Detroit Zoo Reviews

I will never go to this zoo again!!!
Attractions were under construction. The Dinosaur Exibit was closed and they would not give us a refund they said we could use the tickets by Sept. 2. Well that means buying 6 more admissions and traveling 2 hours to use 6 dollar tickets. RIDICULOUS

went to see wild lights show during the holiday season. Lights were pretty but not as much as expected.... seen other light shows in different cities ....not impressed with this 1 though compared to the price for parking and tickets.....

We are members and yes some things are closed (thanks pandemic) but you can go into Amphibiville, the reptile house, the aviary, otter house and walk through the outdoor parts of the Arctic ring! You can check online and see where the new babies are and what's closed.

We love seeing the new Tiger forest especially if you can catch them playing in the water! We saw some lemurs, sleepy lions, baby Japanese macaque, rhino, zebra, giraffe, red panda, two of the bear brothers, prairie dogs, anteater, bald eagles, and lots of peacocks! On a different day we saw the wolves one running and one chilling in the shade. We like to cross the boardwalk to look for turtles, swans, and ducks!

The Buddy's Pizza is open as well as the Coney and Boardwalk Station. You can usually find a Dippin' Dots open and the ice cream by the carousel is open even if the carousel itself is closed. When we went last week we found Dole Whip near the bears! Drinking fountains are closed but you can still refill your bottles at the bottle refill part.

Masks are required but they've got signs up reminding you when you're entering an area thats smaller and needs a masks or leaving a small area for a larger one if you need to take a breather especially in 90° heat. We usually just bring our own snacks or lunch and a table cloth and eat in the shade at a picnic table! Looking forward to cooler Zoo days!

We did not see most animals for some confusing reasons. I recommend going to the butterfly place. The line is worth seeing butterflies standing on my nose! My family enjoyed seeing the animals and my daughter’s favorite part was the penguins.

March 2021 -- do not go. I live a few miles away and have been many times. But as of March the zoo is almost completely locked down. ALL indoor animal exhibits are closed. Only 2 food vendors are open in the entire park. Arctic Ring of Life has no animals out. Giraffes are indoors. Primates are indoors. The mask policy is draconian -- masks on at all times, even though everything is outdoors. Charging full price for walking trails (even some of those are closed) and almost no animals is just theft. Stay away until they reopen their exhibits.

The fact that the tri county taxpayers all help. fund the Zoo but the exorbitant prices preclude many working families from going there. No excuse.

The detroit zoo is the best place in the world! My last visit was in Augest. I try to go at least once a month and every time I go something has changed. There tiger exhibit is impressive with lots of room for them to play and swim. The two brothers aleksei and nikolai seemed to be enjoying there time in there habitat. Also the penguin exhibit is really awesome but will not be open do to repairs. I also have been learning a lot from the docents and volunteers there. They are so nice and helpful and if you have any questions they will be there to answer them. Also we got to see the new baby chimp named Zane. He was so cute! We also saw all three sliverback gorillas kongo, chip and chipua. Also the wolf exhibit is huge and has plenty of room for the two woves kaska and renner. The detroit zoo is an awe inspiring place to be and it makes me appriciate nature at its fullest and I encourage everyone to go to this zoo. I would pay as much money as I need to for this zoo to stay open its just that good. Again please go check out this zoo!

I took my 10 year old to the zoo July 2018 on a very hot day. Hoever we did get to see many animala moving about. This zoo is clean with a variety of animals. Expect alot of walking. Overall, a nice time but overpriced.

This zoo has been getting better and better over the decades. New exhibits and revitalized exhibits. Well done Detroit Zoo!

We came to visit family from oregon and wanted to check out the Zoo. I am so glad we did, it was so much fun! The place is huge compared to our zoo, we spent hours there. My son loved the penguin exhibit. Then we stoped into the gift shop for some Souvenirs, the prices were fair and they had something for just about anybody. The zoo overall was very clean, the staff was very friendly and the prices were midrange. Definitely will go back wheb we come back this way!

It’s a really nicely maintained zoo. A park in the centre with a beautiful carousel.
Great for those who want a shorter walk, but want to see all the animals.
The penguin exhibit is fantastic!

Lovely zoo we had a great time. Lots of happy animals and friendly staff. Many interactive activities and plenty of nice shady places to sit. The in closers are large and made to look like the habitats.

It’s a great place to go jogging, most of the animals either were sleeping or were were not there. Best by far was the penguin exhibit.

Zoo staff very friendly, the park is very clean.

We took our 3 month old daughter on her first zoo trip and everything was perfect she loved watching the penguins swim a over her in the under water tunnel in the new penguinarium!

Had a great day. Enjoyed the layout of the park, it was very busy the day we visited but it never felt overwhelming thanks to the large walkways and sprawling layout. It was generally very well kept and clean. The only disappointment of our day was lunch at the Arctic Cafe as it was very poorly designed, very inefficient and had slow service. I can get past the slow service as the park was very busy that day, but the line took everyone through the salad bar, then sandwiches, and then the grill which left us waiting a very long time behind guests ordering salads and picking toppings, where as something like that could have been at the end of the line-up, or a staff member could have been directing guests to the next station if not ordering salads. I would recommend trying another place to eat, though I cannot say whether they are set up any better. I only mention this disappointment as constructive criticism, as I think the park leadership could easily make this part of the zoo experience much better. Overall, it was a great day, and the lunch disappointment did not weight heavy on us.

I am in Detroit visiting my friend. We came to the zoo because I love zoos!!! This place is beautiful and big! Please reserve between 3-5 hours to enjoy this zoo. There are lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) as well as a walk through kangaroo area! Please wear comfortable shoes.. you will probably walk between 2-3 miles while you are there... worth a visit! Lastly I am a member of zoo Atlanta and my membership granted me 50 % off admission

Everybody at the zoo was super friendly and very helpful all the exhibits were clean and nice with great information this is my granddaughter‘s first visit to the zoo and she absolutely loved it. The dinosaur exhibit was really good the penguin house was amazing. Some of the animals were not out because it was so hot but that was certainly understandable we ate in the Arctic café and and the food was great little pricey but the food was great service was great I’m parking super clean we really enjoyed our visit

Had a brief visit to the Detroit Zoo last Friday. We took our 18 month old grandson on a three hour tour The day was a combo - overcast and sunny. Arrived late morning, easy parking, and started our wandering. Of coursed the Penguins. Above and below we all enjoyed watching the penguins swimming, chasing each other.. The views from under water are marvelous. The peacocks strut and shriek wherever they are. The rhinos, giraffes and camels were wandering around. The baboons and apes weren't engaged at all on Friday. The flamingos were awesome. We took the train back. Our grandson would probably go back for more penguins, a train ride and of course the other little kids parading around the park.

Hot weather kept most animals deep in their caves etc. so there wasn't much to see. Where the heck were the polar bears? Most of the stands were closed. There were lots of benches to rest on. I would not recommend going on Senior day unless it's cool outside for both humans and the animals.

We have always enjoyed coming to the Detroit Zoo.

Lots to see and do. Some if the staff is not so well trained but the overall experience is still a quality time.

We were very pleasantly surprised by Detroit Zoo. We visited on a cold Saturday and were happy that we were still able to see plenty of animals. The park is spread out which is great for letting little ones roam and the new penguin exhibit was fantastic. They are clearly making some great improvements with new exhibits under construction and we found it to be good value for money. The staff in the cafe by the polar bear exhibit were very friendly, even making sure we had seen all of the ‘must see’ exhibits with our son and offering to show us the way to one we had missed.

We loved how many animals there were to see and how clean everything was. There are quite a few interactive experiences for children of all ages. It is a larger zoo so be prepared to do some walking! I suggest bringing a refillable water bottle, they have very cool water bottle refilling stations.

Very nice zoo. The landscaping is beautiful. A few exhibits were being renovated, but still plenty to see. Wear comfortable shoes because it’s big.

What I don't like about the new Penguinarium is that you have to wait inline (indoors) to see the penguins above ground. Then you walk down 3 floors to see them above you (kinda cool). A LOT of walking and waiting (that's if you can squeeze your way up to a window).

I wish they had worked on the old Pequinarium by just repaired and updated it.

Went a overcast Monday that turned int a beautiful hot sunny day. Not very crowded which was nice because I was bringing a 5and 2 1/2 year olds. It was the Monday after Mother's Days I was hoping for a light crowd. Manly small school groups were there. Disappointed that the Polar Bear exhibit
was closed . Very clean at the zoo, someone is always picking up the trash and found the restrooms very clean also.

My review is a little late but we visited here on the weekend of Halloween. The decorations were fantastic! We loved all of the little setups they had. They then had an event all day where all of the different animals "smashed pumpkins." Therefore, we walked around from exhibit to exhibit watching what all of the different animals would do with a pumpkin. The only downfall of this was that the schedule was different than what the ticket takers gave us.

The zoo was nice and the animals had good exhibits. Most of the exhibits were a good size and gave lots of room for the animals to roam. With it being as cold as it was almost all of the animals were outside which was a pleasant surprise!

I wish I could have given no stars!! Do not waste your time or money. I have always loved the Detroit Zoo. I do not know what happened but it is HORRIBLE!!! most exhibits were closed - habitat were filthy- not all vendors were open - place is just filthy and just not worth going!!! So sad to see such a beautiful zoo go down so quickly. Will NEVER go again. WHAT THE HECK HAS HAPPENED - NEW ADMINISTRATION!!! HELLO??

I thought the zoo was beautiful. I will go back again. The zoo was clean well maintained. All of the staff including volunteers were very friendly. All of the volunteers were well trained knowledgeable.

On vacation from Texas and it’s been 60 years since I last visited the Detroit Zoo. We had such a great time! The exhibits are well maintained and park is very clean. All the volunteers were very helpful.

Only saw half the park and can’t wait to go back to see the rest. Getting there early is important because of how truly huge the zoo is and all the animals to see and spend time with. Only drawback is $8 parking which I paid online but when I went to park nobody was there to verify that I paid it. Makes me feel like some people pay and some do not.

I have not been to the Detroit Zoo for several years. Although it may not be the size of the San Diego Zoo, it is still an awesome zoo. It has become the type of zoo that I would like to visit on a regular basis with my children and grandchildren. So much so that we purchased a family membership. Brandi, in guest services, was awesome in helping us set up that membership. Proper job.

I've been the 30-something zoos around the country and I would put this right up there in the top 10 top 12. The penguin exhibit is the most awesome penguin exhibit I've seen outside of SeaWorld. You could spend some quality time there and enjoy the theatrics and the exhibits. The rest of the zoo is very well laid out it's nice rectangular so it's easy up one side down the other path to follow. Some great exhibits and some average exhibits. Most of the enclosures have plenty of space for the animals which is really nice and it's a great place for special activities at the zoo. I would go again and I'm from out of town.

They have a new polar bear. The otters were very active in the cool weather. And the wolves were walking around. I got some great pictures.

This zoo was awful, never been so disappointed in a zoo. Very long walk to get to any of the exhibits and then no animals to be found. Lots of exhibits and buildings closed. You should have lowered the price since so many things were closed. Waste of time and money and very sad for a city that size should have a much better zoo. Never again!

We have been going there since we were kids and being married too. It is so relaxing to see everyone enjoying this zoo....

We come to the Zoo once a year. It use to only be $14 an adult, but now it’s $17 and more than 5 habitats were closed that day! They should warn you ahead of time and discount tickets for situations like this, specifically because the artic ring was closed and let’s be honest, that’s the only reason people come to this zoo. If the cashier would have told us up front, we never would of bought tickets. Management needs to train their staff better.

Went first thing when it opened, so we got thru everything before anyone else so we got a lot of good pictures. Volunteer staff was so helpful.

This was the best thing I ever went to. The Detroit zoo is the best zoo ever. There were a lot of places to stop for a rest and snacks were placed in convenient spots.

A great value and excellent experience all the way around. My wife and I are visiting from California and we came to the zoo for the day. Super easy booking online, I even had a mistake in my purchase but was no big deal at all. Definitely get the package it comes with a nice drink and souvenir and enjoy the day here, The penguin exhibit is excellent

Love the zoo. It is clean, friendly staff and docents around the zoo. The zoo has expanded exhibits and is presently expanding one of my favorites, the Red Panda exhibit. The giraffe expansion is first class. I go there at least 10 times a year.

Beautiful old zoo with large clean exhibits for their animals. The Reptile house and Amphibian house are amazing, and a great place to warm up if you visit in the winter! I don’t see how anyone could rate this zoo below 3 stars. If you are at a zoo the main reason is to see and learn about animals, not eat food or see Halloween displays. Yes food is overpriced but that’s all Zoos! Anyways… the animals here seem well, and enriched. Some zoos you go to you see animals displaying pacing behaviors, basically cage crazies, and every animal I have seen here is active and healthy. My favorites were the red pandas, otters, polar bears/grizzly bear, and badgers.

Love the Detroit Zoo! Make sure you check out... zoo brew and the Christmas lights during the holiday season.
It can get a little too busy during the prime of the summer season but it’s worth a little afternoon trip from time to time. Fair pricing also. It’s not in Detroit also, actually Royal Oak and right of 696 so super easy to get to.

