Potter Park Zoo Reviews

I was excited to go see this place but left feeling very underwhelmed. The facilities for humans seem just fine here. Bathrooms and public areas are clean and well kept. They have your typical concession stand food. It's not cheap but not outrageous either. My biggest issue was with some of the animal habitats that need work. Most of the habitats seem way too small for the animals they house. I observed one of the tigers pacing methodically which isn't a good thing. The camel they used for camel rides seemed a bit mangy. There was a pony at the pony ride area that was very thin. Some animals looked great but others looked very unhealthy. I'm not a PETA spokesperson. I just grew up in the country with an understanding that animals are animals, but still deserve to be treated well. There are some good things here, but there's also a lot of work that could be done to make the animal habitats better.

My wife and I took our four boys (ages 12, 10, 8, 6) to Potter Park Zoo today. The Zoo has a great selection of animals: lions, tigers, camels, monkeys, an impressive variety of birds, a rhino, etc. (No, they don't have bears, elephants, or giraffes; but for all they do have, it's a great zoo.) What we like about it so much is that there are plenty of chances to see the animals up close. The tigers and lions are very visible outside, but they often bring them inside, and then there is nothing between us but thick plexiglass. You can literally be inches away from a lion's face! They have a small canteen, but we recommend bringing your own lunches or snacks and sitting at one of the many picnic tables. (We don't recommend the train ride, which is actually just electric powered and on a sidewalk than a real train. It costs $3 per person and goes only three times around the "track." Entrance fee is $10 for adults and $2 for kids under 13. (We have a membership at the Saginaw Children's Zoo, so we got in today for free. But it did cost $5 to park.) The Potter Park Zoo is big enough to have a fine selection of animals and small enough to see everything in three hours or so. We all had a great time today. (Oh, check out the river otters on your way in and out. They re so cute!)

I took my teenage niece to the zoo for the day and had a great time. We went when it wasn't to busy so we didn't have to deal with the crowds. It was very clean, and well taken care of. There are plenty of animals to see and it would be a great place to take smaller kids to see the animals up close. It isn't very large so there is not a whole lot of walking and you can take your time looking around. A great experience.

My family and I go at least once a year. It is a really nice zoo that can be enjoyed in about 4 hours. If you go in the winter the animals interact more with you since they don't see nearly as many visitors.

My wife and I used to visit her when we were dating 50 years ago and always enjoy going back. It has changed and improved over the years however the stroll through it has not changed. Very enjoyable walk with the opportunity to see some well keep and maintained animals in habit that they can live well in. This is a great place to make a positive memory for life so don't miss out!!

5 adults visited the Potter Park Zoo on 12/26/15. We were heading out to dinner and decided to check out the Wonderland of Lights at the Zoo before we traveling to downtown Lansing. The idea of Christmas lights at the zoo is great, but the execution was lacking. There needs to be more spectacular concentrations of lights. Maybe 6 big displays then just lights on the path to take you from display to display. The smores station was a nice touch. We did get hot chocolate, but it would be nice to have it closer to the entrance. We saw very few animals. The reptile/bird house was open and most creatures were active. The feline/primate house was also open. The lions were deep in sleep. The snow leopard was outside, but it is so dark outside the enclose that we could not see it. The primates were active. We could barely see the eagles because there was little light. The penguins were out of the water, but it was completely dark there too. Is there a reason why the outside animals can't be under lights? There was a Santa Clause "station" in the gift shop, but Santa was already back to the North Pole getting ready for 2016. We suggest the coordinators take a look at the New Orleans City Park Celebration in the Oaks for inspiration. As is, the Wonderland of Lights is not worth the cost of admission. If it is re-designed, we'll be back.

It was a slightly chilly and wet day that we chose to go on, but lots of animals were out! This isn't the biggest zoo I've been in, but it's not the smallest either. It's a great medium sized zoo that'll be an all day activity. There are lots of animals of all kinds here and lots of hands-on activities for the kids, including a play area. There are several places to have a picnic too, if you plan on an all-day excursion. The gift shop was well stocked and decently priced. And if you're a person that collects pressed pennies, there are a few machines here to add to your collection.

Great little zoo. Beautiful grounds. A little challenging terrain, especially towards the elk. Nice place to spend an afternoon or a day, if you're like me. Would definitely be a member if I lived in the area.

Staff was very engaging, helpful and personable.

A nice variety and some unique species. Well done habitats though some areas need updated but it's obviously evolving with new enclosures/habitats in progress. Intimate space with close proximity to many of the inhabitants.

Only negative was that just about every school district in the area had their zoo day the day I was there. In fact, I heard several people comment in line that they had never seen so many people there. Good part was, they were pretty well cleared out by noon and it became a quiet, peaceful afternoon.

One of the outstanding small zoos in the US----clean and well maintained----don't miss seeing it. US Zoological Society Certified.

It was a short trip to the zoo but filled with lots of animals to see. We had a 10, 14 and 18 year old with us and everyone had a great time.

Nice zoo, not too big so it's manageable in a couple of hours (but there is the potential to spend longer) and with a good selection of animals, all looking well looked after. We got there just after opening time and it was not too crowded, making it a very pleasant experience as we have a toddler and we could let her walk around. For each specie, there are useful notes and information which were really interesting. Car park is big and there is a playground outside the zoo as well as lots of space for picnics. All in all a great place for some nice family time.

The Potter Zoo is a hidden gem in central Michigan. The setting is beautiful with winding paths. The animals are well tended and seem happy. Their habitats are clean. They are also natural looking without the artificial feel. The children enjoyed the day wondering and learning about the animals. If you have kids or have some time on your next trip to central Michigan. I would highly recommend the Potter Zoo!

Great variety of animals kept in humane enclosures. Lots of good signage. Great place to explore for anyone of any age year around.

I love the Potter Park Zoo. I think it is a must visit for the Lansing area. everyone are so nice and a great little gift shop. It should only take a couple of hours to see everything.

it a very small zoo, but fun for the little ones! they have a area were kids can get really close to some animals end feed them. the camel ride is fun, my daughter loves to go there!

We love Potter Park. It's inexpensive and you get walk through all of it in about 90 minutes. The river otters are definitely the stars of the show, but the red pandas are fantastic, and I don't know if there is another zoo where you can get that close to bald eagles!

We went with my Mom and Dad in law, had a nice time. Nice smaller zoo for people like me that can't do a lot of walking. Plenty of shaded places to sit.

I've driven by this zoo several time, but it was only when my wife suggested we go did I actually try it out - and I'm glad we did. This was a really neat little zoo. It pales next to the Detroit zoo, but for the Capitol region, it was really nice. I would go again!

first time going to potter park zoo in lansing. it is really easy to get to off the highway. plenty of shade. and you can also have family picnics there with out going in the zoo also. bathrooms was clean and the water fountians was ice cold. all the animals was out and active. the price at the time was.

$ 5 to park $10 an adult and kids 3-16 is $2 under 3 is free. for all non residents of Ingham County.

When we go to Potter Park Zoo we always have a good time. It's not a big zoo but you can fill up an afternoon looking at the animals.

A nice small zoo to visit, not as big as Toledo Zoo or Detroit Zoo but has different animals to view which is why we love visiting here. It's great that it doesn't get as packed as the others so we can take our time walking around and not have to worry about being elbow to elbow with people. We came back again so that we could see 'Little Girl' the snow leopard. She was fast asleep in a curve in the rocks. The red pandas were very active during the time we were there climbing around their enclosure. Got to see the penguins being fed. The only negative part was the primate enclosure, the building was extremely warm and humid and stunk really bad. It had to even been to humid for the animals. Probably would be good to have the air going a little higher or fix the air because it was hard to stand in there for even a few minutes.

I love our small(er) zoo. It is nice to walk around. They have done so much work to make the animals lives better and make their environments better. There are a nice variety of animals. You can also walk the riverwalk boardwalk.

Grandson loves going to the zoo and visiting the otters. Always a nice time. Though the food could be better.

This is a cute little zoo that is well maintained. Although the collections isn't large, most of the animals have been rescued and there is lot of emphasis on conservation. The signage was very educational and all the staff we encountered were friendly and knowledgeable.

Potter Park Zoo has been a favorite destination for over 50 years, loved it as a child, loved it as a parent and now as a grandparent. Halloween is always fun seeing all the children and grown ups having fun. Zoo lights is so festive and always have activities going along with it. Summer is a great time to visit and then have a picnic while the little ones play.

My boys loved this place, it had many animals for them to enjoy but was not too big that they complained of walking too much.

For a County Park, this
zoo is amazing! With penguins, rhinos, moose, lions, and tigers! Lots and lots to see and do. I have seen big city zoos that offer less. The baby otters were Awesome!

Great day trip if you're in the area! Reasonably priced with enough left over for the great gift shop! Everyone in our family enjoyed Potter Park. We will be back soon!

Potter's park zoo may be small compared to big city zoos but it is inexpensive and easy to do in an afternoon. Great for small children who get tired easily.

This is my Go To zoo. It's reasonably priced and has lots of exciting animals. The staff and keepers are friendly and informative. The enclosures are small unfortunately but the animals look healthy and well cared for. It does offer a great view up close and personal with the animals.

Nice size zoo to spend an afternoon with the kids. The penguin exhibit was a nice new addition and the bird cage was a ton of fun as well.

We went to see the Christmas Lights and weren't disappointed, it was a good night no snow (or rain) and not too cold. We really enjoyed the walk and even got to see a few animals. Was disappointed that they didn't have a senior rate for this just a standard rate of $7 for adults. Talked about coming back next summer but when I did my research, not only do the charge $5 to park they almost double the admission price for adults who don't live in "Their" county ($11 for seniors). Seems to me that this would chase people away and make this place seem more like a private zoo. Won't be paying their prices.

This zoo needs an upgrade. There is some variety of animals at this zoo including lions and several types of tigers. There is not a lot of room for most of them, however. They have some special days throughout the year where there is discount admission or special events particularly during zoo days in July. I would recommend going on one of these days to make it worth the trip. There has been some expansion in the last few years but they need more to bring it up to the level of a zoo for a capitol city.

We took our two kids age 6-7 here on a weekday, and everyone loved it. We drove from Ann Arbor, a good 2-hour visit ... clean, not crowded, very well kept place, and a broad selection of animals for a small zoo. We liked it as much as the Toledo or Detroit zoos and it was cheaper, easier to walk around, and much less crowded. If you like those zoos, try this one! ... I got better views of the tiger walking around, the otters, moose, bats, and many others than the bigger zoos. And feeding the parakeets was a highlight, they landed right on the seed sticks and didn't want to come off. Food shack prices very fair and economical.

We recently moved to the area and immediately got a deluxe family membership to Potter Park Zoo. Side note, deluxe membership includes parking!!!!!! The zoo has been steadily improving over the years and is truly looking beautiful. The animals seem healthy and happy! Staff does an amazing job with both the animals, and the visitors! They have a lot of events throughout the year for visiting families too! If in the area, stop by, you will not be disappointed!

