Reviews of John Ball Zoo. (Other) in Grand Rapids (Michigan).

John Ball Zoo

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388 Comments

Other

Zoo

1300 Fulton St W, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, United States

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Information of John Ball Zoo, Other in Grand Rapids (Michigan)

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Reviews of John Ball Zoo

Grey K

We're in the area currently for a concert and needed some time to kill before checking into our hotel, so we stumbled across this zoo. And I will say, it's really nice! Spacious enclosures for the animals, nice graphics that talk about the animals, facts about how endangered they are. The aquarium was really cool, and the penguin habitat was great. They seemed really happy. The animals appeared to be healthy and well cared for. They have a petting zoo as well, which was fun to do. Because of the time of year, only a few places to eat were open, and the one place we went to had a pretty long wait (like 20ish minutes). But the food was decent, normal zoo food. Really enjoyed going here. The price of admission wasn't insane either. Would love to come back in the summer when more animals are out.

Jennifer Woody-Rice

What an amazing zoo!!! So much to see and do. The "extras" are definitely worth it. Never been to a zoo on a forest foothill before. Worth every penny. Lots of shaded areas. Enclosures for the animals were great...lots of room for them and enrichment. We will definitely return the next time we are in the area.

Amanda E. McCosh

A decent zoo - neat how it is kind of on the side of the hill. I recommend taking the little 5 minute tram up to the top and coming down from there. All the birds are put away for bird flu and there is a ton of construction going on so eventually the zoo will be really nice with the exhibits all finished. The good is a little pricey and it costs extra to do all the things like the ropes course, zip line and tram, but it's not horribly outrageous. Some very cool sculptures and the waterfall is cool.

Michael Tanner

We decided to buy season passes this year. I would definitely recommend this for family outings. They had sculptures made from trash found in the ocean and other water areas it was a good way to teach children to properly dispose of garbage. We arrived just in time for the otter feedings , the kids really enjoyed this activity & the kangaroo exhibit was so much fun. They had hands on activity for the kids. I would definitely say to check out their evens page before going to see if they have anything special going on because they have so many different events. I would recommend SEASON PASSES they pay for themselves in one visit along with the SEASON PASSES you get discounts in the Zoo on food merchandise and activities. Along with members only events with first to know information so you can plan the best trip possible. With your purchase of the SEASON PASSES my favorite part is that money is used for the animals! Hope to see you all at the Zoo!

Laura Casaletto

Somehow the zoo has expanded without getting more animals. There's more walking with less learning. But there's good art! Also more opportunities to amuse kids, sometimes for an extra $10 apiece. There's a camel ride, zip line, ropes course, and pan for gems. That's after the $20 (adult) admission. But the animals seem well housed and cared for and are fun to watch. I love the painted dioramas. Staff is informative. As of June '22, the predatory birds are off view because of bird flu. Additional advice: don't go when it is very hot because the critters will be snoozing, often out of sight. They will perk up at feeding time though! That seems to be towards the end of the day.

Jim n Kim Noe

We decided to go to the zoo while we were in Grand Rapids MI. So much to see. There was great parking. You could take a train ride to the top and walk down through the rest of the zoo. It was the best way to go instead of walking uphill through the zoo. There is a gift shop, restaurant and food stands. The animals were so active when we went through. We enjoyed taking some time to go through the zoo.

Lisa Smith

Beautiful zoo. Staff was helpful and friendly. Went on 05/28/22, all Avians were being held inside for their safety against Bird Flu. Lots of construction, but they are working hard to bring everyone a better experience. The only thing needed is additional or bigger Cafe/table area.

Thomas Spear

Lions, tigers, and bears... Literally. Great zoo for the price. It has a unique layout due to being built into a hillside. You get several vantage points of different animals because of this. It's also a great place to watch a variety of animals nap 😉 definitely worth checking out if you're visiting the area. Soon it will also have koalas! Go already

Raylou Wolfy

Very nice zoo! As someone who has lived next to the Detroit zoo, I was pleasantly surprised that this zoo wasn't underwhelming at all. The otters and penguins were probably my favorite. Spent about 3.5 hours here. Food at the cafe was amazing too.

Stephen Nichelson

This place is such a simple and affordable place to go with so many fun sights to see. They are constantly updating the animals in there and having all kinds of events. My friend actually had their wedding out there in the event center there. It was such a fun venue! Go during the week when its not so busy. Maybe before or after a dinner date on the town. The big ol Bald Eagle can be viewed there however they have been containing the birds inside for a while to keep them from getting the spread of bird flew which is going around. There is not really another place I could recommend more. It's a fun environment, good for kids, fun for adults, lots of things to do for the price.

Hunter Machin

Always good to visit the zoo! You never know what you're going to be able to see and visit each time. It was busy but not too awful on a Wednesday. Unfortunately none of the birds were available because of a bird flu. This was a bit frustrating because it seemed like half the exhibits were birds. Then had to rely on animals being out and about which often they weren't.

Paula Barton

Very fun place. Love that there are workers near the animals to give you more information about the animals and to answer any questions that you may have. Very friendly staff at the food venues. Food is a bit pricey, but I guess that is expected. Plenty of spots to eat in the park if you pack your own lunch.

Matt Weber

This place is always fun & a great place for kids to learn, see & burn some energy. Sadly on this visit there were a lot of animals put up due to bird flu. Though I'm glad they take extra precaution to keep the critters safe. Minus one star for astronomical food prices... It was like 7 bucks for a popcorn!!! Also was 11 bucks for a hotdog!!! This is not ok.

Elizabeth Brown

A nice zoo! No crowd in the middle of the week in August. Many impressive animals, including a tiger, grizzly bears, and golden eagles. Nice size, too-- you can do the whole thing in 3-4 hours. There is a decent amount of tree cover so the hot summer days are tolerable.

Braeden Pelton

I've been coming here my whole life. While it's changed a lot and I miss attractions like the Sting Rays, it still has a lot to offer. The Budgies are so much fun. Please take time to visit the goats in the petting zoo.

Bill Riberdy Jr

Always try to visit any new zoos and this one didn't disappoint. Great variety of animals but what I loved was how close you get to them. Many shady areas and an easy stroll across the park

Lori “McDonough” B

This is a beautiful zoo. We loved that you were able to get a closer view of the animals compared to some of the larger zoos. My 4 year old loved the train ride up to the top of the zoo. That does cost $4 per person but it was worth it.

Mandee King

Was a great trip and a great time for our anniversary. No birds due to the flu but still had a great time. Food is extremely expensive and very little portions. Besides that they have the zip line so thats cool.

Andrew Falkenberg

John Ball Zoo is a wonderful zoo with attractions and events that change throughout the year. The art exhibits made from recycled waste from the oceans were beautiful. The amount of materials that went into each creation is amazing. Those materials are only a fraction of what is still out there. There are a few animal exhibits that rotate in. A new exhibit was under construction with a completion date in 2023. An additional event was taking place for those interested in the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Decorations, informative signs and interesting scavenger hunts were throughout the grounds of the zoo. One quest had you searching the grounds for various portkeys. Signs were scattered throughout the zoo asking what type of magical creature would you be. The decorations were cleverly placed that it was a surprise to find the items. We visited during the day. Participating in these searches during the twilight hours would be a different experience. I'm sure the twilight hours would prove for an interesting visual search. These experiences are what keeps us coming back to John Ball Zoo. The overall layout of the zoo allows you to easily go between areas without too much doubling back. The zip line and rope course was not open when we were last at the zoo. Parking has always been incredibly easy even with all the current construction around Grand Rapids.

JL Vic

Absolutely one of the best zoos I have ever been to. We were visiting from out of town and I am so impressed. We went right when the zoo opened and the animals were all out and about. The exhibits are wonderful for the animals...full of enrichment and spacious. In some zoos it is impossible to see animals the way exhibits are set up...but not here at John Ball. I could see animals from just about any place I stood and moved to. The staff was so knowledgable and I loved that they had people placed and exhibits sharing animals facts. Absolutely fantastic experience and highly recommend!

Steve Friske

Was a fun time taking my wife. Lots of things to see. The tram to the top which is about a 4 minute ride or so was what we did. Don't think it was worth the 8 dollars for both of us but other then that great place. Reminds me a bit of the Calgary zoo back home.

Amber Rose

Loved this zoo.. Enclosures were spacious & well maintained.. Lots of seating/benches along pathways for pregnant ladies to take a break lol.. We have a membership at a reciprocal zoo so our admission was 1/2 off so it wasn't much at all. Will definitely be back soon

Terry Hickerty

Very good zoo everything's spaced out nice so you don't feel like your walked forever with nothing to see. The pizza by the tiger exhibit is super delicious and my wife loved the dole whip float. Was sad the birds couldn't be out but the zoo was doing what was best for their health and safety so can't be mad about it. I love the continued improvement every year is different and this years plastic sculptures is awesome for awareness

Erin Symonds

We've been to John Ball Zoo a few times, but never in the fall. Definitely make it a point to go in the fall! The colors are gorgeous and the animals are active. We had a great time and will be back for sure. We attended Zoo Boo 🎃

Laura Strom

Great family place to spend 2-3 hrs. We went on a sunny fall day in Nov, so all the outdoor course (i.e. Zipline, obstacle course, camel ride, etc) were closed. Gift shop & some food/drink places were open. Animals looked well- taken care of & staff/ volunteers were friendly. Take the $4/each ride up the hill. Only takes 4 min & then you can stop at the animals on the way down, which is esp nice if you're pushing a stroller!

Kathryn White

A little wild life oasis in the city. John Ball Park Zoo is a sweet zoo. From it's awesome lion exhibit to watching the otters play, or walking through the reptile building it's all good. It's wheelchair accessible. Often there is a art display throughout the grounds. Last year it featured animals made out of lego-like bricks. This year different animals were designed out of different types of trash. There are several food stations, and a gift shop, a train/tram and a zipline . Alittle pricey but most things are these days. A nice way to get away from it all conveniently located.

Hunter Burch

Clean, friendly staff. Animals were as active as possible for being morning and muggy, but was a fantastic time. Unfortunately the Eagles were not out due to the bird flu going around, so they are being monitored by doctors in a safe and secure building to be monitored.

Katie Gent

Very nice, clean zoo. Small but a nice assortment of animals, some I've never seen before in person. The enclosures were spacious for each animal, I like that. I also liked that the signs told the stories of some of the animals including how/why they were in a zoo. My favorites were the eagles (bald and 2 golden), the grizzlies, and the reptiles/amphibians. Didn't get to see some animals because of the heat, but that's pretty normal in a zoo. Would have loved to see the snow leopards and somehow we missed the red pandas. There were some beautiful Lego displays of animals throughout the park, mostly at the entrance, that were fascinating.

C. Morgan

What a wonderful zoo to visit while in Grand Rapids! Price is fair, plenty of parking, friendly employees, and clean zoo with many exhibits. Plenty of restrooms, and very clean. Plenty of food stands, and even a few with adult beverages. I would definitely recommend visiting this zoo!!

Jennifer Snay

There were lots of cool animal exhibits here. My personal favorite was Jack, an adorable and sweet wallaby. Unfortunately many of the birds were not there since Michigan has had bird flu. But thankfully the toucans were there. They were entertaining, especially watching how they eat.

Matt reyes

Awesome zoo! Great exhibits and during the weekday it isn't packed at all, went on a Friday morning til afternoon, the weekends can get pretty busy. Probably about 3 hours to really see every exhibit and enjoy them. Only small downside to coming early is that some of the animals were still sleeping and not active but circled back later after lunch and they were more active. Great time overall

Ben Taylor

My kids love it. It's not the biggest zoo so it's great if you don't have a ton of time but there is plenty of stuff to see and a few different activities like zip line and petting zoo. It's a fun place for anyone.

Kay Sanderson

We love John Ball Zoo! They partner with the MiBridges network and off free entry into the Zoo if you have your valid ID and MIBridges card. We have gone their 4 times this year already and are still not bored! My small kids love the parks to play on and have picnic lunches! I definitely recommend checking it out if you're in the area.

Ashley Dean

Absolutely stellar! I've been to a LOT of zoos and aquariums, this is by far one of the better ones! The animals have decent-size enclosures, and have clear enrichment provided. My daughters and I attended the Kids Day at the Zoo on 5 August 2021. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. The animals seemed very happy and comfortable.