Love the Zoo, wishing it was a cooler day to see the animals more active. The dinosaur exhibit was fun along with the butterfly exhibit.

Pathetic. Many houses closed. No food or beverages. Worst zoo I have been to. Overpriced. Docents were helpful.

Great experience for kids but the train ride was disappointing.
The train use to circle the zoo and it was free.
No more it's 3.00 each way and only follows part of the length of the golf course parking lot
So disappointing

Took my son too see the lights they were beautiful. Too the lady working in the back of the zoo by the polar bear exhibit... You should fix your attitude while working around lots of children. I took my son too see the dump truck light and there was no blocking or tape up and she yelled at us and upset my son. He is not even 2. Other than that everything was beautiful and everyone was nice.

My name is Jennifer and I have muscular dystrophy. Because of this I use a walker, wheelchair and leg braces.

I recently visited the Detroit Zoo with my family. We had a wonderful time. Everything was pretty much handicap friendly except for one major thing. THE BATHROOMS. Having a handicap bathroom is more than just a big stall. People like me we use electric wheelchairs or need to rent your power scooters need to actually be able to get our devices in the stall. Because of the way the bathrooms are built, I wasn’t able to turn my chair into the actual stall because the entrance to the area that has the stalls was so narrow I couldn’t turn into the stall. So I had to leave the zoo early which was heartbreaking because we had so much we wanted to still see. It was terrible. So we paid for 3 passes and to rent a scooter but didn’t even get to experience the whole zoo.

I live about 3 miles from the zoo and feel between the beautiful gardens throughout the zoo and the animals I would love to be a regular visitor. But because of the restrooms that isn’t possible. I just wish companies would consult with people who are actually disabled when designing important areas like the restrooms.

It was late in the day and super hot, most animals were trying to stay cool or sleeping.

I enjoyed the misting and fan stations along the way. I forgot to bring my water bottle however there was refil/water fountains to stay hydrated.

For the zoo being in the middle of the city the native wildlife has taken a liking to this feature. There were many chipmunks, several kinds of birds( not exhibits) and even a ground hog who were enjoying the water and zoo grounds.

The zoo has a “adopt a garden” all through out. These gardens were beautiful and added a lot of value to the park and nature as a whole. When you stop and look there were honey bees, moths and butterfly’s making use of these natural spaces.

Although. There were a couple of empty exhibits they had signs so it wasn’t a big deal.

They had many nesting birds through out with signs.

It's great to go with a membership because you don't care how many times you go so it doesn't matter if you see everything

The staff is friendly, the grounds are decently clean. That being said the animals do not have adequate living conditions especially the bears, aside from the polar bears. The bears even look sad. I loved this zoo when I was a child but going back and seeing them broke my heart and I will never return.

It is a must visit place if u are in Michigan....we really enjoyed our visit. We saw polar bear,2 humped camel, penguins and many more animals that I have not seen in India.

The penguin exhibit is great and the gardens are well kept. The polar bear exhibit was good even though there were no polar bears to be seen...it was a warm day. However, the seals were a treat. Overall, it's an average zoo that is well maintained. But, there were not many animals compared to the Columbus or Cincinnati zoos. But, for a half day adventure with younger kids, it is a nice place to spend some time.

I arrived when the zoo opened on July 3. It was a worthwhile experience. I liked seeing all the animals. There were also movies about the birds of Rio, and the octopus. I was able to see and do as much as I wanted thanks to the all-inclusive ticket I bought online. I'd come again if I ever returned to the Detroit area. I also bought a stuffed penguin as a souvenir.

My first time there. Fantastic !! Loved the penguins !! I fed a giraffe !! This place was extremely clean and the staff was very friendly and helpful !! I felt like a kid again.

My family + I enjoyed the dragon forest. We are very satisfied with our decision to add that feature onto our existing membership. We have recommended a membership and the dragon forest exhibit to many friends and acquaintances.

Horrible Experience! Very expensive, nothing was open, majority of the animals were off exhibit or if they were out you could not see them. We will definitely not be back. Toledo or Fort Wayne are by far better zoos.

I loved this zoo. I have been to several zoos this year and this is one of the best zoos. The Penguin exhibit is incredible. The bear fountain is awesome and there are gorgeous flowers everywhere. The butterfly exhibit is cool. I especially loved the gorilla and chimpanzee exhibit. Nice, clean and very walkable zoo.

It's no Taronga or London Zoo, but, out of the many places that I have travelled to, the Detroit Zoo definitely has to be up there in terms of quality. It is a really nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon or even a free weekday. My gripes are that A) there is a limited selection of animals, B) the food is ridiculously expensive, it should be illegal to charge people that for food. C) The cost of admission is insanely high if you don't have a pass. D) the city of Detroit no longer owns the Zoo, they had to sell it during the bankruptcy situation. So none of the money actually goes to helping out the city and educating its youth.

I recommend bringing a comfortable pair of walking shoes and a sun hat, instead of spending money eating there, check out downtown Royal Oak area for some nice eateries.

This is a great zoo. They have done a fantastic job of keeping this zoo up to date. It is a real gem for Detroit.

Visited the Zoo on a very warm day in July -- exhibits were well done and animals were interesting (although because it was hot, many were keeping somewhat out of sight to keep cool). Only disappointment was that I would have expected more concessions to be open/available with water or other drinks as it was a very hot day -- main eating places were open, but could have done with more of the kiosk areas open!

The zoo is always great but the Bunnyville promotion was a bust. Won’t be duped again. We got there at 9 and did not find a single egg. When we convinced the kiddos to forget about the eggs, the day went better. Complimentary bunny ears were paper and had Meijer printed in huge dark letters on the front-really? You couldn’t print the ad on the side? The weather was beautiful-and free.

I have been a member of the zoo for the past 3 years. It’s a great place to take my daughter and always find something new to do or see. We also love the events they gave throughout the year.

We spent the whole day at the zoo today. It was cool outside, so many animals were out and about. Some were inside where you could see them up close. The habitats were high quality, and the zoo is heavy on conservation efforts. There weren’t many people, so it was easy to get around. There weren’t any crowds this season. It was an amazing trip!!!

I have not been to the Detroit Zoo in 25 years... this is still an Awesome Zoo! My kids & grandson live a mile from the zoo and they come often. If you live near by I would recommend getting the Zoo's 1year Pass! Worth it! Loved the Flamingos and the Penguins! It was a beautiful day and the Animals were very playful. Don't forget to have a $2.00 carousel ride! 😉

Love the Holiday lights at the zoo. Bundle up and enjoy. Food and drinks are pricey! I enjoyed it very much.

I read some negative reviews about this zoo. We wanted to go anyhow knowing that our hometown zoo isn't that great. Don't listen to the reviews, we were very impressed. The thought that went into the exhibits is very nice. Expecially the penguins! Don't miss the giraffes either!

Husband and I went on a Friday in October. Weather was pleasant. The Halloween decorations were cute and the only reason I’m giving 3 stars. Otherwise, it would be 2 stars tops. Several habitats were being worked on and others, you just didn’t see any animals (probably snoozing in their homes). With this much construction, I don’t feel like folks should be charged full price. And there was only one food stall open with all the others closed. You’re up a creek if you’re thirsty. They also need a bathroom at the back. Fourteen a ticket and then 8 for parking. Not sure if I’ll ever go back.

We've been members of the Detroit Zoo for many years, and have never had a visit as disappointing as we did yesterday. Seems like half the zoo is under construction and many of the animals we most enjoy seeing were off exhibit. Had we paid full price admission we would be even more upset.
It would be great if they provide more information and a timeline of construction completion before our membership comes up for renewal.

We visited the first weekend of October. The weather was cool and we had a bit of rain, but most of the animals were out. I think we only missed the Grizzly bears and the wolves (they were hiding). The animal habitats are large and spacious, which is wonderful for the animals. The zoo itself was clean and lovely. The Australian Outback Adventure was neat - you walk on a path through the habitat and the kangaroo and wallaby are free to roam where they please. Also excellent was the Arctic Ring of Life exhibit - there is an excellent underwater viewing area for the seals and polar bear (the polar bear was actually outside when we visited, but we did get to see the seals swimming underwater and it was fantastic). The giraffe encounter is also great.

Unfortunately the train was not operational on our visit, but our toddler rode the carousel and she thought that was awesome. We had lunch at Buddy's Pizza, which was fantastic. Everyone in our group raved about it. The other fun thing about visiting in October was seeing all of the Halloween decorations. The Detroit Zoo had wonderful, elaborate pumpkin displays (pumpkins were decorated to look like Sesame Street, Toy Story, etc.).

All in all, it was a fantastic visit and we will definitely go back the next time we visit Detroit.

A day well spent. We were able to see all of the open exhibits during our trip. I was pleasantly surprised to see the art exhibits. We loved the ship experience in the penguin cave and the butterflies. Polar bear exhibit was misleading. It was completely empty except for a sea otter with no explanation. Train was down and staff let us wait for 45 minutes with no explanation. We finally got to ticket area and no one was in the booth to buy tickets so another train load worth of people passed right by us. Making our wait even longer. Poorly managed and we never did get on the train. My son was so disappointed. Some of the food at table 28 was terrible. We did as instructed and went to pick up window for our mobile food order and waited 30 minutes for an order that were told was done but wasn't available. We finally went to the ordering window to find out why and was told we needed to go around the corner to another pick up window. A sign or better pick up instructions would have saved us time. Burgers were overcooked, crispy and black around the edges, fries were under cooked, club sandwich was too much bread and increadibly dry. My daughter loved her chicken strips

Love the Detroit Zoo - I have been to many Zoo's around the country and still visit the Detroit Zoo several times a year. We recently took a foreign exchange student (Finland) to the Detroit Zoo and she loved the penguin and prairie dog exhibits!

Overall it is a pretty decent zoo, but beware of the gift shop. If the zoo closes at 5, they will pull the till out of the register and lock the doors exactly at 5 regardless if anyone is shopping. This happened to my wife and I today and we really wanted to help support the zoo by shopping at the gift shop.

Get some animals in there! Honestly most of any inside exhibits were closed and this was not noted on any signs before you bought your ticket. Many of the outside exhibits didnt' have any animals in there. The massive 'arctic zone' was nothing more that a massive expanse of white stone with one distant polar bear. What has happened to this once great zoo? It's nothing more than a walk in the park now. The only things that were entertaining were the reptile and butterfly house...and some peacocks wandering around. Seriously, this is a partially taxpayer funded place that takes in many many millions of $ every year..they can at least populate the place with some animals.

it would be nice see all outside weather permitting like the Bears when is good time to see the Bears outside but most animals are out thank you very much it would help if online pricing would stay for 24 hours four more .he might get a bigger crowd like that but yes I love to support your animals there especially the rescued animals maybe you can find a better discount somewhere if you go on the right day ...

Every single animal was out and about!! Got some amazing views of them all! All were well taken care of. Whole place was clean and organized well

I was very disappointed with my visit to the Detroit Zoo. I went on a weekday with my grandsons and their aunt. Upon entering the zoo, we were greeted with signs of the many attractions that were closed: the aviary, butterfly house, giraffe encounter, etc. When we tried to visit the sea lions, we were told that "they weren't out today." I also purchased the Total Experience Pass to take advantage of the 4D movie, the dinosaur exhibit, and a train ride. Since I had to purchase a "timed" entrance and the earliest slot available was 2:30, it would have been helpful if someone would've told us when the last train left, either the person at the gate (who was not very friendly, BTW) or the women at the counter of the 4D movie who suggested we come for the last movie showing, even though we were there on time for an earlier showing. (We would've made the train ride had we gone to the earlier showing.) Additionally, when I tried to purchase hot snacks, the only items available were some type of slushy and french fries. No pretzels or other items shown on the menu; AND the young man at the counter said I had to have exact change to make the purchase.

I have been going to the Detroit Zoo for many years, but paying $140 (not counting food or other items) only to miss one of the 3 events I specifically paid for via the Total Experience Pass, the unfriendly and rude behavior of some of the staff, and the lack of exhibits made this trip a real bummer. I have my choice of zoos based on my location and I have been a Detroit Zoo member in the past. I'm very sad to say that the Detroit Zoo will not be my first choice in the future.

Purchased tickets online for 1:30, showed up before 1:30 and they had a line to the parking lot! Waited 20 minutes, the line barely moved, so I walked to the front to ask for a refund. They close at 4 pm, so waiting is foolish.

Terribly managed, probably by volunteers, you get what you pay for.

We have already been twice this year! We went for the holiday lights which was a phenomenal experience-10/10! We went back in the Spring again, which was also wonderful. It is well organized and you can make your way through many exhibits and enjoy them. The bears were very active while we were there. The otters too on both visits. We really missed the male lion Simba, who was absent from the exhibit, which was a big disappointment for the kids. The butterfly exhibition was also closed on our last visit, which was also quite disappointing. One BIG word of advice, dress your kids in clothing and shoes that are disposable. They use dyed black mulch, and when wet, will permanently stain your clothing year-round.