I have watched Potter Park Zoo grow and transform over the last 40 years. What was once a semi neglected collection of more common species, many past their prime, has become one of the best small zoos I have visited. While it cannot hope to compete with larger, more well known zoos such as Columbus, Detroit or the Bronx Zoo, it has a compact size and visitor friendly layout that allow one to see everything without having to spend the entire day. As a bonus, it is located in a county park with picnic and play areas, and is connected to Lansing"s ever growing river trail network.

there are new animals and habits for the animals at Potter Park Zoo and they have a moose display and tigers and lions and rinos

We recently attended Potter Parks Sundown Safari event and were extremely pleased with everything the zoo and the event had to offer! We arrived a half hour after close and were met by zoo staff on golf carts who shuttled us and our camping gear into the zoo's picnic area/campground. After setting up our little camp we divided into groups and met our docent for a guided tour of the zoo. Most of their animals aren't nocturnal, so were sleeping or "put away", but the docents kept it lively and entertaining nonetheless. S'mores greeted us at the campground firepit after our tour, and they were followed by popcorn and a movie under the stars! Sleep, alas, was hard to come by. The resident wolves, in conjunction with the peacocks and eagles seemed to delight in alternating with the sounds of traffic and trains to keep even me awake through most of the night. My best sleep came between 5:30 and 7:30 when everything finally took a flippin' break.
Morning brought a quick continental breakfast of cereal or granola bars, juice and coffee followed by breaking camp and packing before meeting everyone at the firepit once again for the Penguin feeding presentation. The keeper explained the process in great detail and the penguins put on a great show. Afterwards, we had the rest of the day to enjoy the zoo at our leisure. Every zoo employee and volunteer we came into contact with was smiling, upbeat, courteous and professional. The facilities were impeccably clean, and the animals and habitats were exceptional. Potter Park is really a big zoo in a small package, and this program is well worth the price of admission. We will definitely participate again. Thanks Potter Park!

We decided to attend Boo at the Zoo. It was fun walking around in early dusk, hearing and seeing the animals in a different light. We enjoyed seeing the Halloween decorations and some of the children dressed up in costumes. Great fun

It's not a large zoo, but it is nice for its size and the admission fee is comparable. It's a nice experience.

My 4 year old loves Potter Park Zoo. We buy the deluxe membership annually so we can always bring a friend with us for free. It's not a very big zoo so we usually spend 1.5-2 hours to go through everything each time, but that is perfect for entertaining a 4 year old. It's not on the same level as some of the bigger zoo's (Binder Park) so I wouldn't seek it out as a destination zoo, but for being 10 minutes from home - we're more than happy with it. My son's favorites are the Rhino, Lions, Tiger, Snow Leopard (he loves trying to find him hiding in his enclosure), and the terrific Otter environment with the glass wall to see them play in the water. I always like the Bald Eagles, as I haven't been to another zoo where you can get as close to them from all sides.

The Potter Park Zoo is a great place to go to spend a few hours. Admission is reasonable for the wide selection of animals at the zoo. There are birds, tigers, lions, lemurs, kangaroos, and much more. The camel ride while extra was a highlight of our visit.

We have family in Grand Rapids, so we like to meet in the middle at this zoo. The price is average, and I like that we can see the whole zoo easily in one trip. The walkway is set up nice, and I really enjoy the atrium, but some of the animal exhibits, like my favorite, the snow leopard, are very small. The zoo could use some updating as well. Overall it is a fun trip for the family though.

Nice small zoo. Recommend 1 1/2 hours without kids. Nice exhibits, clean park. They had misters going to help keep visitors cool since it's July.

We had the best time. Relaxed atmosphere and super friendly staff. So much to see and enjoy for all ages. The exhibits were terrific- such a wide variety and nice viewing. We even signed up for the overnight tenting and nocturnal guided tour event. Very well organized (also reasonable) and an unforgettable family adventure together. Kudos to all involved!

My family has been going to this zoo for years. It is the perfect size for a couple our trip. The walk isn't strenuous and just right for families. Our last visit was for Red Panda Day (my daughter's favorite) and to our delight the Panda's were quite active that day! I am sure we will continue to go for years to come.

We love our visits to Potter Park! We always pack a picnic lunch to enjoy before entering the zoo. There is plenty to see and the big animals are fabulous!

the park is just the right size for the little ones. The animals aren't too spread out and the little ones don't lose interest and can walk without getting tired.

I took some out of town guests to the zoo. Three children, ages 8 to 13. The zoo exhibits were well done, although it didn't seem like the animals had a lot of space to move around in, in some cases. Many were inside, probably due to the rainy, cold, wet weather. Despite all of that, my guests loved seeing the animals and we were all happy for the indoor exhibits that helped us get warm periodically. Best of all, the staff was friendly and we all learned some things about the animals we saw.

This is a smaller zoo. Very neatly kept. Animals appear comfortable and content. It has paved walkways, easy to navigate. Nice wide restrooms, clean and stocked. We have taken our parents here several times, they really enjoy themselves. Lots of mature trees, so shady. Many benches, water available, staff just so friendly.

great place to visit. lots of animals to see and well worth every penny. petting zoo is awesome and a must for small children. camel ride is very cool.

I've been to most of the big zoos in Michigan and i feel safe in saying that this is the second best i have been too. The animals are really cool and it is a stereotypical zoo with tons of flowers and cool animals. Animals such as Lions,Rhinos, Red pandas,and lemurs.

This is a fun destination for younger kids in the few good weather days that we get per year. The big cat area could use some better ventilation, but you do get to see tigers, lions, and leopards reasonably up close. The docents are helpful and fairly knowledgeable. Boo at the Zoo is the highlight of the year - and the zoo is typically swamped during those dates - rightfully so

Love the layout and variety of animals. Affordable for the entire family. Clean and staff friendly and helpful.

We had a couple of hours to kill on our way across the state and this fit the bill nicely. For a small zoo, they have a surprisingly wide variety of animals. The zoo is clean and well kept. Part of it joins into a river trail. Nice time.

This zoo is fun and family friendly and as you are walking the paths, you may be met by the many peacocks that are amusing in their antics. Many interesting exhibits, and opportunities to learn about animals you may not be familiar with. There is a food court, and a train ride, and clean restrooms. There is also a souvenir shop with several price ranges.

Beats John Ball zoo in GR! I love going and they are making improvements all the time. Very inexpensive!

Potter Park Zoo is an ideal size for lil ones. It is a half day leisurely trek. Babies sleep on the way home. Granddaughters favs are the Sea Otters, penquins, monkeys and rhino. We usually pack a picnic. We always save time to at at the park after touring the zoo. We go a couple times a summer. It is in a great location and very reasonably priced.

We've been going here for years! I have to admit it seems to be a little run down compared to a few years ago.... some new exhibits though. Very well worth the time and money to check it out! Not too large and not too small.

We enjoy zoos and a great time to visit even though it was weekend and busy. A nice fall day to enjoy all the animals and they had many demos and enrichment activities so made it even a more interesting vist. We especially enjoyed learning more about the Red Panda and how they train her/them to allow them to observe and do health checks etc to keep them well cared for and healthy. Learned that cut up grapes is a big incentive for the pandas to cooperate as they are very fond of this treat.

I was really impressed with this zoo and the animals they had. I enjoyed the lions, rhinos, monkeys, moose, penguins, and many other animals. Easy layout. Bring comfortable shoes and your kids and enjoy!

We are members and go at least once or twice a year. Nice size for small children- not overwhelming. Can spend a few hours and then go do something else. Penguins are always fun and the peacocks walking around.

I love Potter Park for its location along the river trail, but the exhibits themselves leave a little to be desired.

The animal houses in particular are a bit dated and sad, with fake plants in the bird exhibits and it all seems a bit small.

I love seeing the bald eagles though; that's my favorite part. Can't even see those in the Chicago Lincoln Park Zoo!

It was a wonderful experience to watch the children view so many types of animals in one place
In another word to see the different types of of animal through a child eyes.

I'm use to big zoos that take half a day to walk around and are kind of on the expensive side. So this zoo that only takes a couple hours at most to see all of and is only about $4 for an Ingham resident, was very different for me and a really nice surprise.
One of the best parts about this zoo is that they have red pandas. I love red pandas but not every zoo has them. I read recently that they are expanding the red panda exhibit and I'm really excited to go see it.
My husband and I live close by and can walk there. It's a great little outing and I try to make sure we go at least once a year. They also have a bunch of events at the zoo throughout the year. We haven't been to any yet but definitely planning on it!

I love this zoo. The animals are well cared for and just gorgeous. I love that they have my favorite animal in the world: the bongo! Peacocks roam the grounds freely, the exhibits are spacious, and there are so many things to look at and do. In the summer they have butterfly and bird exhibits where you can have them land on you! There are also camel and pony rides and an awesome petting zoo.

Great zoo for smaller kids. My 6 year old was a little bored at the end of the trip. Pony rides and camel ride (with Molly) were the highlight of our trip. Food and gift shop are very overpriced.

I love all zoos but this one needs some work. The gardens were not that impressive. Animals appeared to be well cared for. This place needs some TLC.

Great small city zoo with lots of unique animals. Plan to spend around 3 or 4 hours. Always a fun day!

I've been coming to this zoo my entire life and it has done nothing but get better and have better facilities. The ONLY reason that it's a 4-star zoo is that if you are a non-resident, it's $14 for an adult ticket and there isn't many animals out at the moment. It's maybe a two hour excursion maximum, although nice. Sometimes parking is free, sometime they have fun events! Definitely worth the visit.

Small local zoo. It doesn't take a long time to walk through, so it's a good choice for little ones.

Grandparents, kids, and our grandkids all had a great time. Lots to see and watch lots of animals. I plan on going back often.

Over the years I took all 3 of my children to Potters Park Zoo. I also took my classes there for field trips. And now, my grand children will enjoy visiting this small, wonderful zoo. You can see it all in 2-3 hours. Perfect. You'll want to return over and over again.

The zoo has improved over the last 15 to 20 years. Nice atmosphere, plenty of shade, well laided out. For a county park it is a little pricey between the admittance and parking.

It’s a great place to take young children it’s very clean the staff is wonderful a great variety of beautiful animals. This park is not so big that children loose interest and you can see it all in about 2 hours. I live about 6 miles from the Zoo and visit often. Their Christmas lights are absolutely beautiful so take a trip to Potter Park Zoo you will love it.

This was surprisingly nice. It's a small zoo but they have a nice variety and it was great for my grandkids. Pleasantly surprised.

Nice exhibits and wide selection of animals. The bird house is wonderful. I was however very disappointed in the food service facilities.

Lots of animals, surprisingly professional and easy to get around. Nice event during Halloween, Holiday and other times of the year.

Perfect size zoo for a 2 hour excursion. Rates are great in the off season, and looks like they are great in the on season too. Most of the animals were out and active and we visited 2/27/17 on a 55 degree sunny day. The otter was very interactive, there were eagles, camels, tiger, lions, penguins, tropical birds, owl. Small amount of reptiles, i think they are working on that exhibit. Peacocks, donkeys, hogs, llamas, chickens. Our favorite was a tamarin monkey in the bird/reptile house. At first glance it looked like a Dr. Suess plant, they are an vibrant orange color and so cute. They are family oriented and share their food with other tamarins. My sister is a naturalist and she was very impressed with the informational signage on each animal. Open until 4 on the off season.

We have been going to this zoo for many years now and while some of the original enclosures are out dated (something they are working on!) it is an overall nice place to visit. There is plenty of parking. The zoo is easily walk able and can be done in a couple of hours. The staff is very knowledgeable and cares deeply. The docents are always friendly. They have many special events, community outreach programs and have a special needs, once a month program for kids like our oldest who are on the autism spectrum. Amazing program! We love it. Make sure you stop in and see Dopsey the rhino who is currently expecting. Very excited for a baby rhino next year!

My focus is mainly on the large animals, especially the large cats kept at Potter Park Zoo. It's depressing to see them pacing and displaying habits that show stress and boredom.

Wonderful place to spend time with your family especially young children. Special events during holidays especially Halloween decorations and Christmas lighting are great attractions.

