22 Petting Zoos & Regular Zoos Kalamazoo Families Love

We’ve also covered a few places worthy of a drive!

Calling all future veterinarians and animal lovers –  Read on to discover petting zoos, animal farms, sanctuaries, and zoos you’ll want to make sure and visit.

Zoos & Petting Zoos Near Kalamazoo

Southwest Michigan is home to many amazing places to get up close and personal to a wide variety of animals at a petting zoo and beyond.

Binder Park Zoo

Must-Do	Feed the giraffes and goats
Petting Zoo?	Yes, they have a petting zoo
ZOO SIZE	433 acres
Number of Animals	500
Highlights	Zebra tram, Peacocks walking around the zoo, Dinosaur area

With animals spread over 433 acres, Binder Park Zoo is one of the bigger zoos in Michigan.

Wear your walking shoes when you visit; the exhibits here are spaced out and you’ll certainly get your steps in.

It boasts a spectacular African Savannah, complete with zebras, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, and over a dozen African wild dogs.

Other fan favorites include Raj the snow leopard, Tushar the red panda, and the lions.

BJR Ranch

Must-Do	Take a wagon tour
Petting Zoo?	Yes, there is a petting zoo
Animals	Sheep, chickens, pigs, goats, horses
Highlights	U-pick flowers (additional fee)

Pick a bouquet of flowers and enjoy visiting with the animals at this family-owned farm. Take a tractor pulled wagon tour of the ranch and hear the historic story of Ransom Dopp and the lost gold.

The farm also offers private events and birthday parties.

Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park

Must-Do	Feed the giraffes and camels
Petting Zoo?	Yes, there is a petting zoo
ZOO SIZE	80 acres
Number of Animals	1500 animals, 180 species
Highlights	Unusual animals, easy to navigate

Boulder Ridge boasts a large collection of exotic animals with opportunities to feed several of them, like the giraffes and camels.

Bonus: This paved zoo is mostly flat and is stroller-friendly.

The park also offers a free safari ride to visit emus, bison, water buffalo, and zebras, among others.

Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary

Must-Do	Animal Encounters
Petting Zoo?	No
ZOO SIZE	2.5 acres
Number of Animals	Hundreds of reptiles
Highlights	‘Godzilla’ – an 11-foot, 350 pound alligator

Critchlow is home to hundreds of rescue animals including alligators, crocodiles, tree frogs, and tortoises.

All animals are obtained through rescue, adoption or donation and will remain there for the rest of their lives.

Critter Barn

Must-Do	Hold a duck or rabbit in your lap
Petting Zoo?	Yes
ZOO SIZE	3 acres
Number of Animals	Over 200 animals

This hands-on educational farm near Holland is home to over 200 animals, including pot-bellied pigs, horses, turkeys, donkeys, and ducks.

Free tours are available with Critter Crew youth volunteers.

The parking lot is small so arrive early or park in the street and walk up to the farm.

Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park

The farm features a wide array of domestic and exotic animals including zebras, reindeer and water buffalo.

Have you ever fed a monkey before? Dutch Creek features animals for both petting and feeding that families may not find elsewhere.

You can walk through, drive through, or take a wagon ride through the farm.

Tip: Bring cash and wear shoes that can get dirty.

Gull Meadow Farms

Must-Do	Feed the goats (bring quarters)
Petting Zoo?	Yes, there is a petting zoo
ZOO SIZE	80 acres
Highlights	Fun family activities

In the Fall and select Summer days, Gull Meadow Farms features a petting zoo as part of their Back Forty exhibit. It includes alpacas, pigs, and over a dozen goats.

Other activities include a corn maze, wagon rides, pig races, u-pick apples, apple cannons, and a pumpkin patch.

Gull Meadow Farms is open for special events during the year. A fan favorite is the Walk through the Lights at Christmas.

Tip: Visit during the week or in the morning on weekends when its less crowded.