Yolanda Smithe

We got there and had to use ALLLLLL the way back parking. I was expecting a horrible time. However, the zoo is very spacious and well planned for large groups of people. It was sad that there were no birds, I really wanted to see the parakeets but all the birds are put away because of bird flu. The frog exhibit was AMAZING!!!!!!! The toys and food and drinks were as expensive as I expected but they had a HUGE selection of things to choose from. I recommend going for a nice day trip.

Davind Taylor

This is one of the most enjoyable zoos my family has been too! We loved the small aquarium at the front with penguins, starfish, little sharks, lobsters, and a few more fish. This zoo is shaded well with beautiful trees and the landscape is beautiful. There is great accessibility with ramps as alternatives to stairs. There are water fountains around and drink machines as well; along with food. The animals are some of the healthiest and happiest I've seen (to be confined). The staff is very friendly and the zoo is well laid out. We were able to enjoy the entire zoo in about 1.5 hours, doubling back to see the grizzlies before leaving. The gift shop is nice with lots of buying options. I love that you can leave without going through the gift shop like with some zoos that force you to visit the gift shop! 😅. Other things it has but we didn't partake: camel rides, Zipline (closed dieing our visit), and rope course. LOVE this zoo! Hats off to the staff and volunteers! 👏

Gary Shetler

This is an awesome place to visit! The staff were extremely knowledgeable and responsive to our questions. The natural habitat design was quite appealing, and the trees and flowers provided shade and beauty on a hot day! I loved seeing all the animals, who looked very well cared for! The brightly colored block sculptures of animals displayed throughout the zoo grounds (temporary display until end of Sept, I believe) added to the fantastic experience we had at this zoo!

Stephanie

Wonderful place, was not as busy being on Sunday Afternoon. Downfall was the excessive uphill but the going back down was good! Unfortunately, bird flu is in high effect so not as many species to see which is understandable. Very clean and well kept.

Vinod T.R.

Excellent collection of animals, packed in a spacious, yet not so huge area. However, the attractions are not arranged on a flat surface. So it's all ups and downs to climb. So, tough on the legs with that perspective. I found the viewing areas of many animals to be designed in a very nice way that I was able to see them very close. They also have a small petting zoo that lets kids up close with goats and sheep. One of the best zoos I have seen

Debi Guzman

John Ball Park was fun. Hadn't been there in years. Fun to see all the animals with my nephews. Koalas were still there so that was a nice surprise!

Caitlin Reed

Great place to spend half a day. It is a nice big, spread out zoo. Easy to navigate. The animals have large enclosures and do not seem stressed. They have shade and are able to get away from crowds and people, yet are easy to be seen of wanted. The parking lot was very busy, yet inside it did not seem to busy except in a few places like feeding birds, ropes course and other interactive areas. The staff are very friendly and kind as well as knowledgable and willing to talk about the animals and show they care about them. It is a nice park with lots to do and a nice area outside to picnic and relax before or after visiting. Look forward to returning.

The Outsider

Really great zoo! Many animals to see. Big cats, reptiles, aquatic animals, insects, etc. zoo is clean and ticket fee is not bad. Of course like all places like this, the concession stands are a rip off. $4.50 for an 8 Oz. fountain drink!!! So my advice would be to bring your own drinks. Other than being rip off, which is to be expected of places like this, unfortunately. I would highly recommend this Zoo for both adults and kids.

Jody Van L

So much fun!!! This was my first time coming to the zoo and it was such a great experience even with the rain! I will definitely come again!

C AM (Shadoegirl19)

Had a Blast at the Zoo Boo, rain and all! What a great experience for the kids & adults. All of the zoo staff were so friendly and excited to see the kids! This will be a new yearly thing for us! Can't wait to go back tonight for the Illumizoo!

Cristina Whitehouse

We needed something to do, and this fit the day perfectly. Although we went on a super hot day, we had a great time. Animals were active, and we found a cooling station that helped a lot.

Timothy Hagerty

Zoo was kinda small and not the best signage for figuring out where to go. Funicular was a lot of fun and did enjoy that, but probably will not be back to this zoo next time in Grand Rapids

Anthony Henrickson

A great day at the zoo! Lots to see and do. Inside and outside exhibits we interesting and a nice change of pace. The whole family had fun and there was always something to look at. Good food, we had pizza and burgers with a souvenir cup. Picked up some clearance stuff at the shop and everyone was happy. Beautiful animals and exhibits, you feel right there with the animals because you are. Highly recommend.

Ptaszek Maan

I have been to a lot of zoos but this was by far my favorite zoo of all time the animals look like they’re being treated really well they’re super happy the bear was walking behind me while I was walking next to it the lion was making noises the Penguins were happily making noises everything in the zoo seem so active and alive and it was so wonderful!!!! I was visiting from out of town and I was so surprised about how amazing it is they have the school zip line you can ride a camel and they have the school course that’s like a obstacle course for kids of a safety line and then they can go through it and it’s really cool!! Also they were these super cool Lego exhibit and a bunch of really interesting animals I’ve never seen it is you before like a red panda there was a tiger or a lion a bear beautiful penguins and a snow leopard and a lynx cat!!!!

Chris Norton

As far as zoos go, this has a lot to offer for it's size. If you like art and animals, then this is the zoo for you. The lego created animal sculpture s & exhibits are superb in information and design. The zoo staff is ubiquitous - at least on the day we visited - and friendly and knowledgeable. It's a small zoo, but that makes it a doable zoo, a one day visit that is a complete visit. Oh yeah, they have great Red Pandas!

Kristen Lower

We really enjoyed the atmosphere, admission seemed reasonable, and they serve family-sized meals for a decent price too at the cafe. We found the educational plaques to be very interesting, though I wish the reptile area had the species name below the exhibits instead of above. The zoo has a decent uphill climb throughout, and little legs get tired so plan for a stroller if you have 3yr olds or younger in your party. Many of the exhibits are a friendly viewing height for littles. Zoo staff was very friendly. Many restrooms throughout for tiny bladders too. Our 4,3, and 2yo had a great visit!

Tyler Goodacre

Honestly.. being from southeast michigan. That was an amazing experience! Definately recomend! And very friendly staff help all the more! Would definately take the 2 to 3 hour drive again! And it does break your bank! Prices are reasonable for once. Lol All in all, its absolutly worth a visit! Oh and my favorite personally were the Tigers and the Bears! 🐯🐻

Jenna VanEnk

Family fun filled morning at the zoo! Friendly, knowledgeable staff at some of the exhibits. Some exhibits are interactive and all exhibits are clearly labeled with fun facts. Clean facilities that are easily navigated wrap up why John Ball Zoo is great place to visit.

Zoey Lyn

JBZ was a very nice zoo. It was clean, the staff was beyond helpful and nice! The kids enjoyed it and we definitely plan on going back

Kathy Wioskowski

Very nice zoo. My husband and I took our grandsons and they enjoyed it too.

Alex Bogdan

John Ball Zoo is always a great time! It has many beautiful exhibits and impressive sculptures.

Jason Gribble

They have truly made some amazing changes to the entrance and all the way above the eagle's area, I thought the entire area around the meerkats was a great change too! It was exciting to see the Zoo looking at the future and not only keeping everything fresh for the eyes but also trying to make it more accessible for everyone. Hopefully they keep the momentum going and keep making this an even better Zoo than it already is! Also we really loved the Lego exhibits, I think I missed one or two pictures...

Krystal Gates

I've been here mutiple times. I find it very enjoyable and there's many animals. Though I recommend going on a week day because it can be very packed with people on weekends. Also try to bring your own food and water or it will be pricey.

Clifford Cone

We enjoyed the day at the zoo. It was a “meet Disney princesses” day when we went. The lines for pictures for the meet up were slow moving. The printed map lacks details I expected so park navigating wasn’t the best. A tip for your visit… ride the train to the top of the zoo and walk down. Otherwise most of your day will be traveling uphill.

Andrew Burick

Hands down the best zoo I've been to!! Family friendly, friendly staff, clean restroom facilities, awesome on site activities, and they also have a zipline and obstacle course. 10/10 will be going back. If you are in that area definitely check it out!

Dan Cassidy

Another zoo. This one is pretty cool. We spend just over 2 hours and feel like we covered it all. The tiger was really cool and active. Not sure we would return, but it was definitely worth a visit.

Roberta Davis

It was a beautiful fall day🍁🌞🍂 I went with one of my besties and we had a very enjoyable afternoon! The majority of the animals were very active, so that enhanced our visit incredibly 😊🐾👍🏻 I appreciate the efforts that are being made to improve the zoo for both the animals and human visitors alike. I do hope that the improvements continue, especially for the animals, since their lives are spent in captivity. They deserve as many enhancements and enrichments as possible! God bless all the zoo and animal caretakers, volunteers, administrators, et al 🙏🏻😍✌🏻👌🏻 Thank you for your hard work and dedication...you "all" rock!! 😍👍🏻😎 Peace 🕊

Ashton Brandow

No long wait getting into the parking areas or the zoo its self. The incline right at the entrance is gone creating a very pleasant entry. All the things we've always enjoyed are still here and lots of new areas too. The adults enjoyed a wine and ice cream float beverage at the deepest part of the zoo, it was yummy, just a bit pricey. Over all a fun visit 😊

Josh O'Berski

Relaxed dining with outdoor seating and great views. Seemed animal friendly. Polite and kind staff, with pretty fast service. Beer selection focused on the staples. Pizza and breadsticks were not bad for the price.

Sherif A. Fahim

The zoo is nice and family friendly but most of the animals were sleeping when we went!

Sam Sachs

This is an awesome mid-size zoo located on a very shaded hill. Even in mid-June, all of the trees around the zoo made for a relaxing outdoor experience. They have a good variety of animals, and even a small indoor aquarium. They also do a great job of adding in some additional interactive activities for kids, such as a ropes course, a unique playground at the top of the hill and a camel ride. Parking is split between a few different lots and is free. As of June, masks were not required for entry and tickets could be bought right at the gate.

Derek Ketchum

Great day at the zoo. Much larger enclosures for the cats than what were found at zoos 20 years ago. Awesome Lego Sculptures on display, great food, pop, and adult beverage options. They have a really cool zip line and camel rides for the kids too! Zip line and camel rides have an extra fee. After the zoo you can enjoy the park where you will find a lot of greenspace & covered areas for picnics.

Kimberly Terry

We love the zoo!! We were gifted a membership and we take full advantage of it! We go once a week and are even having my daughter's party there! The staff members are always welcoming and willing to answer questions about the different animals/exhibits. I also love that JB Zoo makes sure they have animal habitats and not just enclosures/cages.

Stephanie Constant

So much bigger than I remember!! Awesome lego sculptures all around. Kinda stupid the concession stand up in the lions area closed half an hour early and wouldn't even just refill my bottle I payed for and only got to fill once. Other than that loved it!! Red panda is super cute and the bears are much easier to see now.

Tyler Payne

I probably won't make this my usual zoo, but it was an excellent trip. Lions, Tigers and Bears, oh my. The indoor spaces are acousticly horrible and very loud when busy. I'd recommend headphones or earplugs for anyone sensitive to noise or stimulus. Otherwise, not a lot of overlap to Binder Park in Battle Creek, so if you are trying to pick one or the other; why not both?

amanda antes

Lots of animals and they are close together. The only downfall was most of the hand sanitizer stations were empty and the ones that was not, parents let their kids play on, like they was jungle gyms tearing them apart with no respect for others needing to use it!😡

Stephanie Shallal

Was amazing!! The animals were incredible the food was really good!! Only thing I was disappointed about was the mining area was closed I heard great things about it!

Brad Miller

John Ball Zoo was fantastic! My daughter absolutely loved it. Quite a bit more to see and do compared to our home zoo. Definitely worth the 2 hour drive!

Melissa Farthing

Ehh, was not impressed. I've been to better zoos that were similar in size. Many of the animals weren't out and active even though the weather was nice. Really enjoyed the meerkat and chimpanzee exhibits. The trolley to the top of the zoo was also a nice touch. This zoo would be a good one-time destination but I couldn't imagine getting a membership here. Also, sunscreen should not cost the same price as zoo admission. Like come on.

Peter DeGraaf

Such a good zoo, especially for families. It’s the right size and logistics for little kids, with plenty of spots to stop and have a snack or a break. Membership is def the way to go. We’ve had best success first thing in the morning on a weekend, or late afternoon on a weekday.

A DeBoer

It has been over a year since i last went, stopped going and taking pictures of animals and people, because it was becoming like blah. But lots of nice improvements have been made. Design and lay out seem to have improved. So much so I renewed my membership plus one. Now to find and make new friends to photograph he again. This one experience was a much needed renovation. It was a beautiful day, and staff were seeming to be as happy as people who visited. Took hundreds of pictures. But these pictures were all i had left on my phone to share.

