super cute and fine for kids. At $8 for five leaves, the “specially prepared romaine” was pricey but you can break it into smaller pieces. Kids of all ages appeared to be enjoying time with the silly and sweet giraffes.
We liked the tram but the walk to Africa wasn’t too bad Everything was really pricey but I guess most zoos are.

Beautiful day for being outside, that said binder park zoo has become an overpriced limited amusement park. They have very few animals- no petting zoo and the nature trails are closed. Average price to get in is 21$ (new parking fee added) you need to pay extra for any rides or activities. Very few animals and hard to find - see those on exhibit, recommend making the extra drive to John Ball or Detroit Zoo if you seek an animal experience

This was a very nice zoo. It is spread out but that is one of the nice things about it. The wooden walkways make for a nice stroll. It is in a wooded area which also makes it nice. For $5.00 you can feed giraffes which is kind of cool.

If you go with someone that has a hard time walking you will want to rent a scooter.

In comparison to other small zoos, this one is great. Can see all of it in a few hours. The wild Africa portion is better than many larger zoos I have visited.

The zoo has been a family favorite. Our trip this summer left us with a feeling of the zoo being quite run down. There’s a lot of rotting wood (hand rails, roofs, sidewalks etc). There were a lot of weeds around the sidewalks and fences. A portion of the roof (at the tram waiting area) fell down right next to us while we were waiting for the tram. It’s nice to see all the new additions but seems like the money should be used to care for what’s already there. Some of the animal enclosures were an eye sore and easy to walk past them because they aren’t kept up well. Several enclosures had trash cardboard (from leftover food) for the animals to play with. The place def needs a new team to keep the place maintained and appealing.

My 4 year old son and I went for the day. Long wait to get in but after that the zoo was open enough to not feel cramped.

We went on a weekday when it was cooler and a bit rainy. There were only about 20 cars in the parking lot when we arrived so we felt like we had the zoo to ourselves. It is NOT your typical "concrete jungle" zoo where the animals are unhappy and in small uncomfortable enclosures. This zoo is tucked away in beautiful wooded acreage and offers the animals clean, spacious environments, things to do and room to roam. The Wild Africa exhibit is spectacular! The quick tram ride transports you to "Zuri National Park" in Africa. The time and effort they put in to make the experience feel authentic is appreciated! We really enjoyed feeding the giraffe. They are such beautiful creatures! It was only $5 for a bowl of lettuce which we thought was very reasonable and so worth it! Overall, it was an amazing day and we can't wait to come back!

Nice park in the woods. So much shade for those hot days. Natural settings for the animals versus most zoos that are so much cement.

I was very disappointed in the zoo, there were very few animals and very few animal exhibits opened. The park was clean and the staff was nice. Everything was way over priced and the terrain was really rough to walk, even harder for wheelchairs and electric scooters.

This zoo is small but makes up for it with the wonderful displays and variety of animals. My kids had an awesome time and we will definitely be back

This is a huge facility, part zoo, part amusement park, and mostly large land modeled after an African savanna. While a limited number of animals, a bug plus is that they are enclosed in large open spaces, not cages, when they are allowed to move quite freely.

One minus. The park is many faceted , with many roadways. Navigating to desired attractions is confusing and signage is wholly inadequate. Addressing this would significantly enhance the experience.

It is a very nice zoo.We took 2 small children, and it really tired an old lady out, but the kids had a ball.

Each year, when I return to Binder Park Zoo, I enjoy it anew. As any frequent zoo goer knows, you have different animal encounters each time. Today, I had an especially good viewing of the snow leopard and an African bird that I hated to leave.

OH! Don't just feed the giraffes while you are there. Feed the goats -- they love it!! You can feed the llamas, too

We had a family birthday party at the zoo and all the cousins had a great time. My 3 daughters and their children (7) laughed when the birthday boy smashed his face in the cake.

We've been to several zoo's around the state and this zoo is by far our favorite. The park is clean and the exhibits are nice. The park is mostly shaded with trees and offers a couple of shops and places to eat. The Africa exhibit makes you feel like you're no longer in Michigan. Feeding the giraffes is always the highlight of the visit.

I want to start by letting you know we are traveling everywhere in our state and connecting states and visiting Zoo's. We have a 1 1/2 year old and a teen. I am giving reviews of our experience at each Zoo we visit. Binder Park Zoo is an average Zoo, the day we went it was a nice warm day. The biggest issue I have with this Zoo is the length of each exhibit. You see something than walk a good ways to see something else. The spacing is rather bigger than most other Zoo's. Because of this you will need to plan a day here in order to see everything. For instance we arrived at 1 and was pushed out of the zoo because they where closing. The children exhibits are better than most other zoo's however because of the time constraint to see everything else we arrived as they where shutting it down.

The best part of the entire visit was feeding the Giraffes in the African part of the zoo. The worst part was all the walking seeing nothing that happens here. They have many wide open nothing to see or do spots in this zoo. It felt very understaffed as I seen less employees than any other zoo I have been to. If you have a full day I would say it is a nice zoo to visit as it is missing some of the bigger animals that give you the "ahh" moments. However they are always expanding and seems to change every time I visit.

I also want to mention if you plan a zoo trip this year look into buying a membership at your local zoo. This will save you money at almost all zoo's. It was well worth my purchase however I would not recommending buying it at this Zoo because they are only a 50% return zoo. I have visited 3 Zoo's and already returned a value.

We recently visited this zoo with our grandchildren. The weather was extremely warm, but we were able to find many shady spots in the zoo. Be sure to take the tram to Africa where you are treated to great sights of animals as well as artistic touches to help make the experience more authentic. Check out the giraffes at the feeding site! We were a bit disappointed that there were no lions or tigers at this zoo, however. Be prepared for some longish walks through the zoo as the enclosures are made to look as natural as possible, so that means some distances between animals. There is also a large picnic area outside the entrance.

We went on opening day and purchased memberships so we can return later in the season. We knew there would be some animals not on display due to it being opening day and colder weather. (it was about 50 degrees when we got there). However, there were only about maybe 30-40% of the animals available. So if you're okay with this and will be coming back later in the season then it's still a nice little day trip for a family. But if you're only planning to go once a year then you should visit a few weeks after the season is open when it's warmer (65+). That should help your chances of seeing the most animals possible.

We went on a Friday. The zoo was very busy. Many exhibits were open. I especially liked the giraffe exhibit. If you go on a humid day, I recommend mosquito spray. It will make your day more enjoyable.

First and foremost this is a wooded zoo, wear or bring insect repellent. As soon as we got in line to buy tickets mosquitoes were swarming and biting. Luckily I had spray in the car, if I didn't I would have left. I saw several people walking around with welts on their arms, legs, necks, face, etc. If mosquitoes are that bad they should warn you on the website, maybe even sell insect repellent at the gate.

It's not a big park, so even spending time feeding the animals and checking out the gift shops our visit lasted only two hours.

I paid $13.50 per adult ticket and about 20% of the park was closed or exhibits empty. Tickets should have been discounted, partial refunds issued or vouchers for a return visit. The big Swamp Adventure .8 mile loop was 90% closed. From Twiga overlook to Forest Aviary was abruptly closed around 4pm, just minutes before we were about to walk through, meaning we (and everyone else) missed seven exhibits, no explanation given. Trumpeter swan and owls were MIA. There are no programs running throughout the day, no demonstrations or informative classes or activities. The only real interaction for kids was the petting/feeding area which featured llamas, goats and donkeys; couple more empty exhibits here too.

The website claims vendors are scattered throughout the park with food and drink. This just isn't true. There is a restaurant on one side of the park, and outdoor concessions on the other side, $3 beverage machines are scattered around the park, a beverage/food kiosk sat closed and unattended by the children's zoo.

The only time I saw park employees were where money was involved: ticket sales, gift store, food/drink, one bored looking girl keeping the goats in the petting area, two employees blocking off the big Wild Africa loop, and two at the tram. There were also two employees at the giraffe feeding area, Twiga Overlook, one holding a wad of cash, laughing about how much money she had, the other handing out lettuce leaves to impatient, wide-eyed, excited children. There was no crowd control, no line, people took their leaves and shouldered their way to the railing to feed the giraffes. It was a mess. They should only allow so many people in that area at a time, it isn't safe for the animals or fair to people paying to have to fight with the crowd that way. On a side note I think it's really sick that they charge that much for lettuce leaves after you paid $13.50 to get in and then shut down 20% of the rest of the park.

In the African Village there is a gift shop called Zawadi Traders, that the website says sells "African inspired souvenirs and gifts," yes they have a very small assortment of possibly African made items, the rest is plastic toys, t-shirts, etc.

Some of the animals have a lot of room to roam, they seem content, peaceful, roaming about, some even maybe happy. Others are in much too tight quarters: the giant boa in the small glass case, Chinese panda walking the same circular path non-stop, the snow leopard also walking the same repetitive short path, always keeping it's face turned away from the glass.

The park has some nice exhibits such as the: kangaroos, bald eagles, African Painted dog, Savanna area of Wild Africa; the petting zoo was okay, but could have used more common animals like cows, chickens, bunnies, etc. The wooded theme was nice minus the mosquitoes.

This park has a lot of potential, maybe I caught them on a bad day, but that it's been open for 41 years, I would expect a lot more. If it wasn't for their giraffe feeding area I doubt I would even know they existed.

If the park had been mostly operational, fewer empty or closed exhibits, programs at the amphitheater, fairer prices on lettuce leaves, food/drink kiosks that were actually open, some sort of mosquito control/spray available, then I wouldn't feel cheated. I would only recommend this zoo to people that didn't have another option.

I haven't been to binder park in about 10 years because my kids are all getting older but my 17 year old wanted to go there for her bday party. Well it seems as though not much has changed in that 10 years. Including painting, and maintenance. This was our favorite zoo hands down when the kids were small but it has not held up so well. This was a road trip for us coming from Grand Rapids and we will not be back anytime soon. I see they were going to start working on a few new things, but basic maintenance and new flags and new paint could go a long way. I wish them luck in keeping the zoo a great place for families to visit!

It was a beautiful day to visit this Zoo that I have visited several times with my last visit being in about 2006. No one likes change and the changes here were measurable. When my husband asked what had happened to the birds, he was told they died from one of the avian infections of a couple years ago. The plan had been to replace them but the 3- lion exhibit took precedence. However, the Lions arrived 2 days before our visit and had not yet acclimated to their new home so we're not available for viewing by park visitors. I would suspect they are now comfortable enough that visitors are able to enjoy them. There is a wide assortment of animals as well as an educational trail through wetlands- easy walking here.
The train was not running so we took the free bus/ tram into & out of the African Safari.
$2.00 will buy a large lettuce leaf to feed giraffes of which there were approximately 10 with only 3 or 4 close enough to feed. The boys were thrilled to feed and pet the giraffes whose tongues wrapped around the outstretched hands to gather the lettuce into their mouths. Amazingly, these large animals are so gentle with the children. Remember, they are animals. Antibacterial lotion is placed about the park.

Some of the set designs along the trail through the African Safari were now gone, probably victims of weather or updating the design, but the animals are still in environments more similar to their natural habitat than one would find in the glass fronted pens of other zoos.

Entry fees were on par with other zoos, $14.00 adults and children at $12 with discounts for seniors and military and no charge for children under 2. The zoo opens 9-5 April to October. I think 5:00 is an early close time but the day's visit is long enough especially with younger children.
The grill at the African Safari concession was not working so our hotdogs were​ deep fried. I would recommend this-very tasty. Picnic sites are available outside the park proper and there are a couple snack carts with beverages and ice cream inside the park. Visit the gift shop on your way out.