John Ball Zoo

Must-Do	Feed the budgies & ride camels
Petting Zoo?	Yes, there is a petting zoo
ZOO SIZE	140 acres
Number of Animals	2000 animals, 230 species
Highlights	Zipline, Sky Trail Ropes Course, Funicular

John Ball Zoo is more than just animals. Visitors can also experience the zipline, feed the budgies, watch a bird show, ride a camel and climb across rope bridges and webs.

The zoo is known for special events, including Zoo Goes Boo and Illumizoo. Kids will also enjoy the play structures throughout the zoo.

Kalamazoo Nature Center

Must-Do	Visit Nature’s Playground & DeLano Farms
Petting Zoo?	Yes, there is a petting zoo (Summer only)
ZOO SIZE	1,100 acres
Highlights	14 miles trails, animals in their habitats

Visit Lacey the Haflinger horse, Neo the pig, and all your farmyard favorites during the summer and weekends through September.

There are a variety of Family Programs that focus on animals – Creature Features, Farmyard Wednesdays and other opportunities. 

The Nature’s Playground is a kid favorite. Explore natural play elements, find fish in the winding creek and play in the teepee. A towel and a change of clothes is helpful to have.

Kellogg Bird Sanctuary

Must-Do	Feed the waterfowl
Petting Zoo?	No
ZOO SIZE	180 acres
Highlights	Birds of Prey, Nature photo-ops

Explore three miles of trails and experience a variety of habitats surrounding Wintergreen Lake, the heart of the Sanctuary grounds. Families will see a variety of birds including waterfowl (geese, ducks, swans), game birds, and raptors. 

The Birds of Prey exhibit is home to a bald eagle, red-tailed hawk and different owl species. These birds are permanent residents of the sanctuary.

Tip: Paved trails make this destination very stroller-friendly.

MOO-ville Creamery

Must-Do	Try the ‘Moo-valanche’ ice cream
Petting Zoo?	Yes (April – October)
NUMBER OF ANIMALS	Over 40 farm animals
Highlights	Playground with giant sandbox, MOO-ville ice cream

MOO-ville is FREE to visit. Kids will enjoy the petting farm, farm toys, and a giant sandbox in the play yard. Learn about the dairy process with a self-guided tour.

The petting zoo and kids play area has paved sidewalks making it stroller friendly.

Tip: Bring a cooler to transport ice cream home.

Potter Park Zoo

Must-Do	See Jaali, the black rhino
Petting Zoo?	Yes
ZOO SIZE	102 acres
NUMBER OF ANIMALS	Over 500 animals, 160 species
Highlights	Pony rides, playground

Potter Park Zoo is open year-round and offers discounted admission during winter months. Kids enjoy riding the ponies and camels, visiting the petting zoo, and exploring the playground.

Tip: bring cash to feed the birds.

Reindeer Ranch

Must-Do	Guided reindeer tour
Petting Zoo?	Yes
Highlights	Take a selfie with a reindeer

Families will love to visit with reindeer and see the rest of the herd. Book tours (seasonally) online. Winter tours include Santa on weekends.

Watch their Facebook page in the spring for baby reindeer visits.

Scidmore Park Petting Zoo

Must-Do	Visit the duck pond
Petting Zoo?	Yes (Summer weekends only)
Highlights	Farm themed playground

Make the short drive to Three Rivers to check out a whole menagerie of animals that love attention. See llamas, python snakes, pot-bellied pigs. Don’t forget the rabbits and hedgehogs too. (Open on the weekends).

Don’t miss the farm themed playground nearby.

Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery

Must-Do	Feed the fish (bring quarters)
Petting Zoo?	No
HATCHERY SIZE	78 acres
Highlights	Free fishing lessons

This hatchery is home to lake sturgeon, Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, northern pike, northern muskellunge, walleye, largemouth bass and a variety of sunfish on over 78 acres of ponds.

They also offer FREE fishing lessons, scavenger hunts and preschool activities (verify events on Facebook).

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