It’s nice to be able to see the different animals, but it’s a shame they don’t have more room to wander. The Zoo itself is about the same as I remembered it from years ago. I’ve been to better and worse.

when we realized the animals were all close off and it was lights only we felt completely misinformed by the sales and marketing; however the lights were impressive and vast and by the time we were 3/4s through we felt fully satisfied by all we had done and seen staying an extra 2 hours longer than we had planned. it had fun activities for all ages and even though I complained to staff at the beginning ever worker I met was friendly and kind

Zoos are our thing, so we made it a point to visit Detroit’s zoo. The penguin exhibit at the entrance was enjoyable, but the rest was just okay. The train ride was lame… you mainly get a one way ticket to view the perimeter of the zoo and the parking lot. Too many of the exhibits were empty. We recommend the side pathways off the main walk. Secluded and natural, but with no animals.

Would not go back

We did have a good time. But, it is very, very pricey for a set of grandparents with their visiting daughter, son-in-law and two grandkids. It was close to $140 dollars to get in with $8 parking. I think if we would have looked into the admission fee before planning or outing; we would have chosen an alternative activity. You can not turn around at the gate with the grandkids because it is too expensive. Don't expect to return any time soon. All the staff was GREAT the entire time we were there. Some exhibits were not occupied by any animals or under construction.

I love going to the zoo alone and watching the animals and making 15,000 steps and the food 🥑🥝 is yummy 😋 also and people watching is awesome

The views were amazing, but unfortunately, I guess we came on a really hot day because we didn’t see as many animals as we wanted to, but it’s OK. I still had an awesome experience.

Beautiful day in the park, it was super clean and we had a fun time. The animals were very active. We also loved the addition of Marilyn’s Smoothies.

Waste of time and money! Zoo requires timed reservations (this is bolded on the website) in small print is the fact that while they charge full admission (nearly $20) almost all the the exhibits are closed. It is a complete waste of time and money for anyone who wants to see more than a stranded deer in an enclosure. I will take my family to the Toledo Zoo in the future where all the exhibits are open and the staff is wonderful.

We’re very disappointed (6/1/21) in our visit. Most indoor exhibits were closed and those outdoors, some had no visible animals in it. Beautiful 74 degree day. They should let the public know before wasting the admission fee. If you’re interested in a costly long walk, it’s right up your alley.

The Detriot zoo is the worst. It’s expensive. It has no security. You are not allowed to use your stroller inside the exhibits. Even though they have rental strollers .. for no reason. They want you to carry your child in all exhibits and leave your personal stroller with everyone’s and no guarantee you won’t get robbed. The membership price is more than other large cities like Los Angeles. The gift shops is terrible and way over priced stuff u can buy at target .. nothing special at all. I walked in and walked out and asked for a refund. This took about 3 people to get me a refund. Joke of an experience. Don’t go

Disappointed in my visit the other day. Hardly any animals were on display. The few animals I did see were pretty good though. And then I had to pay an arm and a leg for food, admission, and souvenirs. Then they don't give out bags for the gift shop or straws at the food stands! I can understand the straws, but no bags, really?? I had to lug all my gifts back to my car hoping I wouldn't drop anything and break it. Kind of ridiculous.

One of the best zoo layouts I have encountered especially if you follow the map. A lot of upgrades have occurred especially the tiger area. I love the polar bear area and the walk down under with the kangaroos in the wild. Overall a great selection of animals to visit! There are also good food options and we went with the coneys dog options Hint: order the children's coneys almost the same as an adult for 1/2 the price if you are wanting to save some money. Parking is ample and it seems to work on the honor system (you pay at the zoo entrance and no one asked for proof of payment when leaving the parkade. It also seems to allow you to bring your own food. A great place to visit on a nice fall day!

We have gone the past couple of weeks and enjoyed not only the animals but pretty flowers and relaxing walk. We also took our grandchildren which they found the zoo very enjoyable. Planning on going tomorrow too.

Me and my go to "fun" buddy decided to go to the Detroit Zoo today on a whim. We were pleasantly surprised by a relatively new venue -- The Polk Penguin Conservation Center. It is a beautifully designed building full of educational information, a 2D viewing experience, and of course a bunch of adorable penguins of all types.

Another wonderful experience was found in the Butterfly House. Inside we found a combination aviary, indoor garden, and, yes, dozens and dozens of all kinds of colorful butterflies freely flying about us.

Lastly, MY most favorite thing today was the train ride which circles the entire zoo. We rode it from near the zoo's entrance to the far end of the park. Then we rode back. Of course, there is a very nominal fee of $3.00 for a one-way ride. Round trip is $6.00, but well worth it if you don't feel like walking through the whole park or if you just want to take a little train ride.

That was it for us today as we didn't have time to explore much more than that.
But all in all, I truly love the zoo. It never disappoints!

This zoo has tons of space, with an easy layout for walking around the entire zoo. Spent about 6 hours enjoying the zoo until it closed. Every exhibit is clean and well maintained. There are some great walking paths with views of ponds and other natural wildlife. The butterfly exhibit is one of the best and the amphibian exhibit is outstanding. Don't miss any of the exhibits, including the reptile house, the arctic area with polar bears, the gorillas, the free-flight bird aviary, the farm animals and more! Lots of unique exhibits, but as mentioned, the best part of the zoo is so much space for walking and exploring. It never felt crowded or overwhelming. Don't miss the Australia exhibit that lets you walk through a path and view Wallaby and Kangaroo that aren't "caged" but are in the open area with you. Very fun! Best of all, see an aardvark not to be missed.

Didn't see much animals, picked a bad time but regardless it was a great time. No regrets in going to experience this zoo!

We enjoyed our "nature walk" through the zoo = beautiful grounds and exhibits! But very FEW ANIMALS were on display. The kids were bored. There were 16 in our group and it was not worth the price of $30 for adults and $21 per child. VERY DISAPPOINTED!!
Ann from TEXAS

Don’t waste your time or money until everything opens back up. All indoor exhibits including butterfly, penguin house, train, snake exhibit, all food vendors are closed. Paid 60$ for 2 adults and a 2 year old and it was a total let down. Employees followed you around monitoring you wearing a mask outside even when there are no people around you. Save the money and watch a YouTube video on tigers.

Our grandkids love visiting the Zoo in Memphis so when we came to Detroit to see our youngest grand, we definitely wanted to see the Detroit Zoo. What a delight it was. They make a great impression with the penguin exhibit right when you walk in and you get a great sense that all the animals have the opportunity to grow and enjoy their surroundings.

Our grandson had been several times and had always missed seeing the wolverines, but this time, we had success. One of the wolverines raced around, almost as if it knew what was needed. We also spent considerable time watching a grizzly try to fetch an apple from the top of a tree trunk.

The weather was chilly so not everything was open, but we fully enjoyed the day, including lunch within the Zoo grounds at Buddy's Pizza.

Expect to enjoy yourself1

Am I the only one that thinks that $88 for a family of four to look at lights is outrageous? I can go to the Toledo Zoo for half the price. This is crazy.

Since my wife and I live only a short walk from the famous Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, we always plan visits to other zoos to draw comparisons while traveling from coast to coast. Detroit Zoo is one of the most impressive of all. Located at l8450 West 10 Mile Road in Royal Oak, Michigan, at Royal Oak and Huntington, two miles north of the Detroit city limits, at the intersection of Woodward Avenue, 10 Mile Road and I-696, it is one of Michigan's largest family attractions, hosting more than 1.5 million visitors annually, almost as many as Henry Ford Museum. Detroit Zoo is home to more than 2,400 animals representing 235 species and is the first zoo in the United States to use barless exhibits extensively. Opened in 1928, this 125-acre property was added to the National Register of Historic Sites in 1990. Among the most significant attractions in the zoo are the Horace Rackham Memorial Fountain, popularly known as "the Bear Fountain," which was created in 1939 by sculptor Corrado Paducci; the Arctic Ring of life, one of the largest polar bear habitats in North America, which was opened in 2001 and is centered on a 300,000-gallon aquarium that allows visitors to view the polar bears and seals from a 70-foot-long underwater tunnel; the Australian Outback Adventure exhibit, which opened in 2006, and allows visitors to walk through a two-acre simulated Outback containing red kangaroos and red-necked wallabies; the Edward Mordigian Sr. River Otter Habitat, which features four river otters in a 9,000-gallon pool with a waterfall and a waterslide and a glass wall that allows visitors to enjoy an eye-level view of the otters as they swim; The Great Apes of Harambee exhibit, a four-acre indoor-outdoor habitat that is home to chimpanzees and western lowland gorillas; the Holden Reptile Conservation Center, which is home to 150 reptiles representing 75 species; and the Giraffe Encounter, which allows visitors to feed the giraffes from an 18-foot platform that extends into the habitat. Unfortunately, visitors will have to wait until June 2020 for the reopening of the remodeled and renovated Polk Penguin Conservation Center. The original site opened in 2016, replacing the Penguinarium, which was built in 1968 and became the largest facility in the world dedicated to the study of penguins. It was closed in September 2019 for repairs.

Some of the attractions were closed because they are only seasonal but we knew that before going so we weren't surprised.
We really enjoyed walking around seeing all the animals. The penguin area was spectacular! They keep the zoo and the animal areas nice and clean.

I visited the Detroit Zoo, and I think it’s a great place for families, couples, or even solo trips. The zoo is huge, so be ready to walk a lot! My favorite part was the Arctic Ring of Life, where I saw polar bears swimming right above me. The giraffes and penguins were also fun to watch. The zoo is well-maintained, and the animals seem happy.

I took my daughter it was a last minute thing she needed to be somewhere it was animals because they make her happy I love when she's happy this was just the way to go

It was so much fun. I love the animals My favorite part was probably saying the birds zebras alligators and the colorful frogs

Purchase tickets online one day or more prior to your visit. You can save up to 1/3 of the ticket cost. You must pay for parking as well. Thousands upon thousands of beautiful lights. You name it, they have it. Motion, twinkling, music, shapes, shooting. Some lights are to music but they also play holiday music throughout as well. Really a beautiful display. Only animals we saw were 2 beavers. Very easy walk as you go in a big loop and do not walk the whole park. One restaurant was open and 2 little huts were selling hot chocolate and such. Only had several fires going so you could warm up. They could have used a few more. Depending on how many pictures you take, only takes one hour to go through. This was our first year going. Just found a new holiday annual tradition.

The zoo was a fun experience the staff were nice and the animals were cool I liked all the information the zoo gave us about the animals like if they’re endangered or not and what is causing it. The polar bear was pregnant which was cool to she might have one or two cubs I think so yay their was some construction happening in some areas it left me wandering. What are they going to do with the areas and if they’re gonna bring in some new animals as well so I’m excited to see what they do. But yea Zoo was fun

We went to see the Wild Lights, 5 million lights. This was very well done. It was a trip around the zoo to see the many displays. The whole family enjoyed it.

The zoo is the best! We've gotten the year pass for our family for the last 5 years and we go all the time. It's a great place for young children to learn and explore but no one ever outgrows it. We did dinosauria this year and it was so much fun, my four year old loved it.

There were lot of Animals to see and the also had sign to explain about the animals, it was very educational.

We had a great day at the zoo! The penguin exhibit is exceptional! There are a lot of different animals to see. The amphibian and reptile houses are great. There are a lot of snack places and restaurants, but they are expensive. We ate at Buddy's Pizza and it was really good.

It was nice trip for my 5 year old boy.
He had a lot of fun. We saw pretty much all the animals. Just seems a little expensive. Almost 100 dollars for 2 adults and 5 year old plus parking. I know sometimes when you go to the zoo you might not see everything but it just seemed like the park was missing something. Overall it was still fun, just seemed a little underwhelming.

Always a great time. I love going whenever I can, any time of year. I’ve never had s bad experience.

Love the Detroit Zoo. Clean and well kept. I try to get there at least once a year. The new penguin atrium is outstanding.

Went to zoo lights at 530, got a great parking spot, the variety of lights was great. Stopped at arctic cafe for $10 deluxe cheeseburger and fries. Great time, will be back.

From the 4 D movie to the train and dinosaur exhibit what a great zoo. Well laid out and it was a beautiful sunny day and it was reasonable to see all things.

I had a awesome time
I will be returning soon. did not get to make it around the whole area. but it was 👍 great. got all my walking exercise on.

I have been to the Detroit Zoo a few times in the last couple of years and it seems to be getting better each time. They are constructing new exhibits and restaurants which is attracting more visitors. The zoo is very clean and perfect place to take kids. If not taking kids I would recommend going during the week or non summer months because it can turn into Disney Land quick.

One of the worst zoos I've been to, went once 40 years ago and it was a joke then. Went again today, still a joke. Do not recommend, unless they have a free day, and I still wouldn't go again.

Very clean and comfortable with water sprayers and water bottle refill stations.

A lot of exhibits were not inhabited as the sign said they were being updated. Free roam for the animals was nice, except you couldn't see most of them up close (all distant except giraffes) and a fair amount were not outdoors.