All in all, this is a nice and fun day spent with the kids. .
Do bring sunscreen and bug spray.

We had a great time at the binder park zoo. The exhibits trilled the grandkids and it is in a peaceful, unrushed setting. We were there when they opened. If I was to do it again, we would go to the African experience first before they get to busy and the lines to long. The buses that take you back to the exhibit run slow so in order to see it with out taking to much time we opted to walk the 1 mile there and back. Feeding the giraffes was well worth it! It is an experience we will all remember. They have wagons with 2 seats for rental. This worked well with the children and was well worth the $7 fee.

This is the most amazing zoo experience I've ever had in Michigan! There's woodsy-like trail between wildlife exhibits and the giraffe exhibit is a totally awesome experience. You walk out on a deck and can hand feed the giraffes as they bring their head to the feeding deck. You can buy lettuce to hand feed to them. And these are very tall girraffes with babies in the lower level. I've taken children and seniors to this zoo with me, who were totally blown away by the experience. I never get tired of visiting this zoo. There are so many trees along the 'Up North-like Walkway' that even the hottest summer day is a pleasant experience at this zoo! There's plenty of shade options.

We went with a Senior group outing and we got discount rates.
Food was excellent. We had the Chicken salad, husband had a hamburger plate great French fries, had a variety of drinks, water juice, soft drinks.
I enjoyed the Carousel ride.
The various Flag station of the countries.
We enjoyed the giraffe's and feeding them lettuce.

This zoo doesn't have many of the typically animals you would expect to find at a zoo, but they have great nature trails!

We visited this zoo with our grandchildren and great grandchildren and there was something for everyone. My husband and I enjoyed it just as much as the little ones did. It is located in a beautiful wooded setting, which allows for a peaceful natural habitat for all the animals. There is a petting zoo that the children just loved, there is a train and a carousel. It is a large zoo, so unfortunately, we were only able to see half. On our next visit to Michigan, we will all go back again. It was wonderful!

I was frustrated by how hard it was to locate the free tram, which takes you to the area of the park where most of the animals are located. The map was not very helpful. It was a long walk, about a half mile, and was made longer by not knowing our way. Difficult for someone who has trouble walking long distances. The walking tour (unless you rent a scooter) of the main area is .8 miles plus at least one more mile round trip between the parking lot and the start of the .8 miles. Most people had young children who seemed to enjoy it very much. The animals are not in small cages and seem to be well treated.

What a great zoo! So much open space and the animals aren't just behind glass or in concrete enclosures! You can even feed the giraffes! Clean, although there are geese walking around so you do need to watch where you walk! Building a new lion exhibit, which looks like it will be fantastic when it opens. Walked the retail to Africa instead of taking the tram, great walk but so unsteady areas and unfortunately we went after a rain storm so a little muddy with lots of bugs, but worth the walk anyway. Had a great day and would recommend to anyone visiting Battle Creek!

This was our third visit, first one this year. Large parking lot with many planting islands....totally filled with weeds....tall weeds...to the point of not seeing the plantings.
First impression. Price of admission is more than reasonable. The train wasn't running.
Fortunately the tram rides to Africa were operational. Many of the boardwalk, railings were in need of replacement. Would have liked to see more staff/volunteers to answer questions.
This zoo is in the woods, lots of shade. Remember bug spray at certain times of the year. Many opportunities for picnic.
Previous visits were more positive....perhaps just not ready yet this year.

Took two 16 year olds, they had a blast, especially feeding the giraffe. One issue I did have, was another patron was wearing a shirt that started "Shut the F!CK Up, Grow a Beard". However, F!CK was completely spelled out. I'm not a prude and have been known to use the word, however this is a family zoo, totally inappropriate. I was sad the staff allowed him to come into the zoo with this shirt on.

Paid an outrageous entry fee for three adults and four children. Only real attraction in the zoo is feeding the giraffes. The rest of the zoo is a pretty setting but zero animals. We hiked out the boardwalk to the swamp , saw nothing and had to turn around and come back the same way we went in. Why are there not a loop around walkways?

We have visited this Zoo so many times. And even had a birthday party/sleepover/breakfast with the animals for our daughter many years ago. It is probably one of the best Zoos in the nation and probably the best in the nation for its size. It is a great trip for the whole family. So many activities and so many ways to get involved. The admission is reasonable and the habitats that are built for the animals are second to none. Currenlty they are developing a lion exhibit. Probably my favorite are the giraffes. If you are in Southwest Michigan and you love Zoos, don't miss it.

This zoo is top notch with many things to see and do. My favorite is the African area where you can feed the giraffes. There are so many different types of animals to see in natural settings.

While in Battle Creek for a late afternoon Saturday wedding, I needed a break and some exercise. So I punched Binder Zoo into my Google Navigator and was off.

The navigator led me to the parking lot perfectly, but once you reach the parking lot, this old guy found the signs confusing. The actual zoo entrance is hidden by trees so if you continue straight into the dark turn, you'll find a convenient passenger drop-off and pick-up area. Driving through the drop-off/pick-up area you'll curl left into a parking lot-- this lot fills up first of course, but there are many other lots farther away from the entrance to use on busy days.

I guessed correctly (and happened to see others who looked like they knew what they were doing) and parked in the left-hand lot without taking the tour through the drop-off curb. From the lot, you walk to the entrance where two huts with modest windows house zoo cashiers.

It was early and the zoo had just opened when I arrived so there were no lines at the entrance or at any of the exhibits I visited. The map I received at the entrance was easy to read. I decided to do my typical "follow the left-hand fence" exploration technique, watching the map for islands I might miss using this plan. For the most part, my scheme worked well, leading me to all the animals and attractions with nearly OCD perfection.

Most paths are either well-paved asphalt or a raised boardwalk in good repair. I think a rare few were cinder path or a slight bump crossing the small-scale train tracks. Anyone with strollers would have no trouble anywhere I walked. There are a couple of raised overlooks connected to the main path that require navigating a few stairs to reach. The boardwalk over "The Swamp Adventure" showed signs of having slumped into the mire in a few places, but overall was still sturdy and safe.

Speaking of the swamp, I was really enjoying the peace and quiet of the swamp adventure and had my heart set on the long lazy walk completely around the lake, but the path is closed... instead of a loop, you walk to the end and back. I did see a family of wild Canadian Geese munching on reeds and duck weed!

Coming out of the swamp, there is an opportunity to feed the fish in the lake and when I passed by, a mom and her boys were dropping crushed corn into the lake where several HUGE snapping turtles were happy to snarf up their tiny handfuls of corn.

A free-roaming white peacock crossed my path near the dinosaur (model) so I got a picture with my phone.

A couple of the exhibits were not in viewing readiness with the animals still back in their cages. Other exhibits were obviously under maintenance, but there was no sign to explain why the animal you went out of your way to see was missing.

I wanted to visit the African Safari end of the zoo so I walked all the way to the area-- I would recommend waiting for the zebra painted pickup powered tram since it is a good distance even on a cool day. very kind zoologist was monitoring the view of the grassy plain and answered some questions for me. Time was starting to press my schedule so I skipped the walking path around the Safari and rode back to civilization on the tram.

At the exit you'll get an opportunity to browse a gift shop. I picked up some gifts and souvenirs for loved ones.

I wish I could have stayed longer. It's a great place for kids and the 430+ acres have enough of those long wilderness paths that anyone could enjoy peace through a re-connection with God's creation.

What a beautiful setting, love the savannah where the animals have free range. Saw so many really neat and different animals. The Wild Africa section is like a beautiful hike in the woods. Just lovely, will return!

The things this zoo has done over the last fourteen years we have been members is amazing! Always growing, and changing! The quality of animals is amazing! The staff is always friendly and helpful! The Africa section of this zoo is a MUST SEE! Make sure you bring a dollar or two so you can feed the giraffes!

My church group desided to go here so we came and it was a super fun blast theY have a lot of amimal and fun is always around the corner.

Years ago we lived in Colorado Springs and we often went to a zoo called Cheyenne Mountain Zoo which was on the side of the mountain and at that time was the best zoo I had ever been at for variety and atmosphere. Well, Binder Zoo in Battle Creek is just about the same idea. The animals are well cared for there and have a lot more freedom to roam as if they were in the wild better than any other zoo around here. My favorite things is to go head to head with a giraffe and give them food but you can actually go up onto a deck that is the level of the giraffe and feed them. Not too many zoos allow that. The zoo is on a 400 plus acre area owned by the city of Battle Creek and it is full of nature trails and wetlands. You can bring your picnic or eat on the grounds. There is over 100 different kinds of animals there and last time I was there a few years ago it had over 500, including a huge herd of giraffes. If you like the zoo, you will definitely like Binder Park Zoo. Below they make you choose a time you were there but they don't go back to the summer of 2016 so I clicked the nearest one to it.

It was cold but the kids were running around so much from the candy collection to the trails to
The games I can’t see Halloween with out it ever again. Definitely going next year

Binder Park Zoo is a really fun place to take a multi-generational family. There are interesting exhibits for all ages. Loved the giraffes!

YOU CAN FEED THE GIRAFFES! While this zoo doesn't have as many exotic animals as other zoos (tigers, lions, elephants etc), I loved being able to feed the giraffes! Not somewhere I would go often but I would go back for the giraffes, whereas I would not likely go back to other zoos in the area

It's a nice place to go-especially if your a member (better rates).
A lot of interaction(feeding) with some of the animals.
A little over priced if not a member in my opinion but, still lots to see.
Food is usually good in all areas.
Train is fun although wish it was longer. Tram to Wild Africa is nice.
Gift shops quite reasonable.
Smaller zoo but we still enjoy it.
They do have "special events" during the year-not quite as good as in the past however.
If a first timer-you would enjoy going. You'll enjoy it.
Always fun to see the "new" babies.
The zoo is always trying to improve.

Although a decent zoo for the Battle Creek area it could use some major renovations and cleaning up. The best exhibit is the where the giraffes are. However, they are very rude when it comes to giving a giraffe a leaf that grows on a tree within the exhibit. They want you to buy the lettuce they sell claiming the leafs in the exhibit are poisonous to the giraffes.

The rest of the exhibits you are lucky to see the animals, if they are out or you get a small area for viewing.

The a exhibits are surrounded by weeds and ugly plant life and look to be unmaintained.

This is a great spot in Battle Creek. Lots of parking, reasonable prices, pavilions to rent or use and Wild Africa is really something to see. The look on kids faces feeding the giraffes is priceless. My family of 4 are members so we can go back anytime we like.

Took our grandkids here on a weekday. They were looking forward to feeding the giraffe's, however there had been several school groups that day and the animals were tired of being touched. They were disappointed the Ted panda and Mongolian horse were gone. Our grandson was getting to close to a goose with goslings and a park employee was very good at explaining why he should stay back. They loved the white peacock.

Binder Park Zoo is huge. The park spans a great area of land, and has a ton of animals. One of the neatest things about the place is that you can travel to "Africa", where you can feed giraffes and watch a variety of wildlife out in the "Savannah".