Eddie Alberda

So many cool animals for a smaller zoo. Very clean and well maintained with large areas for the animals to roam. Get out there and support the zoo, you won't be disappointed!

Michael Turner

One of my new favorite small zoos. You get a 1/2 off discount if you’re a Detroit zoo member too! It’s nicely organized, and although small, it has a lot of cool exhibits.

Paige Biek

We did a Behind the Scenes close encounter with the bears for my husband's birthday. This was astounding and I wish I knew about these sooner. What a spectacular experience! We got to set up the food and enrichment in the bear den, and had staff and a zookeeper to answer all our crazy questions. More people need to experience this.

Miranda DeZeeuw

Visitors of all ages can find something of interest at the zoo. Restrooms, water fountains, and sanitizer stations are plentiful and easy to locate. Several vegan (allergy friendly) food options available. Double check ingredients with the helpful friendly food service staff! The lady who served me was very accommodating.

Todd Mitchell

Loved the Lego sculptures throughout the park. It was a great family excursion. My 9 year old loved the zip line. So much to see and do as we walked along the exhibits.

Leona Heinrich

This was the second zoo we have been to this summer and this one was much better than the first with so many more animals. The lego decorations were awesome. For the first time ever we rode the tram up and walked down. My son and I rode a camel for the first time ever together. We plan on going back in the fall when it's cooler so maybe the animals will be more active.

SIR

Went yesterday and was very pleased with my visit. Everyone were friendly and polite. Handicap parking and easy access to the entrance. There was some construction going on but nothing that would disturb your experience. Some exhibits were closed but all in all it was a great experience. The Legos art work is amazing!! They are spread out throughout the entire zoo. And the waterfall was awesome, it was pretty tall and nice on a hot day. The funicular was my favorite! Highly recommend this place.

Monica Whitley

Who would've known a ZOO set right in a neighborhood! Wide variety of animals and exhibits.. Face painting, gift shop and food stations. As well as Hand washing stations, loved this! Staff friendly and very knowledgeable on where exhibits are. Maps are provided to Explore and Enjoy.

Mike Strachan

Very nice facility!! Animals look well cared for. Nice variety of animals from different countries.

Taylor Cumbee

John Ball Zoo was a fun visit with our larger group with kids of varying ages. It wasn’t too crowded despite it being a Saturday in the Summer, so it was easy for all of us to stick together. It can be a bit pricey if you plan on doing all the extra activities within the zoo that aren’t included with your ticket (zip line, rope course, face painting, etc), but if you just plan on seeing the animals, it isn’t too bad. We also brought our own snacks and beverages and carried them in a stroller, so I recommend doing that if you want to avoid paying for food & drink in the zoo. Overall, John Ball Zoo is a fun day trip with great variety of animals.

Mary Reed

I haven't been to the Grand Rapids John Ball Zoo in a decade.. it's really changed for the better! It was ok before but now it has more exhibits, zip line and the trolley to take people up to the top view. They still have the camel rides and monkeys!

Bryce Lipscomb

What a lovely zoo filled with family fun and the sweetest zoo staff on earth. We loved it so much we became members!

Cassie Woods

My favorite thing to do lately. Love connecting with the animals. More recently they are doing alot of renovations and construction around the zoo. Alot of exhibits are left empty due to this. I loved seeing the improvement though and cannot wait to see the new exhibit open up! Exciting things happening here.

J.R. Surrena

I’m amazed at how beautiful the John Ball Zoo is! They have and continue to work so diligently to ensure that each new exhibit and venue is both beautiful and an extension of conserving nature.

shirley

Love this zoo, I love the indoor aquarium and can't wait till they open the outdoor aquarium!!

Hannah Jewell

The zoo is extremely beautiful, the funicular ride to the top of the zoo so you don’t have to walk up hill is great! Lots of activities within the zoo, large animal exhibits and the reptile and aquarium were amazing!

Jenn Dyer

I love this place. They really care about the animals and conservation. Great location. Great scenery and layout. Fun selection of animals. Good food thats reasonably priced. Included a picture of my favorite. Old gramps Oscar the black footed cat.

Brian R (NaturalMagic)

Haven't been here in a few years and it was nice to revisit. The zoo is built into the side of a large hill so it might be a bit of a strain for some people, but it's not too bad. The animals were very active and looked well cared for. Mountain lion was definitely the highlight of the trip. Also nice to see some fun landscaping with pretty flowers.

B

We went on a perfect weather day not too chilly and not too hot! I was hoping the animals would be moving around more...however, we honestly didn't see that many animals at all! This has become more of a nature walk and less of a zoo. With that being said I will still support the zoos efforts to protect and preserve the animals it does have, just disappointed in what it's becoming. Also, absolutely no covid prevention measures going on. Which is a little concerning considering children still can't be vaccinated. I thought the tram would at least be cleaned in between rides and it wasn't....so to protect your kids make sure you bring you're own cleaning supplies. I made sure my kids were masked up in the exhibits....to each their own though.

Mike B

Always a great time, and it seems every time we visit there is a new special event. This time there were Lego creations of different animals spread throughout the zoo as a fun discovery.

David Hemphill

Nice place. We enjoyed our vusit over all. It was much larger than I was expecting. The aquarium was much smaller than expected but it was nice. I did think that they should have a limit on the number of people allowed in the aquarium at one time both for over all enjoyment and the health of the visitors. There are several activities that are a cool addition, such as a canopy walk and other adventure type options. There is a petting zoo, a children's adventure type course, and plenty of food vending throughout. The gift shop is nice but they do not provide bags. Although they are happy to sell you a reusable bag for an inflated price. It's kind of a racket. I get not using plastic but a paper bag is environmentally friendly and the American lumber industry is the most regulated, sustainable, and reproducible in the world. Paper bags compost unlike the plastic that reusable bags are made of.

Mila Rivera

Great zoo! The food is a little pricey, but that's to be expected.. just eat before you go haha. I have to say I miss the stingrays and the reptile house, but still always a fun time!

Imran Syed

This is a great place to take the kids. They enjoyed the zoo thoroughly. The staff are very friendly.

rooster0327

Fun little zoo that you can probably walk all the way through in about an hour, hour and a half. If you rush at least. They hold extended hour events for the kids and some adult only events. As of writing this they're doing some remodeling and I'm excited to see what comes

Eddie Olsen

What an amazing time. The zoo layout was great. Everyone stayed busy. All the animals were out. It was an amazing day. Highly recommend going and checking out this wonderful zoo. You will not be disappointed. Plenty of parking, plenty of food and drinks and refreshments for adults too.

Danny Copron

Always a fun family activity! They are constantly improving their facilities and adding new animals and environments to see. My kids love coming here, I personally love taking the tram to the top of the hill and walking down, well worth the small price that they ask to ride it. I cant wait to see what they have added every time we visit!

Mary Olson

We really enjoyed the zoo. Loved the trash sculptures

Carson Royer

Great zoo very close to downtown Grand Rapids. We loved the meerkats, river otters, and red pandas. The zoo was busy but didn't feel crowded, and we could still clearly see all the animals.

Mike Gardner

Nice Zoo to bring the family and spend some time small but not too small still lots to see and do. Petting area for young kinds . Train ride, zip line, obstacle coarse , camel rides all cost extra except petting zoo is free wide variety of animals concession stands thru out. To get the best value buy an annual pass well worth it .

Jersey Groulx

Always love the zoo, but sometimes feel like it is becoming less and less about the animals and more about the $$$. Seems like there are more non-animal attractions every year. Sad to see the once pretty pond neglected and covered with algae. They don't even clean up the acorns so you can sit at the benches without breaking your neck.

Nicole Prins

Always a fun experience going to the Zoo with our girls and seeing all the different species of animals! They've updated a lot of the park since COVID-19 shut down, and looks a lot nicer!

Ezekiel Chojnacki

I love John Ball Zoo. This summer my girlfriend and I bought season passes and it was well worth it. If you live in the area that's the way to go. You can use the park to take a stroll, relax, and get some joy out of seeing the animals. For anyone traveling into Grand Rapids this Zoo makes for a nice trip. It's not the biggest zoo in the world, but they keep growing. Each season John Ball Zoo adds something new. The recent tiger exhibits is one of my favorites.

Megafilm Studios

Really nice zoo, been a few times, of course everything is pretty overpriced but the experience was nice and they have some cool animals and that’s what matters.

Nicole Henry

Beautiful zoo! Puts the Detroit Zoo to shame! The funicular ride is a must and the Brick( Lego) display was a bonus!! Well worth the trip, looking forward to visiting again the next time we are in GR

Angel Lara P

First time in this Zoo and was beautiful day to enjoy here...a few animal but natural places for the animals and enjoy to walk around like in the Forest places...Zoo has also a penguins too.

haleigh burns

We have gone a few times this summer/fall. Really enjoyed all the extra activities the zoo puts on! Our little one enjoyed every visit to the zoo! Our favorite visits were the boo at the zoo and when the princesses were there. We can't wait to go back next year!

Michael Schippers

Always enjoy going to the zoo. Looking forward to the new exhibits

Nicholas Seddon

Favorite zoo in the area. Nice staff and good conditions for the animals.

MaynardHood

Always great times at the zoo. Red pandas are active now go check them cute guys out. Be sure to hit the zip line for a quick ride. Awesome lego creations as well.

Desi Carpenter

It was exciting every step. They have Legos that built to various animals, an aquarium, vendors galore and so many different animals. The employees were very helpful and knowledgeable about their section of animals. Really enjoyed it. Thought it was going to be packed because of the amount of vehicles but it was hardly. If you have not been, I would definitely go.

Nick Vece

Took my 8 y/o son to the Living Lights show and we loved it!

Danny Thomas

Great zoo with a great variety of animals. They have some classics that everyone loves to see and some animals that I have not seen anywhere else. Definitely big enough to make multiple visits, or make one full day of it. There are food and drink stations around, but they don't stop you if you want to bring outside food in to eat on your trip there.

Lola Banks

Animals are so cute and well taken care of staff is nice food is good but really pricey

Rebecca Carrier

Took our 3 youngest grandsons (ages 13, 12 and 9). Everyone enjoyed our visit. Even though it was a hot weather day, the animals were viewable; that hasn't always been the case when visiting other zoos on a hot summer day.

Chili Mac

The zoo is a refreshing change of pace from Potter Park in Lansing where we usually go for zoo trips. The zoo is expansive and some of the exhibits are very immersive. We went to see the koalas...which I didn't realize sleep up to 20 hours a day! The trash art is not only beautiful but also a glimpse into how inconsiderate people can be when it comes to taking care of their things. There could be an entire park full of those exhibits and I'd go because there is so much thought put it into each piece. As usual with zoos, theme parks, concerts, etc. once you're in the door they've got you and if you need a bite to eat or something to drink you shouldn't need to finance the purchase. In my opinion, anything that is not labor intensive shouldn't be marked up 1,000% like a $4.50 hot dog (especially when there's no ketchup or relish available), a $5.00 pretzel plus a $1.50 small side of cheese or a $4.50 basket of nacho chips and liquid cheese (especially when the cheese isn't hot enough to lose it's form out of the cheese pump). Better options were available like a $5 slice of pizza or an $18 brisket sandwich with a bag of chips but still seems a little pricey in my opinion. Regardless of which food stand you go to, none of the lines seem to move quickly and the people working always seem to be confused about what's going on.

Dee Stevens

I have been coming to this zoo for 50 years. It is exciting to see it keep growing and adding new exhibits. The sculptures from ocean trash are interesting and sad at the same time.

Random Matt

I have been here many times. It still amaze me what they bring and how they upgrade the zoo. It just fantastic with all the animals. Last time I went was when they had all the recycled figures there that was made out of plastic and other things. My son and I counted all the lighters while we walk through the zoo and saw the animals. I will go back anytime

MovieCritic1000 Ev

Nice zoo! Especially considering this zoo is in Grand Rapids, this zoo has some great ways of promoting environmental friendliness! That aside, this zoo also has a nice variety of animals, matching, or even bettering, that of the Detroit Zoo, on the other side of the state! There is an Australia section, with things like wallabies and kangaroos, a Madagascar section, with many different types of lemurs, a South American section, with a variety of animals, and many more sections! If you want a quality zoo that treats its animals well, consider John Ball!