I travel around the world and country for work (Army). I make an effort to visit the zoos and I can easily say Detroit Zoo is my favorite. Animals are treated much better with larger habitats and no cages. Walking friendly, large footprint. Amazing habitats such as the butterfly garden, penguins, arctic exhibit, and kangaroos. Simply 2nd to none.

As a kid we grew up very close to zoo and spent alot of time at this fabulous place. Now we go with our kids and grand kids!!!

Dragon forest was great! Kids loved it! Also the 4d penguin movie was good to beat the heat. Tigers are always sleepy lol. But grizzly bear, Red panda, and polar bear put on a show. We had a great time

We have visited premier zoo's across the country but I wholeheartedly believe Detroit to be the best. Maybe its the nostalgia factor for me, but the grounds are beautiful, the food offerings are good, and they are constantly adding great animal enclosures and family activities. I also love the old-style architecture found throughout the facility. The zoo is large enough to keep you engaged and interested, yet small enough to not exhaust or overwhelm.

We are now living in Midland MI, but grew up in the Detroit area. We had not been to the zoo in over 15 years. It was a GREAT experience. I remember the Detroit zoo keys. Nothing like that today, but the penguins are wonderful. We saw a tiger, lions and the bears. The BIG THREE are the best of it all. The polar bears were closed, so that was disappointing. A new polar bear exhibit is opening soon. The other animals were around. We did not ride the train and the walk is always great exercise. We did not eat or buy anything else except our admission. We left the zoo and ate in Royal Oak which was wonderful. I would spend 4 hours here, and recommend leaving to eat. We brought a few snacks for our grandson and water for us in chilled stainless bottles. That was perfect. We bought our tickets online and saved money in advance.

A Merry, Merry visit for all!! Along the way, the kids indulged in hot chocolate & the adults in hot chocolate with Baileys. Kept you warm while walking the Zoo and seeing all the beautiful lights. Get your tickets on line - makes it so much easier for all!!

Well layed-out and a great zoo to walk through. The Arctic Ring of Life is worth the price of admission alone. I went about noon and the polarbear I saw was very active and great fun to watch in and out of the water. I even caught a feeding time. Not something I’ll soon forget!

There is a lot to do at this zoo, you should plan ahead if you want to take advantage of some of the additional exhibits so you know when they are available. Strolling through the zoo is absolutely beautiful. It's well kept. As far as viewing animals, Many of the exhibits are designed more like a habitat (gorillas, polar bears for example) This makes for better living conditions for the animals, but sometimes makes it hard for spectators to see them. That is a sometimes a criticism of this zoo; but I feel like it's a matter of opinion. Do you want the zoo to be a place to be a place to gawk at an obviously caged animal or maybe not see them knowing that if they are living in captivity it is a little more natural habitat for them?
It's HUGE and a lot of walking. Hot days are absolutely miserable. I don't even both going in the summer. Spring or Fall are when we visit.

I went to the zoo on Sunday with my family and I check the website to see when they closed and it said 4. We got there and it had a sign that said they closed at 2. I called costumer service and they had no sympathy that it was not showing up on their website staying it will close early. I will not be coming back to this zoo ever again I will stick with the one in Birch Run and Lansing. Worse costumer service ever, they could have given me and my family free tickets to come back on a later date were we would have probably spent at lease $30 on food but now they are not ever getting a penny from me!

ZOO BOO absolute rip off! $18 a ticket per person, without any exhibits, carved pumpkins or activities - apparently due to “covid”. I only put those in parenthesis, because they decided passing out and touching apples would be safer then passing out individually wrapped treats. No mention of this prior to ticket purchase. Highly disappointed and a waste of time + money. Will not be back. Have been there several years in a row prior, and no complaints. Seems like a way to just swindle people out of their hard earned money.

Fun daddy daughter day at the zoo. The app was great in planning and guiding us through the zoo. Staff was friendly and helpful as well.

The zoo had a lot of animals. Unfortunately, a lot of them were not out. The part was the penguins. They were so funny and the building was amazing. There was not a clear path to follow so that also made it hard. The worse part was the polar bears. I was so excited to see them. We told this long path that was in the sun and we got there and there was no polar bears. Not sure of they just not out but it was very disappointing.

Just visited the Detroit Zoo and what a disappointment! We have been MANY times and usually enjoy the 3-4 hours that we spend there. However, at $19/person with no food vendors open except the pizza parlor, one vendor to get something to drink, all but one building exhibit closed, the train not running and a few of the areas taped off for no access, it was a waste of our time. I get it with the Covid thing going, but, tell people that 1/3 of your attractions are not open and there is next to no available food or drink. I support the cause of the society and consider the $19 admission and $8 parking a donation. But, really? Even my grandkids wanted to leave - and that is unusual. This is usually an all day outing for us, but we will not be back for quite some time, unless they get this figured out.

I went with my daughter and 4 grandchildren aged 2-8 on a drizzly Friday in July. We were thankful that a few of the attractions were indoors, although when the rain stopped, we were able to see the rest of the zoo. Some of the animal exhibits were a bust, due to no animals visible in the enclosure, but we enjoyed the ones we did see. Everything in the zoo seems a bit expensive. They charge $8 for parking, and their food is pricy, too. They do allow you to bring your own picnic lunch which helps to keep on budget, and there are places to sit and eat it. We bought the total experience ticket in addition to the zoo ticket. The Total Experience add-on includes the dinosaur exhibit, Imax movie, and a one way train ride. (Hint: take the train to the back of the zoo, then work your way forward.) The kids all loved the dinosaur exhibit as well as the Imax, so we were glad we paid the extra for it. Allow a full day to try to see everything. And be sure to purchase tickets in advance online, to save money. I mean order as far in advance as you can. We saw the online price for our chosen day, then waited a couple of days before purchasing, only to discover the price keeps going up the closer your purchase is to your date of admission. So be forewarned and buy early!

Do your research. They pro-rate the pricing based on busy/slower days. If you order online you save a few bucks and it tells you if they plan to be busy or not. It was drizzling when we went, but there are several indoor exhibits/activities there. The Dinosauria special exhibit ($6 extra per person) was awesome, except it scared my 5 year old son who loves dinos. I love that this is a "green" park and they show all the initiatives they are taking to help the environment on a large scale. Bring refillable water bottles with you. Theres lots of filler stations and they dont sell bottled water at all. In relation to other parks the food is affordable. The only difference is, its really good quality and a lot of choice for what you are paying. The Arctic Grill was the best food ive had at a park. If you choose to picnic, they allow you to bring in all food and drink. A few things were closed for cleaning/upgrades, but i would expect that at a good facility. Still lots to see.

We visited this venue earlier today and were so extremely disappointed.
The layout was excellent, and the animals certainly have great areas to be in.
However, despite it not being overly hot, there were so very few animals to be viewed.
Coming from NZ, we felt this to be so sad.
Conversely, our visit to the Richmond VA Zoo, despite it being very hot there, had fantastic exhibits, and we were able to get many photos of the animals there.

I purchase a yearly membership because we have the best zoo ever. I don’t know who comes up with the different events that now offer but they are truly spectacular. The zoo boo, holiday lights, the summer programs for the kids, the pet adoptions, you guys are truly innovative and appreciated.

This was my 1st visit to the Detroit Zoo in about 3 years--possibly longer. It was a very pleasant surprise. I read the mixed reviews and wasn't very optimistic. The penguin house is very impressive--beautifully done. The Australian Encounter and Giraffe exhibits were pleasant surprises. The gardens all around the zoo were beautiful. We saw tigers, hippopotami, giant anteaters and an incredible variety of other animals.

We love this zoo! There is so much to see, it’s possible you won’t get to do it all in a day (unless you make it there early and spend the entire day there) my family loves summer Wednesday’s when the zoo is open until 8, it’s not too crowded and not too hot! We like to pack sandwiches in a cooler and find a bench to eat at. There’s a traveling peacock that has made a couple visits to us when we were there, no doubt looking for a crust of bread. The lions enclosure is def a must-see, and the penguins habitat shouldn’t be skipped.

Detroit zoo offers a great variety. There are polar bears and penguins areas which are my sons favorite. You can feed the giraffes as well. There are areas to eat and play. Good way to get out and enjoy the outdoors.

So been a member at the zoo, I will no be renewing when my membership is up. They killed a polar bear, the penguin house is still closed, wear a face diaper outdoors, there are no animals to see, saw otters, camels and that’s it! What an awful zoo, shut it down. Employees have a huge attitude, but it is Detroit so what would u expect. Honestly, I am not sure why this zoo is even open anymore. I remember when I was a kid they had elephants, hippos, bears, lion house, tigers...none of the animals are even there anymore. New tiger exhibit with no tigers.

Do not go, save yourself the money and depressing trip.

The Detroit Zoo is always updating its exhibits and habitats, and it never disappoints. Compared with other zoos, a lot of the attractions are spread out - especially near the front of the zoo. However, once you get past the fountain, things become closer together. It is easily an all day trip.

We live mere minutes from the Zoo so often stop in on random days just to see the newest exhibits and get some exercise. Take advantage of this local gem if you're in the area!

Taking advantage of pandemic by telling members to schedule when to go. Pricing is outrageous. You can’t attend with your nanny and child. It has to be one or the other. I’ll never buy a membership again.

I went here with a few of my best buddies I really liked to how cool the lions looked. Nothing to dislike about this place. The best place I've ever went to.

A spacious zoo with a lot of nice walking paths. It’s hard sometimes to balance the visitor experience with the welfare of animals & some visitors will be disappointed they wasn’t able to see the animal they came to see. Personally as a zoo member it doesn’t bother me, because I know I’ll get another chance to spot the animals on another visit. Over all zoo is well maintained, and habitats are always being improved for the Animals wellbeing.

On an Autumn day Detroit zoo was not busy, but all but one food outlet was closed (and that outlet had closed by the time we got to it – or was never open in the first place!) – we should have been warned about this when we arrived (especially as our tickets contained a discount code of a pizza).

The penguin house was good and loved seeing he polar and the brown bears.

Awesome experience. Will make it an annual event. A must see! Give yourself up to 2 hours and enjoy.

The zoo is good overall. Food service is abysmal. My order took at least 45 minutes for chicken tenders and fries. Much improvement is needed here.

The weather was good the Saturday after Thanksgiving, so we decided to head over to the zoo with our family members who were visiting from out of town. The day was pleasant enough, but a number of exhibits were closed for renovation or the animals have been moved to other facilities. Overall, we saw about 60% of what was available the last time we visited the zoo (pre-pandemic). None of the concession kiosks were open - and every water fountain was covered with a note to "get free water from any concession stand." The experience might be better at another time of the year, but based on this trip I cannot recommend a trip to the Detroit Zoo.

Oh my goodness!! My daughter and I had a fantastic time!! We haven’t been to the zoo in years and we were pleasantly surprised with the exhibits and the grounds are so peaceful and beautiful. We’re going to come back.

We had a great time as always! That’s why we have a membership and enjoy coming by ourselves for with the family
Will definitely renew our membership

I visited the Detroit Zoo with friends and really had an excellent day out. We went on a Friday in April - It was actually very busy with parents and young children.

I really enjoyed both the penguin and polar bear enclosures. The penguins were super and would get up close to look at the visitors. The polar bears were sleeping but the zoo docent was really engaging.

I felt that all staff at the Detroit Zoo really care about the wellbeing of the animals and go out of their way to engage and teach visitors about the importance of coexisting with the natural world. The Zoo was a real hit with the children in our group and was the perfect day out.

The only issue with the visit was the food in the cafe at lunch time. It was early in the season and not all the on-site eating places were open. The cafe was crowded and the tables dirty. Long queues for food - not a good dining experience.

For the price paid for a family of 4 ($98+ parking) it was very disappointing. Half the zoo seemed to be under construction and most of the animals weren’t even out on exhibit despite it being fairly decent weather. I would save your money and drive down to the Toledo Zoo to see more animals and at least get a decent aquarium visit with it.

Saw 3 animals, got ran over by hundreds of people and kids in purple shirts and no concessions open early for coffee or any type of beverages. 60 percent of the park is under construction and the dragon exhibit is very loud with music that you can hear by the tigers and red pandas which I’m guessing the animals don’t like loud noises cuz they were hiding in the back of the exhibit. The zoo is like Disney Land on crack.

Really a nice zoo, great exhibits, plenty of restrooms, would have liked to see more food concesssions we were expecting to eat there and weren't really able..nice place

My 15 year old daughter and I spent the day here. This was my first visit to the Detroit Zoo in 40 years. I must say I was impressed. My daughter and I both had a good time.

The only two cons for the visit were the Arctic Exhibit was being renovated and the road construction to get to the zoo.

Of course as it being an zoo, expect high prices on food and drinks.

I like it a lot the zoo but the best of all is to watch Polar Bear that is not normal in must of the museums in the world. It's a very good place for families to stay the entire day.

As a lifelong Detroiter, I've visited this zoo a number of times, first as a child and then with my own children. But once we discovered the Toledo Zoo, we quit going here since that one is way better. But now we're retired so we decided to give it another try and bought an annual pass since it takes only 2 visits to make it worthwhile.

