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Detroit Zoological Park


TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: #1 of 2 attractions in Royal Oak
Traveler Description:
Watch frolicking and splashing polar bears through a glass pane and experience life on the tundra at the Arctic Ring of Life, the worlds largest...... more » Watch frolicking and splashing polar bears through a glass pane and experience life on the tundra at the Arctic Ring of Life, the worlds largest Arctic exhibit. Other highlights of this interactive and educational zoo include a stroll through an indoor rainforest with free-roaming animals and a visit to one of the largest great ape exhibits in the world. « less
Familiar with Detroit Zoological Park? Write your own description and share what you know with other travelers.
Attraction type: Zoo, Other
Address: 8450 W 10 Mile Road Royal Oak, MI 48215
Tel: (248) 398-0903
Fax: 248-398-0504

Reviews you can trust

[ Date ] [ Rating ]
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4 of 5 stars
T-LEFF   14 contributions
Norwood, Massachusetts
Oct 24, 2009

I grew up just a few miles from the Detroit Zoo and have since moved to the East Coast. On a recent trip to visit family, we went to the Detroit Zoo. We had heard from family members that the zoo was run down and in poor condition, but we did not find this to be true by any means.... more

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3 of 5 stars
MIShopperGirl   55 contributions
Lansing, MI
Aug 3, 2009
1
person found this review helpful

The Detroit Zoo is definitely large and has a variety of animals (except elephants, for some reason). I loved the polar bear exhibit and the meerkats. It's a pretty decent zoo for Detroit. But the day we went, it was hot and overly crowded with strollers and screaming children. Because it was hot, not many animals were moving about and... more

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5 of 5 stars
jmadvisor   3 contributions
Michigan
Aug 1, 2009
1
person found this review helpful

I've visited several zoos in the United States, and I consider this to be among the finest. The Detroit Zoo aims to provide a healthy environment for its animals, and their enclosures are often quite spacious. The animals have a little more privacy than their counterparts in some other zoos in the region (such as in Grand Rapids and Toledo),... more

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4 of 5 stars
tazangel36   13 contributions
Southern US
Jul 14, 2009
1
person found this review helpful

The Detroit Zoo has some beautiful animal habitats, from a butterfly garden to a seal tank you can walk under, giraffes you can feed to a hippo you can almost reach out and touch. The price of tickets is pretty reasonable, but be prepared to spend money on food and souvenirs. Also, make sure everyone wears comfy shoes, as it's... more

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5 of 5 stars
CeeGunn   41 contributions
Orangeville, Canada
Jan 2, 2009
1
person found this review helpful

We had a great time at the Detroit Zoo! We went in December between Xmas and New Years with a discounted ticket we got from their website. The zoo opened at 10 am and closed at 4pm and we were busy and having fun for the entire time! We were honestly suprised how many of the animals were still out... more

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4 of 5 stars
dmacnmi   187 contributions
Oakland County, Michigan
Dec 7, 2008
1
person found this review helpful

I know there are several negative reviews, but the Detroit Zoo is a fun place to visit. Of course, if you go on a super hot Michigan day, the animals are not going to be out roaming around, but on nice day, they are out roaming and being active. We really enjoyed watching the polar bears in the huge habitat... more

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2 of 5 stars
LexiV   34 contributions
Cleveland
Sep 2, 2008

I hadn't been to the Detroit Zoo since I was a child, so I decided to bring my own children. It was a nice day and the zoo is attractive and well-maintained, but there aren't very many animals in it. The farm area was practically empty, the penguin house (my favorite as a child) was difficult to find, and the... more

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1 of 5 stars
ClevelandNorthcoast   1 contribution
Cleveland
Jul 21, 2008

Just went to this zoo yesterday. (July 20,2008) I think I can count the number of animals I actually saw on both hands. And that's about it! One could argue that they were 'just sleeping'. It appeared that there were just too many areas that were empty. Weeds in the exhibits. Vantage points blocked by overgrown plants. Buildings that needed... more

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4 of 5 stars
clr24   1 contribution
Michigan
Apr 28, 2008

We had a wonderful time at the Detroit Zoo. The exhibits were clean and well maintained. The animals seemed healthy and content. There were lots of little areas for the kids to roll around in the grass a take a break. We loved the butterfly house and the arctic ring of life where a polar bear swam right over us... more

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2 of 5 stars
MI_TravelFreq   14 contributions
SE Michigan
Apr 23, 2008

Those who give rave reviews to the Detroit Zoo should qualify their statements with the phrase, "for Detroit". As in, "It's a nice zoo ... For Detroit." At one time, it was likely a crown jewel in the region. One need only look at the central fountain (carved granite) and its peripheral benches (also carved granite) to know that someone... more

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Detroit Zoological Park Address

8450 W 10 Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI 48215
Tel: (248) 398-0903 Fax: 248-398-0504