The holiday

My family and I LOVE going to different zoos! Some Pro and Cons. The Cons are expected and only there to help our family chose what experience we are looking for! Pros: -great zoo -friendly and knowledgeable staff from entrance to exit -bigger zoo Cons: -no themed resteraunt -food expensive -not many animal interactions (feeding animals, petting animals, etc) as a smaller zoo

Brad Dobber

Beautiful zoo! We loved the Lego statues of animals as we wandered the trails and took in the amazing scenery around us. It wasn't too busy either which made stopping and visiting the exhibits that much more memorable.

Patrcia Clemons

Nice zoo and play areas! Definitely takes 3 hours or so to make all the circles. Bring your own snacks, can easily spend a half hour+ standing waiting for food to cook. They have a lot of different concession stands.

Kacey T

Beautiful park-like setting. The funicular was awesome and afforded us great views! There was a nice variety of animals (though unfortunately when we went, several were not in viewing areas). Some of the enclosures seemed a little small, but that’s my unprofessional opinion. Im excited to go back to see the mini hippos when they arrive.

Amy Babcock

Who doesn't love a good zoo? I was up early and the weather was cool, so I figured it was a good day to visit some relatives, so off to the zoo I went. Admissions only like $19 which isn't terribly bad, and parking's quite easy here. The layout here's kind of frustrating with tons of hills and for someone who has problems walking far distances (me) it got to me after a while. I wish I would have rented a scooter, but it was to late by the time I realized. So, FYI, if you have problems walking like I do, rent a scooter! They have tons of exhibits which I got to see, and it was a pleasure to look at all the animals. I think I covered most of what I wanted to see, which was a bonus for sure. Most of the zoo's shady, so I wasn't worried about a sunburn. They have tons of benches here which was great to take a break on. They also have a zip line here which I didn't want to do, along with other activities as well. They used to have bird feedings which I wanted to do, but due to the bird flu outbreak, all the birds were not out for display and no bird feedings were happening. SADNESS! There's also a nice park/playground area as you pull into the zoo, so even if you don't go inside the zoo, the kids can play and hang out while instead. Thank you JB Zoo, you really did not disappoint!

Jared Harmon

Loved experiencing this little zoo today. It isn't nearly as big as the Detroit zoo, but that only helped it to feel less overwhelming. Every staff member we interacted with was extremely friendly and you could see the animals are well cared for. The otters were especially friendly and playful. Loved seeing all the Lego sculptures.

Jennifer Marth

Love this zoo ❤️❤️❤️ koalas 🐨 are there till labor day!!! …

Heather E.

What a FANTASTIC zoo. Very clean, well maintained and such friendly staff. We had a great time

Jennifer R

We visit at least one zoo on our road trips. However, it's nice to visit our local one from time to time and be reminded how good it is in comparison to a lot of them out there. The exhibits are well made, the animals seem to be healthy and well taken care of, and the zoo is always trying to stay relevant.

Rachel Ross

More then just animals. Tons of fun things for the kids to do. Rope course, zip line and more.

Dawn cedelia

Lovely zoo with such beautiful animals, reptiles and fish.

Dawn Booterbaugh

Our first time there. Staff seemed to be very nice and helpful. Clean and beautiful park. Down fall, too expensive! And if you don't take the trolley in the beginning, then you have to walk up hill through the whole park. So, my suggestion is, pay the $4.00 per person and take the trolley and then walk down.

Brutus

I love the zoo, this is a decent size zoo for the area it's in. Lots to see and the staff seem to be friendly. Some fun activities and attractions. It's missing a few of the bigger animals but they seem to grow more and more each year. So you never know what to expect... Edit: just so people are aware, the animal living quarters are called enclosures not cages.

Kara White

I visited here as a child and love that I can share it with my kids. We haven't been here in years so we loved the new exhibits and all the extra activities!

Sarika Mehta

This place is amazing. The animals are so different compared to the Detroit Zoo. They have Lego sculptures of various animals with fun facts, how long it took to build, etc. Their benches have been made with almost 900 recycled milk jugs each. Their bathrooms are amazingly clean. A must see when visiting Grand Rapids or the surrounding area.

Dawn Johnson

We had a great time. Wish we would have bought tickets ahead of time, because they were at max capacity for 2+ hours out. We got there at 2 and the earliest tickets available were 4:30. So we played at the park, which was fun! Someone was having a birthday party (good idea!), there are little park grills to use, lots of shade and picnic tables. Once we got into the zoo, the animals were out and very active. One of the workers said they are most active at the end of the day because it's almost feeding time and most of the animals prefer the cooler weather. Awesome experience, our 3 year old and almost 1 year old loved it! If you have a MIBridges card (EBT or WIC) you can get in free!

Amber Kaminsky

Beautiful day with a nice walk and active animals ❤️

Gina Keel

Very nice, small zoo. The environment had a very natural feel to it, the animals were well takwn care of and the employees were kind and helpful.

Aqua Link LLC

I truly love the new entrances to the zoo! It's beautiful! And some of the new exhibits! But, still an oldy but goody is the otter exhibit. The lego animals were truly inspirational!

Dave Page

It was fun I will say it's about three and a half hours to see the complete zoo but the zip line was closed and not a lot of birds were outside because of the bird flu and season but natural treasures is a herpetarium. A lot of animals were still out and active unlike the Detroit zoo so overall it's a good family hangout and good for photos.

ItsThatEasy Gaming

Very nice and clean. But take the ride to the top and walk down.

Ethan Post

Lots of interesting animals & fun for the whole family. Bring some snacks and beverages though cause food is not cheap there. Overall good experience.

C D

My fiancé and I went here for the adults only monkeys and mimosas, it was amazing. Got to see most of the animals. We were super excited to see the red pandas which were amazing. They had live music as well which was awesome.

Aaron Merritt

Great little zoo in a great little Midwest town. The enclosures are very nice, even compared to much larger zoo's. Great place for kids. You can get through the whole place in just a few hours without even rushing. Many interactive stations with the animals as well, from petting farm to camel riding and urchin garden.

Nancy Hillegonds

The zoo puts on amazing special events. We were there for Halloween. They did an excellent job with the presentation, keeping it safe and fun for the kids and including the community.

Jennifer Finklea

Had an amazing time with my husband and my brother and his family. He has four boys, three of which range in age from three to eight--perfect ages for the zoo! We all had so much fun!

Timothy VerStrate II

They have done a great job updating over the years. Very beautiful place to go for the whole family. The zoo goes boo is definitely worth it as well.

Chris duMond

John Ball Zoo is lovely small zoo with lots of treasures throughout. The tiger exhibit is large and the tigers are always out. The red pandas and the three triplets are hilarious to watch run around and play. The animals in the reptile house are fun, and the zoo keepers are kind and informative. This zoo is definitely worth a visit.

Shondreka Lott

The zoo has always been good family fun but in these pandemic timed we are even more grateful. With new landscaping and the new lego exhibits it was a hoot to see the redesign and some old favorites like thr the penguins.

Sunny Side of Life

What an amazing day. We went right when they opened. I highly recommend going when they open. They get packed in the afternoon and the lines are very long. Animals were great, staff was informative and kind. No masks required

Tim Arnold

I will give this place 4 stars, we went for the Halloween, trick or treating. I only give 4 stars because I feel that they should of had more stations for Candy, I only counted around 8. The decorations were spectacular as a lot of time and effort went into putting these up.

Love

The place is okay. I have a small baby with me when we visited with other kids. We saw lots of animals and the kids had fun. The place requires a lot of walking like most zoos do. One of my problems though is they don't have nursing area/station/room. The bathrooms are not very clean and there's no sign where the restrooms are located. Also, the drinking water tastes very weird and the food at the cafe was very expensive it was $4-$5 for a regular hotdog. So, if anyone wants to visit the place bring your own lunch and snack foods and water. The only thing I appreciate the most about this place is they have designated places for washing hands around the area. So for anyone who wants to see some snow leopard, wolf, anteater, tiger, lions, monkeys, etc. This is a good place. Oh! did I already metion that thay have red pandas and snow owls? I love the snow owls. They look so beautiful.

Daisy Alicea

The zoom and bridge card tickets were free. Just bring your bridge card and family of up to 10.

Tracy Sievers

The new entrance is great! I love the flow now. We visited during illumizoo/Boo at the zoo/Brick animals. It was great to experience them all on the same visit. We did not see many animals as it was quite dark. Would love to go back during the day and visit the animals again.

Tracey Park

We enjoyed the Lego exhibit and beautiful scenery. We spent a few hours here, which was well worth the price of admission. Parking was free, and the food was also reasonably priced. A few of the extra attractions were closed understandably. They had a limited amount of things to choose from in the gift shop though.

Katelyn Kelley

So much fun. Great place. Reasonable prices for big families too! Kids loved all the fun block sculptures.

Jeffery Wilkinson

Nice zoo. Had a wonderful time. Nice to get out of the house. Enjoy all the updates they have done since our last visit. Liked the mercats and Tiger. Granddaughter got a great shot of the 🐅. Didn't get to see all the zoo. But most of it. Good family time. …

trent rossi

Very much enjoyed it. I love zoos that show how they educate the public AND help the animal's wild cousins. This zoo does both. With volunteers educating about bat houses, a group of kids going to the zoo camp, and numerous educational tidbits about how they acquired the animals, this is one of the better zoos I've been to. Also, they have tunnels that the lemurs and monkeys can use to walk over the paths, and they still protect you from getting pooped on!

Moriah

Going to John Ball Zoo in the summer has long been a family tradition. Some of my earliest memories are at John Ball and I still enjoy coming back every summer as an adult. I’ve kept the tradition going with my niece and hope to do the same when I have my own kids. It’s a lovely size zoo that you can easily get through in one day with little ones. Yet there’s enough variety to keep you coming back for more! There are options for refreshments and food throughout the Zoo. They also have feeding times posted so you can view animals being active and eating their favorite snacks. The facilities are well maintained and clean. While I wish the zoo had more land for each exhibit so the animals can run more freely (John Ball is rather land blocked by the highway near by) they’ve done a fine job of maximizing the space they do have. John Ball Zoo offers plenty of opportunities to get involved at the Zoo (volunteering, kid programs/camps, etc…) and if you’re a huge animal fan you can even rent out the jungle top gazebo for special events and weddings. The staff is always friendly and they’re usually knowledgeable on the information of each animal. Asking the staff questions about the animals can be quite informative, but if you’re not one for socializing or human-interaction they have a fair amount of information posted in front of each of the species exhibits. I highly recommend John Ball to anyone new to Grand Rapids. It’s a staple and it’s a great place to take kids to to get them excited about animals and their protection; and to help properly educate them about the importance of every species.

Katlynn Kern

They have really expanded on this zoo since last time I have been! Throughout there were lego statues of different animals, which was pretty neat! We definitely enjoyed walking throughout and seeing some great creatures! Will definitely be back!

JJ L

Our family came for the Wizarding weekend and had a great time. The zoo did a great job with all of the "Harry Potter" type decorations and exhibits. The kids loved it. The animals were all out as well and saw so many up close through the exhibit windows.

Richard J Reyes

What a great time with the kiddos. It was a beautiful day here at the zoo. Clean restrooms with air conditioning. Lots of food stands and doing hand art in shade area. Lots of new animals. I haven't been here in years.

Patty Fasbender

Same small zoo animals from 50 years ago and they currently have Great Lego creations. They are Over the top with the covid precautions for being outside. Nice job with the landscaping and it looks like the expansion will be great when finished.

Gerardo Jilote

Had a good time with the family here. Lots to do for a smaller zoo. Social distancing was in play and everyone seemed to respect that. Food and beverages where a little pricey but that's to be expected. Zip lines, skywalk, panning for emeralds still in play though. Animal exhibits where pretty good we had birds saying, "Peak a boo" to us walking by and lions and tigers where active and impressive. All in all for a small zoo I give it 5 starts for cleanliness, nice staff, good walkways and lots to do with the kids. No complaints at all

Nelynn Rodriguez (Nena)

I will suggest you check the website for hours. During the week they do close at 4pm and they stop selling tickets 30 minutes p8to closing. We did get to visit the zoo. But I did notice that they revamped the entrance and from what I could see from outside they do have many Lego sculpture of animals around the zoo. Once we are able to visit ill rate it again with pictures.

Vince Richardson

Had a pretty decent time today. Saw a lot of cool animals. The lions were very active. 😲 I just wish the attractions were open. We weren't able to ride the zip line or use the high ropes course... May have been weather related though. Also, they are offering free admission to Snap/Food Stamp recepiants. You simply need to bring your Michigan Bridge Card and your ID to the ticket office.

