John Ball Zoo
The John Ball Zoo is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The John Ball Zoological Garden located on the west side of the city houses animals from around the world. Known as a popular regional attraction, the Zoo School and Wildlife Conservation Fund returns value to the community and the world. The interactive stations are popular with children because they can pet various animals or ride a camel. There are ropes for climbing and a zip line.
The children can get up close and personal with bears and tigers and lions through a glass wall or go to the aviary and feed the birds. The penguin show is fun watching them get their fish from the lady and swim away. The white penguin seems to be the favorite of all with the audience.
The Lego display of all the animals is interesting and provides lots of touch and interaction with children of all ages. Plenty of shade and benches to rest on or picnic areas to eat and relax make it a great place for all ages to spend the day.
It is a small zoo and takes about four hours to see all the animals and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. There are many varieties of animals, except there are no elephants or giraffes. They do have eagles and kangaroos which are often not seen at other zoos. Also rated high in reviews are the aquarium and the reptile house.
Even though it is small, the zoo compares with larger zoos and is well maintained with beautiful grounds. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The food is better than most park food and reasonably priced. It is worth the price and admission. The gift shop contains many reasonably priced items for souvenirs. The restrooms are clean and well-maintained. Reviews are favorable and many people highly recommend the experience.