First visit was unimpressive, but it was the first nice day of spring so we figured things hadn't really gotten going yet.

Second visit on a June Thursday:
- Traffic backup to get into the main entrance at 10:30 am, luckily I found the back entrance.
- Member's only ticket entrance was open which was good. But...signs state that it's not suitable for wheeled things, i.e. strollers, since there's a steep ramp. Seems really stupid since most members are young families. People were ignoring it and entering with strollers anyway.
- Members entrance is super unappealing inside, like entering a restaurant through the back alley. No direction signage, not at all welcoming.
- Bottled water isn't sold, so I brought my own bottle but saw few places to refill it.
- Lots of areas were under construction
- Few animals seemed to be on exhibit

The focus of this zoo seems to be animal conservation and environmentalism, both wonderful goals, but what's the point of having a zoo if so little effort is made to allow the public to actually SEE the animals. Other zoos I've been to are far more effective at combining these missions.

What a great experience! Fall is the best time to visit the Detroit Zoo. They are decorating for Halloween and the grounds are stunning with their flowers still in bloom.

The Polk Conservatory (their penguin house) the best I have ever seen. The zoo has ample parking, easy to get to from the freeway. Food choices are plentiful.

If you are in the Detroit Area....a trip to Royal Oak is a MUST DO.

I absolutely love the scarlet ibis. Im always ready to go to the detriot zoo to see them and the bird avary is beautiful. All of the animals seem well taken care of and happy! You can experience so much with just the admission ticket which makes it extremely affordable and if you're worried about food costs dont be cause outside food is allowed with picnic tables everywhere to sit and snack :) Definitely recommend, ive went twice just this month!

Key to a successful trip, time. Time to stroll and walk, rest and enjoy. Plenty of parking. Visit was during the week. We were lucky enough to have a young man willing to read the map and guide us. Saw just about everything in 4-5 hours. Small break for lunch. Everything done on a very slow pace. Keep in mind that animals do not play as much during hot summer days. Best exhibit - dinosaurs. Extra $ but worth it. Loved our time here. Will mos-def come back. Peace!

Such a disappointment !!! Went based on the reviews and to our surprise hardly any animals. My son wanted to see a bear...none. Most of the exhibits were closed and the ones that were open the animals were no where to be found. It felt super pricey especially when we drove over a hour and could have seen more animals on a farm. The only really good thing was the penguin exhibit on our visit. Be prepared to pay through the nose to eat there. Most of the pathways are black top so it gets really hot and some exhibits are really spread out so at least we got some exercise.

We surprised my dad with a trip to the zoo for Father’s Day. We were able to see a good variety of animals. We were disappointed that some of the animal displays were closed without signage. So we would walk all the way back to something, only for it to be closed. All of the dippin dots stations were closed because it “wasn’t busy enough and was too hot”. We’re going to try to go again in the fall when it’s a little cooler outside and the animals may be more active.

Love this place so much!
Haven’t been in years, but I’ve gone a lot when I was younger!
(NEED UNDERGROUND AND ABOVEGROUND COMMON LOON EXHIBIT!!!)

we enjoyed our visit to the Detroit Zoo. Quite a bit of walking but we knew that. Plenty places to rest. Tiger and red panda exhibit under construction. Penquins and Grizzly bears a delight. Australian interesting walking amongst kangaroos. Guides there very friendly and informative.They had reptilian house as well!

Went to the zoo for the Christmas Wild Lights. We went with our children and grandchildren. This display was very impressive. There were lights everywhere of all colors and shaped into animals. Many of the lights danced to music that played. It was a cold evening so dress appropriately. They are places to go inside and warm up. Also hot cocoa and s’mores you made yourself by a fire pit were available. The price to attend this was very reasonable for a lot of fun. A must visit.

Beautiful day at the zoo. The grounds were beautiful and well kept. The Wild Burger Detroit at the back of the zoo had EXCELLENT angus burgers. Great end of summer adventure! Yes you can enjoy it without kids or grandkids!

We love our park! That’s what hat ai call the Zoo. I go there to walk year round and visit the Butterfly House in the winter. It’s my favorite hot spot to quell those winter blues!

It's gettingbetter but was very outdated before. Staff is usually pleasant except sometimes the ticket ladies up front can be rude.

I’ve been visiting this zoo since I was a child and it never gets old.
The volunteers here are helpful and friendly, the food is tasty, and the animals are magnificent.

Need to put something in the enclosures besides air. Half of the zoo is not even being utilized. A lot of animals they have are nowhere to be seen. The animals you see seem to be tranquilized. Most zoo's of this size and some much smaller have so much more to offer. I was glad to see they have a wolverine that I saw for about 10 seconds. But very disappointed that there was no North American big cats on the grounds. I don't know how to run a zoo but I do know that when you offer an inferior product. And people read enough reviews like this they start to spend their time and money elsewhere.

Clean, well kept user friendly signage. The animals are close enough that you can observe them. The enclosures are nicely updated and the park has different areas to sit and get a much needed break from the sun. It's a fun place to go.

Went to the Detroit zoo 08/01/2019 and was very disappointed. There are many exhibits without any animals. The ground were pretty and walking is a must to get from one exhibit to another.

I still cannot believe that the exhibits were empty of wild life. I asked the person at the Polar Bear exhibit how many they had and he replied two. He came running out of the house telling us that the polar bear was out like it was miracle.

My heart is broken beccause this is not the same Detroit Zoo that it once was. We went into the Butterfly/Hummingbird house and was told there was not hummingbirds. I have more butterfly's and hummingbirds at my home.

Seriously, if you are planning on seeing any animals this is not the place to go.

Very sad

I was a little hesitant of a mid-July day at the zoo, but the way this zoo is designed, it was not a problem. There is plenty of shade, misting stations, plentiful places to stop and rest and cool off and more that adequate number of bathrooms. There are a wide variety of of animals to see and lots of park volunteers eager to help you understand what you are seeing or help you find whatever you are looking for. I highly recommend this to families.

Zooboo 2022 was huge disappointment for the huge amount of money I spent taking my family. Far fewer pumpkin displays, fewer blowups, concession stands understaffed and unbelievable waits for overpriced treats. Understaffed for volunteers handing out chintzy trinkets and treats, except for a small can of pop and Doritos. We have gone for years, but will probably not go again.

I was very disappointed to pay the amount of money that I did to bring my kids to the zoo and there were very few animals out in the exhibits. This was my son's (3) first trip to a zoo and that is all he had talked about for months and he was very disappointed to not see many animals out in most of the exhibits

This zoo is amazing. We visited with a large group of friends and had a great time. It’s a very large zoo so it took a long time to walk with small children. I would definitely recommend a stroller. There is a large variety of animals.

I was excited to take my children to the zoo- the enclosures for the animals made it nearly impossible to see the animals on most occasions. What was the worst of all, is that a majority do the animals were in building and you were not allowed to take your stroller in with you... As a mom, with all of my children’s essentials in my stroller for a long day at the zoo, I don’t want to leave my stroller outside, not being watched by anyone-how terrible that you pay to go see animals, yet you don’t because you don’t want to leave your personal items outside... we needed up spending most of our day at the playground... pretty expensive playground trip to the zoo...

Checked before we left. No notification on website that the polar bear exhibit was closed. A big disappointment as we had hyped it to our friends before we left home.
More of a zoo in arctic cafe than outside. No organization, garbage bins overflowing. Hey Detroit Zoo, go visit the Kennedy Space Center in FL and learn how to handle large numbers of visitors.

Being my first time to the zoo as an adult I was by far taken back, the polar bears, penguins, and kangaroos were just the tip of the awesomeness brought forth by the excellent staff there. Make sure to get your picture taken by the iconic bear fountain!

Do NOT waste your money!! Every exhit is closed except the Gift Shop (because, while you CAN contract COVID in the Penguin exhibit, the Polar Bear Exhibit and the Butterfly/Bird Exhibit, the gift shop is a COVID free area. Spent $80 for my family to tour the zoo and as most of the animals are from Africa, and therefore indoors, spent full price to see a couple deer. STAY HOME AND SAVE YOUR MONEY!!

Or better yet, VISIT THE TOLEDO ZOO where all the exhibits are OPEN!

Excellent. Very cleaned and the people were so nice. I want to go again and watch them and I’m never get so tired to watch . So relaxing.

While the grounds were lovely with all the flowering plants all the animals were hiding. Can’t blame them. The train ride is fun. They have scooters kids wagons and wheelchairs to rent. The butterfly and free flight cage is the best. Lots of walking

I replay love it! But we did not have the opportunity to see the polar bear, I hope to see it soon. Th food is good and no expensive, I really recommend.

Very Clean. Was an amazing day with some awesome attractions! We bought the family pass, as we will be returning many times this warm season.

There is parking available for a fee. You pay the fee along with your admission and they check it when you exit the parking structure. The zoo has a straightforward layout with side walkways around a central loop. The staff is friendly and helpful. They have restaurants and a good gift shop. A great way to spend a few educational hours. If you become a member of the zoo, you can visit for free in the future and get reduced or free admission at dozens of other member zoos around the country.

Year after year the zoo continues to be a fun experience. While we were disappointed at not seeing any bears this visit, we had a good time walking around.

Note: There are several modernization projects, so a few of the areas (like the petting zoo) are currently closed.

I went with my wife and three kids today there were so many good things about our visit to Detroit zoo first the staff were super helpful and professional with us, second there were a big variety of wild animals and they are very close to the visitors! However, one thing I personally didn’t like is the zoo has so many trails, it’s very confusing and hard to locate animals there should be more signs to recognize the beginning, the end and the location of the animals. Other than that the visit was absolutely amazing and very memorable

We included the zoo in our trip around Michigan, we were not disappointed. There were only a couple animals that were not visible, however the gorillas were out and about. The penguins and seals were great entertainment. The prairie dog exhibit allowed the kids to be face to face with the prairie dogs. We really enjoyed our day and did not feel that the zoo or the food was overpriced. We can't wait to bring our grandson to the Detroit Zoo.

Make sure you get to the new penguin exhibit as it is awesome. If you have time take the train to back of the zoo and then make your way to the front. You will find that, that is the best way to do the zoo.

I had not visited this zoo for years, before the new penguin house opened, and I was impressed with it and the zoo in general. Also, I was with a companion who tired easily and needed a wheelchair, and it was easy to rent one. The zoo appeared to be fully accessible, and we had no trouble seeing everything. Parking is easy, and access to the zoo from I-696 is exceptionally simple. We'll be back.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the zoo. There is lots to see and do, and fun for the little ones.

We started our day with the massive penguin conservation center. It was set up like Antarctica We also paid extra to walk through Dinosauria which we found fairly realistic and very informative. Sadly, due to construction on several exhibits we were unable to see some of the animals. It looks like the Red Panda exhibit will be amazing.

Detrot's zoo is a hidden gem. The polar bears pengiuns and feeding giraffes are only a few of the don't miss. There is also the beautiful racham fountain, walking amongst kangaroos and the zoo train.

Cost is extremely high for such poor attractions. So many areas had only 1 animal and many you were unable to see any animals. It's ridiculous for the price of admission what has to be paid to see additional attractions inside the zoo. The distance between attractions requires lots of walking.

Amazing storytelling, captivating, intriguing, good natured individual. Warm and welcoming. Professional yet down to earth. Very informative and knowledgeable. Easygoing and therapeutic to listen to. My husband and I was very impressed and left with a calming sense of clarity and peace of mind. We really learned a lot from David the African Safari Guide. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the drums and will be back to visit soon! The Micos

Not the largest zoo we've been to but it is beautiful and very well kept. It has secured itself as a new favourite. It's very walkable and easy to do with small children.

We arrived a little later than we anticipated so we were there around 4 hours and weren't able to see everything. We like to take our time at the exhibits though- so other families may see the entire zoo in this time frame. Just gives us an excuse to go back another time and see everything we missed!

Our highlights were the penguin exhibit (which is absolutely breathtaking and comparable to Sea World's) and the red panda/kangaroo walk throughs.

One thing we didn't forsee but should have- is the crazy wait times for the restaurant. It was a beautiful day (20 degrees Celsius) and the zoo was bustling but is still considered the off season and there was only one restaurant open. We tried to eat around 1pm but were told it would be well over an hour wait. We ended up coming back at 230 and waited 20 minutes but the zoo has tons of space for picnics and if I had researched a bit more we would have just brought our own lunches to avoid hangry kids. That being said, the food was great. I had the club sandwich which was massive and the kids hot dog meals didn't disappoint either.

We went to the zoo to kill some time but had a great time the crowd was small and had access to the exhibits weather was comfortable and we took in all we wanted.

I would recommend this event, great light show and fun for the whole family. Would suggest that more food be available but otherwise exceptional event

The zoo is beautiful. Ihaven't been here in a while I swear it seemed bigger...but it was great. We signed up for a walk/run and enjoyed the animals while we were there.

OVERALL Good Experience 👍..The Only Issue The Price of the Food Table 28 was Very Disappointing from The food especially for the price They Are Charging..

Sad to see a lot of the amazing animals not out but the ones that was also so amazing. Over all amazing time and my 5 year old was having a great time.