This zoo really has a ton of animals, from frogs and other reptiles to a snow leopard, to sun beans and zebras. Eagles to Wallabies. There's so much to see, and so much to do, that you can spend the whole day- easily. Much of the walkways are covered with trees, so in the height of summer you're wandering around in the shade - which is great! There's also peacocks roaming the grounds- we were lucky enough to come across a peahen and her babies while we were there. Its always interesting, and fun!

Enjoyed our visit here a lot. Entrance price is a little more then some zoos but it includes a tram ride to wild Africa. Wild Africa is really worth going to during your visit especially for a close up visit with the giraffes. Bring extra money for carousel rides, feeding opportunities, and a train ride if you have younger children. While we were there staff were out and about to answer any questions. It was a very fun day for our preschool grandkids.

Not a lot of animals visible. But the trip to the Africa exhibit is ridiculous. You have to choose between a long hard walk not suited for small children or taking a stroller, or a 30-45 min wait for the ONE tram - while being eaten alive by mosquitoes. Does that sound like a good use of your time with tired children? No? You’d be right. A second tram is an absolute necessity, folks.

We've been to zoos all over this country and Europe, and Binder Park impressed us. The park is sprawling, and the animals seemed better cared for, which we considered was the reason the animals seemed more alert and content - not lethargic like most zoo animals become. The train ride was great for the kids. Our Grandson was especially impressed with the one animal that wasn't real - the dinosaur. Our Granddaughter had an injured foot so we rented a cart, which we were able to take all over the zoo. They experienced the carousel and some temporary body art, and fed a giraffe. We were able to view the animals at a closer range than most zoos. It was a special day for us. We'll do that again soon.

When my grown son and his family came to visit, they specifically said they wanted to see Binder Park Zoo. I was thrilled because I've always enjoyed being there.

The entrance is easy to find and there's signage directing you to parking, the picnic area and other aspects of the property. We enjoyed seeing the small animals and the Wild Africa exhibits (not just animals there!) most of all. Seeing animals in mostly natural habitats enhances the experience. I could stand and watch the monkeys and prairie dogs for a long time. They're quite entertaining.

Bring your camera because lots of the exhibits make it possible to get photos of the 'residents' up close. In fact, you can feed the zebras right out of your hand. The petting zoo is a great place for the little ones. It's populated with pretty tame animals so it's safe. There's a lot of walking so wear comfortable shoes. I'd also suggest a small backpack to carry your camera, hand sanitizer, water bottles, snacks, and other accessories you might need.

Binder Park has a restaurant and a gift shop if you want to sit down to eat or buy souvenirs. This is what I call a "total experience" and families should invest in a day trip. I wish the zoo offered more spots to sit down. While they make it fairly easy for visitors with wheelchairs or walkers, I found it difficult to find a place to just rest a bit. The kids got tired too.

I believe the local chamber's literature/brochures may offer coupons for a few dollars off per person. C of C is located downtown Battle Creek and you can call for more information. Enjoy your day at Binder Park Zoo!

We always enjoy checking out zoos when in the area. The highlight was being able to feed giraffes! Sad that some of the displays were closed - some due to bird flu, others just closed. New things being built, but instead of a zip line, which they would spend more money on the displays and habitats.

Fun Zoo. We live about 20 min from the Detroit zoo and have a membership, but the Binder Park Zoo is super relaxing compared to the Detroit zoo.

There are sufficient animals for the kids to enjoy, and learn about. You can feed giraffes. There is a small petting area with small goats.

Clean, calm, and perfect for a relaxing fun day out.

If you need to eat after, check out Clara's on the River!

The zoo is large in acres. Be prepared to walk a lot. It is a smaller zoo for amount of the exhibits they host. I still felt as though the animal exhibits were too small for the animals, the African Safari was the largest acreage exhibit. The zoo was very clean and well maintained. The lines to enter the park were very long, there weren't too many places to stop and get a cold beverage for the amount of walking available. It did appear you can carry a bag/backpack in with no trouble/checking so you maybe to able to carry in drinks. The walking is not a bad thing but is a good thing to note for those who would like to know this ahead of time.

the place is nice and cheap for passeing time with the kids. I would recomend this to people of all ages.

The staff was extra friendly throughout the entire zoo. We took our four kids (ages 2-10) and they had a great time going to Wild Africa and feeding the animals. It appears they are doing some improvements throughout the zoo as well, keep it up!!!!

Binder Park has done such a nice job with the layout of their zoo. Lots of neat animals to see but the zoo has been kept natural looking, with lots of mature trees and tons of property! There is a train ride that will take you across several acres to get to the Africa part of the zoo. There you can see zebras, ostriches, etc. running wild through the plains that the zoo owns and you can even hand feed a giraffe lettuce from a platform that puts them at hand level with you. I am an adult and I loved this so I can imagine kids do as well! Really neat place and at Christmas time they even light it up for a winter trip through the zoo.

We had a great time at this wonderful zoo. My five year old especially liked riding the cassoulet with Papa and the train. The guarded were also a hit.

Great zoo for kids to see African animals upclose. Wagons are available on rent. Place is huge, be prepared for a hike. Good options for food and merchandise too. Plan ahead and you can be part of some zoo events. Kids can enjoy face painting, toy train and carrousels.

The staff and guests were nice. I had a scooter rental and glad I did as there is a ton of walking on uneven ground. Wheel chair friendly but who ever is pushing is going to get a major work out. Everything is really spaced out to see. Also bring your own drinks as the zoo is pricey on food. Had tons of fun feeding the chipmunks that run wild through out the park.

I enjoyed this trip a lot. some of the food stands are overpriced, but the zoo is very interactive and fun! we did go near the colder months, so not many animals came out. will definitely come back in the summer though!

I've been to Binder Park a few times and it just doesn't do much for me. My main complaint about this zoo, is the amount of walking between each animal. The Africa section is really bad. You can walk for quite awhile without seeing an animal. They got to much room. A lot of the park is like this though. I prefer to have a more compact zoo, with animals everywhere. I came to a zoo to see animals not walk forever between an animal. This zoo is quite expensive too. Food, Gift Shop. The zoo is nice when you see animals. It's clean and well kept. The carousel is very nice. Great potential here but until they figure out the giant trails between animals I won't come back. Even the kids complained about the walking distance between seeing an animal.

I was looking at the reviews before taking my son and I was scared to go. But very very glad we went!

I enjoyed seeing the animals on the range, running together and having a large space to roam.

There were a lot of people visiting the zoo this holiday weekend but it was very nice to be here.

I enjoyed seeing the snow leopard and the storks.

We understood but were disappointed that we could not see the cheetahs and monkeys and some other birds as they were watching them and moving them as needed.

This is a really great place to take your family. I recently took my grandson and spent the day there. Many different areas to visit.

it was great day there. Saw some new animals since the last time we were there.It was beautiful. Of all the zoo like john ball,of the zoo in south bend Indiana which are both very nice zoo's. I personal think this one is the best. With all the wooded area's you can walk around or take the train car to other part of the zoo if do not feel like walking. The wooded area does not feel like you are in a zoo at all.

This was a great visit. We took our grandkids ages 11 and 9, along with 5of their friends. Plenty to see. Plenty to do. Feed animals, ride a train, ride over to Africa exhibit on a tram. The Africa exhibit is large with free roaming animals. Feeding the giraffe of course was special. Price is in line with other attractions of this kind. We spent about 4 hours total, with lunch. Zoo is very clean and not so large that you can't work your way around.

First review I saw here said "mediocre and overpriced". My wife and I went there today, and we couldn't agree more. We used to love going there, but it's no longer an attraction.

I have not been to the zoo in several years and was greatly disappointed. Fewer and fewer animals, some structures at the point of falling down, now have to pay for parking, restrooms need painting, and some parts of the zoo are not there anymore. I wonder if they lost funding. Next time I would go to Grand Rapids, Toledo, or Fort Wayne.

This zoo is so great!! So much to do, clean and well taken care of! Friendly staff!! Always lots of animals out to see!

What happened to Binder Park? We went for the first time in about five years, and this zoo is just a fraction of what it used to be. It seems like half of the exhibits are gone. The birds are gone, the African exhibit (guinea hens, watusi cattle) are gone. The trail through the swamp is gone (and most of the animals that were at the end of that trail). The petting zoo is almost completely empty. We used to spend all day here (from open to close). This time we were done by 1:30.

If you want to feed giraffes, or see a Red Panda, then this is an OK zoo. If not, take the time to drive to Grand Rapids, Lansing, or Fort Wayne.

This zoo is a small zoo and is best for kids in elementary school. They have mostly small animals and a few cool animals but they mostly sleep or are unavailable. The cool things is you can feed giraffes lettuce. You can walk the entire zoo in lessnthan 1 hour. The staff is ok, not mean but not exactly the best. They do offer a zoo boo for kids at holloween.

Binder Park Zoo is a fantastic family spot! Feeding giraffes was the highlight of our visit. The zoo is spacious, clean, and easy to explore. If you’re in town visiting a dental clinic in Battle Creek, this zoo makes a great stop for kids and adults alike.

The day was cold, windy , but no rain. There were five 10 & 11 year old girls and a sister age six. I have not been to the zoo in the last seven years, this I observed new things as well as old things. New; many more food establishments, having few healthy options. Old ; many signs were weather beaten. Staff was helpful and polite. Prices for food and entrance were on the high end of mid- priced. Parking is free .Strollers and wheel chairs were provided or you could use your own .

One of our favorite zoos. We make a point to go to them all and the Africa safari makes this one stand out.

Vast array of animals including African Safari area. The presentation gets visitors close. Young kids will love this zoo. Small train ride and other young child activities. Worth traveling a big distance to see.

I live in Battle Creek for years and did not go to the Zoo until my grandson was able to appreciate the Zoo. We walk the full distance. I enjoyed seeing the variety of animals and exercising at the same time.

First time back in years! We meet our son his wife and grandson there, we also had my 89 year old father. Was a little busy, but people spread out quick. Was disappointed that the place hadn't change much in 20 yrs. Exhibits were old and most didn't have water for the animals. We choose to walk to Wild Africa because there was a long line for the tram. Our grandson is 3 and did great on the walk which the sign said was a half mile. Note it was more like 2! My dad and husband took the tram. Was disappointed by the African exhibit everything was so far away. So no pictures! Food/ water is expensive( bottle of water $3.50 2 hamburgers chips and drinks was over $26. I would suggest a backpack with water and snacks( note it says no food, but they didn't check ) also wear comfortable shoes it is a lot of walking! My dad was so tried when we got done. Not sure we will go back.

Amazing Zoo. Kids loved feeding the Giraffes and goats. It was hot but we still had fun! Recommend taking the safari trolly to Africa. It's a tough walk with wagons.

I absolutely loved this Zoo , nothing like what I am used to , I loved how it was in a wooded setting , and the giraffe feeding was so awesome

Lived here my whole life, LOVE IT!! The main reason I love this zoo is that the animals are treated well. The cost of everything goes to support the animals, it's not animal jail, they aren't kept in small, cement enclosures. I'd be more worried if everything was free. It costs WAY more to go to the movie theater for 2 hours and you come away with much more. Or how much it costs just to treat my dog well, I can't imagine what it takes to care for a giraffe! And when an exhibit is closed, it means they are being kept from being stressed out by the public or being kept from the cold. It's MICHIGAN, April and May can still get pretty cold, especially to animals who live in warm climates year round. People do the same thing when cold, sick or ornery. It's a wonderful experience you don't get everywhere. My kids get a lot more experience and understanding of nature and animals than they would ever get from a book.