Adonis Pointer

One of my favorite Michigan zoos. Hadn't been in a few years. Was excited to see how it had changed. Was not disappointed! Everything looks brand new. Very walkable zoo. Parking is easy, a little walk from the entrance. Very friendly staff. Accessible exhibits. Definitely a must visit.

Nick

I've been visiting this Zoo for 30 years and it never disappoints! They work hard to ensure the health and well being of the animals. They yearly make nice additions to the Zoo creating a more diverse experience for everyone. They also offer animal experiences (for a cost) which allow kids to be zoo keepers and feed certain species. The entire place is well maintained and built in a fashion that helps you forget how close you are to the city. It is fun evertime we go and we will return again very soon!

Nathan Choler

This is a nice zoo medium sized zoo. I wasn't expecting it to be as hilly as it was, so expect to get a workout with your animal viewing. The hills also made it tricky to see some animals as they were up high in the exhibit. Overall I was a little underwhelmed on the amount of animals they had compared to the size of some of the exhibits (great for the animals to have extra space though). As for parking there is ample parking in the lot connected to John Ball Park, so no issue there. Timed tickets are still in place as of this visit.

Scott Royce (singingscott)

My son and I have been going to this zoo for many many years. And now with the MiBridges card, we can get in free. Very nice clean zoo with lots of animals and activities for the kids. Very friendly workers.

Lonnie Elswick

Relatively small zoo. Perfect for a day trip getaway. There are plenty of things to do and animals to see. We were fortunate enough to hear a tiger roar while observing them!

Michael Siuta

Well laid out modest sized zoo. The setting is very natural; you feel like you are in the forest/jungle with the animals. They are in large natural enclosures, not cages. Well made Lego animal creations help tell the story. They have most of the usual animals, but no large mammals like elephants or giraffes. You can get up close and personal with bears, lions and tigers (there is glass panelling between), interesting and unusual animals like red pandas, go inside the budgie aviary to feed the birds (tuppance a bag?) They have activities like a zip line, a harnessed rope walk course, a funicular railway and camel rides. There is a small aquarium. There's also many activities Expect to spend 4 hours.

Sena Hermiz

We were in the area and saw a commercial that the zoo has a red panda exhibit. We were pleasantly surprised by how nice the zoo is! It has different elevations so they could fit more things, but it also makes it look amazing. All the animals were out and active which was really nice. They had zip lining but we didn't try it.

Suzy Schmaltz

This zoo has always been a family favorite spot. Staff is always friendly, exhibits well maintained and a decent variety of foods and snacks offered. Many sanitizing stations as well. We went during the Lego extravaganza. ☺🐍🐫🐯🐵 …

Sarah Smith

For being during covid it was a super nice experience. We got to hear the lion roar, see the tiger and a few other things we didn't think would be available. The employees and security were amazing and it seemed everyone was following social distancing. It was almost like we had the place to our selves. There are cleaning stations all over the place as well as having some bathroom doors propped open so no one needs to touch them.

Ethan Couch

Great zoo! Not crowded at all. All the animals were out walking about, Tigers, Lions, Snakes, and Red Pandas. The Lego exhibit was awesome.

chris keely

We had season passes and every time my family went out was always something different. Between people training and talking about the animals all the way down to the renovations. Can't wait for the hippos

Christine Warner

My husband and I stopped in for a leisurely morning. We haven't been here in close to 5 years and it was a relaxing morning. Loved all the new items, and the way it is set up. We took the train to the top and had a nice walk down the hill checking out all the attractions. Loved the red panda and the sloth, and of course the waterfall is one of my favorite spots. I've lived in GR my entire life and every time we visit the zoo it gets better and better. It is very clean, the staff if friendly, parking is a breeze, and it's just an enjoyable way to spend some time.

Amy Lyon

The zoo was great but it's kind of sad as to how much it costs a poor family wouldn't be able to afford those costs so basically you have to be rich or middle class to go to a zoo huh? I'm VERY SURE John Ball would not be happy about that he gave that land so ALL SOCIAL CLASSES could use the facilities!!

Alfredo Gonzalez Lopez

Let me start saying that this zoo is not bad just sad zoo, almost all the animals in there were sad, I can notice the lack of green ( no trees to cover ) where they where placed, the flamingo water was green green an smelly, the bears looks sad and skinny, etc, is not good, they just keep them in there for our entertainment but in the reality we dont see their feelings we only see us having fun with them, sad. But for does in need of ENTERTAINMENT is good. The interesting part is they dont were a mask. Jajajajjajajajajaja lmao

Matt Robinson

Wonderful little zoo that I've been coming to for many years. There have been many recent renovations. In the early spring, remember that many of the exhibits, may be closed until the warm weather is here to stay, but there's still enough to keep everybody engaged for an afternoon. There's tons of special events during normal times... You should certainly plan for Zoo goes Boo around Halloween time if you have younger kids. It's good fun. Right now due to Covid you should pre-plan your arrival time and buy tickets thru the website. You can walk up and buy tickets, but may have to wait for capacity to clear.

kristina kohler

Extremely beautiful zoo! The animals and exhibits are well maintained, the scenery is beautiful and there's a lot to see and do. We enjoyed the variety of unique animals. The zoo trails lead you through well shaded, gorgeous established trees which adds to the experience. My boys enjoyed a break from walking by playing in the play area up towards the top of the zoo. There are a handful of cool things you can pay an additional fee for too (funicular, 4 story up ropes course, gem mining, feeding birds, camel rides). A day well spent and we will be going back 💚

Rachel Potter

We have so much fun every time we go to the zoo. We got a membership for the first time this year and it is totally worth it. We normally don't go until it is warmer out, but we went today and a lot of the cats were much more active than in the warmer weather.

LV Teach Me

A great trip to the zoo! The exhibits are designed to mimic the natural habitat of the animals as much as possible. The vignettes will educate you of the animals so take the time to read as many as possible. An exciting outing for all ages. Wonderful staff.

Duane Anderson

Great moderate size zoo. Great variety of animals. The staff seems to truly love working there. Even with Covid-19 limits, the zoo was full of people. Lego exhibit was fun.

vickie lake

Plenty of animals, exhibits, places to sit and rest, gift shop, train, ride a camel, see reptiles, .....great place for a fall color tour as well while you're at the zoo, see God's Beauty all around you, one with nature

Emily Milan

It's a great place to hang out for the day. Prices getting in are a little steep, but better than most zoos I have gone too, and they have passes with reduced prices pop up every now and then. It's easy to see the animals and the environment is beautiful. I love the otters, bears, red panda, tigers, and manned wolf. The bird show is worth a view, especially if you want to learn something more about large birds. People really seem to enjoy the camel rides, Zipline, and ropes course. It is extra money, but it all goes to the zoo animals, so I think it's worth it.

Elizabeth

The park seemed to go above and beyond to make sure everyone was being safe with masks when needed and not having huge groups of people, even tho a lot was closed down due to covid, it still made a fun day for my 4 and 2 year old. Loved all the LEGO animals they had around the Zoo! Definitely would go again 😊😊 …

Awesomely Aimless

Many positives since my last visit many summers ago. As a Grand Rapids West Side native I have watched JBP evolve and it's very exciting. This visit I love BRICKLIVE! Wow, due to numerous reasons many of the animals were not out and available and the BRICKLIVE helped redeem the $14 entrance fee. The positives are the fabulous walkways through the park and many of the exhibits are conducive to the animals exercising and staying healthy EXCEPT the Grizzly Bear! Please do something to create a healthful environment for this bear! The Pond is dirty and surroundings are not healthful. The benches through out the park are nice as well. I can see a bright future especially when the Grizzly cage is better managed.

Jose Uriza

They have upgraded so much since I've been there. I recommend getting a membership, it's cheaper. There will be lots of lines, you have been warned! Still a fun trip.

Stephanie Mommaof7

We loved this zoo! Much bigger than I expected. The kids really enjoyed the Tree Tops course and the Zipline! Plenty of great animals to see. Even caught the penguin feeding at 3:30pm. A definitely stop if you're in the area!

Chuck Hoehn

This is an awesome place to spend the day with family and friends. I was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Over the yesrs it has been nice to see the upgrades, expansions and additions. They have done so much to improve the zoo for the animals and visitors. Do yourself a favor and skip the fast food in the zoo itself. The playground and picnic areas are shaded by enormous oak and maple trees. Lay claim to a table and a grill and enjoy a brat, hotdog or burger. It will be a day you will remember for a long time!!

Michelle Jackson (MJ)

The new ramps are amazing. Makes the walking more enjoyable. I went to Illumizoo and it was okay. The lights were nice but the whole thing could have been better about telling the folklore and stories. Wait until Christmas and you can view all the lights you want.

Beth Sommer

John Ball is way more fun than it used to be! The first time I went there, there were only a bunch of different monkeys and a few cats and fish. Now they have more variety of animals that are super amazing to look at and just stand there and watch! I’m so glad they added more animals. My favorite animals to watch are the tigers. Definitely a great place to go to for an afternoon. (:

Vandit Patel

Zoo is decent. Not the same size as the one in Detroit but still holds a variety of animals. Great place to spend a few hours. We were in a time crunch so we kind of hurried through but we were able to see everything in around 3 hours.

Cheyenne Perry

Awesome place that's filled with cool animals and creatures... Clean zoo & friendly staff. Come at the right time & season and you can visit animals at a low price!

Ashleigh Justin

Not many zoos are open in March! We had a lovely time and were pleasantly surprised by how much was available during the off-season. The map and signs clearly show where to go to find exhibits. My favorites were Wyatt the red panda, watching the penguins get fed, the tide pool, and the tigers!

Debra NAPIERALSKI

A few displays still closed due to Covid, but it was great being able to schedule an entrance time. The grandkids loved the Lego statues and had fun spotting them, they also enjoyed feeding the parakeets

Brian DeRushia

Had a great family day at the Zoo. Listibg to the 🦁 roaring, watching the 🐅 cat nap. My favorite was the Bald 🦅. Lego animals are were pretty cool too. …

Pam Dohner Adams

First time for my daughter and grands. Huge success!

Josh Trzinski

Our family has been going to John Ball Zoo for years, the animals are happy and well cared for! Staff is friendly and knowledgeable about the animals. We highly recommend getting a Dole Whip from Tiger Paws! Highly recommend!

Carol Rummelt

John Ball Zoo is wonderful place to go. I took my granddaughter there on Friday. It was supposed to storm, but the sun came out and it turned out to be a beautiful day. Social distancing is handled appropriately. It wasn't super busy because they limit the number of visitors. I do think it should be a little more affordable for seniors.

HC Way

We love John Ball Zoo. The staff is so friendly and the Harry Potter theme was great. The animals look healthy. The social distancing indoors for covid was done well except inside the tiny display where the frogs and toads are kept (used to be jellyfish in there too)

Curtis DeJong

The zoo has done a wonderful job reconstructing the zoo to make it so much more enjoyable. They have done a great job bringing in fun stuff for the family!

Joshua Ramirez

Illumizoo was a wonderful experience of the zoo at night. Although we didn't see any of the animals the light show and natural walk of the zoo was great. This experience goes on until Nov. 15th and you don't wanna miss out.

Jose Rodriguez

Like how they remodel the zoo. Walkways are easier to go thru and lot more stroller friendly. Thought they did good job with the pandemic we are in. They have signs where they say "frequently touch area". Many wash stations for hands.

Elizabeth Bonk

Went on Oct14th. Rain finally stoped. Turned into very nice afternoon. Tickets are free if you have EBT card for all in your party up 9 people I think.

Steve Balentine

We visited in early October. Many of the animals were not on display due to the cooler temperatures. Also, the zoo was under construction. Good zoo, but not great.

elizabeth Argersinger

Fun family place. Something new and exciting every time. Had some great set ups for Halloween. Favorite part is seeing the friendly tigers up close. Looking forward to the new meerkat exhibit.

Richard Wingard

Outstanding zoo, beautiful as well

Tammy Doll

This zoo has changed a lot over the past couple of years, for the better, but it's still not that great. It's good for little, little kids, but older kids (4th grade and up) get bored quickly. They've had several animals die, and sadly they do not replace them for some reason.

Nick Len.

Always a great time here. If you have a bridge card you can get free entry. Extra items like the camel rides are expensive for what you get but I cant tell my kids no 😥 Covid specific: Be sure to reserve your ticket in advance online. The petting zoo aka the hobby farm and also the ropes course at the top for kids were both closed due to covid ;(

Debbie Buckner

Great day with the kids. Half price "Toucan Tuesday" all August 2019. All you have to do is bring 2 cans of Non perishable food on Tuesday per person and you get Half off admission! Donations go to Feeding America West Michigan. So the donations say in our neighborhood! Great day of fun for a great cause!

