Location: St. Louis, Missouri Years Active: 1910 – Active The Saint Louis Zoo, located in Forest Park, Missouri, spans 90 acres and features over 16,000 animals across 600 species. Known for its free admission, the zoo offers popular attractions such as Big Cat Country, Penguin & Puffin Coast, and the Zooline Railroad for easy navigation….
Location: Hattiesburg, Mississippi Years Active: 1950 – Active Hattiesburg Zoo is a place of secrets. It’s been around for ages, and those winding paths hold stories you won’t find in any guidebook. This isn’t about perfectly manicured exhibits – it’s about finding the hidden wonders. The animals here are a mixed bag. Some are zoo…
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota Years Active: 1897 – Active Como Park Zoo and Conservatory… sounds a bit stuffy, doesn’t it? The place is anything but! With over 2.5 million visitors a year, clearly, people love it – but there’s more to this St. Paul gem than meets the eye. Animals are the stars here. You’ll…
Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Years Active: 1960 – Active The Kalamazoo Nature Center…it’s a sprawling nature preserve, smack-dab in the middle of Michigan. Founded decades ago, they’re all about making you love the outdoors. But let’s be honest – sometimes nature education gets a little preachy. That’s the tradeoff for their awesome trails, right? Speaking of…
Location: Apple Valley, Minnesota Years Active: 1978 – Active The Minnesota Zoo isn’t just about staring at animals. It’s 485 acres of wild encounters spread out in Apple Valley. This place breaks the mold of traditional zoos – you follow themed trails instead of a boring species-by-species format. Get ready to walk through a rainforest,…
Location: New Era, Michigan Years Active: 2008 – Active Lewis Adventure Farm & Zoo promises fun… but is it worth the hype? This New Era, Michigan spot is a hit with families. You’ll find exotic animals – think lions and zebras – alongside a classic petting zoo. They know how to throw a festival too,…
Location: Battle Creek, Michigan Years Active: 1977 – Active Forget those stuffy brochures! Binder Park Zoo rocks. It’s been a Michigan staple since 1977, and this place is more than just staring at caged animals. They’ve got vast spaces that let the critters roam like they would in the wild. Get ready for an African…
Location: Royal Oak, Michigan Years Active: 1928 – Active The Detroit Zoo isn’t your grandma’s animal park. It’s been teaching kids and adults about the wild world since 1928. Forget cages – they build whole worlds for their animals. Explore the Arctic, Africa, even Australia! You’ll see creatures you won’t find anywhere else in Michigan….
Location: Jackson, Mississippi Years Active: 1916 – Active The Jackson Zoo ain’t gonna win any beauty contests. It’s kinda old, kinda small, and let’s be honest, some of the exhibits could use an upgrade. But I like it that way. Shows they put their money towards what really matters – taking care of the animals….
Location: Lansing, Michigan Years Active: 1920 – Active Potter Park Zoo isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a little gritty, a little old-school – the perfect antidote to those polished, big-name zoos. They do things differently here. Forget mega-exhibits with elephants or polar bears – this zoo is about the underdogs of the animal…