First a disclaimer, I am spoiled by having maintained a membership to the Columbus Zoo for over 20 years. I find most pale by comparison - membership did get me a reciprocal 50% off admission.

All-in-all this is a nice zoo. What Potter Park lacks in size it makes up with some close and quality exhibits. It beats the Columbus Zoo in that your proximity to the exhibits and animals is much better. (I've only been close to an eagle on Adak, Alaska where they perched on the dumpsters and wouldn't budge when you neared.) A down-side is that the animals don't have as much room to roam. My wife, 3.9 YO son and I visited on a recent afternoon and easily spent an hour-plus enjoying the walk and the exhibits. After we exited the zoo-proper, the son spent another 30 minutes-plus on the playground near the parking lot. If I lived in the area, I'd likely maintain a membership.

Having been to several zoos, this zoo was not on par with the rest. In addition to the entrance fee there was also a parking fee. The Pony Ride, Camel Ride and Fish Exhibit were closed. The train did not run . the entire 4 hours we were there. Many of the animals were either sleeping or out of sight. Rather disappointing.

I recently visited The Potter Park zoo with my dad and 6 month old son. We were looking to get out of the house and get some fresh air since the weather that day was beautiful. The zoo was an awesome choice. It was inexpensive and there were a lot of neat animals to see! It isn't a large zoo like some may be used to from larger cities, but it's the perfect size for a half day activity and the park was clean. I enjoyed it so much that I took my husband and son back a few days later. (Mother's Day)

Brought our grandson here last summer and it was a great way to introduce him to live animals he had previously only seen in books. There are places to picnic and it is located near the river so it is a perfect locale.

Lovely riverside setting, lots of shade trees in picnic area, paved walkways throughout the complex. Highlights are Bald Eagles, Otters you can see swimming through glass sided exhibit, a pair of moose, Arctic fox, big cats (snow leopard, tigers, lions) lemurs, monkeys, penguins, meerkats and a petting zoo. Many educational programs and events ("Boo at the Zoo" for Halloween, "Festival of Lights" in Dec, and many more).

This is such a nice place to walk and enjoy the animals. The otters are always entertaining, as are the red pandas. Potter Park Zoo is not big but is is well care for by keepers who love what they do. Our favorite time to enjoy the zoo is in the fall and winter. Open all year.

I may be bias, because I am a docent at the zoo. However, I think the size of the zoo is perfect, you can see everything in a day and not have to rush. The animals are well taken care off, the exhibits are nice and the staff is very friendly! There are reasonably priced concessions and a gift shop. Definitely worth a visit. The zoo puts on special events throughout they year, including Boo at the Zoo, Wonderland of Lights, Wine & Stein, and several races. Go have a fun day with the animals at the zoo.

I visited this last summer for the first time. I plan to visit again over the holidays to see the light displays etc. Really a nice establishment. Easy parking and friendly staff.

This is not a zoo you will spend a whole day at. But a good afternoon. Good displays and educational material. Nice park out front for picnic. Some unique animals and some typical. Has numerous kids programs and camps

I have been to Lansing so often with 2 of my kids attending MSU and work related conferences, but had never been to the zoo until this year. We took about 3 hours to go through it. It's a small zoo but you get to see animals up close and it's easy to get around with plenty of benches to relax on along the pathways. It's fun!

Located on the Red Cedar River and the River Trail it iws easily accessible and inexpensive and oh so beautiful.
I know of no other small zoo where you can see Tigers, Wolves, Snow Leopards, Red Pandas, Black Rhinos, etc. Very much set up to be enjoyable for adults and children alike, it is a wonderful green gem right in the middle of town!

We had the good fortune to visit this nice little Zoo last weekend.

As a lifetime animal lover, I generally prefer smaller zoos. Although they don't have as much as larger zoos, you can usually get closer to the animals.

This zoo is set in a beautiful wooded area. There's plenty of parking and even on a Saturday afternoon, it was never crowded, which is a great selling point.

Our favorite exhibit was the Tamarinds. Small white topped monkeys with some babies. Adorable, although I didn't get any pictures of them.

The otter was a lot of fun too, swimming back and forth to the delight of us all. The lions, although napping through the heat of the day were beautiful. The rhinoceros is a very majestic creature.

Exceptionally pleasant day visiting such a nice zoo

My family and I have been to this zoo several times, even back when I was younger. It's a great place, lots of cool animals and exhibits. Last time I was there I was very disappointed that they removed the aquatic animals. My kids and I really love aquariums and were bummed when they took that part out. I hope they get something back in like it. The staff has always been friendly and the eating snack places have been good.

The porter zoo is a nice small zoo. There are quite a variety of animals. The place is kept clean and its a great place to visit with kids. Its worth spending an afternoon in the zoo with kids.

So I was trying to decide where to take our kids for a zoo- trip, narrowed between Detroit zoo and Potter park. 3 kids aged 4, 7, and 9 and I, checked prices on-line.....chose Potter Park much less costly. $5 to park, non-resident of Lansing. Cost under $25.00 for the 4 of us for admission. Great exhibits, animals were quite active and present. Great zoo for my kid's age group. Took about 3 hours to stroll leisurely, lunch of hotdogs and popcorn and a trip to the gift shop. Whole trip cost under $100. Great day trip to the zoo.

What a wonderful zoo! All of the flowers were in bloom. All of the animal habitats looked so natural and comfortable. I would say that if I was an animal in captivity I would want to live at Potter Park Zoo! We had 2 young children in tow and the oldest said "best day ever!" Our favorite was the canary and cockatiel enclosure. You get to be right in with the birds! For $1 you can feed them with seed sticks and they are really eager! At our local zoo the have a similar "attraction" but we rarely get a bird to eat our stick. The birds were relaxed and the kids were soo thrilled that we actualy spent $10!! Feeding the birds haha. This was a beautiful park and they had a wonderful playground outside the zoo along with pavilions. Had we known all of that we would have packed a picnic. There is a petting farm and exotic animals. The bathrooms could use a remodel and possibly a few more added. The one we finally came across didnt even have a changing table in it. We will be back! We spent gour hours here. It was worth ebery penny! The reptile house and aviary were great Nd they had another building where you could get up close to the big cats.LOVE THIS PLACE!

We had a great time walking around the Zoo surrounded by animals & beautiful Christmas lights! They had an area for children to decorate cookies & work on crafts! Well done!

Our family enjoys this park. It is a smaller zoo but there are alot of animals to see and all the staff is wonderful and very knowledgeable.

It was one of those rare 70 degree November days and we took a trip to Lansing and thought we would spend a couple of hours at the Potter Park Zoo. It is small but some of the enclosures for the animals are quite impressive. We went during Covid so the indoor areas were closed and you had to wear masks in certain areas. All in all a pleasant experience.

Worst zoo I have ever been too. It is small, the staff are very very rude and dont tell you utnil you pay for your ticket that they are having a members only event so you have to be done in one hour. But still charge full day price. And when you ask for the money back after you dont even walk through the gate she says "That money belongs to the zoo now." I asked to speak with this 15 year old looking girls supervisor and she states that there is no one higher than he, she owns the zoon." Fat chance. The animals always look sickly and like they are not healthy. STAY AWAY FROM THIS ZOO SO THE ANIMALS HAVE TO BE TAKEN SOMEWHERE WITH BETTER CARE.

We enjoyed the spring wine and stein at the Potter Park Zoo. Enjoy the animals while you taste the great local beverages and great local food stops. Everyone seemed to enjoy what was offered from darks and IPAs to red and fruity wines to the awesome tuna samples to the chili and even dessert samples. It's always great to see the animals and they were out checking up on what everyone was doing.

This little zoo was named the best in Michigan according to an article on the web. My husband and I decided to check it out. The author of the article must be a relative or a owner, this zoo is not even 2nd best. A small selection of animals in even smaller habitats. Very small children may enjoy but no one over 5 will be impressed. And be sure to bring the Off because the mosquitos are ferocious.

We love our Zoo...they are always coming up with new ways of getting people and animals more involved with each other. We love all the special days they do...Halloween...winter. It never gets boring or dull.

Very nice variety of animals. Reasonible cost. Train rid is too short. Make it longer or forget it. It is a joke.

Potter Park and Zoo combines nature and animals in a large and pretty park setting with the Grand River as part of the attraction. Very clean and well laid out, the wooded park has a huge picnic and play area with grills, slides and swings and a concession stand. The zoo itself is nicely laid out with concrete pathways. The animal buildings are very well maintained with many varieties of wildlife. Tigers, lions, bison, monkeys, and birds are some of the attractions living at the zoo. It's great for couples and families with children.

Potters Park is a nice place, but it seems like every time were there several exhibits are "under construction". It's very disappointing. We do like the atmosphere and it's nice to be able to picnic by the river.

Went here with my mom in August and came back to volunteer in October. Great programs for kids (including petting zoo and trampoline experience); seasonal events for all ages. The price is right and proceeds support wildlife efforts. Great way to spend time in Lansing.

if you love animals as I do the zoo is perfect. It is a smaller zoo within normal range price. You do have to pay to park which I thinks was $3 or $5. They have pony and camel rides. There is a small train that small children can ride for $3

This is a smaller zoo, with enough to see. Kids love it, yet it doesn't exhaust the parents. Petting area and availability to ride a camel are optional. Snack bar is in the park. Playground Area outside zoo area and tables for a picnic.

We frequent zoos and have memberships at Detroit and Toledo. This is one of our favorite zoos to visit, as it is smaller, more compact and makes the most of all it has to offer. otter exhibit is great and penguins are always entertaining. Future plans to expand it, make it worth the visit and make you want to comeback again soon.

This is my second year coming to Potter Park Zoo on New Year's Day. Not that many things are open on New Year's Day but it is open for only $2 per person. It is not crowded and enough of the animals are on display indoors that you can warm up in between walking around. It is fun to see the cold loving animals frolicking outside: the otters, the camels, the tiger and snow leopard, the wolves, the eagles, etc. Then you can have an up close and personal visit with lions, lemurs, monkeys, a few birds and reptiles. Oh! There was a great red tailed hawk and a barred owl. All in all, it was a really fun and peaceful visit. No concessions are open this time of year, but the bathrooms are.

As one might expect - Potter Park Zoo is not as large as some zoo's found in the major metro areas but that said it is a nice little zoo with plenty of animals to be viewed. Our grand kids especially loved the visit. One thing to keep in mind the zoo is located inside a county park so if you are not a resident of the county there is a small charge to get into the park in addition to the admission fee for the zoo - but both added together were not very much.

Great little zoo. Always love stopping here. It was a little too crowded on this trip for my tastes considering we are in the midst of a covid surge. But, always a good way to spend the afternoon. Great for younger kids.

A lot of endangered animals and information/education on them. Very nice visit, had a lot of fun. The bird house walk was the best!

Potter Park Zoo is always innovating. There are new animales to see, new classes to take, and exciting exhibits to take in. The off season is a bargin with free parking and reduced entry fees. Free for mothers on Mother's Day and for fathers on Father's Day, its a family friendly place to see and be seen.

We visited the zoo in the morning. It was not overly busy and gave us lots of time to enjoy the animals. We especially enjoyed the penguins. Walking it was easy and the zoo was very clean. Enjoyable for all the family.

A great zoo to take your family to. Grab a picnic basket, and head to the zoo. Enough to keep your kids attentive....small enough not to burn out the parents!!....A GREAT place to visit.

Love this zoo. Tons of different animals to see, and the new moose exhibit is unique. I also really like the Wonderland of Lights around Christmastime, such a beautiful sight.