Very nice experience, recommend for families with young kids. Take the train, that is located to the left of the entrance, and go all the way to the back of the zoo and start from there your walk to the front. It will save you time and you wont get exhausted walking.

I had a real good time in the zoo it was clean and very very big and workers there very friendly thank you making my day great

So this park is beautiful and has tons of varieties of animals. Only negatives I see are that Lowry Park Zoo and Toledo Zoo at least offered free days to guests who resided in the same county as them, and the seasonal events were free to guests. But here, we paid extra for Christmas lights, so we it did it during the daytime using our African Safari annual, which saved us 50%. Also, I wish they would clean the glass on the enclosures of animals like the chimps and wolf and such. Kinda hard to get good pics thru super dirty windows. But other than that, it was a great visit. We went yesterday on a mid-December day, and most of the animals were out, minus the polar bears otters aardvarks, anteaters,bush dogs; the wolverine was sleeping outside so hard to get a good pic of his face. I was sad to not be able to see all of them, but understand this Zoo needs to do what's best for its residents first. Gift shops had souvenirs of all types from clothing two stuffed animals 2 fridge magnets $5 to $9. Staff were all very helpful and friendly. Wheelchairs are pretty cheap at $10, an electric ones were between 20 and 25 I can't remember. Strollers were cheaper than manual chairs. We didn't get food as there was only like one food joint total open, and they were out of our budget. This is a ginormous zoo, so get a wheelchair if you can't walk long distances. Plenty of bathrooms, drinking fountains and seating throughout. Very clean park also. And you can park in the lot next to the water tower for free.

I had an extra day in Detroit to spend. I visited the the Zoo and I did not regret it. I spent there 3 hours which is enough to see everything. Nicely maintained complex. The pinguin exhibition and the butterfly house I liked the most. The variatey of the animals could be larger though. Lot of attraction for children.

Overall good experience. A bit pricey to get in, $17 for adults and children over 2. Parking $8. There was a carousel for $2/ride. There was also a small ice skating rink (didn't see a price). The lights were really cool. Theres sort of like a "grand finale" of lights that was cool too. Food and beverages for sale throughout.

Our family of 8 adults visited the Detroit Zoo one Sunday in September. For many of us it was either our first time visiting or we haven’t visited in many years. We all had a great time. Some of our favorite exhibits were the penguins, polar bears, grizzly bears, eagles and the butterfly and bird house. We really liked how most of the exhibits were laid out in a way that you could see the animals up close with hardly any barriers in-between. Many of the animals were napping but that’s to be expected as it was a warm day when we visited. Food and drinks inside the zoo are very expensive so I would suggest eating beforehand or packing your own lunch. This is a fairly large zoo with lots of walking between exhibits so be prepared for that. I’d suggest bringing some binoculars as you can really get an up close look at the animals that way. Buying tickets online vs at the gate will save you $4 and get you inside the zoo a little quicker. Overall, this was a nice zoo and we’ll definitely visit again.

I had a good time we were there for 2 hours and covered most bases. My favorite part was seeing the tigers because one was asleep right next to the glass.

Stopped by the zoo with the grand babies. They had a great time as did we! Plenty of walking so wear your walking shoes! If you are one of the first 50 or so people who ask in the morning hours you can feed the giraffe's for $5.00. That definitely added a bit of fun! The dinosaur exhibit is AWESOME, go check it out. I'd suggest bringing your own cooler or lunch unless you seriously want to drop some bucks on food. We had fun though. Animals were out at a rate of about 65%. I've seen better days for showings in the fall. All in all though, a great place to spend your day!

Thankfully it wasn't very crowded the day we went. The walkways and exhibit areas were clean. Restrooms were clean. A lot of the animals weren't out for some reason. The penguins were one of the favorite animals we saw, but the dinosaurs won the biggest prize! "Dinosauria" was going on with 40 animatronic dinosaur exhibits and that was a major hit with the grandboys. We were all tired by the time we walked around the whole 125 acres of exhibits! We spent about $100 for entry / parking / dinosaur exhibit for 4 adults and 2 kids. Not bad for a full morning of activities.

Loved everything. No comments, planning to come back next year. The animals seem well kept. The penguin area is the BEST, the souvenir shop is lovely.

Wonderful zoo! I remember coming here as a kid, and being so in awe of the amazing exhibits and beautiful animals. With the new-ish wolf enclosure and the new penguin house, this place is awesome!
The zoo has also gone green and no longer uses plastic bottles at its concessions. There are bottle filling stations scattered throughout the park.
Membership is so affordable, too!

Wonderful zoo! We had an amazing experience watching the polar bear swimming from inside the glass tunnel. Loved the flamingos, the Dragon experience too! Thank you for offering a vegan sandwich at Table 28 too! It was delicious.

Totally regretting taking the kids to Detroit zoo boo yesterday. It was a total disappointment. We have been going for years now and was looking forward to walking around seeing as many animals as possible and the kids stopping at all the treat spots to trick or treat and the decor. This year the treat spots were towards the end and there was like only 5 stops. To charge us that much plus parking and to have the kids bored walking around the loop and asking where’s the candy was a rip off. Don’t waste your money. There’s other events out there that the kids would love and they are probably cheaper and better yet free to go to.

The light displays and music is top notch. The colours and designs were unique, and music was very fitting, positive, and nostalgic. This would be a great mood-setting date with a romantic partner. Food venues with seating are open. You do this at your own pace. It was wheelchair friendly. There was a 4D movie ("Rudloph") with snowflakes and bubbles dropping in the audience. The Gift Shop was open. The parking was close by. Very worthwhile. We came from Sarnia, Ontario, to attend this.

We had a wonderful time…. All the animals were out !!! I was a beautiful day full of family fun!!! We enjoyed every bit of our time.

Me an my family loved it. We got to see all the animals today it was nice out our group was 18 people. We will all be back soon .

Summer is hit or miss on seeing the animals. Many exhibits were closed to the public. Others the animals were not in the exhibit. And finally what animals that were present were hidden sleeping in the heat so they could not be seen inside or out in their habitats. I think the zoo needs additional animals and a specific native to Michigan exhibit. Don’t expect too much. But it is an okay zoo.

Beautiful landscaping and good eatery choices; lots of great exhibits as well. The exhibits are quite large, so sometimes you won't see the animals, but this zoo has won awards for its exhibits in the past. You can bring your own food into this zoo which is a great cost-saving option. The polar bear exhibit is great; even if you don't see polar bears, you'll see seals. The penguin exhibit is excellent, too. The butterfly house and aviary are pretty cool, too. Local Buddy's pizza and coney island eateries are delicious, and Table 28 has some great options too. A nice merry-go-round and train for the kids are extra costs. There is also a 4D movie experience for an extra cost. The zoo is huge, so bring comfortable shoes. The reason I have to give 4 stars instead of 5 stars is simply the lack of available information, even for members. We are first-time members this year, and we've been underwhelmed with the communication and available information. Sometimes the parking appears to be free, other times not. Sometimes the member-only entrance is open, other times not. Sometimes certain eateries are open, sometimes not. If they could improve this so the expectations would be clear, things would be much better.

The views were amazing so we took lots of photos. At this time we were able to see the lions and the red pandas in the trees. We’re members so we will be back soon

I grew up in the Detroit area and always enjoyed the zoo. For several years it was a little "sketchy". I went three years ago and was so very impressed. This most recent visit exceeded my expectations. The animals are extremely well cared for. Their habitats are even larger than they were three years ago. The grounds are very well-maintained. I was particularly impressed with the knowledge and friendliness of the docents in each area.
It is particularly fun to go in the winter as the animals are mostly inside and easier to view. I took my grandkids--14 and 6. They loved it as well.
The zoo is not cheap but I would rather pay more and visit a quality zoo.

We brought a great uncle along for the trip and were really optimistic, but the heat and the distance made it hard for him. We flagged down security and Kevin helped us orchestrate a safe ride to the front. He kept our guy in the shade and chatted with us to make everyone feel comfortable. It could have been a rough trip, but the team at Detroit Zoo saved the day.

We absolutely love the zoo. Living so close it makes sense for us to get a membership. With the membership we can make each visit our own and not feel like we are or aren’t getting our monies worth by staying a short or long time. We love the penguins, giraffes, polar bears, and kangaroo exhibit. In the winter we love the Wild Lights. This is definitely one of the best zoos around, and we are so lucky it’s in our backyard.

IT WAS AMAZING LITERALLY AMAZING me and my family had the absolute best time I 100000000% recommend going it was so fun and I loved getting my CUSTOM henna tattoo don’t let the price for you. It’s 10000000% worth it.

It is a big zoo located in the center of city and near by Downtown Detroit. I have been there many times with my family and it will be a new kind every time we visit the zoo. Animal seat Carousel also a highlight for kids and family to enjoy. There is also a nice train ride to cover the zoo which will be a fun filled adventure for Kids and Family. There are lions, Wolves, Eagles, Tigers, Monkeys, Zebras, Giraffes and so many other animals to visit.

Take a time out to get into the park where you can get lost in nature and wonderful sights! beautifully kept up with lots to see and explore for people of all ages!

Went to the zoo hoping to see some animals along with the lights. Most of the zoo was closed off including the tigers and the arctic animals (in winter). My 4 year old was very disappointed to not see the arctic foxes.

We are members to the zoo but there was no discounted rate for being a member or any perks once inside the zoo. Will definitely not do wild lights again. Toledo zoo is much better because all the animals are still available, they have a photo opportunity with Santa, and you enjoy the lights with the price of admission, not an extra $20 per ticket

Attended Wild Lights with my husband. It was not as expected. I thought the entire Zoo was decorated in lights and you could view the animals. I was wrong. The Zoo is open in the morning & afternoon then closes for a bit to reopen for Wild Lights. The route to view lights is the front part of the Zoo in the shape of a U. The only animals you can see are the otters, beavers, & reptile house. Mostly because there is no way to stop people from viewing them & the reptile is a good warming spot. There are small fires along the route to also warm up. There are a lot places to get drink & food. Don't stop at the first place you see cause it gets better. They do sell refill hot cocoa cups. I recommend to plan ahead and purchase tickets online. The earlier you purchase them, the cheaper they are. You do have to pay for parking. I don't understand how they regulate it. The best photo spot is in the lighted ornament. Unless I go with nieces or nephews I may not pay to go again. Kind of a been there, done that.

Having grown up visiting this zoo, I have always found it both enjoyable and educational. My most recent visit exceeded all my expectations. The zoo is well maintained, easily accessible, and a joy to visit. There are a wide variety of animals, all seemingly shown in as close to their natural environment as possible. The grounds are clean with easy pathways to every exhibit. This is truly a great family or solo friendly venue.

Amazing zoo! Multiple volunteers made us feel like we had an insiders experience. My five year old was so excited to hear about the animals.

My grandson had the best time! We spent 4 hours at the zoo today and it was none stop fun from the camels to his absolute favorite the Giraffes. We even rode the carousel twice!

I'm sure this zoo is great for people who know that they prefer no strollers in the exhibits. I completely understand why since strollers take up valuable space and in an emergency I'm sure it would be cumbersome. If I knew this was a rule I would have brought my baby carrier instead of the stroller. Since we are from out of town and I went with my eleven month old daughter alone it made it really complicated. By the end of it her and I were both ready to go and cranky.

Had a visit with my family. It’s a good place and Penguin Conservation Center is the most beautiful I found. Others were okay. Dianasoria is also good thrill for children.
Parking Charges and entrance Fees seems much higher. Also it’s always good to book online in advance, can save bucks.
Prices are variable, depends upon how busy the day is. Just entrance fees are not enough to view all attractions. For Diansoria, 4D theatre, toy Train you need to pay extra than entrance fee. This I feel unsatisfactory.
Peacock lover can enjoy close interactions with peacock, much in number. Food price are very high inside.
Children enjoy, so overall good place.

Skip It. This has got to be the lamest zoo I have ever visited. Half the exhibits did not have animals in them at all. In most of the ones that did, the animals were barely visible. The dino experience was pretty cool, but it did not make up for all the animals we did not get to see. Took the long way around for the rhino experience but there were no signs directing anyone where to go so we ended up walking out the exit and still expecting to see something. Nope. Never got up close. Just some rhino butts in the distance. Didn't see a single polar bear in the polar bear exhibit. Got in line to get on the last train only to be told they were having trouble with the brakes and it would be another 20 minutes. Considering that would not get us back to the front for the last movie, we left, thinking we could walk faster. Of course, then we see the train go by. Top it off, information is very hard to come by. There was nothing to tell us what time what 4D movie was playing, or when the last movie was. All in all, very disappointing. Skip it and go to the Toledo Zoo instead.

The zoo had lots of animals to see and while most of them were out for us to see there were areas under construction, such as the seal exhibit. But I think the best exhibit we saw all day was the penguin exhibit. Everything was very spread out and even with a stroller and a wagon to pull and push the kids around in they were exhausted before we even got half-way through the zoo. There quite a few places to stop and eat throughout the zoo. We stopped at an artic themed café and had great food, there was something there for everyone with a wide variety of options. The zoo was a little pricey but very easy to find coming into town. Overall it was pretty good zoo the only real downfall was everything being spread out.