Ross Vander Klok

Very nice zoo with a wide variety of animals. The new addition of Red Pandas and the expanded tiger habitat are amazing. The zoo is on the smaller side (compared to Toronto, San Diego, Cincinnati etc.) so plan on three to five hours depending on how long you like to view the animals. There is plenty to see and enjoy though so if you add in lunch and a presentation or two it can be a full day. All in all a great zoo.

Tony Felder

Always an excellent time. From the short lines for admission, to the variety of animals, and the general cleanliness of the park. We have been going to John Ball for years now and always recommend it to friends.they've done a great job continuing to update the park with new attractions and entertainment, seemingly every year. My only complaint? Would love to see an entire new line up of gift shop items.

Charleston Burks

I was surprised at how big this place actually was and how nicely done the themes were. They just added a butterfly exhibit and also you can enter a giant cage with birds and interact with them. It was a cool experience. Although the aquarium is lacking a bit, I still give it a good rating. Walking around + gift shop, total time at the Zoo would average 2+ hours. They've got many different animals you can pet like a Wallaby, sheep, goats, birds, ect. K They have zip lining and lots of interactive things for kids.

Eric Knapke

We were very impressed by our visit to the John Ball Zoo. We were visiting the Grand Rapids area and decided to stop here and had a great time. It's a great zoo for kids with plenty of shade and an amazing outdoor play area. We have a membership at our local zoo and it allowed us to get half off entry which made the already affordable entry even better. It's definitely not so big that you'd spend all day here, but it's a perfect half-day activity!

Cameron Shawcross

For a smaller zoo they have quite a lot! Several exhibits you cant find at Deteoit Zoo, and loads of not-too-outrageously priced activities for the kids! We got stuck waiting for staff at some activities, tickets are pretty high and the food prices are very, VERY steep but the day was fun! A must see for an out-of-towner

steve jessop

We've been members here at the zoo with our family of six for a few years now and it's been worth every penny. Every year they change things up a bit and make improvements. We love the special events they host throughout the year as well.

Olga Longberry

We enjoyed the zoo.. staff was friendly. We liked the fact that they offered zipp line and had places were you could sit and eat your own food you carried in.

Dennis Merryman

Me & my wife spent a couple hours walking threw zoo, last time we were here was 2 yrs ago. They have upgrated a lot, the zoo is totally different. Lots of remodeling. Lions & tigers and bears, oh my! # Lol you need to check out all the lego animals, Amazing. Sincerly Dennis & Nancy Merryman.💏 …

Wanda Atkinson

A fabulous zoo for kids that features play areas, a zip line and rope bridges. For adults it is a very nice smaller zoo with several enclosures where you can view the animals up close. The outside cages are beautiful with many having flowing streams or even small waterfalls and lots of beautiful foliage. Interior cages are not nearly as nice and in some cases too small. The zoo is built on a hill so expect steps and some climbing or at least walking up and down sloping paths.

Jennifer Smith

Went to the zoo with my niece and her son for his birthday celebration! We had a great time! Everyone was very polite and helpful. The Dole Whip was awesome! The zoo was very clean. It was very busy as school groups were there as well but it wasn’t overly crowded. I was very pleased with our visit.

Angelina Densham

We always enjoy our visits to the zoo. They are working hard to bring new and exciting exhibits and events for this year. The staff is always friendly and the grounds are clean. One of our favorite weekend activities!

Matt Seifert

The zoo changes a little from year to year with something new but is always a good experience. Making the climb up to the tigers gives a nice place to relax away from the rest of the zoo. The only complaint is the layout is a little weird so it doesn't all flow without a detour or two.

Kim G

My 1 year old son had a blast visiting the zoo, lots for him to see and he loves animals. My only disappointment was that a section of the zoo was close for renovations and no one at the ticket booth mentioned it.

Kyle C

Haven't visited in a long while. The zoo was great just as I remember. New exhibits and animals were really nice. The staff were all super friendly. Currently the birds are all put away due to avian flu. And a few other sections closed. The funicular was really nice, start at the top of the hill and work your way down. It would be nice to have a map that shows a good route through the park when using it though. Overall a great zoo and we will he stopping back soon to see the new koalas.

Beck Family

Excellent zoo! The animals have plenty of room and seem very happy. This is a beautiful place. They also have a ropes course, petting zoo and zipline. We had a wonderful experience here.

Anthony Bohn

We had a great time here. Zoo was clean, fun and very welcoming. We loved our trip to grand rapids and the zoo was no different. A great stop in Grand Rapids to see the town.

Mrs. S Israel

Great place to take the kids, we saw lots of animals from across the globe. We had a great time, it’s a lot bigger than the Potter Park zoo here in Lansing.

Samantha S.

We have a good time with every venture at John Ball Zoo. The staff is informative if you ask questions about the animals. The restrooms & grounds are well maintained. Keep expanding John Ball, the hard work shows & is appreciated!

Jerry Joseph

I've been to a few zoos in my lifetime but this one really impressed me and I had a great time. We spent about two and a half to three hours met my kids there and walk through the zoo. I was really impressed with the neatness and orderly lay out. They have a tram that can take you up and down the hill as the zoo is built on a sloping hill. Many of the concrete walkways are shaded. There's a zip line and other interesting activities. I definitely can recommend this, even though it is a smaller size zoo it will not disappoint in my opinion.

Lunar Zodiac

The visit was mostly good everything was ok but when I went on the zip line in the zoo I hit the fencing behind it and injured my upper stomach but I'm pretty sure its just because of my weight. Anyway the animals were never threatening and my whole family had a good time.

Natalie Bustillos

Great updates! We had a great time! The only thing we missed were the red pandas. There was an event happening and it was blocked off.

Todd Peters

Look, it's not the San Diego zoo. It can't be. But there are a lot of trees and water and natural atmosphere for the animals. There are plenty of animals to look at for a couple of hours, and it seems to be well maintained with a friendly staff. Nice little petting area for the kids. It's pretty expensive, because all zoos are expensive. Just know that going in. I think it's a nice time and fun experience while you're in Grand Rapids.

Bree Landon

I prefer a more organized zoo. Maybe adding some trail pointers for "bears this way" perhaps. Overall the zoo is pretty shady, which was good for a hot day. Got lots of steps in but felt lost several times even with the map. Good amount of animals and clean bathrooms.

Vicarious Rides

I have been going to John Ball zoo for more than 40 years. It has not really changed. More places to spend money, but fewer animals in unchanged habitats. I know the zoo has some limitations, but it should work on making the enclosures better rather than adding another money grab facility. I have been to many zoos, and this one is truly nostalgic, but it lacks the visual appeal of most places. The animals are often hidden in places that are "invisible" to patrons. Great, maybe for rehab, but a real bad idea for a zoo. They have a long way to go if they want to compete with other zoos, but they are the only game in town and it shows. The Lego exhibits are nice, but once you see all the fairly common critters in their fairly outdated enclosures, Lego won't fix the ills.

Cori Lynch

Great family activities. They have a new lego display set up throughout the park (hopefully it sticks around causes its legitimately awesome).

Richard Raab (Totentanz1980)

Kids loved the capybara. Bummer that the birds were all in quarantine but we'd rather keep them safe. The sculptures made of recovered marine trash were cool as well.

Sara Scharf

We loved it here! It's awesome to get to see things from up above and the kids loved walking underneath the waterfall. Love that they have camel rides and zip lining for when the kids are a bit older. It was rainy when we went, so we had to rush, but we'll be back for sure!

Chao Moreno

Not a bad zoo at all. There is a nice spread of animals there. They have lego statues built of animals all throughout the zoo with information about them.

Melinda Hopp

This was a fun day for my and my husband, he loves zoos and we visit them in any city we are in. This was a fun zoo to spend the afternoon visiting. Plus the activities you can do while there was fun. Zip lines and rope climbs were so much fun. Highly suggest this zoo in Grand Rapids.

Susan Kruszynski

The illumizoo walk was actually jaw dropping. So inventive and fun. Great for little ones. But. We're seniors and just as great for us. Don't miss this out-of-the-ordinary opportunity.

Ryan Gajewski

What. A. Fantastic. Zoo. I’ve been a member for many years and I love all the things JBZ does - from adult nights to illumi-zoo. Every visit, even for an hour or the whole day, is worthwhile. However I think the aquarium building is a bit tired.

Tom Bartholomew

My family purchased membership this year. Can't wait for the new exhibit to be open! Family fun for all!

Witchy Weeb

My kids loved it and we had a great time. I have 4 kids and they each got a souvenir cup, a gold animal coin, a giant pretzel, cotton candy, ropes course, face paint, we rented a canopy wagon for my toddler, and animal masks for each, I spent a little over 280 for all of that, plus sifting for gems. Well worth it for the ammount of fun we had today

Lee D

Absolutely loved this zoo! It’s small enough to be easily walkable, but big enough to showcase a bunch of different animals. Only complaint is that the lines for food were a tad bit long, but when you go at 1:00pm to 1:30pm, that’s pretty much something to be expected. Would also love to mention that the staff was so incredibly friendly and you can tell they truly care about the animals and the guests that come into their zoo

Doug Dorda

As a new parent that spent much of my own childhood visiting zoos, I can confidently state that John Ball checks all the boxes you'd expect of a medium size zoo. Additionally, the zoo is immaculately laid out to offer shade, plenty of outdoor viewing experience, it's adjacent to a wonderful park to play in and the cost of admission/food are all extremely fair. I recommend this zoo to anyone whether you have kids or not. The canopy walk and spectacular use of space make this zoo a wonderful way to spend a day.

Sara Blackwood Sowe

It was a good day. Haven't been there after the new constitution. During covid it had a few things that weren't available and being a hot day not many animals active but still a good day.

Ë

I'd recommend getting there early, grilling lunch in the park,then going back in to see everything again, as the animals sleep and are active at different times of the day.. Food drinks and snacks inside the zoo pricey so at least pack snacks and drinks..

Butch B

Been a while since I've been to JPBP ZOO but it was VERY nice too see it has been improved A LOT..

J G

Each year we continued to purchase a family membership. It is the perfect amount of walking (about 2 miles for the entire zoo). It is mostly shaded in the summer. Always clean and well cared for.

Bob Lechtanski

This is by far my most favorite zoo to attend. I love that it is so shaded. The animals are usually so you can see them. Every time I travel across the state I make sure to visit. Even though it was rather warm most of the animals were out and active.

Ivy Hubscher

A visit with all the family😁. Very nice! Hadn't been here in years.

Bridget Smith

This was a great experience! The animals were super cool, my kids rode a camel for s small fee. My "big" kid got to do a rope obstacle course for a small fee. Inexpensive gift shop with great find. Food was pricey, but it's a zoo. Great time!

Ron Presley

Nice zoo that makes you forget you are in the city of Grand Rapids with its exhibits located on rolling hills and easy to traverse blacktop pathways. The food is expensive. Best deal is a hot dog for $3.50! You can add fries for $2.00. There is a tram, 2 concession boothes, ropes course, etc. $12 admission for adults, $10 if 62 or over. I liked the lake out at the parking lot with the stone dragon.

Carl Thompson

I love this zoo for the fun aspects. Last year they had fantastic Lego animals. This year they have sculptures from "sea trash". The real animals are very well displayed with many vantage points to get different angles. This year there are koalas. There are penguins, lions, tigers, chimps, and very prescios red pandas. Make a day of it. Bring a picnic lunch. A great time.

Amanda J. Feyen

Great zoo to see all the animals but also enjoy some outside time with your family! They're also hosting some cool animal sculptures made from trash removed from water. They also have many great events throughout the year! Wonderful place for all ages!

Dan Hodges

This is the best little zoo! It was established years ago in the middle of a woods and still retains that charm though the exhibits are being constantly upgraded, added to, and made more humane for the variety of animals there. This is especially a nice zoo for younger children.

Justine Wallace

So much fun. Some parts were out of commission, and no birds but I understood why. Still a ton of fun! Can't wait to be back!

Darlene Nielsen

A lot of friendly people and great price great animals to look at.

Tim Stevenson

My wife, five children and I went here for the first time… we were blown away! Very nice ZOO, tons of exhibits, great food, wonderful atmosphere and information for all ages to enjoy! Must come check this Zoo out!