Didn’t know what to expect. But for the greatly reduced price compared to summer it was totally a fun thing to do in the winter. No crowds and plenty of animals to see. Places to go inside and warm up.

Zoo is just the right size to see in part of a day. Enough stuff to be interesting and be a good quality experience. Exhibits are nice, habitats enriched, animals look reasonably happy, and zookeepers post interesting details about the animals you are looking at, in addition to the species information. There are exhibits where kids can touch or ride animals. If the tigers are inside, you can get right up close and really get a sense of their size! Worth the time to visit.

We visited Potter Park Zoo over Labor Day weekend, and couldn't believe how clean and well kept the grounds werw. It is a pleasant, shaded walk from exhibit to exhibit, and most of the animals are presented in very natural habitats versus cages. It was easy to just wander and follow the signs to see everything. A very serene 2 hour stroll through a hidden gem of a zoo. Highly recommended.

Potter park Zoo in Lansing is a family attraction which is sure to be enjoyed by people of all ages. Peacocks roam and fly freely through and around the grounds. Wild animals like lions are there as well as stately eagles. The grounds are well kept and clean. Admission and food are reasonably priced.

Stopped by here on one of the first nice warm days in Michigan this year. All the animals weren't out yet and they were doing a lot of spring clean up but it was a nice walk and not too crowded yet. Did enjoy the animals that were out and about in the warm weather.

Potter Park is a Lansing, MI institution. Jilly the otter is a personal favorite, but let's not leave out the other fun furrier feathered creatures. Camels, eagles, foxes, tigers, lions, goats...what more could you ask for? Why monkeys of course! Potter Park does a great job engaging the community with hosting birthday parties, to wine and steins, to holiday light events. If you're fur fan, this is the place for you!

Potter Park Zoo has been a regular activity for us as the kids grew up. It has a good variety of animals and enclosures. There is a petting zoo, pony rides, camel rides, concessions and a gift shop. Don't miss Boo at the Zoo around Halloween and the Wonderland of Lights near Christmas. Their birthday parties are great and about the same coat as other popular party venues. Your group has a party room and the docents bring out animals for the group to experience, touch and learn about. Then we went out to the otters and were able to watch a feeding. After the party your group is welcome to tour the zoo. Overall this is a good zoo for an afternoon. Don't miss the Lansing River Trail which goes through Potter Park. Using the trail you can bike or walk to MSU, S Lansing/Holt, downtown and N Lansing.

Unless things at the park have dramatically changed since I was last there - though the kids will love the petting zoo and other animal exhibits - as an Animal Rights inclined individual - I've mostly been very unhappy and even disgusted with the manner in which many of the animals were housed and caged. Bingo the elephant died, but I believe he has been replaced. But Bingo was chained by one leg and literally walked in an arch formation. It made me sick to see this elephant housed in this manner. There is a playground and many picnicking areas. There are canoe rentals - but beware the Grand River should you tip over and fall in. (I was told to go to the hospital and get a tetanus shot when it happened to me.) I did! A better place to experience canoeing in my opinion would be out at The Ledges in Grand Ledge - about 16 miles east of downtown Lansing. Support Potters Park by attending - and perhaps your contribution by way of admission fee, will help the animals housed there experience better conditions. Your kids likely won't notice the less-than great housing conditions and will have a good time.

We stopped in because I love going to zoos! I found this zoo was well laid out and had great signage of where things were located. I haven't been to a zoo in a long time that looked so old and worn out. Zoo cages are a thing of the past and yet this zoo still has them. It was shocking to see old history at the zoo but also pretty neat. Regardless how old the zoo looks it still was a beautiful day and the animals looked well taken care of, staff was knowledgeable and very compassionate towards the animals and visitors. I did notice if you couldn't walk far or do stairs this is a great little zoo. The signs about the animals and what conversations projects they are working on are wonderful. Plenty of parking on the grounds of the zoo and cute little gift shop!

The otter display is my favorite, with a glass display and stadium seats to watch them play. Many animals with a reptile house, small aviary, and petting farm, big cat and monkey house! bathrooms could be cleaner.

I've been going to this zoo since I was in elementary school. This summer I took my one year old daughter here a few times. It's a small zoo and not very expensive. I think parking is $3 for residents, $5 for others and it's $4 for adult admission....free for babies. A great outing for under $10. They also have a park outside the gates with swings, playground equipment and pavilions. Over the years they have renovated and are continuing to add and change the animal habitats. I live about 10 minutes away from Potter Park and it was great this summer to get out of the house for a few hours and then back in time for my daughter to nap.
We also go to their annual Winter Wonderland of Lights (I think that's what they call it) and it's fun, too.

Potter Park is small city zoo with an interesting variety of animals on exhibit mostly in habitats appropriate for the species. The only animals that looked unhappy were a pair of wolves restlessly curling their enclosure and a pair of bald eagles in a small, netted space insufficient for spreading their wings and soaring as nature designed their bodies to do. The grounds are accessible for people with disabilities, and the aviary is delightful. Visitors can buy sticks to attract small, colorful birds that land on the stick and feed. There are plenty of picnic tables inside and outside the zoo for visitors to enjoy a lunch or dinner before or after a visit.

Not Detroit zoo but nice small zoo with things you can rent canoe and go down the river to do
clean will definitely go back someday

Very nice zoo. Lots of interesting animals on display in a well tended setting. Our kids and grandkids loved it! So did we.

We spent an hour and a half in 10 degree weather walking around this sweet little zoo this weekend. It was so much better than we expected it to be, and a deal for the $3 winter entrance fee. There were many interesting animals: tigers, lions, camels, monkeys, wolves, moose, etc. Two indoor houses to warm up in, otherwise it is all outside. So glad that we bundled up. Looking forward to a visit in the summer when it is in full swing.

It's kind of a sad little park. Paths are bumpy. Not a huge selection of animals/exhibits. The grounds are nice with the river running alongside.

This zoo was a welcome surprise. We had traveled to Lansing to see the dinosaurs alive exhibition, but it was so packed that we sought entertainment elsewhere. After a quick search we were surprised that this zoo offered winter hours. The tickets were cheap, and there were many animals still available to view. The zoo was very clean and virtually empty. We are going to come back this spring to see all that the zoo has to offer.

Some of the exhibits are in need of freshening up. Nice size zoo for a family visit if you have small children.

My husband and I made an impromptu trip on a Friday. It was great! We were able to see all the animals and had face to face encounters with the tiger and lions (they were inside, probably to keep out of the afternoon heat). There was a bird house where you could spend a dollar for a little feed stick and the birds landed right on your hand. Sooo cool!!

A wonderful zoo to spend 1\2 day at. The penquins are the best and there are benches to relax and watch their antics.
Price could be hefty for a family but they may have a family discount?

This isn't a large zoo but it has a good variety and the kids always enjoy going. Nice areas to picnic. Boo in the Zoo and holiday features are also fun to participate in. Good for all ages. Easy to get to, just off the highway.

Set within the even larger Potter Park, this AZA zoo specializes in rare and endangered animals, mammals, birds, reptiles. They have gray wolves, Arctic fox, bald eagles, Ravens, peacocks, three African lions, including a roaring male; Gila monsters, the only rattlesnake native to Michigan, Mandrills, spider monkeys, Bactrian camels, farm animals and a pony ride for the children, plus black rhinos trying to mate. Touching to see the big female nuzzling the even larger male. And dozens of other animals, all kinds.

The zoo cares about it's visitors with all kinds of nice touches, little things, and big, like detailed info about each animal, two snack bars with tasty food, one near entrance, the other at the rear overlooking the lion exhibit. All is overseen by a large staff, helped by lots of volunteers. The humans care most about the animals, and it shows. Should get more than five stars. Definitely worth a visit if you're anywhere close to Lansing.

This zoo is amazing, I have been going here since I was a kid. They have changed over the years to improve with the times, and become something better, and not get rundown and fall behind the times. The attractions are kid and adult friendly alike, and there's something for everyone!

I've lived in Lansing my whole life. I go to Potters Park Zoo at least twice a year with my family and school picnics. There's tons of animals, picnic area, concession stand and more . At the concession stand during the summer, if you're hot you can have an ice cold ice cream, during the winter you can have a nice hot cup of cocoa and with your drink you can get you a nice burger, hot dog, fries, or something else delicious to eat. There's so much to choose from. If you're a parent, grandparent and you have children with you, before you leave you can go sit at a picnic table outside the zoo and let your children or grandchildren play at the park. Or you can go to the water area and see all the ducks swimming around. It's just a day of family fun.

This zoo is not a bad find in a small town like Lansing. There are some exotic animals and the national animal exhibits are lovely. The barnyard exhibit is always a big hit for my children as well as the big tortoise. Its very inexpensive for what you're getting.

This zoo is perfect for people looking to spend just a couple hours at the zoo. You can see everything well within this time frame. There are a nice variety of animals. There aren't a lot of choices for dining but there is a picnic area outside of the zoo as well as a seating area inside the zoo. I'm not sure they allow people to bring their own food in but I would imagine it wouldn't be an issue.

So many opportunites for little ones to get close to the animals. A lot of the animals were in their shelters but I understood because it was so hot. The black rhinos were not on display when we were here do to a hopeful mating season. If a baby is announced we will definitely be back!

This is a nice small local zoo. Opportunities to pet and feed farm animals, ride camels and view a variety of animals and reptiles. Reasonable in price too.

This zoo is downright tiny, almost miniscule. OTOH, their black rhino recently gave birth, which was worldwide news. The miniscule size is actually a blessing for people with small children. There are few really large animals and no great apes (my favorite), but this is a very pleasant place to visit and to stroll around.

We absolutely love the Potter Park Zoo! We visit everytime we come to Michigan, to check on our favorite animals and just enjoy a nice walk. If we had any recommendation, it would be to get the lemurs back inside the nice building, and also to update the gift shop as there was literally no shirt selection for adults to choose from. We did buy other items (as we like to support the zoo) but we would have added a shirt!

Thanks!

This is great little zoo with some great animals. You can take your time and stroll through the trails, finding the Arctic foxes, wolves, petting zoo (with a donkey and sheep, as well as goats), lions, tigers, snow leopard, mandrills, and penguins, just to name a few. It's easy to get to, with ample parking and picnic areas if you want to bring your own lunch. There are also concessions inside, if you don't want to bring your own lunch.

Potter Park Zoo is very nice but fairly small. It is very well maintained. Pathways are easy to walk and are well marked. If you want to spend a couple of hours with younger children it is a nice zoo to visit.

This zoo is a nice size. It was very affordable and they had animals that I never seen at any zoo in IL. For example, they had a snow leopard and peacocks walking around so freely. I loved that this zoo is open all year round.

It is a nice 'local' zoo. It is a little small, you can go through it in about an hour. A good place to take the younger kids

This local zoo is a fantastic outing for a family with small children- or just lovers of zoo animals. It is not as large as the Detroit Zoo, so it can easily be visited in just a few hours. The trails are spacious and the exhibits are well maintained. They have multiple knowledgeable docents who seem to enjoy interacting with the visitors and there are various events and educational opportunities throughout the year not to be missed.

I always enjoy visiting the Potter Park zoo. The zoo packs in many animals in many different settings is so unlike many zoos that I visited. I get bored at the Detroit zoo and seldom spot a animal but at thePotter Park zoo you never get bored and you're always upfront and close with the animals. This zoo is also kid friendly. Skip the other zoos and head to potter park zoo.

I haven't been to a zoo in a long time and this zoo had everything. It took us 2 hours to walk around and see everything. The animals looked well and clean. Everywhere you looked the peacocks were walking around. It was really neat. They had a train ride for the families and you could also rent strollers. We were out of towners so the cost was $11.00 per person. Well worth it. Would love to go again next year. Lots of families but it wasn't overcrowded. Their is also a park and families were having a barbeque. Bring your walking shoes.