This zoo is very big in terms of area - and amazing given it isn't in a major metro area. (I know some earlier reviewers said there used to be more animals and even more area - but still surprisingly large). Most of the 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 (you could walk it - but few people do).

In the main section, there's a small train ride for the kids, an elaborate 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. You definitely feel like you're away from it all. 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.

This is one of the best kept secrets in the Mid West. I have been to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago and this is far better. It is in a natural setting and you are close to the animals. You can even feed the giraffes. I have been to the San Diego Zoo multiple times, and although Binder Parik is much smaller, I prefer it.

In answer to the complaints about the zoo. This is not a sterile, caged animal zoo. It is a gentle ,more natural environment; a lovely place to walk and visit with some animals. Understanding the extraordinary cost to run a zoo, and especially to manage it as a naturalized area, this is an exceptional place to visit. We learn more about them when they live as they should be living. The animals are much happier than those in normal zoos too. I prefer this style, where kids can move more freely, and safely, and the time spent is in walking and enjoying the peaceful environment, which is brightened by the presence of the animals. Zoos should not be judged by the number of animals, but on the experience, and compared by type of experience. Nor should they all be the same. Binder Park Zoo is a bright spot in the industry, where profitability is less of a priority than the comfort of animals and the natural experience. It's a real zoo, where you won't find a McDonald's shack, but can bring a lunch and enjoy the environment. Stop by, get some exercise, see some new things and relax!

Had a very difficult time maneuvering this zoo. The African safari experience is almost impossible for anyone with a regular mobility device. The dirt paths are impossible. Once we started and realized how difficult it was, we could not get back up the incline. My husband had to push and push and push and push the cart over the dirt paths and rocks. He was completely exhausted and out of breath. Halfway through I had serious doubts of either of us ever making it back. I thought he might have a heart attack. It is one of my greatest fears to get stuck somewhere and not be able to get back. At one point a zoo worker asked us if the mobility device had died and we told her "no, but it is impossible for it to go through this dirt." She did not offer any assistance and she watched us confine to struggle. It was a nightmare. My husband continued to physically push both me and the mobility device over the dirt and rocks and up hill. He will sleep well tonight. I bought a family membership today when we entered the zoo but we will never use it again. We are just thankful to be done with it all.

We always enjoy trips to Binder Park Zoo. They have a lot of animals and it is well kept up. The have a safari ride than transports you back to Africa area. Highly recommend for all ages. We are seniors with no small children but enjoy it as much as those who come with their children.

Met some friends at Binder Park Zoo and had a wonderful leisurely day. We took our time and saw everything. Even ate a quick lunch there. Nice zoo!

Several of the animals are in small enclosures.. I saw big cats pacing back and forth. The black bears have a larger space but were still pacing. The Petting Zoo did not have many animals for the small children. There was a savanna area for some of the larger animals. This zoo really needs help to improve conditions for the animals. No animal should have a cement slab for a home.

We were staying close by at the Hampton and decided to make a mini vacay out of it. So glad we did. We went early because it was to be 90 degrees that day. It was wonderful..so shaded and beautiful. Loved every minute of it and you will too! Be back for sure

This was a great place if you love animals my boyfriend and I are in our early twenties and have no kids but wanted to do something so the zoo was a great option not just for kids.

I've been going here since I was a little kid and it has grown so much! The park has always been wonderful and it has only gotten better with time. The exhibits are incredibly well done, informative and large. The parks currently spans over two large sub-areas best split up as Africa and Not-Africa. Both parts are great but feature largely different animals. Make sure if you go you make it a full day trip or you will end up stressed out trying to see it all. Lastly this is one of the few zoos I've actually enjoyed eating at, which is a pleasant surprise!

There may not be as many animals as some of the bigger zoos, but this zoo has excellent habitats, set up along a very wooded scenic path. Great potential for future expansion. Great zoo to visit for a few hours. Will definitely return in the future.

Helpful staff, very knowledgeable. They do a couple of 5k's through there that are a lot of fun. The zoo boi is a great time for the younger kids, and young acting adults.

We spent the day at Binder during their annual Zoo Boo. They did amazing job decorating the zoo. They carved hundreds of pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. $11.50 admission fee includes admission to zoo, token for Trick or Treat alley, unlimited rides on carousel, train and hayride. Also includes 5 tickets for games in the carnival section. The trees are turning beautiful fall colors, and really make this zoo located in a forest a great place to be on a chilly fall day . The owls, bears and snow leopards were out and active. Prairie dogs were going nuts and really entertained the kids! 2 kid stroller was $7 for the day. A must visit fall event in Southern Michigan.

Be sure to dress kids in their Halloween costumes and bring s bucket for the treats they pass out! Enjoy!

-Love feeding the giraffes
-On a hot day, Africa part of zoo gives the feel you're actually there with safari setup
-The large animals have adequate space to move around
-New lion exhibit I've yet to see, but am very excited to.
-Lots of shade throughout park so when it's hot, the sun isn't always beating on you

*I usually prefer to eat outside of attractions to save money, but there's absolutely nothing surrounding this zoo, so I always eat at their restaurant.

*If you enjoy this zoo, you'll also like John Ball zoo.

Small zoo but the staff was friendly. My family saw everything in 1/2 of a day, maybe I wold have felt different if we didn't pay full price to get in. If we had a discount or coupon we would probably go back.

This zoo was a great fun activity that me and my family enjoyed when we came to battle creek last summer. We will be back.

It has been on my mini-bucket list for years to visit this zoo, which I have heard a lot of good things about. It was $28 for 2 of us to get in, which I knew ahead of time. Kind of expensive, but you know--it supports the animals. The zoo itself is nicely laid out and someone has done a very good job with signage giving interesting facts about animals as you travel along. The Lion exhibit literally just reopened, so we got to see the lions. At lunch, we went to the Kalahari Kitchen and paid $14 plus tax for 2 really bad hamburgers and awful "house made" potato chips. We paid an additional $5.00 for a "souvenir" cup of Pepsi, which we refilled once for $1.00 (this was considerably less than buying 2 "medium" drinks). We had foolishly forgotten sunscreen, so I had to buy some at the gift shop. They charged $10 for a 3-oz bottle of no-brand sunscreen! The spray kind was $16! We rode the carousel for $2 each (an okay price) and fed the giraffes 5 leaves of lettuce ($6). The entire day (we were there about 4 hours) cost over $70 for TWO PEOPLE! Even without having to buy the sunscreen, it would have been over $60! This is OUTRAGEOUS for what you get, and I don't see how a family with 2 or 3 kids could possibly afford it. Face painting is available for equally ridiculous prices, as well as a train ride. I guess I am not sorry I went, since it is off my mini-bucket list, but we sure won't ever go back or recommend it to anyone else.

The zoo is very nice because I could down hours here being entertained be all the beautiful animals and they also had a dip and dots!

We were so excited to feed the giraffes. It was so much better then we even imagined. Tram ride over was nice. Great little family zoo.

Binder Park Zoo is a delightful place for all ages! Such a wonderful asset in Battle Creek for all to enjoy!

I can't speak for other people, but i thought this zoo was fantastic. The animals are not enclosed in cages, but roaming in natural habitats. There is a lot of walking and the food is over priced, but still a good time.

Since Binder has added the African Safari, it has moved this zoo up into the category with other "big zoos". The zoo was well thought out, has nice shading and walking tails, has a tram to transport to the safari, a small train, and all the usual fixings. This is primarily an "outdoor zoo" with no real indoor exhibits, unless it has a specialty viewing. The gift shop at the safari is creatively stocked. The food is primarily burgers and chicken fingers; not as health oriented as other zoos.

This zoo was sure not my idea of a zoo.Many people say that they love it. It is very nice for a nature hike and should be considered more of a nature center then a zoo. The paths are all dirt and it is really run down looking. The boardwalk boards have way too much give to them feeling as if they may break while walking on them. It was opening weekend, but it was in the middle 70s so there should of been way more animals out then there was. We saw a total of 19 different animals. Most cages just said animal not available on them. If they were opening they should of had the animals out. No elephant, no lions, no tiger and a few skunk looking monkeys.Feeding the giraffes was the highlight of this zoo. I am sure for everyone. It did have a nice petting zoo that had most of the 19 animals we saw in it. It took just over 2 hours to get through it and we hung around the giraffes for about 25 minutes. I would never visit this place again.

We had visited Binder Park Zoo several years ago and remembered it as a small-ish zoo worth an hour or so of your time (the red panda was the highlight.) What a difference time makes. The Wild Africa exhibit, added in 1999 turned the zoo into something worth visiting for several hours if you are in the area.

The Wild Africa exhibit is 50 acres, including a 18 acre savanna featuring giraffe, zebra, ostrich, antelope, and a variety of other birds. The Wild Africa exhibit is about a half-mile from the main part of the zoo and reachable by a tram or an uphill walk (if you are in reasonable shape, the walk is fine.) Once at the exhibit (you are then in "Africa" of course, at an African village) , there is an outlook to observe the animals and an elevated wooden walkway that takes you through the "Zuri National Park", an easy walk of about 0.6 miles.

Along the walkway, you'll come to an observation deck where you can purchase lettuce leaves to feed to the giraffes. It is great for kids (and adults too) and is a good photo opportunity as the giraffes eat from your hands.

At the end of the walkway, you arrive back at the village, where (of course) there is a souvenir shop and a place to get lunch (the burger was surprisingly good.)

We stopped at Binder Park Zoo on the way from Detroit to Chicago just as a way to break up the drive. As it turned out, it was far better than we remembered or imagined.

Badly organized. Long walks with few animals. Super slow tram separates half the zoo. Leaving you with the decision to either wait an hour in a long line for the tram or walk a mile with children in tow (which 90% of the customers have).

I really wanted to be impressed by this zoo but it is average at best. You can find better zoos that are a little more of a drive away.

The Binder Park Zoo is a beautiful and well maintained attraction nestled in a peaceful natural setting. The habitats for the animals blend in with the surroundings. Walking through the Zoo is a wonderful way to spend the day, especially with the family. All ages enjoy having a day at the Binder Park Zoo.

Binder park zoo has activities for all age children. From a petting zoo and play area for very young kids. Live animal lectures, hands on activities, and hand feeding the giraffes, for older ones. Beautiful walkways and accessible for everyone. You will want the season pass and multiple visits

I'm going to start by saying, we have been going to this zoo for almost two decades now..... We are repeat visitors and have held memberships at various times. That being said, here's what you need to know as a first time visitor..... It's a little on the high end for price for a zoo for what you get in my opinion. If you are going with more then two people, just buy a membership because you will come out saving money in the long run and get discounts at other reciprocating zoos. Be prepared to walk. Wear good shoes. There are basically two parts to this zoo. The older section has smaller enclosures and exhibit buildings. They are working to bring in new animals and expand and improve enclosures. You will see a variety of animals in the first older sections as well as find restrooms (across from the restaurant or near the education building), food, petting area, train ride (skip it) and a carousel (do it). After finishing up the older portion of the zoo you can take a tram or walk to the Africa section. I was disappointed on our last visit they no longer have a prerecorded narration on the ride. It really set you in the mood and helped to educate you on where and what you were going to see. The Africa side is more modern with the multi-species savanna enclosure. The board walk leads you through the enclosures and has lots of great playing areas for the kids to interact. I was disappointed they have taken down the bird enclosure, but am interested to see what is going to go there as they have been making new exhibits these last few years. Overall it is a nice place to spend the day, but bring a lunch as prices are ridicules, the food is sub par, and restaurant workers just don't seem to care.