Chelsea Wanczyk

Great place for kids. Very well taken care of and clean throughout. They have snack/drink stands all throughout. Definitely make sure you have your walking shoes and a stroller with little ones, lots of hills but beautiful scenery and looks like they have some cool things being built! Military discount!

Heather E.

What a gorgeous zoo! Very well maintained and inexpensive. We all had a great time!

Katie Marie

A ton of bees were chasing us around no matter where we were. Eating was very hard. Other than that, they have made a lot of improvements from when I was there as a kid

Karen McDaniel

Loved my visit! This Zoo has all the animals that you want to see... Bears, Lions, Tigers, etc... It's compact enough that it is not overwhelming for parents and children. I loved how interactive the staffing is and how they actually take the time to explain the animals habits. This was definitely an educational and fun experience. We will return.

Robeto Ramirez

The place is very clean and safe to visit whit family and friends, the animals you can see will depend of the seasson the personal working there is very friendly and have all the information you may need, it is recomandable wears comfortable shoes to walk.

Chelsea Bledsoe

We had an awesome time. ♡ The Lego Animal Builds were An Amazing Addition to our visit.

Dennielle Brown

Wonderful place sooo expensive though. Gets better evry year but the prices get higher too!

Jaymes Miller

As John Ball continues to expand and improve it has become a must visit destination nearly every time we're in Grand Rapids. My girls always have a blast!

Astra Daemon (AstraDaemon)

Been going since 2005, and we've enjoyed every visit. The zoo continues to expand, giving the animals larger habitats and more enrichment. The staff truly loves the animals.

Angela Wells

My son and nieces loved the zoo, but we did all notice how sad some of the animals were, especially the gorillas. They are the closest to humans then any other animals there yet they lived in the most filth, were the saddest, exhibited strange behavior and had very little stimulation. The lions seemed depressed as well along with others. Some cages were way too small as well. I lived in Grand Rapids for 27 years and that was the first time I walked the zoo.

Jared Snyder

Awesome fun ! Glad they are changing things up with exhibits!

Rory Strand

Fun Zoo Experience ! There are lots of animals to see. Lots of places to take a break if need be. Numerous food and beverage outlets throughout the zoo. There are many add ons you can purchase as well, like a ropes course, camel ride, zip line, and a funicular that goes up the hill or down the hill or both. There is also a newer gift shop to pick up souvenirs to remember your trip. Quick tip - Purchase your tickets online and skip the line when you arrive.

Steve Johnson

We hadn't been in awhile. Lots of nice little improvements. $15 for adults. Lots of stroller friendly paths. Plenty of free animal smells included with admission.

robin borde

This zoo is quite a workout. I was very disappointed at all the construction going on during zoo hours. A lot of the animals weren't available due to construction and cleaning of cages.

Brook Baragar

We love JBZ! We visit weekly. Membership is very affordable. They do an amazing job updating and taking care of thier animals. You can see by their behavior they are happy!

Melissa Hastedt

For a Friday afternoon it was really nice and not too crowded. They do have construction going on by the girft shop for a new exhibit. Some of the birds were out due to the bird flu and other animals were resting because of the heat. There are multiple routes to go up.lots of either uphill walking.

Derek Stuhan

JBZ has been a favorite destination of mine since I was a kid. They have spent a lot of effort the last 10-15 years to modernize and freshen the zoo's appearance and animal assortment. One of the best features is the sky tram to cut a walk time in half. There are plenty of activity areas for kids to burn off energy and animal interaction areas as well. For anyone with a family, the membership quickly pays for itself as well.

Tyler Kooiman

Good activity for a couple hours. Fun play area for kids up by the tigers, but long walk without much to look at on the way. Small enclosures for the animals so they usually aren't too active. 3.5 stars

Carl Brundage

Things are expensive, but as long as you avoid eating there it isn't bad. Our three main favorites are the Otters, Lemurs and Red Pandas.

Charles B

This zoo is okay, it's very accessible to a lot of people, including me, and also has some unique features that separate it from the other zoos, but I feel like they haven't added any new animals in a while, and they're struggling to fit new animals, so they take down other habitats that I and others liked before to add more a year later after production. It's okay, but there's other zoos out there that won't kill to visit.

Amelia Adkins

I would tell you how amazing the zoo is this year but I can't because I haven't gone yet this year. But I can say that my cross country team loves to run here and we are here all the time. The hill on the side of the park is a great one to go up it if you are looking to be a stronger runner. This palce has brought me my closest friends and people I love to be around.

mannyfresh353

Great place to take the family. Attractions are a bit over priced compared to other zoos we have visited of similar size. We still had a great time though.

Sierah Watt

Even in poor weather we had plenty of time to go through the exhibits and see most of the animals. Really clean!

Tina Simpson

It was amazing how much it has changed and see all the animals and a Lego exhibit through the whole park

Uobrims

Red Pandas are so cute. The babies will be leaving to breed but the parents will remain. Also Lions, Tigers and Bears; Oh My.

Julie Ball

How can you not love a zoo? Clean, organized and attractive layout. Many unusual animals. My absolute favorites are the flamingos, penguins and otters.

Kathryn Cornell

Been coming here since I was a kid. The zoo continues to evolve and improve year after year. The brick sculptures are absolutely incredible and worth a trip in and of themselves. The animals are happy and healthy as well. My kids love it, and it's a great trip for the grown up kids too.

Cory Kraai

Got a membership for my family this year and it was more than worth it. What a treat! Everytime the kids have a blast and so do the adults. Be prepared to walk or take the tram to the top to make your way down. Visited the Zoo goes Boo! Event this year for the first time and will definitely be back. Thank you to all the friendly staff and volunteers!

Ashley Monroe

Just a fun family experience. Love being able to motivate my kids to not only learn but to keep it moving too

Jacob Freida

Very well maintained zoo. My two kids loved every second of it. It's a lot of walking up hill so it's a great workout. Parking is free

T.J. Taylor

Was pretty cool until a raccoon fell into the chino enclosure and no staff seemed to care too much about it and let the chimps harass and try to murder the raccoon. I'm giving 3 stars as a middle ground in case they ended up saving it since I left after a while of waiting because I didn't want to witness a raccoon being mauled to death.

Chris Gilreath

Had a great time here for my birthday! It was my first time and I was very impressed. I loved that it was hilly and a good workout. I also thought it was in great shape for how long it has been in operation

Cheri Burch

Not many animals but my grandson enjoyed it. And at the end of the day that's all that really matters to me.

Stephani Obenauf

Great place as always! The meerkats love to pose for pictures and it was great to see the koala bears. 🐨

Walter Orr

My wife and i visted here and the zoon is awesome! It took us 2 hrs to walk the whole zoo which i think is perfect. It wasnt too big or too small. Most of the animals were out, with the bird flu in western michigan some of the birds werent out which was understandable. It has plenty of resting areas and is well shaded in spots which was great with my wife being 7 months pregnant. We highly recommend this zoo!

Evan Peak

Very nice zoo. Was crowded because of an event but still a good experience. I would like to go back when I have more time and maybe less people.

karina rodriguez

Nice and friendly people. As well as cute and extraordinary animals.

Mr. Kelly Covelli

A must visit. Nicely laid out Zoo. Impressive and fun for all.

Ellis Rexha

I attended roaring nights out tonight. It was hot, I hadn't drank a lot of water and the line for food was long. Bad combination. I ended up passing out right by the outdoor monkey exhibit. My friend ran and got a worker and the safety director was at my side very quickly and without fuss. I can't describe how easing it is to wake up to few people vs 20 people all standing over you. They respected my wishes about not calling an ambulance. They supplied me with water and a motorized cart and allowed me to stay to view the exhibits. BRAVO John Ball! Thank you for making this experience comfortable and not stressful.

Linda Monroe

Went with my two grandkids and had a great time. The kids got little stuffed animals that were not to pricey 9.52, we had to re stitch one. The little doughnuts are a great treat. The pizza was not so good. Be prepared to walk. The Lego creations were super cool. Also for a fee you can mine gems. The animals were interesting and pretty active.

Nicky Strahl

So much to see! I was impressed. We have reciprocity with another zoo (so much cheaper) and was able to bring in our own food/drinks, making it even cheaper! Very worth-while stop for a family of 6!

Kaycee Bylsma

So much fun! My family and I love to visit! I've been going to JBZ since I was a little girl and it's only gotten bigger and better! My kids LOVE it!!

Fisher Steel

It's a pretty good zoo, lots of fun activities for kids, camel rides are pretty unique, currently doing some construction. I'd like to see some water bottle refill stations.

Evan Wright

Good sized zoo, nice paths largely shaded by trees. Decent selection of animals. Good outing for a few hours with family.

Elizabeth Bergman

Had a great time visiting the zoo with my family! It was very clean and the kids loved the play area as well.

Neight “King” Renegado

A lovely visit. Haven't been in years so it was good to see the Zoo again.

Kenneth Miller

It was so wonderful to see all the new additions to the zoo Had a great time.

Joshua Gatiss

We been numerous times and always enjoy visiting our animal friends. It’s a great place to take our small family for an early morning stroll.

Gerald Gregones

Didn't cost much to get in and has lots of cool stuff. We got a bag of dirt with gems to wash in the sluice which was neat and also cheap. We saw the red panda and my wife and son rode the camel. It was as fun as when I was a kid and I rode the camel, and not much more expensive than it used to be. A fun day trip for the family.

Ashley Sepanik (Ash)

Lots of people. They really have done an excellent job over the past few years with improvements for the park and for the animals.

Amanda Claflin-Villanueva

It's pay like a kid week! Every ticket is $10. We went thus morning to beat the heat and had a great time. It's always fun to see the animals and I love all the improvements they have made. Side note I wish my naps were as satisfying as this sloth's midmorning snooze 😅 …

Sue McMullen

Very clean, and Staff(Team Members) were very helpful. It appeared to be a nice place to work. I went to see the Koala's, which was awesome 😊

Rachel Krotz

John Ball Zoo is always a summer destination for me (and spring and fall). More so now that there are 2 (2!) Red Pandas! Wasabi is a great draw alongside Wyatt; their enclosure was crowded both times we visited. It was worth the shoving, growling, grunting, and snarling to push our way to the front to be able to see the little darlings milling about their enclosure. The rest of the zoo is equally amazing. The baby surgeons are also great; I didn't really think fish could be...cute? But they are. And they are pretty hypnotizing to watch. The toucans and the lions were also a happy site, although it was super hot when we visited and the mid-day lazies seemed to have hit everyone, so I can't blame the animals for having a chill out session. There really isn't a part of the zoo that is a downside. The zoo is clean (even if there is a little bit of sticky cotton candy left over from some rambunctious kiddos on the sidewalk), the animals are really happy and attentive, and the staff is friendly and approachable. Why not visit? You're doing yourself a disservice to not even consider it if you are thinking this is something you wouldn't want to take your family to. Pick a day, pack a picnic, and spend some time with your family having a blast learning about animals.😍

Jim Peterson

I really like the John Ball Zoo, but it is a small town zoo without a something to differentiate it or make it special. Probably the most special thing about it is their educational programming for students, but average visitors cannot experience that.

Allen Lenartz

Awesome evening of family fun! Happy Halloween!

Terry McDonald

Inexpensive way to spend the day with the family. Take your own water bottle and refill it at the stations to save some money.

Shelley A

Very nice little zoo. Love the red pandas, tigers and the new wallabys Jack and Diane. Price of admission was reasonable considering how much it costs to feed and maintain the animals.

David Gould

Great pricing for admission. Good prices in the gift shops. Due to the cold some animals aren't available to see. Fun day

Amy Lopez

Wonderful zoo.. trendy has a lot of animals, activities for kids and adults, prices are good.just absolutely love this zoo top 5.. will return, rare animals..

Andrew M. Travis

Nice smaller zoo in Grand Rapids. Love the monkey exhibits and all the sights to see. Check it out, they also have a lot of events at the zoo!

Shelby Adams

Clean. Reasonable pricing on most things. Friendly staff. Lines were not long. No wait to get in. Parking was kinda crazy though.

Devansh Chowdhary

Fantastic place to bring kids. Due to Covid they have social distancing and indoor mask rules in effect. So buy the tickets online and avoid the line 👍 …

Jake Willis

Great place for the family. There are a ton of animals and attractions. Here are a few of our families favorites: Otters, tigers, red pandas, bears, flamingos, monkeys, and a ton more. Playgrounds surrounding the outside with great (free) parking.

Molly Fowler

Fun! Animals didn't seem particularly stressed, which is very important to me. Not a huge zoo, but clean. Can be a little tough to navigate.