We attended the Wonderland of Lights event at Potter Park Zoo, open until December 28, Thurs-Sundays from 5-8pm. I had researched the zoo before and couldn't decide if we'd go during the day (which is a discounted rate since it's winter) or for the Wonderland event, which cost $6/adult, $4/kids 3-12, and free 2 and under. We opted for the night event and I'm SO GLAD we did!! My number one tip to you is BE THERE JUST BEFORE FIVE so you are there right at opening!! Is this to beat a mad rush of people? No, the crowds were never crazy, but we were there right at five, which was nice for two reasons: it was still a little light out, so we were able to see a few animals before it was dark, and 2) there were practically no other people there at all yet, so we didn't wait for ANYTHING. In fact, our group got about ten minutes with Santa and Mrs. Clause all to ourselves!

Our group consisted of four adults, four kids 3 and under, and two grandparents. EVERYONE had a great time. Upon paying and entering, we stopped to see Santa right away. He was patient with the kids and even though the beard wasn't authentic (I know, I'm picky!) he was kind and gave the kids each candy canes. He let the one year olds warm up to him and finally we got a great family shot. Very nice. Then we headed across to the building where they had face painting for $1.00 donation and free sugar cookies for each kid- with lots of frosting and sprinkles to decorate. In this room, there were also a few animals for the kids to "interact" with (basically, to touch) a rabbit, a turtle (which I don't let them touch since I'm paranoid about salmonella) and I think a chinchilla. It was nice they provided hand sanitizer right on the table after the petting! There was also a little ornament craft for each kid to make to take home. What great value, considering the low admission price! We then walked around and saw the many beautiful lights and some animals (the reptile and big cats buildings were each open to escape the cold for a bit). We saw bald eagles, tiger, lion, monkeys, lots of little creepy crawly creatures. There was more to see, but we were restricted to only 1.5 hours because of a previous engagement, but we all felt like we could have stayed longer. I will say, when we left, the parking lot was definitely filling up!

TIP: Bring some single bills with you. As you walk around, there are several opportunities to do little "extras" for a dollar donation, like the face painting, a bonfire with s'more kits, and 3D glasses you could wear to make the Christmas lights look like little rainbows (this table was in the big cat house- we bought a pair, and the effect was very cool!) There may have been other little opportunities to purchase/donate something else, but those are the ones we saw.

In all, I HIGHLY recommend and would go back for sure. We went expecting just the lights and a few animals, but the pleasant area, large amount of walking (it's much bigger than I expected!), fresh night air, and the extra bonus of the holiday activities made it for an enjoyable and memorable night out for the whole family.

Not impressed. Hardly any animals. $10 admission definitely not worth it. Won't go back. So much construction going on so closed exhibits.

If you are looking for something that rivals Detroit or San Diego, look elsewhere, but for me, this very do-able, shady park with lots of animals is a real gem. Firstly, there is a lovely area to picnic, and a nice playground right next door, which my son really enjoyed. The property is on the edge of the river, so it makes for a nice walk or canoe.
The zoo itself has just added 2 moose, which are incredibly rare in captivity. The wolves and other animals are quite close up and fascinating to look at. There are fabulous peacocks wandering around inside and out at the zoo, and they are just lovely to see. There is a very tiny train ride, but also a short pony ride my son enjoyed.
They are slowly refreshing exhibits to make them bigger and more comfortable for the animals. I support their efforts. I'm so glad I was able to share this lovely spot with my son, having enjoyed it so much growing up.

Potter Park is great place to take a family. The improved exhibits make watching the animals easier. It's small enough to be covered in an afternoon and not exhaust you, but big enough to have a great collection of animals.

A great zoo for a smaller metro area. I remember going (and getting lost) on my 1st grade field trip- yes, that makes them a "Classic", just like me!

You can really get close to the animals, great for kids! We went too early to enjoy any of the concessions as they weren't open yet.

The Lansing Region is so blessed to have this zoo in the middle of the City of Lansing, near downtown and on the wonderful River Trail.

While I am not a huge fan of keeping animals locked up outside of their natural environment, this place is actually okay. The animals seems happy and seems to be a teaching zoo.

If you are in Lansing, this is a must see place!

Nice, mid-sized zoo. Very accessible and fun with children. It can all be done within 90 minutes....good for short attention spans. They have cleaned it up a lot in the last 10 or so years. Nice holiday activities during December.

Nice place to spend the afternoon without grandma and grandpa getting worn out from walking. Beware of the lions if you get too close they will spray you! Great place to spend an afternoon.

We took our grandchildren (5&7) and we all had a good time. Get there in the morning as it is cooler then. The girls rode a camel (Omar) and had a great time. Some of the displays were not open, but it was still fun, but hot.

My son and his family live an hour and a half from us. Every couple of weeks we pick up our granddaughter to spend the weekend with us. This was the first time we took our grandson who is just 18 months out for a day. Our youngest daughter (19) went with us and we all had a great time. The prices are VERY reasonable. The park itself is not very big but the exhibits are really nice. The big cats were out and on the prowl and the bald eagle even took a dip while we were there. My grandson loved it. The park is interesting enough for the older kids and small enough for the old folks. Great place for a family outing!

Potter's Park is a small clean zoo that's fun for children! I took a 3 year old and we had a wonderful time. I didn't have to worry about anything. The park also has a great playground for children!

The pricing is ridiculous! You have pay for parking which is high in price, plus if you are not a Ingham county resident, then you pay even more to get it. The zoo was boring and nothing special to it. It needs some serious updating.

This zoo needs to come up to date. The animals need natural environment with large spaces to roam. I really felt sorry for the animals. Second this park caters to the local people with a reasonable price for admission. However if you live outside Ingham country the price is much more and is not worth the price. Just down the road outside Battle Creek there is a zoo that is priced about the same price that we paid. It covers many acres and the animals are well taken care of and have lots of room to roam. Potter Park Zoo has much work to do both with the care of the animals as well as with the pricing if they plan on being able to grow

THey keep adding new exhibits - most recently two rescued baby moose from Alaska. A fun place to get some exercise, commune with nature and learn sotheng, too.

This sweet little zoo is great for families and small children. It has a petting area and a wide variety of animals. There are pony and camel rides. We usually take 1-2 hours to see the animals and take pictures. There are also picnic grounds and play areas outside the zoo. Highly recommend.

This is our local zoo, and had run past it several times on the river trail, but I had never been. Today was our first visit (my 11 month old son and I). Given my son’s age, we didn’t take an incredible amount of time at each exhibit. It’s a small zoo, and it took about an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half to go through (including a short food break). There is a nice variety of animals, and the zoo appears to be serious about conservation, which was reassuring. There were definitely things I’d like to return and explore more in depth, perhaps when we can have one more adult along for the trip, like the pony rides and farm animals.

The park itself is lovely—you have no idea you are so close to downtown Lansing you are, and the views of the river are beautiful.

I’d highly recommend the zoo and plan to visit again!

we went this year for the first time, will nevergo back. being from out out town we couldnt get directions for parking. cops had entrance blocked. we walked about half mile into park and by then we were already tired. bought tickets for hayride and a walk thru tunnel along with tickets for cider and dounuts and olny got to do the hayride (that was very lame) waited in line for the tunnel for 35 min. and decided to leave because we still had at least 35 min. yet to wait. no pumpkins to be seen and vey few treats given out. we never did find the cider and dounuts/ very disappointed and felt I wasted my money and time

Potter Park Zoo is small enough to cover in an afternoon, but has plenty to see. They continue to bring in new exhibits which makes each trip a little different. The park is affordable, clean, and easy to get to.

Park is clean and well maintained good place to spend the day with the family you can see the animals to going down the river

This is a nice smaller zoo. My children love the exhibits and it is very affordable. Very well maintained and the staff is very friendly. A great place for a family outing.

This is a small zoo in the heart of Lansing. It has been around for decades and some of the exhibits show it. With that said, they have been making many improvements over the past several years. This is a teaching zoo that is located close to the MSU College Veterinary Medicine. That have active an breeding program for some endangered species. The little ones will love the petting zoo and camel rides. This is a great zoo to take the kids if you are visiting Lansing and it won't take all day to see pretty much everything.

I go to a lot of zoos and aquariums all around the country, and this is a small but nice zoo. More so for the animal selections they have compared to say Binder Park. The zoo has enough going on to keep you busy, and I thought fair value for the money. The food options were good, the only downside was the bees. There were a lot of them. They need to empty the trash more, spray or something. Beyond that, I thought was a good value and kept me busy a few hours.

Had a great visit during off season, so no parking fee and cheaper tickets. It was cool weather so lots of animals outside. Good information placards and fun photo ops.

What a great experience every time!
The zoo is well maintained and has a wonderful variety of animals. Every family I meet when I’m there raves about how happy they are to have this zoo so close. The otter is so cute! Seeing the eagles up close is great. You could view the lions up really close since they were in their inside home which is in the spider monkey and lemur house.
Having the playground out front is a great perk to occupy the little ones before or after. Really nice picnic zones in the park. I also loved that the restroom was open before the zoo as we had traveled over 2 hours to get there. Thank you Potter Park I will visit every Time we come to lansing.

If you've visited this zoo in the past it's time for another visit. Not only have there been many upgrades to exhibits they just added moose.

We have a membership here and love stopping by to see the animals. At just over 100 acres, it isn't a very large zoo, but there is still plenty to see. Our favorite is the big cat house where you can see the lions, tigers, and snow leopard. The river otters and the penguins are pretty neat to watch also, They also offer train rides and a petting zoo farm for the little ones. Wings from down under lets you feed the birds using a stick for $1. Bring your camera!

Potter Park Zoo is a little small, but it's awesome for the price! Less than 10 bucks and we were in and spent 3-4 hours walking around!

It isn't huge, but that's what makes it a fun and cheap date. We went over Labor Day, right after the animals were fed so they were out and about. Little pricey for the drinks (what zoo isn't?) but it's all for a good cause and for fun.

Great place to have a picnic too...

Small hometown zoo with lots of different animals to see. Very family friendly with different events throughout the year for all to enjoy. Can't wait for the new Moose exhibit to open!

Potter Park Zoo is an awesome small zoo. You don't have to walk forever to see the animals and its clean. It could have more places to eat.

For a small town zoo, this zoo is very nice. Don't expect to see some of the larger, more exotic animals you would at a bigger zoo, but they do have lots of fun and interesting animal exhibits. The Cat House is my favorite..lions & tigers & lemurs! It's really just a nice, relaxing zoo that's never too busy or crowded, and has great walking paths even for just taking a leisurely stroll. They also have a nice petting zoo. Great for a morning or afternoon where you're just looking for something to do.

In this year of the pandemic, there has been big strides to make family outdoor outings very special. The zoo definitely was not one of those. Instead of increasing lights or maintaining, there were far less and only a couple of the adorable animal lights.
You were able to pre-register to limit the number of people for social distancing, this also was not as stated. The time we pre-registered for was said to be sold out. Yet when we arrived, there was a line for those who did not pre-register which was as long or longer than ours. All those in both lines were allowed to enter. There was suppose to be personnel inside to move groups on for social distancing, none of our group saw a person doing so. This made it hard to move along and still social distance.
We did not go on the 2st week end so it would have seemed they would have
worked this out.

there are hardly no animals,the parking is plenty,but crappy,the cost ...well they charge and you see a hand full of animals.the inside exhibits are just to crowded and if you have a stroller,you are screwed. If you have twins,triplets or just a hand full of young ones...good luck!