Very disappointed in our August trip. Three years ago there was more to see and the experience was enjoyable. The 14.75 per ticket should be enough but I was surprised to see an additional 2 for parking. Unfortunately the kids and I won't be returning.

Always a wonderful zoo to visit. The staff is very friendly and helpful. I very much enjoy how big the animal exhibits are.

This is a very small, intimate zoo. It has a giraffe feeding station on a beautiful hilly savannah that also has Zebra, Addax, Ostrich, Bontebok, Impala, Gazelle and Waterbuck. The feeding station is great, $5 for a few leaves of lettuce to feed the giraffe and the money helps to feed the animals overall. Great photo opportunities!! They have cheetah, black bear, Canadian Lynx, Kangaroo, Snow Leopard and a few other animals outside of the normal petting zoo animals like goats. This is a SMALL zoo as I said, and it is getting old with repairs needed in places but we love the atmosphere and the larger areas that the animals have to roam in. Price is pretty cheap, about $15 per person for about 3-4 hours of activity. If you love animals and walking through native woodlands it will be worth a visit!!!

The zoo had less than HALF of the animal exhibits open. Prices for food and drinks OUTRAGEOUS. It was just endless views of overgrown weeds for acres. There weren't any diaper changing stations in bathrooms. There weren't any interactive exhibits for the children. No "fun or interesting" facts for them near the animal cages or walls. No lions, tigers, hippos, monkeys, reptiles or elephants. ONE "wild horse". 3 owls. 2 buzzards, 2 pigs, 2 black bears. for $13.50 admission. per person

Another great Michigan zoo. The park is laid out very well and easily walkable. Exhibits are well-maintained and close together. Have to take the train to Africa - don't walk it like others, especially if you have little ones or strollers!

This fundraiser is not only for a great cause, but the event is great in itself. So many craft brews and other spirits to try, food, animals, a fun atmosphere, and lots of awesome people in attendance!

I grew up going to zoos in Lansing and Detroit, and all I remember are hot little concrete enclosures with depressed, bored animals. Fake trees and rocks, concrete floors instead of dirt or grass, and I was SO SAD for the animals that had to live there. Binder Park Zoo is refreshing in that the animals have large, natural environments to live in. Their animals look as happy as they can get, while being in captivity, and I feel they are fortunate to have found this place to protect and enrich them. Lots of shade. Running the Cheetah Chase while listening to wild animals is also a blast. Well worth the visit!

Went on a brisk Saturday morning. I got a $10 spring special admission ticket. I spent 2.5 hours here and saw it all. Lots of animals and many of them were active. Don't go expecting to spend all day...it isn't that big.

Animals up close, monkeys making faces on the other side of the glass. What a fun day. Giraffe feeding right out of the kids hands. We loved everything

Our children came here for our anniversary and we all went out to Binder Park. We loved the giraffes. Our 2 1/2 yr old grand son loved the train. The big elephant was awesome. Our children love this zoo and there from Virginia Beach, Va.

Great zoo - exceptional for the size of the local community. Great variety of animals and spacious exhibits.

My grandchildren, ages almost-five and 18-months, loved the giraffe feeding station. They were able to pet the giraffes after feeding them the world's most expensive Romaine lettuce (one leaf - $2, five leaves - $5). The 18-month-old laughed the whole time the giraffe was eating and wasn't at all frightened when the giraffe licked his hand.
The little guy also enjoyed petting every single goat in the Children's Zoo section. The almost-five-year-old was terrified when one of the goats tried to eat her shirt. Her little brother was mystified that she had a problem.
Other than those encounters, both children enjoyed the visit. They're experienced zoo visitors, but Binder Park is much larger and its animal enclosures are exponentially larger than any they had seen. Because of that, they weren't as excited by the vast acreage of the African savannah as older children appeared to be -- they just weren't used to seeing animals at the distance of a football field and they lacked the experience to imagine they were seeing animals on their home turf. That's why this might be a zoo for children at least 8 or 9 years old. Children that age and older really seemed to get into it.
They did like the tram ride. The wait between trams is advertised as only 15 minutes, but for very young children, that can seem much longer. We visited on a hot, humid day, and that may have contributed to the perception that we stood in line longer than we actually did. It's amazing how a game of rocks/scissors/paper can make standing in line speed time.
If you've only driven through Michigan's southern counties, you might perceive the state as gently rolling territory. Binder Park Zoo is not. It has some of the steepest ravines in the Lower Peninsula. Designers put wide, sturdy wooden bridges over the steep ravines and saved the rest of the 433 acres for the animals. Even those that need to be carefully screened off from people -- the lions and cheetahs, for example -- have large open spaces under the trees to roam. Safer animals, such as peacocks, wander around the Children's Zoo section without any apparent limits. Potential runaways -- such as the rabbits -- have a large outdoor area and a shed. Those might be fenced to keep marauding kiddies out as much as to keep the rabbits in.
Wear comfortable walking shoes. There's lots of walking to see it all. If your children need strollers, there are places along the trail to rent them, or if you take your own, employees will load them on and off the tram and transport them for free.
There are several stops within each section of the zoo where children can stop, look and play. My grandson speaks no known human language yet, but he was able to point to a life-size reproduction of a plant-eating dinosaur and express his surprise and delight at seeing it towering overhead. My granddaughter is a born climber, so she had lots of fun climbing up the face of a baby stegosaurus model, then over its spiny back, then sliding down its tail. Of course her little brother had to try to follow her. He needed help climbing onto its back, but slid down the tail perfectly, laughing at his pratfall landing. He wasn't interested, but his big sister thought the comparison of people's feet with horseshoes was interesting, and she liked the scale that compared her weight with the weight of various animals that live in the zoo. There were several other similar game stations along the trail.
The African Safari section has several stations along the route where children can play. An older child or an adult who's seen movies about safaris will be impressed by the vintage equipment in various safari stops. A 1940s Land camera, a tunnel illuminated by hurricane lanterns, a Jeep that may have been WWII salvage all contribute to the safari atmosphere -- if you're old enough to know why they might be present on the savannah.
For little kids, there's a very old bus they can explore. The seats have been removed, most of the dials are locked, but the steering wheel is fun for little ones.
You might want to consider taking your own picnic lunch. The food available at the cafe in the safari section was not even appetizing for our hungry children. It's expensive for its mediocre quality. The outdoor seating area overlooking the savannah was attractive and very clean.

This is a smallish zoo in terms of number of animals, but it's spread out over a large space. The admission was very reasonable (about $11 for an adult), and the concessions weren't too ridiculously priced for a zoo.

We visited on a Friday afternoon in early May, so it was quiet and great for bringing small children. My toddler loved the petting zoo but was upset that the only playground equipment--a slide--was too big for him because it was scaled to be as tall as a giraffe.

The feature half of the zoo is themed like an African safari. There are lots of "props" throughout the space like villagers' bicycles and quinine advertisements. The signs about the animals are done like scientists' notebooks and clipboards.

Be sure to take the tram out to the safari area. Though there are lots of warnings about the walk being long, there were plenty of people who decided to walk to that area and regretted their choice, especially because the "safari" is also a long walk. It's on a one-way ring, so there are no shortcuts or even good break spots if you get tired. (Signs warn you to take a water bottle before starting the safari.)

My biggest complaint was that so many animals were not out because of the "cold." Keep in mind that the temperature is in the mid-60s. Perhaps that's still a bit cool for the African animals, but how often are they ever out if they live in Michigan then? I've been to lots of zoos in the upper midwest and haven't been to any that have had so many animals off-display (about half the animals in the African area...which makes for some very empty portions of the safari walk). Perhaps that's because other zoos in similar climates don't focus so much of their zoo on hot-weather-climate animals or because they have more indoor, all-weather exhibits (of which Binder Park has none). I appreciate that the zookeepers are trying to consider the well-being of the animals, but it then makes be wonder if they've chosen the best animals and exhibit set ups to begin with.

We drove up from Fort Wayne to check out the zoo. There were some pros. We had discounted admission because of our zoo membership with Toledo Zoo. The dinosaur exhibit is a cool adventure and adds to the experience. There was a music garden, which had a place for kids to draw on the fence. The tram to the African adventure was cool and necessary unless you want to walk a couple of miles uphill to get there. I did like how they had the Savanna set up as you were looking out over what seemed 10-20 acres of land and seeing animals from a distance.

The cons: not that many animals, ceiling on tram station is falling down, you walk on a slippery wooden path for most of the time and then there are weeds around, some of the exhibits like the bird calls one weren’t working, expensive food. If my son hadn’t wanted to experience a different zoo, we would have driven the same distance and enjoyed Toledo. However, it was a cool experience for a one time visit. I wouldn’t plan on going back for another visit.

This zoo doesn't have as many animals in a small area, but it's well worth your time. There are plenty of interesting creatures there, and they've set it up so you can get a nice scenic walk in if you care to. Well recommended.

Binder Park Zoo is a very clean, well kept zoo. The exhibits don't make you feel sorry for the poor animals, like others who have the poor pacing back and forth cats that look stressed or the depressed bears. The animals actually look happy, they play and the sense you feel is upbeat and not sad. The park has sections, the Wild Africa is the best part, and more importantly, WALK BACK! Don't take the tram back, as you miss some amazing exibits. There is a great walk around a beautiful boardwalk just past the monkey exibits, it is fun and the kids love it. Just like visiting a National Park, walk past where the masses go!

We have young grandchildren (also have grandparent membership) so tend to only go for about two hours, although it would take longer to see everything. We love the natural habitat of the animals with feeding the giraffes being our favorite activity, although a bit pricey. As a result though you do walk quite a ways from one animal to the next. We just pace ourselves and do a few different things each time.

We love to visit zoos when we travel. Most good ones are in large cities and can be hectic to get to. This one is on the small side but has a nice country setting and ample free parking. We visited on a quiet weekday in early September (happily, no school field trips that day). Our lunch from the café was good (with huge portions!). We were disappointed that the snow leopard was nowhere to be seen and that the nature walk to the swamp overlook was closed (possibly due to flooding). The front half of the zoo seems to be the older, original zoo; at the end of that section there is a complimentary tram taking you to/from the Wild Africa exhibit. This was a nice area to view savanna animals, after which the walkway continued through the woods with a few more animals scattered throughout. We enjoyed seeing the African painted dogs and the monkeys (it was virtually impossible to view the lion due to blockage of its enclosure). There is also a woodland aviary with several exotic birds on this path. The trams were a very nice provision—they save much walking. They ran continuously, and the drivers were very friendly, helpful, and efficient; they definitely will not leave visitors stranded in the woods! All in all, this is a nice zoo but really needs more animals in their collection to boost its ranking in our view. Hopefully, they are planning to fill in the empty areas along the Wild Africa walking path in the future.

I loved this stop during our road trip. A very unique zoo with an variety of animals. Pricing was on the higher side but there was some value to it. I loved the African Plaines exhibit. Need to see several types of animals in a mock habitat. The animals all looked healthy and pleasant. I could see our family stopping back in the future.

This zoo has one of the best layouts I have seen very well shaded well directed and plenty of stuff for both teenagers and young kids to do. I gave it a 4 star because the pricing is a little on the expensive side. I understand it's a zoo and the pricing will be a little higher but it's still a little more than appropriate. Ex. Bottle of water $3 dippen dots small $5 small stuffed animal $18. It would be a solid 5 stars if the pricing was just a little more family friendly.