S Kennedy

Staff is very informative and friendly, with a special shout-out to the goat petting staff. Great animal sightings, awesome Lego animals to captivate the kids.

Mollie Griffin

Beautiful exhibits, nice well laid out path, lots of hands on activities for children....it isn't a big zoo however it is well worth visiting

Bruce Lindell

Really cool place to take the kids. Wasn’t super crowded. Could use some renovations but they are adding/renovating some of the habitats. Rivals the Detroit zoo in some ways. You can watch the animals be fed which is awesome. You’re not always on flat pavement, theres hills, boardwalks and dirt trails. They have a zip line, high ropes course, camel rides, budge(parakeet)feeding, a petting farm, and tons of things for the younger kids. Definitely plan to be here the whole day. Pack lunch, water/juice and snacks. Bring extra $ for zip line, high ropes course, camel rides, budge(parakeet)feeding and any souvenirs.

Dustin Hinkle

We got season passes as a gift for our daughter the last couple years. The Zoo is pretty enjoyable and small enough that you can view everything in 2-3 hours. Animals seem well taken care of and the habitats and grounds appear clean. My only complaint would be that out of the last 5 or 6 visits we've only been able to use the trolly once from the entrance to the top of the large hill. It's included in the season pass but it never seems to be working. (Walking up the long path with a stroller isnt the greatest fun) Other than that I would recommend the Zoo if you are in the Grand Rapids area.

Corinne Wallace

It’s great to have a local zoo with varied experiences and animals. Well run with fun activities for everyone.

Star

I love it here! This is the first family outing we have had since before the pandemic started. It is very safe and although I felt a little strange around other people it was nice to get out of the house! The environment is very family friendly.

Don Forest

Been going here since i was a little kid. My favorite zoo in Michigan.

Daniel DeRoos

The John ball zoo is fantastic. Built into the hillside so expect a little up and down walking to see some of the animals. It seemingly has expanded and gotten better from ten years ago. Very knowledgeable and friendly staff as well.

Erik Krautmanis

This is a great zoo! Nice clean paths all around the zoo with plenty to see. Watching the spider monkey get fed was an engaging and educational experience.

Anthony Nicosia

Good zoo take the tram lots of up hill walking going down is easy very good zoo we have been to several across the country Ball is well worth the time

Judy Jackson

We had a great time at the zoo. Just wish the tram that takes you to the top was working, it was a hor day to walk up.

Bryleigh B

Amazing animals well kept enclosures great food would recommend

scott hawes

It's our local zoo as we love to come here, and we have there yearly pass. I'd recommend everyone to look into that, just about 250 for a year for your house hold including 2 extra adults and all your kids and grandkids on any of the participating places. You get in free all year and 50% off all the other nice big zoos throughout Michigan even the Detroit zoo, and on aquariums including the new one in Auburn Hills and LEGO LAND IS EVEN HIGHLY DISCOUNTED!!!

Jaime Pletz

Get a membership. Also the highropes and Zipline are worth it, and feeding the budgies is always really cool. Pack a lunch and eat it at the little park next door, food prices in the zoo are pretty crazy.

Marwa Wright

Love love love this place!!! The entire grounds are beautiful inside and out of the zoo we can't wait to return!!!

Charlene Aldred

Awesome place. They explained a lot to you and educate u on the animals that was not in sight. And they treat the animals like family. When I was there they had a place where u could give well wishes to all that was getting ready to go to their winter homes. Awesome staff.

Christopher Keely

They have definitely stepped up the park from when I was a kid. Super excited for the Pygmy Hippo exhibit next year

Dawn Boertman

Went for the summer music series. What a great program! I’m thankful for any chance to see the animals and also The Crane Wives ❤️

Alexis Bates

Small but special. I grew up going to this zoo and it will always hold a special place for me. In the last few years they have added a ton of new features and are still adding more. I've also seen an emphasis put on making good habitats for the animals as they have been working to enlarge their spaces. Fun day for kids and adults.

Cathy Barger

First time there since the renovations we're done. Still a wonderful place to spend an afternoon!

Jeffrey Dick

A very family friendly zoo. Good viewing areas, plenty of places to sit and relax. Food and drink options in many areas. Also good handicap options to borrow or rent. Great staff.

Samantha Lane

Overall okay experience. No huge signs to point you off the freeway into the zoo. Would expect a giant welcome sign or something. It came upon us abruptly. Our maps had us turning around in residential neighborhoods. For the amount of animals that are not out because of the cold, you would think they would adjust admission appropriately. This zoo doesn't have elephants or giraffes, which I would think is a staple. One of the park keepers explained that the zoo is on a hill and those animals need flat land. Cost of refreshments were ok. 30$ for a stuffed monkey was absurd, but I have a 3 year old and we were not going to leave the park without it. We will travel further for another zoo next time.

Richard Norton

As with anything to do with Grand Rapids, I live this zoo. This is my childhood zoo and I will ways love it.

Elisabeth McConnell

We had a great day! So much fun!!

Tyler Belcher

Great local zoo. Love the keepers and their willingness to chit chat about all the different animals in the zoo or point you in the direction of someone who will have the information you want. :)

Kelly Jones

I had a Ball!!!! I came to see the koalas for koalapalooza.

Tiarah Jordan

Took my niece and nephew here about two weeks ago and it was an overall amazing experience. We did struggle a tad with finding the strollers, as we were told that we would find them at the gift shop when we asked at the tickets booth. Once at the gift shop only 1 of 3 employees knew where the strollers were, which was outside and on the opposite side of the entrance from the gift shop. After finally finding them we had a wonderful time looking at all the animals, and stopped for a pretzel and a drink. It was a fun time for sure

V.A.L.

The zoo was not as great as before but still good. It's not the zoo's fault but all the birds are put away because of the bird flu. That's a good chunk of the animals. But the animals they do have are cute and lively. The are building a new hippo exhibit that is exciting. They should have a separate entrance for school buses. There was a huge traffic jam with school buses and cars trying to get into the same entrance. Would ease everyone's stress if there was a dedicated school bus entrance. But overall a great time and we will visit again.

Kianna Sterlini

This is one of the cutest zoos with lots to see. They have been doing a lot of construction to add more exhibits and I can't wait. It's a decent price, but there are discounts for college students, veterans, and seniors. Children have different prices as well. Just make sure to double check as the prices change depending on the month. Also try to buy tickets in advance, especially over the weekend! The park nearby is nice and there are activities in the zoo as well. Overall a great time!

Michael Bloem

Great zoo! Some exhibits feel dated, but there are many interesting animals both large and small. A fun time for all ages. Pretty solid food options that are less expensive than I'd expect.

Kathryn Robeck

I loved are visit...It has changed so much since I was a kid...So much more to see and do...My family and I had a blast best family time ever

scott hojnoski

Great little zoo tucked away in a neighborhood. Lots of ups and downs in the zoo, gives your calves a workout. Great place, must see.

William Peters

A great little zoo to take a day trip with your kids. We have a yearly pass and visit quite often. Lots of little activities for the kids to do and burn off some energy. The tiger exhibit is fantastic, something you need to check out when you visit. Also taking the train to the top of the park first is a little trick we learned. Right before you enter the park all the way to the right is a train you can take a stroller or Wagon to the top and walk down.

Heather Friedrich

We loved this zoo! However word to the wise for those of you with mobility challenges, there are a LOT of hills at this zoo and it can be a challenge to walk. For those of you liking adventure, you can actually zip line over the zoo!! There were a lot of animals available to be seen and when we went they had a Lego display of life like animals all throughout the zoo.

Michael Kridler

The place that has it all. Rest, entertainment, learning and recreating are just some of the delights entailed with a visit to the zoo. Look for the hidden gems that are its untold secrets. I have always enjoyed my visits and I'm sure you will to. I double dog dare you to prove me wrong. No thanks are necessary. I just want you to be aware.

Ashley Sullivan

Great zoo! Lots of different kinds of animals and we had a really good time visiting!

Josh Jepkema

Very nice zoo, compact enough to bring small kids without wearing them out completely. Great exibits.

Aubree Mosby

Wish there was a greater selection of animals. But for what it's worth, it is a very nice zoo. The camel rides are very short and very inexpensive, but still a nice little treat to do with your little one. The little goat area for petting is also cool. We went to see the baby koalas that are visiting for the summer, they were so adorable. Also, for WIC/EBT holders, you get free admission. Go early for decent parking spots. And you can bring your own food and drinks.

K VanLoon

We love the zoo! The birds weren't out due to the Bird Flu, but there was plenty to see, and the zookeepers were very informative and kind. The koalas are an adorable addition for the summer as well!

Kylie Cannon

We planned our visit poorly and went the day before most of the animals were back in their exhibits. It also rained a lot that day and was not the most comfortable time, but there was lots of areas to take shelter while viewing the animals. The aquarium, monkeys, lions, reptiles, amphibians, and lots more could be viewed in the little shelters they have for each of those exhibits. I plan to go again when there's less rain and more exhibits open . The kids didn't mind regardless. It would be nice if camel rides weren't unnecessarily expensive though.

Debra Krooswyk

My kids always enjoy going to this zoo. Just wish they had the option to feed animals like Boulder ridge. Needs more shade too for super hot days. Other then that great place to visit

Hillary Holmes

We made the mistake of going in fall and we only saw 4 or 5 animals if you count the petting zoo. Probably just poor timing on our part, but super disappointing.

Matt Crawford

Alot of fun all the animals besides the birds were out because of a bird disease in the area but it was very inexpensive and a good time

Rachelle Sole

So many animals to see! The Brick animals on display were very neat too. The kids loved the snakes, chimpanzees, and snow leopard!

Jessa Challa

I went go John Ball Zoo for IllumiZoo. This is a seasonal event and this year (2020), it ends November 15. It was very safe, there was little to nothing that you needed to touch, and the lights and attractions were beautiful!

Kate Amaezechi

The forest trail was new since the last time I was there... Loved that! Consider putting a border on your camel pictures. For $5 I would expect a picture that has more of a souvenir feeling to it. I have this same picture of me as a kindergartener... Thanks for serving generations!

Todd Bostwick

Majority of the time you spend walking the sprawling acreage and the minority you spend looking at the few animals they have. It’s an interesting zoo to say the least. A lot of zoo’s would kill to have the available space John Ball Zoo has that they have wasted in mostly for walking and tree growth, not animals. You’ll have more to look at in terms of people who shouldn’t be parents rather than available animals for the price to get in. Its ok if you have no other choices or you live in the area, not worth a drive however. Their excellence comes in the form of cleanliness, not much else zoo wise.

Allison Fogle

Lovely zoo and as someone with a walker I was able to get around every where fairly easily. Hilly but beautiful. Starting to open up for spring proper! If you are reading this review near its written date, all avian species are housed due to Bird Flu. There is no risk to guests but many animals are not on view currently.

Reid Savard

So much fun with the Illuma-Zoo attraction! Such a great fall feature!! Love it!!!

Rhiannon

It’s a small zoo so you can’t really expect a whole lot. I understand that some of the animals won’t be out depending on the time of year. It would’ve been nice if the little ice cream shop was open near the petting zoo when we went. Other than that, the place is clean and the customer service at the food stands was good.

Susan Hicks

It's nice But why is everything going up hill. Lots of places to take a rest. Very nice zoo.

James Hay

Very few animals out. It was a great day to be at the zoo temperature wise. The biggest drawback of the adventure was charging $30 to rent an Amigo (plus $20 deposit). This points directly at not wanting handicap guests from visiting. I felt discriminated against because my mobility is compromised. I believe $10 would have been plenty. Yes, wheelchairs are free but nobody in my party would have been able to push me up all the hills. This needs to be addressed by management.

Jeff Berry

Illiumizoo was pretty cool. We liked the Lego animals too.

Kelly Norton

Love, love, love John Ball Zoo! The lego display was amazing and Adult Night Out was very fun!!

Anthony Roy

A great little zoo, takes about 2 hours to walk and good arrangement of animals. Great place to spend with the family no matter what age

Brian Swain

Great zoo for a day trip. Small enough you can do the whole thing in a couple of hours. All the animals are fairly easy to see. There's also a couple of playgrounds out front to kill time before or after you go in.

Prajwal Sigdel

Its An adventures.tons of things to look and enjoy.

Tuhin Mitra

Recently renovated, the Zoo is a great place to spend the day with the family.

Rose, Felicia McCallum

Amazing new thing's to see and fun to have with family seeing the wonderful animals.

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