Yes the zoo is small and a bit out dated. But the animals are clearly well cared for and its a great place just to get outside and have a walk. They've slowly been making improvements to the park. I would suggest bring food and eating on the river as opposed to getting food here. Its just a small concessions stand.

Well maintained grounds and environment but boring for teenagers and the rain didn’t help things - blaming Mother Nature not he zoo of course for that.
The river otters were the best and the roaming peacocks were fun.
Nice pavilions for family gatherings.
$65 for a family of 6 plus $3 for parking

The state capital can do better than this! This city zoo is tired and needs love. The price for admission and parking is not worth the experience. Animals are housed in ridiculously small, dated enclosures.
Lansing - look at Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek. No comparison!

We went to check out Potter Park Zoo on New Year's Day and it turned out to be my best New Year's Day ever! The zoo is only $2 in the winter. Not many of the animals are out, but it is peaceful for a nice stroll out in the cold. There were some animals frolicking outside in the farm -- and also the otters and the little arctic fox. We really enjoyed warming up in a building with a few reptiles and stuff and then we got to have a unique experience with their snow leopard and tiger. Since no other people were there, we actually saw them playing together (although divided by a fence). In the attached building we saw beautiful lions, another tiger, lemurs, golden lion tamarins... and more. It was super fun for people that like to get out in the winter on a budget!! I like that better than the crowds that are probably there in the summer.

We brought grandkids to this zoo. It was perfect size to us being seniors. We had a very enjoyable day. Train was fun. Zoo was nicely maintained. It is not a big city zoo with a large variety of animals, but still worth seeing. We definitely recommend this place.

Small, quaint zoo. If you're looking for a few animals & have small children this is a great place! Small!

Great small town zoo. Coming from NYC I can't compare to our larger zoo but the initiate feel, great hands on small animal area and train were highlights.

Have always enjoyed stopping into the zoo to see what's new. The latest is their moose exhibit, which is gorgeous. Unfortunately the day we went the moose were no where to be seen, but was still great to see all the work done on their area. The Lions here are one of my favorite attractions. Unfortunately no babies (again) this year, but still worth checking out. Another thing to do is to grab an ice cream cone back by the (outdoor) lion exhibit. They have other food items as well, as well as a nice outdoor seating area. The zoo also has an interesting reptile house, a small petting zoo, pony and camel rides, and an interesting bird area where you can buy a small stick covered in seeds and feed them to the parakeets. My daughters loved this last activity when they were little. Also accessible here is the Lansing bike trail. For a small fee to use their parking lot, you can bike directly onto the trail. Lots of fun here for everyone.

It was a nice day, parking was a little chaotic. The stay had stations for coloring and face painting. It was great seeing all the animals. Really clean. Overall I highly recommend this zoo to visit. Espically with children

I live about a mile away and my husband and I visit regularly. When my nephews and nieces visit we always take them. We all love it. They are improving and working on so much and it looks great! So much to do and it isn't super expensive to visit. I love my local zoo!

The kids and adults alike will love Potter Park Zoo! This zoo has everything. Besides an amazing zoo with interactive experiences, there is a free play area, picnic area, River with lots of wild life and a river trail. Lots to do for so little money.

Good for kids! My daughter loved it! A reasonable amount of walking and relatively flat paved paths. Strollers and wheelchairs would do fine. Some cute picture opportunities for the kids. The peacocks are often wondering around and you can see them up close. I love the lions; I worry their enclosures are not big enough☹️ there is a park attached to the zoo with large pavilions, grills and play grounds. Would be good location for a family reunion. The Red Cedar River runs right along Potter Park. Take breed to feed the ducks! We have visited numerous times and the schools take field trips here regularly too.

My husband and I went yesterday to this zoo. Not much has changed since my last visit, years ago. They added a moose exhibit, but there is still a sign up near the entrance that says coming soon. They also added wire between wood poles type fencing in front of many animal viewing areas, so you are 2 or 3 feet further back.

Some of the animal enclosures are too small, bare, or wrong for the species. (I have 20 plus years of exotic and pet and farm animal experience of my own. My love of animals is my number one hobby.) For example: the bald eagles fencing is in a tent like shape and they have a 5-6 foot wing span. It did not look tall enough for them. If it was a huge rectangle it would most likely be better. Or the kangaroo: all by itself in a dirt yard, nothing to do.

Many of the reptiles in that building are ones commonly sold in the pet industry! I thought zoos were for endangered species and conservation? They had a rainbow boa in an all dark enclosure--not right for the species!

The walk in bird house is all just parakeets and cockatiels, common pet birds. It might be cool for the kids, but lame for adults. the double doors to keep the birds in were not being used right. One door must be closed at all times! The rules for the doors and bird house were not posted.

The caged birds--I saw one raven and one crow in that cage. A few of the birds were housed with no mate.

The signage for the animal pens were old and cracking by some more than others. Time to update those! Some pens have more than one viewing area and both do not have signs naming the species.

My husband had his first visit here this time. He was not impressed and ready to leave after an hour. It only took us an hour to see every animal. We kept moving since we had no kids to drag along. I took plenty of pictures too. Both of us are not impressed. It's a small zoo with small pens and common pet animals.

We've been here a couple of times. We find it to be just the right size for little ones. Nothing like walking in to the zoo and having the bald eagle greet you with its call or watching the otters swim and "play" in tank. The last time we visited it was cold and windy so we hung out in the reptile - small animal house where it was warm and toasty. That same day the lions were "restless" - turns out it was almost lunch time!

This zoo is not not an all day affair (but it IS a few hours at least), and definitely worth a visit. It is clean and very pretty. The animals live in nice "natural" exhibits (vs. concrete/fake) and seem very healthy.
I have been to a few "big" zoos, and prefer this one.
It's a fun, interesting time and recommended!

Potter Park Zoo is a wonderful zoo that you can get through within an hour or so. The exhibits are wonderful. It's a great zoo for families because it isn't too big.

This zoo is not very big but it is my favorite. (compared to binder park zoo) This zoo has the aquarium and the otters. which i say are the life of the zoo. That has to be my all time favorite part are the otters. The Food courts are pricey but over all it is the best time for my family and I.

I've been here several times over my life and it's always a great time. They have a great variety of animals who are all displayed really well. Even as an adult I enjoy going there and looking at the different exhibits they have set up even if it is the same animals. The little otter tank by the front is really entertaining as soon as you walk in.

I also recently had the experience of getting to work with the staff on planning an event and they were extremely helpful. I was really impressed. This is just an overall great facility and a huge asset to the city of Lansing.

This is real Nice Zoo , easy go though .They have some real neat animals here and staff was real nice here . I like Tigers

A small sized zoo, with a limited selection of animals. Not a lot of "big" ticket animals, and the enclosures are fairly quaint so set expectations accordingly. However, they do have a few animals I hadn't seen elsewhere (moose). The zoo also seems to be a free range area for peacocks. Oddly, they ask you upon driving up what county you live in and then when you purchase tickets. apparently certain counties (presumably Ingham, at minimum) gain a benefit or reduced rate?

Overall, just a very basic, no frills zoo.

This is the best small zoo I have ever visited! The animals actually act like they are happy. The animal areas are clean and respectful for the animals. There is a snack stand where you can get hot dogs and such. There is a minimal charge to get in.

I was here once before a number of years back, but we had some time to kill so we came through to see if anything had changed. The zoo was much smaller than I remember. I believe it was $5 for parking, and then $11.00 each for two adults. For the size of the zoo and the costs, I would say it's on the high side IMHO. However, they do have some nice animal selections and decent food options available. It is still a nice park to get your steps in, which is ultimately what we were looking for. As a couple with no kids, we got through it in 1-1.5 hours with eating.

Potter Park Zoo is a nice little zoo. It usually takes us 2 to 3 hours to tour. The animal habitats are clean and have real nature elements within them. It is clean and has a few activities for kids. Outside of the zoo is a great park with shade and sun, play equipment, and picnic tables. My family really enjoys it!

This zoo is super cute! Lots of vegetation and many different animals. They also have a cute gift shop and camel rides!

For what it is, the Potter Park Zoo ia a wonderful addition to Lansing, Michigan. Keep in mind it is NOT a big city zoo with extensive exhibits and thousands of animals but being a small town zoo it is certainly worth a visit! The zoo is not so large that you need more than a day to see every thing. The snack stands are actually good and worth the price. On the other hand the gift shop is small and they could do a better job of offering better educational items and gift items.

Potter Park is a lovely place to take children or grandchildren. The exhibits are renovated and many child size experiences in the summer, such as riding a horse or a camel. It is small, so major events can easily get overwhelmingly busy. The best time to go is during the week. The animals are less stressed and so are the zoo employees.

This zoo is a great size for young children as we can see the whole thing in a couple hours. The animal enclosures are pretty small and I feel sad for some of the animals. There are a lot of projects going on and it seems a lot of improvements are being made.

This is a great municipal zoo that is not only wonderful but needs our continual help to continue to sustain itself. The animals are great and it is well appointed. Great place for families

We have had a family membership for the last few years. We love how close it is to home. During the summer we love to pack a lunch and make it a day long outing, but we also love that we can go in cooler weather for an hour or two and burn off some energy. The kids love to be able to explore their favorite animal habits. We go at least a few times a month, but they always find something new to learn about each trip.

My daughter had a softball camp at MSU so my son & I came here while we had time to kill. Parking was $5 for non Ingham County residents. We only paid $13 total since we are members of the Detroit Zoo, so we got half off.
It's a small zoo, you can easily do it in a couple of hours if you really take your time. My son enjoyed it so that's what's important.
They have a train for toddlers to ride ($3 per person), that goes around a small area a few times.
The farm area was nice, you can even brush the goats.

Road our bikes to the Zoo. It was a lot of fun. We wish we could have seen the Elk. Spent quite awhile there waiting...beautiful habitat!

We were surprised to see all of the animals we did on our visit today! Almost every animal that was there was active because it was such a chilly day. The red pandas were playing and they are SO cute. I would go back just to see them again! It was a very nice, small zoo. We saw everything with 4 young children in less than 2 hours. I am sure you could spend more time there in the summer with every exhibit open! The price is great and I would recommend a visit here even if it is a little drive!

This zoo has been here forever, I remember going to it as a child in the late 50s. They have made many improvements for the animals and people. The kids can pet goats . We were able to see the large cats much better this time.

The best deal is to buy the family yearly pass if you plan on going 2-3 times a year with a family. This is not a Milwaukee zoo but not bad at all for a city of Lansings size. They have frequent events including camping at the zoo, brew & zoo, holiday lights and so on. Kids seem to enjoy it.

I've visited Potter Park Zoo many times over the years, as my in-laws live in Lansing. Potter Park puts on a great Halloween event and Christmas light display. The Halloween event is nicely decorated and has a mini Haunted Tunnel. Very cool. Although the Xmas lights have gone down slightly in quality over the last 10 years (no abominable snowman anymore!?!? No dancers? Fewer lights?), it is still a great place to have your children meet Santa Claus, decorate cookies, listen to stories, play games, and see the animals. The price of admission is very cheap any time of year, but be aware they usually charge for parking during the summer zoo season because the zoo is considered located in a county park. This zoo is not huge, but it is a fun way to spend the morning/afternoon and you will see a lot of animals. Potter Park is always making improvements and you will enjoy yourself at this zoo. The gift shop is nice, and there is a humble concession stand at the middle of the zoo which does not serve anything fancy, but it is cheap, fast, and gets the job done.