Out of the local zoos in the area, this one is better than some in the atmosphere, I think, and has a nice variety of animals. It is smaller than many of the others for people like myself who try and get my 3+ miles walking in daily. It is fair priced, and has a nice restaurant with good selections in the middle. You have a train ride for those interested in such things, and often times they have different events going on for the holidays while open. Parking is free.

Small zoo but lots of fun! Saw a lot of animals I hadn't seen before. The whole thing is in the woods and it's really gorgeous. The Africa area is very fun and immersive! Seeing the animals out doing their thing in a big open field was the highlight of my visit!

I have a service dog and the employees were very good with her. The food was good and there were multiple restaurants and stands in the zoo. The gift shops had things targeted to all ages, and a nice variety of items. The restrooms were well marked and plentiful.

I feel like directional signage could be improved in some areas but it isn't big enough that you can't find your way just by meandering. That's really my only "complaint" and it isn't a very big one.

If I'm in the area again, I will definitely have to stop by!

We visit Binder Park several times a year. We love the additions they have been making, especially the lions! We love the walk through "Africa" and even the hike back to the main park.

The wetland area does need some work. It's been closed partway through all year, causing traffic jams!

This zoo has lots to offer. From feeding giraffes to riding a carousel to face paintings and much more. A few restaurants to stop and eat at too. Kids and adults of all ages love Binder Park Zoo.

This zoo was a great place to just pass time with family when in the area! There prices were also very modest!

Binder Park Zoo is a small but well done zoo. I happen to be in love with giraffes and their giraffe feeding area is super cool! Up close and personal petting, feeding and observation. I go there just for this but there are many well done exhibits, good food and it's all maintained well.

Really beautiful zoo as it is built in the middle of a woods in a rural area about ten miles east of Battle Creek. Plenty of shade for the animals and the people.

The highlight of this zoo is the Wild Africa part. You can walk to the exhibit but most people take the tram. The highlight is an extremely large hilly area that zebras, ostriches, and giraffes have free reign in. This is probably the closest you can get to experiencing seeing the animals in the wild without going to Africa.

Of course, don’t miss the giraffe feeding area. They recently raised the price to $8/bunch for lettuce, which is getting to be too pricey but it is still worth it.

Over the years, they have expanded the wild Africa exhibit to a mile loop trail and it now includes Lions and other African animals.

The rest of the zoo is just so-so. The children’s zoo is nice and large but there aren’t that many other animals in the other area of the zoo.

Food prices are normal for a zoo, which means they are high. A hot dogs and chips basket was $6.50 and that did not include a drink.

Admission is about $14 for adults and $12 for kids, so not cheap, but not extremely expensive either.

Unlike most zoos, this zoo is not open year round. Check website to make sure zoo is open if you are coming in the Spring or Fall. Also, since this zoo is in the woods, bring mosquito spray because sometimes it can be quite buggy.

Great way to spend a day with the family. Loved all the animals. not much to eat at the zoo but has a great pavilion area to pack a lunch.

Always a great time to see the carved pumpkins, kids in costumes, and enjoy the animals in cooler weather. Amazing staff and volunteers, good community spirit!

My first visit to Binder Park Zoo was as a kid in 1982 and I fell in love with the landscape. As an adult, I've been taking my girls to the zoo since 2003 and it gets better every year. They are notorious for their awesome Face Painters and the free roaming peacocks that like to eat french fries!! My daughters notice how the zoo is very natural, that the animals aren't in "cages" and compare other zoos to Binder Park. We suggest becoming members if you are going to visit a couple times a summer - it's well worth it!!

A fun place. We went early in the spring and I think some of the critters were not out yet. Watching the little kids feed the Giraffes I think is my favorite

We enjoyed our trip to Binder Park Zoo. The setting is beautiful and lots of great details. Could see all the animals easily. The giraffe feeding was an awesome experience. It was also a nice size with a decent amount of walking but not so much like at the Detroit Zoo. Glad we stopped.

It's all great but tops is taking the Tram to Wild Africa, a very large African plains area with Zebra and Antelope and Giraffes roaming freely. Topping that side trip off is actually being able to feed the Giraffes and maybe getting a feel of their tongue as the go after the food in your hand:) No kidding!

This is a great local zoo. They have a nice selection of animals and things for young kids to do. They have a train which takes you on a nature path through the woods. They have a small petting zoo, you can feed and brush goats. The zoo includes a Wild Africa portion, you get to see close up Giraffes and feed them as well. In the summer of 2017 they recently added a Lion exhabit. Its a great place for families and any animal lover.

This is one of the best little zoo’s you will find. Located in a beautiful setting with natural animal habitats. Many great events throughout the year and special holiday events too! Fun for any age and a great way to spend a day!

We were camping nearby but too sunny to fish so we opted for a day out. We lived in Battle Creek 30 years ago and never got to the zoo. We were very surprised at the quality of the zoo for what little publicity it seems to get. The layout is very accessible and walkable. All the attractions were open although some of the animals were enjoying their midday naps. Lots of families and a school group rounded out the attendees. The tram ride to the African Exhibit was quite upscale with seating for those in wheelchairs and special storage compartments for diaper bags and such in each tramcar. The giraffes were very active and it was refreshing to see such a large area set aside for them, the zebras, the ostriches and other animals in that area. The one restaurant was a bit pricey but good. At first we thought the entrance fee was too much as well but once we saw the quality of the zoo, it was well worth the price. No charge for parking!! Easy to find with lots of signage to direct you there.

Big experierences for the whole family! Feed giraffes, ride the train, climb a dinasour, watch the Bears play in the new bear the exhibit. Or you can check out the wolves from a raked walkway or ride the Merry-go-round. We have taken our children there and now our grandchildren enjoy the monthly visits. Zoo Boo and Christmas also a special Time at the Zoo.

It's all happening at the ZOO!

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. We have gone to many zoos, but this one was by far the most natural. The entire zoo is wooded. There is a lot of walking and some of the trails are dirt and rock, but it's all part of the charm. My one recommendation is BRING BUG SPRAY!! Lots of trees and wetlands equals lots of mosquitoes. Take advantage of the free tram ride to the other section of the zoo. For $1 you can buy a big lettuce leaf to feed the giraffes. We didn't do this, but it was great fun watching other people.

This is a really impressive zoo as far as it is recessed with trails through a forest like atmosphere so we have brought friends with us who aren't fans of zoos who said they would definitely want to come back. There is a swamp walk too that's at least a mile long of just nature, so good from a health perspective as well.

There is a unique tran that goes to 'Africa' and Africa is set-up like a little village and you can feed giraffes, which the kids love to do. They recently put up some cabins, so you can camp there also.

Lots of events here as well - A 5k Cheetah Chase annual run, a walk for March of Dimes, annual Bonktoberfest where breweries come in and you can walk through the zoo and sample brews and food from local places too, and a similar wine event in the summer as well. Kids can trick-or-treat there in Oct, and in Dec there is a dinner with Santa. Lots more activities too! Just too many to list. :). We have been members for 6+ years and continue to be impressed by it.

Having grown up around this area I really appreciate the quality of zoo that we have access too. Wild Africa is awesome! They have a make shift safari so you can actually see the animals interacting like the wild. Giraffe feedings are a highlight too! You can take the tram to Wild Africa or you can walk from the main zoo the Wild Africa. The children's portion is also awesome with dinosaur digging, tunnels to explore, and a playground it is a great place to burn some energy. The train is a great experience as well.

For the cost of admission, I was surprised at how few animals there were. On the lower portion of the park, we saw the back end of a sloth, wallaby, a few lemurs and a couple of bears. All of the birds were off exhibit, except the kookaburra.

In order to get to Wild Africa, you need to either walk (at least 1/2 mile) up a really steep incline or take the tram. Once you get off the tram, there is a significant amount of walking to get to the giraffe area. There you can pay $2.00 per piece of lettuce to feed the giraffe or pay $8.00 for 5 pieces. We did enjoy doing that as well as seeing the zebras and cheetahs.

Compared to similar priced zoos, there was nothing special about this one. No real events or animal feedings to watch; no landscaping to speak of; no aquarium or aviary; a paltry amount of amphibians. If you have a choice, go to the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids. We went there last year and loved it.

Loved the zoo, especially the African Safari section where you can get up close to the giraffes and feed them lettuce. Be prepared to do a lot of walking, though. After 3 hours in 80 degree heat - we were done!

I have visited many zoos around the country, and Binder Park Zoo is as beautiful as any! Members at other AZA-accredited zoos get a reduced entry fee, which is a bonus. We headed directly to Wild Africa, which was wonderful! The area the zebras, giraffes, ostrich, Addax, bontebok, etc. has to roam was beautiful and expansive. Be sure to feed the giraffes at the Twiga Overlook - it was worth the $8 for the 5 pieces of lettuce! Walking around the rest of the area to see the painted dogs, the lions and other animals there was great and most were visible. Lunch at Beulah's was pretty good (other than the lack of sufficient condiments), and seeing the rest of the zoo animals was a pleasure. The heat of the day resulted in many who were sleeping, but that's the chance you take! Get there early and you won't be disappointed!

This adorable zoo has been part of my son's childhood and we never tire of it. Saw the lions for the first time. The baby Red Panda in the nursery was darling! In the reptile house you can see Panamanian Golden Frogs which are extinct in the wild. Wild Africa is a unique treasure.

Love bringing my whole family out for the day, lots to do and even more for kids to enjoy. Food and restrooms to accommodate everyone of all ages.
Would recommend this to everyone.

This zoo is very nice. It is large and the Africa area is very cool. You can feed giraffes up close and there is a very nice petting zoo. There isn't alot of animals but it's a well done zoo. Would high recommend.

Binder Park Zoo has large animal habitats so they can have plenty of room to roam around. If we put in more animals and make the habitats smaller who is it better for the animals or the people who visit. I think this is a magnificent zoo for such a small town. They have a large variety of animals, conservation efforts and educational programs. My students and I are upset by the bad reviews for our hometown zoo.

We took our kids here for a visit early in October before the zoo closes. We enjoyed all of the exhibits, but were disappointed to learn that the lion exhibit was closed due to construction. One of the best parts was being able to feed the giraffes. We also enjoyed the cheetah, snow leopard, and bear exhibits. Leading into the Africa section of the zoo you walk under the flags of all of the African countries (very neat). There is also a nice carousel within the zoo that our kids enjoyed. This was a very good zoo for the price.

Binder Park Zoo is right off the highway. I saw a sign and went. It's a nice medium sized zoo. It has kangaroos and wallobys and other animals on 1/2 of it and then I realized it had an African Safari type experience. What a treat! You can walk to the entrance of that but why bother when you can take the free tram and begin your experience. They come on over the tram intercom and treat you as if you are arriving in Africa. When you arrive at the Safari, you see bunch of suitcases on the side and a sign with an African name. Even better you walk over and look out over the Savannah and see giraffes and other animals in the same space. There is a 1.3 mile loop that continues to make you feel like you're in Africa with the boardwalk, dust, etc. You can feed the giraffes and see those animals on the Savannah up close. You keep on walking and see other animals too including a huge tortoise, playful monkeys, hogs and more. There are a few questions to answer along the way. And then you're back at the tram and "flying" back to the U.S. Fun experience.