My family and I don’t have many things to go see in the city we reside in, so it was something different we could do and I always love seeing animals. Most of the animals looked miserably hot most of them were hiding away. There was one hiding in a tiny shade and I couldn’t see any water for it. I’m upset that the last few times I have gone to a zoo the excuse says they may not be active due to them being nocturnal. Most of the animals people want to see are always hiding away or nocturnal. We pay a lot of money just to walk around and maybe see something. The way that our feet hurt sooooo badly makes me want to receive some type of happy medium of a discounted next trip but I don’t know when the next time is that I can drive nearly 5 hours outside of my state to visit this zoo again. Although, I would love to get another chance. I loved the baby chimp and gorilla it was very heartwarming. The staff for them was great. The staff for the butterfly and bird area however, seemed like they hated their jobs. There was one guy smiling and it was bc I interacted with him returning a lost hat. It’s very scam like to charge $500 to feed penguins that already have to eat everyday. My kids and I were devastated we couldn’t have that opportunity as we are already traveling. Our feet HURT SO BADLY walking through this zoo in one trip we couldn’t see the donkeys or the grizzly bears or polar bears bc of closures and bc the donkeys were back tracking so there was no way we could go back. We couldn’t even make it back to our car, my kids dad had to bring it closer. To make this worse, THE STROLLERS YOU CAN RENT ARE IN THE VERY END OF THE ZOO! There is no advertising for renting a stroller either until you get to the end. The amusement attractions were very boring to add that on and pay that much too. I am very glad I decided no to. I wish there was an option to purchase a bag of food to toss and feed the animals (maybe the birds, if anything).

Easy zoo to walk . If not stopping to look
All animals I can get nice 45 min cardio walk in fresh air. Definitely walkable zoo sad the must sees are the polar bear exhibit and new penguin home .

We went today before Zoo Boo. It was perfect. We got to see all of the animals and decorations. Their decorations were much better than in previous years.
The polar bear was out swimming!

i brought my grand kids to this zoo..they was very excitet just to ask "where are all the animals" ?? we saw 3 chimpanzee 3 giraffe 2 zebra 1 anteater 3 sea lion and a few pinguins....a lot of birds..and butterflies....most of the buildings where closed...no bears in any shape or form...no tigers { it was closed also } very sad place...and the price inside the park out the roof a hot dog 6.50....we not coming back to this place i take my grands now to toledo

While I've been to this zoo many times I hadn't been in a year or so and I'd forgotten a lot about it. After going to some other zoos (particularly Columbus) I was shocked at how high quality it was and how I had continually over-looked it.

Simply put, a great zoo with a lot of popular animals (Penguins, Rhinos, Lions, Tigers, Polar Bears, Wolves, Giraffes, Kangaroos, Great Apes, etc), and a good bit of more exotic ones (Giant Anteater, Aardvark, Bush Dog, Tree Kangaroo, Wolverine). Almost all of the exhibits were top notch, some where the best for their respective animals I had ever seen. I did have a few minor 'complaints', but even then they were so minor that they didn't hurt the experience that much.

- The Giraffe Exhibit is simply bizzare. While many other animals get large exhibits, the Giraffes are in a quite small one. That in itself is strange, but the giraffes are right next to an exhibit for zebras that is over twice (if not 3 times) the size! They could quite literally just knock down a single wall and have the two connected, this would improve the conditions for both and the giraffes would have much needed room. It's truly strange to see zebras given a practical palace next to giraffes getting a small apartment.

- The Lion exhibit is a bit small and the viewing glass was notably 'foggy', making it somewhat tricky to see the lions. More space and better viewing would really help here.

- A number of fruit bats have been placed in the sloth exhibit. The sloth exhibit was already small but it worked because sloths are slow moving, relatively inactive animals. The space is simply too small for flying animals like bats and I hope they receive more appropriate housing in the future.

- The beaver has an incredibly murky tank with fogged up, dirty glass. I have never been able to see it when it's in the water here at any point, A better filter or something would really help.

- The two great apes get cycled between two yards. One of these yards is much nicer than the other one. I feel that getting them both to be the same high quality as the nicer one would be helpful.

- The zoo requires a LOT of walking for it's size. The only transport method other than foot is a train that costs money to ride and only goes from the very start of the zoo to the very end in Africa. If you want to get from the middle to any other side, or any other side to the middle, you have to walk a long distance.

Aside from these minor gripes, a fantastic zoo and a great experience!

I visited the Detroit zoo on 7/13/19 and it was terrific. I hadn't been there for several years and had not seen the updated features, including the fantastic Penguinarium, which has been expanded and also contains an exhibit on Ernest Shakleton and other Antarctic explorers' expeditions- I read every bit of it! There is also a simulator experience where you feel you are on an expedition ship in the rough seas of the Antarctic/Patagonia which was exciting. The rest of the zoo's exhibits are top-notch. I'm glad to see the zoo is well-kept and hope to go again soon.

It is has been between 25 and 30 years since I have been to the zoo. Took my grand daughter in September of 2021. I really wanted to experience the Penquin underwater tunnel. It was still closed (my understanding it has been for a couple of years). We visited the remainder of the zoo and I would say not much has changed expect the Polar Bear habitat.

I like to go to the Detroit Zoo to walk around, study, perform research and just generally have a great time. The zoo itself requires a lot of walking. There are two entrances, however, so you can start from the front or the back. When it is running the Zoo Train will carry you around the periphery. The staff is engaged and knowledgeable. During the Spring, Summer and Fall the gardens throughout the Zoo are a joy to behold. The butterfly house is a perennial attraction and the new penguin house is quite nice. Food can be a bit pricy but it is often worth it though we normally bring our own packed lunch.

It's a lot of fun to attend here. The tickets can be pricey but - plan on staying all day and get your money's worth! There are restaurants in the zoo that have very good food. I prefer the American Coney Island over towards the tigers but the larger cafeteria-like restaurant towards the polar bears is also very good but the lines are usually very long.

I hope that in the future they focus more on breeding. Right now they have many rescue animals and that is wonderful but for the most part they don't allow them to breed, or at least, allow it to happen.

There are great winter zoos, there are ok winter zoos and there are bad winter zoos. Great winter zoos have enclosures so you could see every animal all year. Ok winter zoos make warm areas for the animals outside. Bad winter zoos do not do anything. The poor bear, penguin and several other animals. So bad.

Zoos come in price ranges for what they are. $19 for a large zoo with lots of animals is not bad. $15 for medium zoos with many animals. Small zoos come in at around $8 - 10.

Detroit wants large zoo prices with a medium size zoo. Most zoos discount heavily in winter. Not Detroit.

Detroit passed the record on captive food prices $3.25 for a 12 once can of soda.

My suggestion. Go south to Toleto

We had a wedding in the Wildlife interpretive garden. It was dirty. The food was cold. And they failed to put the correct linens on the table. They also allowed people, who were not signers on the contract, to make changes to the venue without notifying the contract owner. You DO NOT want to have a wedding there.

Amazing zoo, lot of different animals, everything was carefully designed so you can enjoy them, activities and rides was great as well

My Daughter and I like to visit different zoos and the Detroit zoo did not disappoint. Upon arrival we were greeted by Robin who was a pleasure to have met. Very friendly and informative. Thank you Robin and Eddie for your assistance with the Giraffe feeding, it was greatly appreciated. Despite it being very hot, mostly all the animals were out and awake. The zoo was a perfect size for any guest, we were able to enjoy within about three hours. If you’re in the area would recommend visiting.

I havent been to a zoo in a while but have been to zoos around the world. I wasnt expecting too much but they had great exhibits. A penguin exhibit where youbcan watch them outside, baby camels, a bridge with a panda above, entering the caged area of kangaroos, and clipped bald eagles. They even have a train. Pricy zoo tickets though but maybe just long time since i bought tickets.

The only real negatives were that the food is extremely overpriced and the price of parking. However, these costs, I suspect, go toward supporting the zoo, so I won't complain too much.

My daughters absolutely loved the zoo. There are a decent number of exhibits,and the bird/butterfly houses are magnificent. The penguin conservatory is a must see as well.

At least that 's what I was told at the gate. So I received a booklet of free passes, used most of them, but when it came to meeting my daughters from out of town, they were denied.
The ticket person then called the supervisor, who disgustingly said, "the only reason you were allowed in before, was you pulled a fast one over on us." WOW.
I told her she was disgusting.
I was a member for 25 yrs until the last 20% mark up on the memberships. I still like going because I have a special needs daughter. We will find other places to go.

All adults headed to the zoo, all animal lovers. We enjoyed that many of the animals had clear indications that they were rescued and could not live in the wild. As well as a few construction areas to increase the size of enclosures.
Overall the venue was clean and had nice gardens throughout.
When we came to park, no one directed us, but eventually we figured out you pretty much park anywhere and then pay at the gait. The dinosaur exhibit was cute, but I wouldn’t spend the extra $6/ person to enter.
The penguin exhibit was really nicely laid out with some newer audio visuals happening as you walk through.
If you see a bathroom and need to go don’t wait, not the best layout and seemed far and few in between.
No one seemed to want to be at any of the food stands. They would be standing around or moving at a snails pace when they had a decent line and no matter what we said or did couldn’t get them to crack a smile. although all of the other staff we encountered were very friendly.

I'm a zoo person. I try to go to zoos wherever I visit and I was visiting Michigan. This zoo is beautiful with paved pathways, interesting exhibits, nice enclosures, and it is very reasonably priced. I went on a gorgeous day in April and there were so many people at the zoo, but there was plenty of room for all. There are picnic areas and plenty of rest rooms. I highly recommend this attraction.

I recently visited the Detroit Zoo for a corporate family outing. We were able to explore the zoo with our families for the day and then have a great catered lunch with our co-workers. The zoo is always a treat. The penguin exhibit is awesome! What a great day with family!

I am not a zoo person for no other reason than it's usually not my thing. But I LOVE the Detroit Zoo. There is so much to do, beautiful gardens, plenty of picnic spots, and unobstructed views of the animals. The exhibits are well thought out. There are also bottle filling stations throughout the park.

👍👍👍👍💝beautiful place to spend with family. I come from Orlando Florida and we celebrated my dad's birthday in that very nice place, apart from the animals are in excellent condition and healthy. Thank you very much for all the attention God bless you!!!

I love the animals, but they told me I couldn’t pet the kangaroo, which made me sad. The reptile room was definitely my favorite part though!

We went to the Zoo Brew event. We had a wonderful time and would definitely do again. It had been a long time since I had been to a zoo.

It was a great visit I seen exactly what I went to see I would most definitely go again wish I could get an exclusive visit or tour and get closer to the gorillas and chimps

The admission was kind of costly, and was just for general admission, however had an absolute blast with our 3 kids. A must see for anyone new to the state or the area.

We are members and we love when the zoo has late hours. We were both able to get off work and walk the zoo for a couple of hours

We absolutely love this zoo. We get a membership every year, and in the summer we’re at the zoo at least once a week. My daughter is old enough to understand that she probably won’t see EVERY animal while we’re there. We are always very satisfied with what we do see.
We also love the attractions. The 4D movies, art displays, dinosaurs, carousel and train are part of what keep us coming back. Activities like face-painting and drawings of the family are expensive, but fun to do every so often on pay day!

We recently visited the zoo for 3 hrs or so. The zoo had a nice layout, about a 2 to 3 mile walk. We arrived at 10a, most of the animals were inactive/sleeping . Staff told us that the animals were most active in the early morning or at dusk. Park hours are 9 to 5. We were surprised that a few was charged for the train.

Nice small zoo and pretty landscaping. Easy to do in a half a day. Very disappointing food venues. Beverage center was out of everything but Mountain Due, yuck! I wanted Lemonade! Table 28 was disgusting and filthy. Workers milling about but not doing anything. A broom and a wet cloth would have went a long way cleaning up the place. The walk up food venue wasn't much better. Eat before you go and bring your own beverage.

Especially, I had a hard time keeping up with the signage of where to go for certain things. The phone app is kind of awkward to use.It was definitely difficult to navigate. It was also frustrating
Finding some of the animals.

LOVED the penguin house—the best one we’ve ever seen. Magic!

Very spacious—so nice to see that the animals have plenty of space to roam.

When we first arrived the ticket agent strongly suggested we take the train to the back of the park and start there to see more animals on display. What a joke that was. Most of the animals were either inside or hiding because they had already been fed for the morning shortly after the park opened and were sleeping; others were simply off display for one reason or another. We later heard that because of the massive amounts of people coming in that they try to lesson the crowds at the front by suggesting they start at the back, regardless of animal showings.

For the most part I would say only about half the animals in the entire park were able to be seen by visitors on the Saturday we went. The best part of the zoo was the reptile house? It sure was disappointing compared to when we visited about ten years ago. The one thing I will say though is that it was clean. Overpriced for what it was the day we went! Plus you have to pay for parking.

Surprisingly with such hot weather, most the animals were out! Save for a few. Was a lovely day, lovely walk. Food is pricey, but whatever.