I was very pleasantly surprised to attend an event at the zoo after avoiding it for soooooo long after some terrible flooding in the past where I thought it would be infested with mosquitos and Lord knows what else! The event was spaced out and well attended - put on by LCC for family and friends of students/staff. (Can't remember the exact date/month) Even if there was an extra effort put in for the guests...mission accomplished! I finally feel comfortable enough to start revisiting the zoo even during warm days.

This is a tiny Zoo. That works on helping endangered and extinct animals along with a partnership with other zoos in our country. They make certain at their animals even though it is small has things to do like frozen food so that they can dig them out. Different toys. The docents are very knowledgeable. It was a wonderful day I love looking at the spider monkeys. They have excellent they have excellent Gardens in the area. Areas to picnic areas to feed the animals. Overall it was a nice afternoon

I took my 2 year old granddaughter and 10 year old niece to the zoo. They both loved it. You can view the animals close up and get to pet and brush the goats. The prices of parking, admission and food are very reasonable. Will definitely go again

Smaller zoo but it's a nice way to spend a couple of hours walking around looking at animals. Worth a visit if you're in the area!

It was great that all of the organizations & businesses took the time to hand out candy & play games with the kids.

We didn't see too many animals out in the later hours, but the lights on every tree and post made this zoo very festive.

I went with my friend who was visiting from out of town. They charged me $28 a person even though I am a resident which stated $7. When walking through most animals were not out, not just missing the birds that had an influenza coming though. This was near the end of school year and had lots of schools there. I have been here a few times and always seems to be missing a lot of animals being out.
This is a smaller zoo and for me it took about 45 minutes to see everything and was quite disappointed. Might be good for young kids but I feel after 8 years old unless they never seen an animal before it is going to bore them.

The zoo was falling into disrepair but recent efforts to revitalize the zoo have made huge improvement! The animals are happy and there are more to see. The kids train rides are nice and the aviary where kids can feed the birds is great.

I went with my kids (12 & 10 yrs old) and my brother and his family (one boy 3 yrs old) to the Christmas light show evening at the zoo. It was fun, they have Christmas lights set up all around the zoo which are nice but nothing fantastic, although the kids enjoyed running through a sort of 'light tunnel' that they had set up in one section. Most of the indoor animal sections were open. The coolest thing about this trip was because we were at a zoo at night, a lot of the nocturnal animals that you normally wouldn't see were active - that was a fun bonus I wasn't expecting. They also had some crafts and a cookie-decorating activity set up in one of the indoor buildings. All in all a very fun evening for us and the kids!

In the last few years this zoo has improved immensely! Our family is attending this zoo more and more on a yearly basis! Staff is always friendly and extremely welcoming! Open year round too! If you go during the winter season, price of admission drops A LOT! Which is great for those odd, warm, Michigan winter days!

For a small zoo, Potter Park offers a lot to see. It's beautifully maintained and very walkable for small children. Some of the exhibits allow extraordinary close-up views -- the inside of the big cats building allows you to see a tiger mere inches away. My granddaughter was mesmerized. Only complaint was the food and gift shop. Bring your own picnic to eat in the lovely grounds outside the gate. And don't expect to find much for kids in the gift shop except stuffed toys. Would have liked to have seen more science-related toys.

Pros
-Only $4/person if you live in Ingham county
-Wonderful to walk around on warm summer days
-New moose attraction this year
-Black spider monkeys are very active and fun to watch playing
-Bird house is open to go inside and buy feeding sticks for them to land on (mostly parakeets with a few slightly larger birds)

Cons
-Small zoo with animals you expect to see
-A couple of the exhibits are empty now
-The tiger, lion, and snow leopard exhibits are saddening. They are small, in my opinion, and haven't changed a bit in over 10 years. They've worn down paths walking the same route they did when I came here as a child. Would love to see improvements here above anything else.

Very nice zoo, not huge but has a good variety of animals and exhibits are well laid out and easy to get around. Admission is very reasonable, and there's enough shade that this was a pleasant place to be on a hot day.

The most memorable feature of this zoo is that there are maybe a dozen peacocks (one of them albino) roaming freely all over--on the path next to you, hopping around the porcupine exhibit, resting near a moose... everywhere.

Our only disappointment is that the farmyard area seemed kind of small and underpopulated (more goats, please!), but that is a minor complaint. As a whole, would be happy to come here again and again.

They are a small zoo and you can tell they are trying to do their best, but the animals are obviously unhappy. In the spider monkey area one of the monkeys just kept going around in circles as there was nothing else for him to do. The lions and tigers also didn't have anything to play with and just sat there staring into space. I've been to other zoos where the animals have toys like balls and they looked much happier. The theme of not having anything to interact with was the same for almost every exhibit here. I understand they want to conserve as many animals as possible, but sometimes more is not better and this is one of them.

Potter Park is well run, and does have a wide selection of animals, but it's still a small zoo for a small town. It's a great place to kill an hour or so with your kids. Prices are crazy cheap, so I can't complain about the size. It's no Detroit or Toledo zoo. It would be nice to have some bigger animals (Elephants, giraffe, etc). It's nice that it's connected to the river walk trail. We like to bike to the zoo and then bike to Hawk Island for some fun swimming in the summer.

It had been 15 years since we'd visited Potter Park Zoo and we were pleased to see that the park is still a great attraction. There are lots of animals and displays to see and the park is a very nice size for walking around without wearing out yourself or your kids. The facility is well-maintained and has something for everyone. We used our zoo pass from another zoo, so had free admission. There is a fee to park in Potter Park (I think it was $5 for non-residents). While there were many new parts to the park, there were still plenty of reminders of when we used to visit 15-20 years ago. Everybody in the whole zoo seemed to be enjoying themselves. The Grand River and the wonderful big trees are a bonus to the park/zoo.

If you can afford it I recommend that you make the drive to the Detroit Zoo.

The potters Park zoo is not on my list of places to visit anymore. They are very lacking in animals and the place seems to have gone down hill since I was last there while I was in school.

Took 2 year old granddaughter to Potter Park zoo for the wonderland of lights. Admission was $14 per adult! Yes the Christmas lights were nice but the park was still dark and we could not see any animals. The best part was - now we know what the Wonderland of Lights is like and won't go back again. Not worth the money.

Meijer zoo days are the best. Its cheap to get in and lots of activities for the children to participate in

Nice upkeep on a nice smaller zoo worth the visit. I found it a very good past time and well worth the stop to check it out

Took the nephews to the zoo while babysitting them for a weekend. Thought it'd be a nice place to spend the day. I mean, the kids had fun, they're 1yo and 3yo. But really depressing to see the otters, lions, tiger, and wolves in such small cages. The tiger and lions we're obviously agitated since their small enclosures were so close together. Hope Potter Park will eventually re-home these animals to zoos/conservancies that can provide a better habitat. Not giving my money to this place again.

lots of animals of exhibits. Good food and souvineers. Would for sure go again with the family. Good deal

I'm sorry this review is an error. Don't know how it got in. Havnt seen the zoo in 20years, of course it great.

Binder Park in battle creek is larger. But the zoo is clean and well organized. More Cats than I expected and I loved that. they came up to the window so you could see them better. LOVED the bird encounter. you go inside of the bird pen and the birds land on you and you can feed them and there are so many of them. you have to pay for parking. smaller than expected gift shop. the layout is nice.

This was a great family outing! The zoo doesn't have as many exhibits as the zoo in Toledo, Ohio or Chicago, Illinois. But, if you are looking for an intimate experience, Potter Park Zoo is the place to visit.

I knew this was a smaller zoo when we decided to check it out but was kind of disappointed that they had some exhibits closed but still had them on the map. (We spent time going around looking for some of the animals and realized their exhibits were closed). It was easy to get around and wasn't busy so it was nice being able to relax and see the animals without feeling rushed. Some of the exhibits were really nice and I enjoyed being able to see some of the different animals you don't always see in other zoos. I think it's a bit overpriced though, I can go to John Ball for cheaper and see more animals. If you aren't a resident it's $5 for parking.

This was my first trip to Potter Park and it was wonderful. Many of the habitats have multiple viewing areas so even if an animal is "hiding" you can still get a peek. The habitats are also designed to make you feel very close to the animals. The animal handlers were very personable and took time to discuss what they were doing with the animals. I enjoyed the architecture of the reptile and feline houses. While this zoo is small there are many renovations going on currently like a new moose area. The admission was reasonable (10.00 and parking 5.00).
Ample parking close to the gate and a large picnic/playground area outside the zoo area.

Visited the Potter Park Zoo. Nicely laid out. Lions, Tigers and Red Pandas were our favorites. Easily seen in two hours.

Various animals with better than nice enclosures. Places to sit and rest as you wander around the paved and nicely shaded park. Clean restrooms and snack area. I've been to bigger parks with less animals for the same price.

This zoo was small but there was a lot to see! Great animals and a lot of different kinds and varieties. I loved how the peacocks just roamed around free. I also enjoyed the bird cage a lot! The exhibits were sort of small and you can tell the tiger was stressed out since it really didn't have a big space to roam around. It kept pacing back and forth. Also for the birds and monkeys. They didn't have much space to fly or swing. Other than that this zoo was great and very enjoyable. The gift shop was reasonably priced also!

An excellent time with kids & grandkids. Close to everything that you need, shopping, eateries, hotels, etc.

This park is in a grove of mature trees. There is plenty of shade to walk in, but also has areas for sunshine. We were pleasantly surprised at the variety of animals. Our ten year old grandsons had a great time. They especially enjoyed the bird house where they were able to have birds land on their feeding sticks, which only cost $1. They loved the bungee rides, and their grandmas loved the helpful kind young man manning it. The zoo is very clean and any workers we talked to were friendly. We spent two hours there, saw everything, and thoroughly enjoyed it. If you wanted to bring a picnic lunch, there are many areas just outside the zoo (in the park) that looked inviting.

I am usually against zoos in general, but walking through Potter Park seemed comforting because all of the animals seemed really healthy and well taken care for. We brought my niece and nephew, and they LOVED the monkeys! We are so lucky to have this animal habitat in our city of Lansing. Thank you Potter Park Zoo!

The high point of the zoo is the recently added moose exhibit. It is a large, scenic enclosure; unfortunately, the moose tends to stay in his barn when the temperature is above 60-70^F, so we didn't get a good look. The black rhinos were also quite impressive - one of very few potential breeding pairs in the western hemisphere. The spider monkeys and river otters were entertaining, but the birds are the most charming, with a fun hands-on parrot section, lively penguins, Bald Eagles, and a rather theatrical Ground Hornbill. A good variety of large cats, reptiles, amphibians and small mammals round out the trip. Everything is well maintained, and all of the animals appear healthy and happy.

I think I only payed $2 near winter for resident. I should come here more often. Nice animals, cats, fox, wolves outdoors, and freaky monkeys. Didnt see too many large animals.

The Potter's Park Zoo is good for 1-2 hours of entertainment with young children. The animals they have are enjoyable one should plan for a short visit.

Very nice clean zoo. Not huge but the perfect size. My 14, 13 and 2 yr old girls and I did the zoo in about an hour and a half. Lots of space for strollers. The an animals were all out. We went in April so the petting zoo was closed. But it was still a great trip. All 3 of my girls loved the animals. My favorite where the camels. Great morning trip to the zoo.

This is a really strong zoo for a city of Lansing's size. I explored the whole thing and it took 2 hours. Animals range from big (rhinos, camels, lion, tiger, cows) to small (snakes, binturong, penguins). There's a petting area, pony rides, a nature play area, and camel rides. Most of it is shaded, so in the summer should be good. 2 buildings for reptiles/small animals and for monkeys - the rest are all outside. I went in March - the upside is the price was low and there were only about a dozen people there. The downside is that 1/3 of the animals were off exhibit.