This zoo is very nice. There are a diverse amount of animals, and a tram that takes you to "Africa" to feed the giraffes. My kids like the tunnels to visit the rabbits, I enjoy the peacocks that roam free. Plan on wearing your walking shoes, it's spread out!

This place was a real surprise! We were in town for a soccer tournament and looking for a way to spend a few hours and this was perfect. Lots of tree cover, tons of cool animals, in a natural, but well organized setting. Don't miss feeding the giraffes in Wild Africa! In the middle of Michigan yet you feel far away. Highly recommend!

This is a great outdoor zoo. The train to Africa is quite the adventure for anyone with small children. Feeding the giraffes is a treat not just for the giraffes, but for kids young and old.

Came here with the whole family to see some animals and have a good time. Mission accomplished. The layout is great and the kids really had a fun time on the tram to "Africa." I love seeing new zoos because each has their own take on things. Binder Park has some fun exhibits, like the giraffe area where my kids were able to feed them. Really fun.

My 14 year old son and I had an amazing time at Binder this past weekend. We came for Reptile Weekend because my son is really into reptiles. We're considering purchasing a Bearded Dragon and was able to talk to a specialist there who gave us some really great information and tips. My favorite animal is the giraffe so it was extra special the way the giraffe experience/interaction is set up. I could've stayed there for the whole day! I also love the surprise settings throughout the park (i.e. the vintage scenery/settings). Unfortunately, the train was closed but we did take advantage of the tram to get us to "Africa". Even though we were there on a really busy day (Saturday), we were able to see and experience everything smoothly. All of the staff that we encountered were pleasant and friendly. Our 1.5 hr drive to get here was well worth the effort and we're interested in returning!

Very good variety of animals.. can easily spend 3 hours ... All animals look happy, healthy and well fed living . Very good picnic spot for a summer week end

My husband and I took our grandson to Binder Park and we had as much fun as he did! I even rode the merry-go- round with him. Feeding the Giraffes was a big highlight also. They have a great variety of animals and events for people of all ages. You can spend an entire day there and never get bored!

I like that this zoo seems very well kept and the animals have large comfortable enclosures. However, that means that as a viewer, the animals were really far away or barely visable. There was a lot of walking and not many exciting animals. Worth the trip to feed the giraffes, but overall kind of boring.

We buy a family pass every year and go at the very least a dozen times. It's beautiful, clean, fun, and convenient. I have kids in all ages, they and my guests always enjoy themselves.

all the reviews I read were accurate. yes it needs to be updated, correct that there should be more cats, absolutely it is great for being a small zoo in a small city and it is a little expensive. No Mosquitoes but then the weather was perfect and no rain before the visit. But...for a 4 hour afternoon with my grandson it was perfect.

Had a blast at kids party held at the zoo. They brought a couple of animals to see, and we were able to visit the rest of the zoo afterwards. Love the African Village. Great place for small kids as well.

Our Battle Creek zoo is one of the best local zoos on a scale of 1 to 10 I give it a 10. Improvements to our zoo have made it almost one of the top zoos with the African exhibit as well as the Lions area and it has many opportunities for feeding animals through out. The Safari trail is really fun and great for exercise. Beautiful.

Visited this zoo with my 4 year old. This property is huge, and technically has two areas.
One is wild Africa, which is set up in a huge circle, so if you decide to quit and leave, you can't. You either have to go all the way around or turn around and go back.

The zoo is technically in the middle of the woods. all the enclosures are huge and natural. Great for animals, not so much for actually seeing them.
The Giraffe feeding area was great. Not only you get to feed them, but they are also so friendly, they let you pet them, and the zoo keepers don't stop you from doing so.
So technically that is the highlight of the visit.

If you have a toddler, i recommend bringing a stroller, because they will get tired of walking. However, some of the paths are not paved, so it is harder to push the stroller around.

We stumbled upon this zoo while traveling to Battle Creek for a few museums. I have read other reviews saying it is a small zoo, but it is actually quite large! There is train that take you from one part of the zoo to the other. Interaction with animals is much more lively than other zoos we have been to. The chipmunks get right next to you and play around. There is a really neat kids section where you can pet goats and plan through rabbit tunnels (man made that go through the rabbit enclosure for up close viewing without touching). Can't wait to take the kids there!

Visiting this zoo is a fun way to get some good exercise. We live about 2 hours away and have been to this zoo many times. Although it's a smaller zoo than the one in our hometown, it's definitely worth the trip. They have nice big enclosures for the animals. Make sure and take the extra jaunt around the swamp boardwalk. If you enjoy walking/running for a good cause, watch for the Cheetah Chase 5K each year in June.

I love going to Africa to feed the giraffes & see all of the animals roaming free...It is peaceful & I love watching the kids explore the wonders of the forest.

Excellent zoo! Great for teens, young children and adults. Food was expensive so bring a cooler and have a picnic-excellent places to picnic with hiking trails.

After spending 94.00 for a seasonal pass; I was extremely disappointed in Binder Park Zoo. A large amount of exhibits were closed; despite me asking before I bought the pass. I was reassured by the women taking my info for the pass that all the animals were out. WRONG! What animals were out have a very unkept, unstimulating , environment. Come on Binder Park Zoo; the animals and the people paying to visit deserve better than this. I have visited many zoos and Binder Park would not be on my top 10 when you take into consideration the boring, dull and unstimulating environment these animals are to live out their everyday life in. For example, what do the black bears have?A small platform to climb on and what else? Nothing. Nothing to stimulate them or engage them in any way. I definitely will not encourage others to join the zoo until Binder Park puts more effort into giving the animals a better environment to live in and the public a more entertaining educational zoo experience.

I love to go to the zoo so I was really anticipating a good one. The enclosures were small and I thought a little sad. The best part was the giraffe area where we got to fed them. Not a great experience overall.

I can see how they alot of potential for future growth. But I thought the current admission of $50 for my family to visit was a little high based on the current number of exhibits they have.

I went back and forth on whether to give this zoo 4 or 5 stars and settled on 5. Simply put, an amazing zoo and definitely one of the best in Michigan, if not the country. Neither large nor small but 'medium sized', a nice, if a bit small selection of animals (Lions, Giraffes, Bears, Wolves, Cheetahs, Kangaroos, etc).

By far the best part of the zoo is the amazing Savannah exhibit for Giraffes, Zebras and the like. It looks like something straight out of Jurassic Park and out of the dozens of zoos I have been to is by far the best exhibit. They have giraffe feeding here and they are the only AZA zoo I know of where you are allowed to pet the giraffes while feeding!

The area the zoo is in is absolutely beautiful; it is built in the middle of a forest with super tall trees and it feels like you are walking through a jungle. During summer there is a constant source of shade.

There are only a few very minor downsides. A few of the birds, ring-tailed lemurs, and one of the smaller monkeys in the Africa Section could do with larger enclosures. The same could be said for the petting yard areas but I imagine domestic animals may not mind as much. The lion exhibit is not only on the small side but is somewhat strangely positioned so it's very hard to see into it. I have gone 3 or 4 times to this zoo and never been able to see the lions despite the cage being smaller. A redesign to the exhibit for expanded space and better viewing would be great.

We are from out of town but have been to this zoo 3-4 times over the last 5 years and we have definitely enjoyed ourselves each time. This zoo has some really cool features. There is a nice variety of animals including giraffes and bears, along with quite a few of the regular animals you would expect to see at a zoo. There is a lengthy marsh nature walk exhibit that we always enjoy, although the last time we were there it was only partially open. The African area of the zoo is newly renovated and very nicely done. It’s located a few hundred yards away from the main zoo so they provide a free tram ride for all park guests, which is fun in and of itself. There is a trail for you to make the walk if you don’t want to ride the tram, but it is a bit hilly so beware. The food has always been good, and we have also picnicked in the areas provided outside the park on previous visits. Overall this is a really comfortable zoo to visit. There are indoor and outdoor attractions, and you will not be disappointed. A visit to Binder Park Zoo is a day well spent and enjoyed with family and friends.

Many things to see. Well kept up. I love the new African exhitbs. The train ride is lovely. Easy access to all of the exhibits.

Don't get me wrong, we loved the zoo, but thought it was outrageous that the mobility challenged guests must pay an extra $6 to use a wheelchair. Obviously there is LOTS of walking and Binder does a great job making the majority ADA compliant, but wheelchairs should be free to guests, including those who maybe able to walk short distances but not up and down platforms and, boardwalks or the long distances to get around the zoo. Wheelchairs should also be placed at Wild Africa to use for the boardwalk where the ramps can be steep for mobility challenged guests and would be very helpful for this loop. Binder show some kindness to your mobility challenged guests and help them enjoy the park!

I also agree with another reviewer that the zoo personal could be friendlier and more helpful. Our group of 6 found the map confusing at times and because the Wild Africa Lion loop wasn't open as yet, there was a long backtrack we weren't expecting.

Overall the zoo is great, especially appreciated all the cleverly designed "cages," the savanna and all the lovely shady paths and cute animal drinking fountains. There is lots to enjoy but do bring your own snacks and lots of money for face painting, train rides, feeding the animals, carousel rides and of course wheelchairs...but hopefully Binder will change its policy!

Binder Park Zoo is a great place that lets animals roam in habitats with other animals that can live in the same environment safely. It is a peaceful environment to walk around and enjoy the animals. Sometimes animals are sleeping and not as easy to view, but the natural surroundings are much better than the cement cage enclosures seen in some zoos.

This zoo is great! It's a nice small zoo that offers more of a real environment for the animals. We drive from Detroit area to see it. Wild Africa is amazing, love that I can feed the giraffes whenever and don't need to sign up for a time. worth the drive!

Beautiful zoo in a nature setting, wooden walkways, animals in more natural settings rather then in cement cages. Clean and relaxing, snack bars, shops and restrooms available. Also, if you want you can feed the giraffes. Just a wonderful experience over all. Would recommend to anyone who has a love of animals.

I was not impressed. The place was very dirty with trash, and the workers were not nice at all. There were no guides and the animals live in very dirty habitats.

Great 'small' zoo with lots to see! We arrived around 12p and there were alot of animals out and about. The giraffe area was totally the best, getting to feed them -they are so close! Lots to walk around and see, if you have some free time it's a nice place to spend a few hours.

Have visited many times. With and without grandchildren. Good exercise and the habitats are very appealing. The railroad is always a fun journey. Wild Africa is not to be missed. Would suggest avoiding on really hot days because it can be very stifling.

Was great fun for all ages from young to old. The 2 year old had a blast and so did his aunt, uncle, parents and grandparents.

Very disappointing. I would think twice about visiting this zoo. They still don’t allow OUTSIDE FOOD. BUT ARE NOT PREPARED TO SERVE A CROWD EITHER. We were there Saturday (5/7) with 4 small children so had to buy lunch: waited over 1 hour for hot dogs, 1 burger and 1 Mac n cheese. People were standing around all over waiting in food. It was ridiculous. The staff had no experience and were slower than turtles. If you’re not going to allow outside food you need to be sufficiently staffed to feed your visitors. Next time we’ll go to Toledo zoo

I have been going to Binder Park Zoo since I was a little kid. Now that I am a father of two younger children, I try to share with them what I remember from my childhood. Our last trip to this zoo was in 2015 before they added some of the animals in the African part of the park. We were looking forward to seeing them this go round. The park itself is starting to look a bit dated overall. The boardwalks are really showing their age and we found out the swamp adventure walk was 3/4 shut down on our trip. We look forward to this walk and was disappointed that is was closed. Also on our trip the small gauge railroad with is a kid and adult favorite was also shut down with a sign that said closed for upgrades. Looking at the track and the amount of plant life growing up around it this must have been shut down of sometime. The tram to Africa has changed a bit as well since the last visit. They used to use full size Safari Vans pulling three trams with a small trailer behind them for strollers and wagons. Now they use ram 3500s and only pull two trams with the smaller trailer for wagons. The wait was a little longer then it used to be but once you get into the shades pavilion it's not too bad. The new add ons in Africa are a good edition. The Lions we're right next to the viewing glass so it was awesome for the kids to get that close. The monkey area was closed on our trip and the bird cage was also taken down as well. The giant tortoise was in his house being fed by the keepers but was still able to see it. Overall it was another good visit to the park. Enough to see and do for a whole day. I'd you family has four our more consider buying the family membership cause it almost pays for itself in one trip plus gives you perks in others zoos and parks.

