Animal Encounters & Petting Zoos – Perfect for the Animal Lover in Your Family
Kids and animals go hand-in-hand.
Summer is the perfect time to visit and learn more about our furry, scaly, or somewhere in-between friends. 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. 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.
Packing List
Spending more than an hour (or even 10 minutes) outside the home with kids means a lot of planning. What’s the weather going to be? How wet and dirty will the kids get?
We’ve put together a list of everything you may need for your best day ever at the petting zoo:
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Strollers/Wagons
- Snacks/Water
- Wipes/Sanitizer
- Extra clothes
- Diapers / Pull-Ups
- Lunches
- Hats / Sunglasses
- Cash (including quarters) for extras, animal feed
Zoos & Petting Zoos Near Kalamazoo
Binder Park Zoo
7400 Division Dr, Battle Creek, MI 49014
Binder Park Zoo 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 roaming peacocks.
Must-Try: Feed the giraffes and goats
Photo Op: Black Bear Statue
Petting Zoo? Yes
Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park
8313 Pratt Lake SE Alto, MI 49032
Boulder Ridge boasts a collection of over 150 species of exotic animals with opportunities to feed several of them.
The park also offers a free safari ride to visit emus, bison, water buffalo and zebras, among others.
Must-Try: Feed the giraffes and camels
Tip: The paved zoo is stroller friendly
Petting Zoo? Yes
Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary
1698 M-66, Athens, MI 49011
Critchlow is home to hundreds of animals including alligators, crocodiles, tree frogs and tortoises.
This sanctuary is a reptile rescue facility; all animals are obtained through rescue, adoption or donation and will remain there for the rest of their lives.
Must-Try: Animal Encounters – a one-on-one interaction with an alligator or snake.
Photo Op: “Godzilla,” an 11-foot, 350 pound alligator
Petting Zoo? No
Critter Barn
9275 Adams St, Zeeland, MI 49464
At this hands-on educational farm in Holland, you will find over 200 animals, including pot-bellied pigs, horses, turkeys, donkeys and ducks.
Free tours are available with Critter Crew youth volunteers.
Must-Try: Hold a duck or rabbit in your lap
Tip: The parking lot is small so arrive early or park in the street and walk up to the farm
Petting Zoo? Yes
Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park
6255 N 1000 W, Shipshewana, IN 46565
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.
Must-Try: Horse-drawn wagon ride
Tips: Bring cash and wear shoes that can get dirty
Petting Zoo? Yes
Gull Meadow Farms
8544 Gull Rd, Richland, MI 49083
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.
Must-Try: Feed the goats (bring quarters)
Tip: Visit in the morning on weekends (less crowded)
Petting Zoo? Yes
John Ball Zoo
1300 Fulton W, Grand Rapids, MI 49504
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.
Must-Try: Feed the budgies & ride camels
Photo Op: Visit by Sept 7, 2020, to view Brick Live – a collection of giant LEGO® creations
Petting Zoo? Yes
Kalamazoo Nature Center
7000 N Westnedge Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49009
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.
Must-See: DeLano Farms, features learning gardens and summertime farmyard animals.
Photo Op: Animals in their habitats
Petting Zoo? Yes
Kellogg Bird Sanctuary
12685 E C Ave, Augusta, MI 49060
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.
Must-Do: Feed the waterfowl
Tip: Paved trails are stroller-friendly
Petting Zoo? No
MOO-ville Creamery
5815 S M-66 Hwy, Nashville, MI 49073
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.
Must-Try: Homemade ice cream “Moo-valanche“
Tip: Bring a cooler to transport ice cream home
Petting Zoo? Yes
Potter Park Zoo
1301 S Pennsylvania Ave, Lansing, MI 48912
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.
Must-See: Jaali, the black rhino
Tip: Bring cash to feed the birds
Petting Zoo? Yes
Reindeer Ranch
2921 N 6th St, Kalamazoo, MI 49009
Families will love to visit with reindeer and see the rest of the herd. Book tours (seasonally) online. Winter tours include Santa on weekends; see the baby reindeer in the spring.
Must-Try: Guided Reindeer Tour
Photo Op: Selfie with a reindeer
Petting Zoo? Yes
Scidmore Park Petting Zoo
112 Spring St, Three Rivers, MI 49093
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: Nearby duck pond
Photo Op: Beautiful scenery along the trails
Petting Zoo? Yes
Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery
34270 County Road 652, Mattawan, MI 49071
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).
Must-Try: Feed the fish (bring quarters)
Tip: Admission and hatchery tours are FREE
Petting Zoo? No
Zoos Worth the Drive
Up for a family road trip? Plan your next trip to stop at one or more of these great zoos:
African Safari Wild Animal Park | 267 S Lightner Rd, Port Clinton, OH 43452
Children’s Zoo at Celebration Square | 1730 S Washington Ave, Saginaw, MI 48061
Cincinnati Zoo | 3400 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45220
Detroit Zoo | 8450 W 10 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48067
Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo | 3411 Sherman Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46808
Indianapolis Zoo | 1200 W Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46222
Potawatomi Zoo | 500 S Greenlawn Ave, South Bend, IN 46615
Toledo Zoo & Aquarium | 2 Hippo Way, Toledo, OH 43609
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