Michigan and all people who love this zoo need to come up with a lot of money to save this little zoo . Animals come first.

I had some time to kill so I spent the afternoon at the zoo. What a fun place. The goats were super friendly. Peacocks walking around all over. Eagles, otter, lion, tiger and the moose were favorites. It was rather warm so I even got a blueberry ice to cool down. The only drawback was $5 parking.

What a little treasure I never heard of, and I've lived in Michigan all my life. Nice and small enough that your kids won't be exhausted from walking. The snow leopard was my favorite, the husband liked the penguins. Here's a tip, apparently high noon is nap time.

Since the city of Lansing gave up ownership of the Zoo, things have changed greatly. New displays, animals and buildings! However, it still has retained several of its old standby displays that we remembered seeing when we were young...1950s....Our 5 year old grandson loved it!

This is a great zoo to go to with grandkids. It is big enough to have a nice variety of animals yet small enough to see all of it in an afternoon. Pathways are well kept and animals are easily accessible--either inside or outside. Stop and have a snack at the snack bar. Our grandkids always like to go to Potter Park when they come to visit.

It is a small zoo but has many attractions. The grounds are kept very clean. Prices are very reasonable and even has a senior day. Food is good, portions good and not expensive. Nice selection in gift shop for taking home a piece of the experience

Great zoo, animals are well cared for. Very dedicated staff and volunteers. Beautiful grounds, a real treasure in Lansing. Love the rinos, monkeys, and big cats.

The zoo is a great family places. It is pretty well kept up. It teaches alot and the employees are helpful.The kids enjoyed it very much.

I have been visiting this zoo since i was a little girl. Its had some major upgrades with new management. Its a nice size. Not too big or overwhelming in walking. It has a cozy cafe with finger foods & Ice cream. Pony,camal,and train rides for the kiddos.

I've been to PPZ numerous times and while the zoo is smaller compared to others (like Detroit/John Ball) it still has a lot to offer. It also feels a bit more like a park, with lots of trees and places to walk. They also recently upgraded their moose exhibit and it is really cool. Its a nice little zoo- worth a stop if you are in (or from) Lansing.

I am a MI resident, and had not heard about / been to this zoo before. It's tucked away in a scenic and peaceful location, smack in the middle of the city. A quaint, smaller zoo that is well kept and an ideal destination for a simple "day trip".

It's a small zoo, but it's nice if you only want to spend an hour or two. Two older kids and one younger child and myself enjoyed our visit. The food is ok, it's pretty much what I expect at a zoo. I seen a picnic area where you could sit and bring your own food in. It's a perfect zoo for small kids. They have pony rides, camel rides and an area where you can pet the goats. I loved the peacocks that roamed around.

My grandson had his 5th birthday party at the Potter Park zoo. First we had a private room which had all the zoo animals painted on the walls. We took in his transforme birthday cake and the zoo provided juice & water. When all the guests had arrived they
were treated to a show of some of the animals from the zoo. The keeper told the children about the animals & allowed children to touch them. She answered all the childrens questions about the different animals and believe me there were a lot of questions!The children loved all the animals except a cockroach which was one of the keepers favorites! My grandson liked it though, little boys seem to love bugs!We saw some some cute animals and learnt some interesting facts about them. The keeper asked the birthday boy if he would like to see a particular animal and he wanted to see a hedghog so she bought one out for him. It was a darling little baby one, just so cute!Later on after the children had all washed their hands the zoo provided a delicious pizza which was enjoyed by all. The staff were very helpful in providing us with anything we needed and the children and their parents all enjoyed themselves.

Potter Park Zoo is fun, educational and interesting for all ages. Additionally it has many special events during the year and a host of places throughout the park to gather in small or large groups for special celebrations

The Potter Park Zoo is a great zoo for small kids, because the exhibits are smaller and many of the animals are easy to spot. The large cats (snow leopard, tiger, and lions) were pretty cool, and we liked being able to see the moose. The zoo has a lot of animals that it is working with other zoos on in trying to preserve the species, which is pretty cool. There are some picnic areas available for people to stop for lunch, and some concessions available. We appreciated the playground located outside of the zoo for kids to run around on for a bit. The buildings and walkways through the zoo seem a little tired and could use some updating.

This zoo has made many improvements and is more of a natural setting zoo than before when it seemed mainly to have almost all exhibits with cement and not much greenery. My daughter loves the information at each animal and was super excited to read each one. She also enjoyed the camel ride, pony ride and train ride.

This is a small city zoo but it has an interesting selection of animals including red pandas, meerkats, a snow leopard, and black rhinos. Open-air bird area is a definite highlight. Clean, simple and well-maintained. Worth a visit!

Took our 3 year old granddaughter to the Zoo and it was the perfect size for her. It kept her attention and didn’t ware her out. The zoo keepers are great with young children. Nice, friendly and clean.

Easy to locate with amble parking. Very affordable for families. Fairly small zoo but a good variety of animals for all ages.

This is a great smaller zoo, if you like to spend a day casually walking around, taking pictures and enjoying the animals. It has plenty to see but is setup such that it is easy to walk around and see it all in an afternoon. It doesn't cost much at all and is well worth seeing if you are in the area.

Potter Park Zoo is small but well organized and a great afternoon outing for young children, without being too tiring. My granddaughter enjoyed the little train ride, although it was $3 for 3 small circles that went nowhere, so wouldn't necessarily do that again. The petting zoo, and Reptile bldg is great. Plus there's a baby rhinocerous, tigers, and lions to see close up! The winter festival of lights was also enjoyed by all.

First time visiting this zoo and we will be returning.The workers at the zoo were all friendly.We went on a day that looked like rain and the animals were all out.The zoo had many areas with shade.It also has a park with picnic area outside of the entrance.

Great place for double dates or to go with group of friends! Super playful animals and seem happy! I went in the winter and in the summer, both experiences are interesting for the difference of animals that are exposed.
During the summer you can even go riding on ponies and camels!

I missed a mini map or instructions from people that works there, but besides that was amazing.

Not a huge zoo but it's been around forever and a must stop in scenic Lansing . Not a whole lot else I can say

A great zoo for family members of all ages!
Not too big so the little ones won't tire as easily!
Peacock roam freely and don't miss the camel ride!!

We have been using Potter Park Zoo as a meetup location with my parents for years (we live in GR, they live in Flint). It's a great location to see the animal exhibits, spend time together, and enjoy a picnic (bring your own, or there is a Subway down the street). Nice size zoo for a 60-90 minute visit, conveniently located by the highway.

This is a nice zoo that has a good variety of animals to see. The walking area is spread out nicely so it's not easily congested other than right up front. They were doing construction so some of the exhibits were closed. They had a little train ride for the kids but was $3 per child for a couple circles around the open area. The horses could also be ridden for another fee and lastly there was jumping trampoline spot but was $7 for 5 mins. The extras were not worth the cost in my opinion. Being outside of the county you had to pay a larger parking fee. Next to the zoo is a nice playground area that has picnic table and grills. The kids could play on the playground equipment while you were grilling food. The snack area near the front of the zoo was priced very reasonable and had a pretty good assortment of food. We chose to bring our lunch and eat outside the zoo. We have a membership to the zoo but any non members would have a small fee to pay.
It took just a few hours to walk the entire area but kids enjoyed it greatly. Their highlights were the birds because you could feed them for $1 and the animal barnyard because you could pet and comb the goats.
It is a good getaway for the afternoon.
The one disappointment was that there was no aquarium area or amphibian area that you could access. I believe that building that used to house this was temporarily closed off to the public.

I wouldn't drive out of the way to get to Potter Park Zoo. Layout is not optimal and just doesn't compare to many of the other zoos we have been too.

We visited during the weekday and there where loads of school children there enjoying the zoo. We like the WPA era house they use for birds. They have tigers, lions and snow leopards which is really something for a zoo that isn't terribly large. We have been here a few times and enjoy the wooded grounds. They were building a new exhibit for moose which looks like it will be great. Nice to see the zoo moving forward!

After our plans fell though, we decided to try out this zoo. Yes it's still open in the winter: $3 an adult, $2 a child, super cheap. I couldn't believe how many animals were actually still out. It was a very nice 40° day, so maybe that made a difference. All the exhibits looked well kept, and many brand new. The otters we so much fun to watch. Most of the exhibits had a nice spot with glass instead of a fence to look through, and designed with little humans in mind to allow them to see as well. There are two buildings that are heated. The aviary and lizard house and the house for monkeys, lemurs ,lions and tigers. All the animals seemed happy and even liked to show off when some one walked by. For it being a small zoo there are a lot of variety of the animals here. Penguins, red pandas, llamas, meerkats, ravens, crows, peacocks galore and so much more. The coolest part was the moose exhibit. It was way in the back of the zoo, a huge area with a nice board walk with a pond. Never have I had a chance to see moose in real life, so we sat there watching for a long time. Definitely worth the trip back in the summer.

I have been to the Potter Park Zoo, several time, during the past few years. There is something for everyone. There is a barnyard, as well as some less common animals that we don't usually see.

Potter Park Zoo is so much fun. Easy parking, Not too big, Not too little. You can visit it in an afternoon and see everything with ease. Open in the winter too!

The best thing about Potter's park is the size and price. I have been coming here for 40 years. I loved it as a kid when they had half the exhibits, and I still love taking my 8 year old. I like it because it is small enough to see everything in an hour and a half, but big enough to spend up to 3 hours if you take your time and have a picnic. To save money, bring lunch and eat in the picnic area before you enter or after you are finished in the park.The food there is more expensive. Go on the weekend to have access to more areas and activities. Spring is great, because you get to see baby animals. Summer is great, everything is out. Fall is nice too, because everything is beautiful in the fall. Winter is good for short trips and if your kids have cabin fever. There are indoor exhibits. If you have never been, it's definitely worth the first trip. Local folks go at least once a year or more while kids are young, not a bad place for a first date though.

Loved coming here as a date with my boyfriend - kind of fun in the off season with fewer people around but they have some great exhibits. Would recommend!

This zoo is fantastic for a quick getaway with the kids. They have peacocks that roam around the premises. The have a huge black rhino, lions, and many other larger animals as well as penguins. I recommend this zoo! We take our two sons every year and they love it. It is not a place you spend all day at. But, you can spend 3-4 hours of a day there if you stop to take in everything and maybe buy a snack. They also have a petting zoo that my children LOVE

A very nicely designed smaller zoo with a wide variety of exotic, rare, and more common animals, birds & reptiles. Very pleasant layout with many paths and natural-like habitat enclosures, plus indoor exhibits.
Unexpected in this area was a large lake exhibit with a Moose from Maine. Bald Eagles, Lions, Tigers, a Rhinoceros, Monkeys, Snakes, Birds, etc. A unique White Peacock was a special treat! Farm Animal and ride area for Kids & a Snack Bar as well. Only partial negative is that they charge more for out of towners. But, I assume that may be because they get some local tax support. Picnic Pavilions on site for events.

For a local zoo in a place the size of Lansing, this is a great zoo. While it's not on the scale of the Detroit, Cleveland or Columbus Zoo's it is fantastic for our area.

It's not too overwhelming for little kids and is fairly easy to walk for ages 5 and up. You'll want a stroller if you have a toddler. You'll want to take an extra $5 so that you can buy the sticks and feed the birds in the "Birds Down Under" exhibit. Riding the train or ponies will cost extra $$.

You can see almost everything in just about 4 hours.