Really love the layout of this zoo. Saw many people there to walk or enjoy nature. Still plenty of animals to see - snow leopard, black bears, red panda, lemurs, and trumpeter swans were our favorites. They definitely take good care of the animals - we go to many zoos and they seemed very healthy, were active, and all exhibits gave them lots of space. African Savannah is very nice - take the tram vs walking - quick ride, walk is uphill.

I have been to countless zoos around the country and this one tops them all! We especially loved the African experience. Can't wait to return!

The animals are absolutely breathtaking! The way my little brothers look at these animals is the look of complete amazement. Perfect for science fieldtrips from school, you learn lots about their habitats and still have fun and enjoy the day!

For a small town Zoo this has great exhibits. The African exhibit features giraffes and you get to feed them lettuce. Perfect for Kids. They also have a new Lion exhibit. In the summer they feature "camp out nights" and at Halloween they have a "Zoo Boo". For Oktoberfest they also have a Bonteboktoberfest for adults as a fundraiser . At the Holidays they decorate with the "Zoo Lights".

Great place to go for a Family outing, something for everyone. Displays of animals in natural habitat.

This happy zoo has one extraordinary feature: you can hand-feed lettuce to giraffes while standing on an elevated platform. It is an experience of a lifetime for both kids and adults.

The giraffe platform is inside the fictional Zuri National Park. Visitors are transported to the park via safari wagon, complete with narration with an African accent. Arriving at Zuri National Park is an immersion in African adventure travel, complete with a food market and souvenir shop. You will see vintage baggage, camping equipment, scientist's equipment, vintage bicycles and Land Rovers, everything to make a realistic immersion into truly being in a national park in Africa.

The rest of the zoo is full of wonderfulness too, from the snow leopard exhibit to the cheetahs, red panda and black bears, a prairie dog town, Mexican wolves, and all the animals in between.

Be sure to walk the boardwalk in the Swamp Adventure, where you may spot some native wildlife. It is fun even if you don't.

Inside the Discovery Center you can see various reptiles and amphibians, including the Panamanian golden frog which is thought to be extinct in the wild.

The zoo has plenty of shade trees and is an overall delight to visit. There are two gift shops, one inside Wild Africa and one at the entrance. There are also two eateries, which even serve veggie burgers; one is inside Wild Africa.

During hot days in the summer, near the eatery and entrance to Zuri National Park is a sprinkler with a fine mist that is cooling and fun for both kids and adults.

The Halloween alternative event Zoo Boo and the Christmas event are both worth attending if you have children, or even if you don't.

The zoo was lovely, Family friendly, Great walking trails. Take water because it is expensive when you buy a bottle. $3.00! The animals had large enclosures and all looked very healthy. Feeding the giraffes was awesome. It was so nice to see the gazelle, storks, zebras, giraffes and many more in such a large field with room for them to run. Make sure to feed the giraffes.

Although this is a smaller zoo (compared to Toledo, Detroit, etc) it is very lovely! The African Savanah is AWESOME and worth admission alone. The zoo is ever changing and will find something new every year! Feeding the Girafes is a big hit with kids of all ages. Their Cafe has good food and reasonable prices. They offer discounts if you belong to another zoo. It is a Must Do if you are in the area.

Been members for numerous years. As a family we love going back many times throughout the year. The animals they have are very well cared for and it shows! Guaranteed to have a good time!

The food isn't great so take a picnic, but the animals are wonderful. Your kids will love it. Make sure you see the bears!

Nice zoo but ridiculously priced. Feeding the giraffes is outrageous! So sad because the kids love it. I understand that it's to help fund the animals, but when is it too much? The last raise in prices was to much for me. I no longer get a season pass.

I wouldn't say I've been to a lot of zoos, but I would say that of the ones I've been to, this is near the top of the list. Excellent experience every time I've been, and great variety of animals with good habitats.

Been coming to this zoo since I was a baby and it is truly a great zoo! Different than other zoos... Has black bears, cheetah, snow leopards, giraffes (which you can feed), and soon are getting Lions! A little pricy but worth it!

Best zoo Michigan has to offer. Lots of different animals to choose from, they seem happy and healthy, they are always thinking about how can we make this zoo better and they are constantly improving everything.

Beautiful zoo. Animals are very well taken care of. Lots of walking as the zoo is very large. Plan on spending the day!

What a great zoo! It's obviously small because Battle Creek is small, but well kept up. Feeding the Giraffes in Africa is our favorite part. We go to the zoo numerous times throughout the season. Our kids love it and quite frankly - my husband and I love it too!

For a small town such as Battle Creek to have such a hand on,animals living in the environment that these animals are familiar to. To see them in that setting. No big city zoo can do what we have and done.

Enjoyed this place for years while my children were growing up. We had season passes and would stop by every chance we had! Now we get to take our grandchildren.

I haven't been to many BIG Zoos so I can't speak to that level but, when I was at Binder they were adding areas for more animals. Even without more animals it was an amazing trip, I was able to feed Giraffes with my son. The negative part of the trip was the price. I'm used to my little zoo in my area that costs around $5 to get in. After feeding the giraffes, eating a small lunch and the cost of admission I had spent almost $100 for me and my son ONLY! I will go back but, this will be an occasional treat.

Been a few years since I have been to a zoo we thought we would visit binder park with sons family. There are some nice habitats but nothing I thought was exceptional. Kids enjoyed feeding the giraffes. The African plains exhibit had nice variety of animals. The prairie dog exhibit allows for close viewing of these cute and active animals. Tram saves some walking on hot days. In fairness to this zoo they are in a smaller city and funding large habitats is probably difficult.

What a beautiful place! Friendly staff. I liked the tram ride to the African exhibits. It was great fun to pet the giraffes that came up for feeding. My only complaint: the restaurant - I think it was called Beulah's. My friend ordered fries and received chips, although the error was corrected. There was no air conditioning. And my friend and I ordered the sandwich, which looked delicious, but tasted a bit funky. The bread was more like cold pizza crust, and there was a funky-flavored sauce that we couldn't put our finger on. The fruit cup and Rice Krispies treat were delicious, though!

This is a great zoo for animals as the environment is very rugged and gives the illusion of being in the wild. It was somewhat difficult to see the animals and there actually aren't a ton of animals in this zoo. The high point really is the ability to hand feed romaine lettuce to the giraffes. There is quite a bit of walking required to see the animals. On the day we visited it was quite hot and we were melted before we could finish the walk around the lake.

Love the size of the zoo. It was great for younger children. It has enough animals and combined with the foliage it makes a nice summer trip.

Family enjoyed all the attractions, especially the Africa exhibits. Was very clean for a zoo. I would recommend this for all.

Animal enclosures are poorly maintained, overgrown with weeds on the fences making viewing difficult, and poison ivy everywhere!!! Walkways in the main portion of the park are uneven, broken, some missing pavers, and Lots of trip hazards - also a challenge for wheelchair or strollers. Appeared as if half the exhibits were closed/abandoned. Most of the buildings and structures are in terrible condition and disrepair - rusting, broken, rotting…. This isn’t just since COVID, this clearly has been ongoing for years! There aren’t many animals on exhibit in general. However, the animals that are there look physically healthy, but uncomfortably quiet and seems to just stare off into the distance. Even the kookaburra were silent and huddled in the far corner of their enclosure.
My personal opinion is that it’s time to move the animals to other facilities.

Our family, including a 5- and 3-yr-old, traipsed to and through the Wild Africa exhibit (thanks to the tram) in about 4 hrs. The line for Admission, though long, went fast, and friendly clerks provided maps. As others have said, 'No animal should have a cement slab for a home," exhibits need maintenance, food prices are outrageous ($4 for a single scoop of ice cream), and food options are unhealthy. I'd like to see healthier vegetable and/or salad offerings alongside hot dogs, veggie burgers, fries and kettle chips. The Zoo is well designed with Wild Africa being the best -- animals roam in a spacious setting. The young ones found delight in the gift shop at the exit, and Zoo staff were helpful. We lucked out with cool weather. Suggestion: bring your own snacks and water.

A nice Zoo for the family, especially small children. The display at the main building are great with snakes, spiders and other reptiles. Petting zoo, very nice. A friendly male peacock which knows exactly when to display its beautiful tail. Train rides are popular with children. Tram ride to and boardwalk around Zuri park is especially nostalgic for those of us from East Africa, since they play Kiswahili songs, mostly from Kenya. It gives us opportunity to share with our children our heritage, meaning of the names used and explain to other non-East African visitors the meanings of the song and where they are sang. It feels like home to me.

this place was better then i expected because they surprisingly had a lot of animals at the zoo. I would defiantly recommend it.

We go to zoos every trip. We have seen many great zoos and a few not-so-great. This was by far the worst I have seen in decades. Many of the animal paddocks were empty of animals and the fencing was down. many areas were overgrown. It is sad that a zoo can be allowed to operate in this state of management.

Nice zoo in the middle of the woods. Had two dinosaurs replicas. Nice train ride thru the woods. Farm animals can be fed by the kids.

Binder Park Zoo will always have a special place in my heart, as I grew up going here regularly with my family. While it is on the small side, I think it has a certain charm, and the staff does a great job caring for the animals. One thing I really love about this zoo is that you never see animals in enclosures that look too small. They all seem to have plenty of space, and the habitats are done to appear as natural as possible. The Africa section is probably my favorite part -- it has great decorative theming as you walk through, and it's always fun to feed the giraffes!

A really nice zoo with helpful staff. Lots to see for a smaller zoo. The exhibits are very detailed. It is obvious the animals are well cared for. At Christmas they host a light show through the park. During Halloween they host trick or treating for the entire family. We went with our granddaughter and were given treats as well.

I like to try new place when I got time . This had some good and some bad to it. Not all the animals where out , but there a lot hike to do at this park. The African animals in that area was real cool to see there .It's very big area with a lot different animals .That best thing I saw there.

My family loves going to the zoo, we frequent Binder Park a lot. We had never gone on Mother's day until this year, and most likely won't go on Mother's day in the future. We arrived before they opened at 11 and there was already a line to get in (half price for moms). We didn't have to wait too long because we were early, but it got very busy...fast. We didn't stay as long as normal this time, because of the amount of people there, but we will be back soon when it's not so busy.

Our kids love this place! We've been a few times and our kids never get tired of feeding the Giraffes! Nice place to go with small kids. The petting zoo is great, the food is average and the staff is nice. They even went out of their way to search for a toy my daughter really wanted but couldn't find on the shelf, they ended up finding one and she was over the moon excited!