Maybe during different times of the year, it's good to come here but personally, I did not enjoy it. The Polar Bear exhibit, there were none people were wandering aimlessly around, trying to figure out where we were supposed to go, and the only thing we saw was some kind of Arctic fox, that look like it was having heat stroke. A lot of the animals that were supposed to be out, weren't, like the Lions, the Tigers, the Bears. I just feel like they make a big deal, out of the attractions that come and go but what I really wanted to see was the animals. So personally, I would not go here, unless you call to make sure what animals are actually out, and what things are actually going on. I will say by far the best exhibit, was the Penguins I was extremely impressed with the penguin exhibit.

We took our boys, expecting to see lions and tigers etc. Well,there was a lion exhibit with no lions,a tiger exhibit,with no tigers,then after walking a long path to see polar bears,guess what.. another empty exhibit!! But they still charged full price! For what? Basically just a walk in the park! SO sad! NEVER again!!

I love the Detroit Zoo and visiting the Polk Penguins Conservation Center. The penguins are right there behind the glass. Young children love to stand at the glass eye to eye with the penguins. Excellent healthy food options plus a new coffee bar at the front of the zoo. Friendly staff and volunteers to help point the way to wherever you want to go.

To celebrate our engagement that morning, my fiance and I pre purchased tickets for Wild Zoo for 8 o'clock. We were five minutes away from the zoo sitting on the highway offramp waiting to turn into the zoo in a dead stopped line of traffic for TWO HOURS. By the time we got to the front of the line into the entrance it was 9:30pm, there was no one to call to see if our tickets were still valid or if they would still let us in since they closed at 10pm, so we decided it wasn't worth the effort to then wait in the line to park with less than 30 minutes left and no idea if we would be allowed to even enter past our ticket time. We left after sitting in stopped traffic for over two hours. What a disappointing way to celebrate our engagement. When I called to ask for a refund for the unused tickets the managers were unbelievably rude and denied the request. I would absolutely not recommend Wild Zoo unless you enjoy sitting in a stopped line of cars for 2+ hours at the entrance first.

This was a great trip. Love the zoo. Park was full of experiences plus zoo was very active. Can’t wait to go again. I’d give this park a 10

Had a great day at the zoo. Perfect weather for the humans and the animals, lots of active animals this morning. Greatly appreciate the precautions being taken.

My kids love this zoo. We have an annual pass. A little disappointed that they just raised the annual rate significantly from the previous year. We already pay a special property tax for the zoo. But back to the zoo. Penguins are always fun and outside on hot days there's a little splash pad for the kids to cool off. They have a Wolverine and if you go early and on a cooler day you can see it active running around. Also over the summer the have Dinosauria and it's only $6 additional per person and that's a fun thing to do also.

Lived in the are for 30 plus years. This is the best it’s ever been and it’s still dismal compared to the dozens of other zoos I’ve been to across the country. It’s depressing and incredibly underwhelming. The animals look ill cared for and the layout is overly confusing. Signs point one way to enter the polar exhibit. 30 feet later, a sign pointing in the exact opposite direction for the polar exhibit. Stationary signs. This summarizes the entire experience for me. If you can’t point signs in the correct direction, you are too incompetent to take care of animals.

Just an amazing time at the Detroit Zoo with an out of town friend on my off day from work. Definitely coming back to the zoo this summer.

Spent a Friday afternoon here with a friend. Upon arrival, I asked the lady at the entrance gate if they honor memberships from other zoo, which she said they did. However, since my name is the only one printed on my membership card, she would only give the discount to me, and not my party which I have never had a problem with when visiting other zoos). I got in for half price, but my friend did not. The zoo itself is very nice, and all the employees we encounter while there were very nice. I was a little disappointed that some of the animals were not on display like the polar bears, but there were plenty of other animals to see. They have several nice habitats, but I was really impressed with their Arctic Ring of Life area, and the Polk Penguin Conservation Center. Make sure not to miss the kangaroos in the Australian Outback Adventure. There are no fences between you and the kangaroos. They have free rein of the area. The train was still running for the season, and was a nice break from all the walking. It runs on the outer part of the zoo, along 2 sides. There are two stations. One way tickets are $3/person or you can ride with the engineer for $10/person. We spent about 4 hours here and saw most of the zoo, and would estimate that we saw about 90% of the zoo. It was worth the trip.

Great Zoo, animals seem very well cared for. My only complaint is that I could not readily find water stations to refill my bottle. They were few are far between and one was out of service

It was fun getting out to see the Detroit zoo and we followed a recommendation to ride the train to the back of the zoo. Walking from the back, there were several loops and trying to follow the map or exhibit signs wasn't easy. The animals we saw performed well for a hot August day

Lots of great exhibits. Penguinarium is really fantastic, as is polar bear habitat. Also live the grizzlies.

We could not have had a better day! The kids saw a baby polar bear with its mother and a dancing monkey. Many of the eating options and the extras like face painting etc, were not open.

We had some friends with a small child visit from out of town and we decided to take them to Detroit Zoo. We checked the website before we left and it said it was a slow day but when we got there after driving 2 hours it was so packed we almost didn't get a parking spot. Inside the zoo I was pretty disappointed with how dirty everything was, the women's bathroom was one of the grossest public bathrooms I've ever been in, and just in general there was a lot of trash on the ground. The enclosures are large and open, but it was a hot day so we only saw about half the animals. Positives: the food is good, the landscaping is beautiful, the exhibits are large with lots of viewing areas, the interactive exhibits inside the buildings were great for kids, and its relatively cheap compared to other zoos of that size.

I went by myself. The animals were out and active, it was a really great experience. I got to see the baby gorilla, the polar bears was sitting right above me, over all it was so much fun!

I visited all the areas, clean and spacious for the animals. They do lots of activities to sensitize people
Lots of workers friendly and happy to explain info about animals' lives

Went on a holiday and it wasn't that busy at all. Got to do all the attractions and the kids has so much fun. A little pricy but still a good place to go.

This zoo is the best I love the animals they are so cute and funny the food is good I like their ice cream it is also not that far from where I live I understand they had to shut down most of it because of Covid but understand that was only to keep people safe it’s still a great zoo that I think people should see at least one time in their life

Not to happy.....lights were pretty and all....but.....drove over an hour, paid $8.00 for parking, tickets were $16.00 (online) was done with seeing the park lights in an hour. If you wanted a hot chocolate, it was almost $7.00 with a $2.00 refill. Very expensive outing for a family of 6. Not a lot of bang for the buck.

Just spent the day at the zoo with 2 of our grandchildren 6 and 4 year old boys..they enjoyed the animals and the $3. Train ride..found it to be a great value....the staff were friendly superb and helpful...it is not a huge zoo but more than enough for a days visit..everything was clean and tidy...
Ate at the Artic Cafe and had pizza..it was very good and large enough..
The boys enjoyed their $2 ride on the carousel
Plenty of free water stations...
Will go when 3rd grandson gets a little older

We took about 3 hours to explore this zoo, but you could certainly spend more time there, especially with children....it's a wonderful place to walk around and see the numerous and varied exhibits and animals. We were very impressed with the number of volunteers there to help answer any questions. We were also impressed with the shade and picnic areas to rest and eat. It appeared like outside food could be brought in for the little ones. A great little spot to check out.

It generally a good place
And we had a good time at the zoo
But we tried to find a coffee shop and we couldn’t find it.(we searched for the corner coffee shop on the app, but there was no actual store there.)

As you probably know, detroit zoo is very huge. We walked to corner coffee shop to get dessert, but we couldn’t. We ended up having to walk a lot more.

Maybe if you guys update the App more often people would not get confused at the zoo (Especially when it comes to dining places!)

First time at this zoo so wasn’t sure what to expect. A LOT of houses closed. Sounds like the penguin exhibit has been closed forever. Other than the nice lady outside the reptile house (which was great) the staff wasn’t pleasant at all. They seemed to care more about u having your mask on than anything else. Polar bear exhibit has potential but half of it was closed. Grizzlies were out which was awesome. We try to give each zoo a chance before we read the reviews but this is one I wish I had. Way too much money for what u get. We will give Toledo a shot as others have mentioned bc we won’t be back to this one.

My family loves getting our Vitamin Z from the Detroit Zoo. There are so many wonderful animals to see here, so much to learn, and a lot of walking! We like to come when there's a bit of overcast; I've found that animals are out and about more often when the sun isn't blaring on them and it's extremely hot. They tend to hide in the shade when it's a sunny, hot day.

We upgraded to a family membership last year and will continue to renew. I've found it more beneficial this way as we usually visit in groups and save a lot of money as members vs buying tickets and paying for parking each time. Membership has other perks, like advanced ticket purchases to events, discounts on merchandise at the gift shops, free member-cup refills, etc. It's worth it mainly for how often we visit and for supporting the zoo.

One of the main reasons I love it here is because of how clean and beautiful it is. There are different flowers and trees on the grounds that are just breathtaking. The peacocks walking around are also nice to see. The animal enclosures are well-maintained and don't smell as bad as you'd expect. There are several zoos I've visited across the country with small enclosures and cages that made me feel so bad for the animals. That's not the case here. The animals have so much space to move around freely. The new Penguin Conservation Center is beautiful; currently my daughter's favorite part of the zoo. We also love seeing the polar bears, camels, tigers, lions, and gorillas. There are different types of entertainment available too, such as a 4D theatre, a simulator ride, a train, a carousel, and play-scapes throughout for kids.

There are various carts and activities that line the trails if you want a snack while you walk or a keepsake to take home. We've enjoyed Dippin' Dots and gotten pretzels from the carts. They also have an American Coney Island, Safari Grill, or the Arctic Cafe (with Starbucks inside) to grab a bite to eat. As for the activities, they have finger/hand paintings and caricature drawings. We made a hand painting the first time I took my daughter there and it's hanging in her room. Overall, we love coming here. If you haven't been, its definitely worth a visit!

I had not been to the zoo in over 40 years, I took my son, daughter in law and granddaughter. I was so surprised, the visit was wonderful. Parking was easy, we paid 8 dollars for the garage. We bought our tickets at the kiosk and when we got to the both the tickets were not right. This was corrected and as it took some time we were gifted with free drink wrist bands and train tickets. My granddaughter (3) loved the penguins and had to visit them twice. Everything was clean, the restrooms were clean and all working, the zoo employees were all professional and friendly. Biggest surprise was lunch in the cafe, 27.00 for 4 people and it was attractive, fresh and tasty.

All staff were professional. The zoo was clean and a great place to go for fun no matter what your age.

The penguin exhibit is exceptional and made our whole experience amazing. The giraffes are not to be missed. Even though it was hot and many animals were not able to be seen it’s still worth it.

What waste of money and time. Got a 9am reservation and workers will cleaning the animal viewing areas when we were there, barely any animals out. One would think the cleaning would be done prior to opening but guess not. The mask policy is super ridiculous. We got yelled at a lot by workers and even in the open areas where you don’t have to wear one, and guess what, YOU ARE OUTSIDE. And there really wasn’t anyone around us or there. Obscene. No food venues, bathrooms were not clean, zoo looks old, penguin house has been closed forever. The entrance to get in the zoo is hilarious, you have to walk thru a line maze to get in (should’ve left then). The signs are every where to put on your mask wash your hands blah blah blah. Felt like it was the CCP while there. Too controlled. Been to other zoos and greenfield village and they do it much better and you don’t get harassed. I say close up the Zoo til you treat your patrons better and get a better game plan. Again no animal, saw giraffes, one female lion, snow monkeys and that’s about it. Don’t go, it’s expensive and a waste of coin. And we left after an hour. Was appalled by the mask thing and the signage every where. Loosen up a little, people can actually be pretty smart.

We traveled from KY to check the area out. I was so disappointed with our visit to the zoo. We saw maybe like 10 animals. Everything else was either close or the exhibits had no animals in them. We won't be going back anytime soon.

So much has improved since the days of my youth. I took my daughter and her friend to the zoo yesterday, thinking it would be more run-down than it was in the early 90's when I last went. Not at all! The Detroit Zoo Society has breathed life and freshness into a truly historical venue! I can't say enough about how clean and well-cared for this local gem is now, and how so many exhibits have changed.... In a good way. Enjoyed the non-resident peacock visits the most - with their courtship dances - right on our walking path. Loved the senior citizen guides, present to help answer questions and engage children throughout the park. So personable, so fun. What a Win-Win!

Went to the zoo based on positive reviews - what a disappointment! We have visited zoos from the very smallest local park zoos to the world famous San Diego Zoo and Detroit’s is one of the worst. The docents were rude to customers, many animals were not on display, signage is horrible, and on a very hot summer day, none of the vending machines were stocked with water. We were concerned for the animals as both occupied and unoccupied enclosures were severely unkempt. Had to laugh at a groundhog walking around the huge bison exhibit all alone. He was one of the very few outdoor creatures we saw! Paid a lot for a family of 5 to basically walk the paved pathways of an unweeded nature trail. Sad.

The zoo is great for locals. We love to take the grandsons for the zoo and a picnic on weekends. We all love it!