Which Is Best: DeYoung Family Zoo Or Saginaw Children's Zoo. A Guide To Which Is The Best Zoo In Michigan, USA

Discover the wonders of Michigan's animal kingdom.

Explore DeYoung Family Zoo, a 79-acre haven for wildlife enthusiasts featuring tigers, sloths, penguins, bears, and more.

Ideal for families with older children, this zoo offers a spacious environment teeming with 450 different animals, but is not accessible by public transport.

Then, we take a trip to Saginaw Children's Zoo, perfect for a family trip - from toddlers to adults.

Despite its smaller size of 10 acres, it's packed with an engaging collection of sloths, penguins, llamas, rabbits, and crocodiles.

Unearth the unique offerings and accessibility at each site and find the perfect destination for your next family adventure.

Which Is Best: DeYoung Family Zoo Or Saginaw Children's Zoo. A Guide To Which Is The Best Zoo In Michigan, USA

At A Glance

The DeYoung Family Zoo and Saginaw Children’s Zoo, both located in the beautiful state of Michigan, USA, offer unique zoo experiences that cater to both children and adults alike.

The DeYoung Family Zoo is a spacious 79-acre haven for animals with 450 species calling it home.

With notable creatures including tigers, sloths, bears and penguins, and admission tickets ranging between $14-$16, it offers families an affordable, 2-3 hour wildlife adventure that can be enjoyed by older children and individuals with disabilities.

However, assistance may be needed on some tricky paths.

The Saginaw Children’s Zoo, on the other hand, is a smaller, more intimate 10-acre zoo targeted mainly for families, especially those with toddlers.

Highlighting an array of charming creatures such as sloths, penguins, llamas, rabbits, and crocodiles, this easily accessible zoo allows you to explore all its attractions in just 1.5 hours.

With tickets as low as $7, this zoo is an inexpensive family outing.

Both zoos have convenient parking and food stalls, and allow visitors to bring their own food.

However, interaction with animals is limited, and pet dogs are prohibited, although service animals are welcome.

Size

When considering the size of the DeYoung Family Zoo and the Saginaw Children’s Zoo, there is a noticeable disparity.

Located in Wallace, Michigan, DeYoung Family Zoo sprawls across an expansive 79 acres.

On average, visitors would need approximately between 2-3 hours to cover the entire expanse and view all attractions.

On contrasting this with the Saginaw Children’s Zoo in Saginaw, Michigan which only covers 10 acres, the size difference becomes even more apparent.

With fewer attractions, it takes around 1.5 hours on average for visitors to explore the Saginaw Children’s Zoo.

This makes DeYoung Family Zoo nearly eight times larger than Saginaw Children’s Zoo in terms of acreage, and also requires a longer time to fully traverse and explore.

More About DeYoung Family Zoo

About DeYoung Family Zoo

Size (acres) 79
Time To Walk Around 2-3 Hours
Adult Price $16
Child Price $14
Infant Price Free Under 2 Years Old
Price For Family Of 4 $60
Parking Free
Number Of Animals 450
Can Bring Your Own Food? Yes

Information from https://thedeyoungfamilyzoo.com/

Price

When it comes to pricing, Saginaw Children’s Zoo proves to be more economical than the DeYoung Family Zoo.

Both located in Michigan, an adult ticket at DeYoung Family Zoo runs at $16, while Saginaw offers the same for a significantly smaller fee of $7.

The same trend can be seen in children’s ticket, with DeYoung and Saginaw charging $14 and $7 respectively.

For concessions, Saginaw again beats DeYoung on price, providing tickets at $5, compared to DeYoung’s $15 (although DeYoung does offer free entry for military personnel).

In both zoos, children under a certain age can access for free, but the age threshold differs: DeYoung provides free entry for children under the age of 2, while Saginaw has free entry for children under the age of 1.

Lastly, looking at the total price of entry for a typical family of 4, DeYoung Family Zoo charges $60 while Saginaw Children’s Zoo requires just $28 making it a more budget-friendly choice for families.

The cost of an average family of 4 at DeYoung Family Zoo is $60 compared to 28 at Saginaw Children’s Zoo.

Both the DeYoung Family Zoo and Saginaw Children’s Zoo in Michigan offer visitors an array of fascinating animals to admire.

DeYoung Family Zoo, with its larger 79-acre grounds, is home to an impressive count of around 450 animals, with notable residents including tigers, sloths, bears, and penguins.

Given the size of its animal collection, it certainly provides a wide diversity of fauna for visitors to learn about.

On the other hand, Saginaw Children’s Zoo, though smaller in size, holds a unique range of 150 animals within its compact 10-acre space, featuring creatures like sloths, penguins, llamas, rabbits, and crocodiles.

While both zoos share some species, each offers a distinct set of viewed animals.

For instance, tigers and bears are unique to the DeYoung Family Zoo, while the Saginaw Children’s Zoo is the only one of the two to house llamas, rabbits, and crocodiles.

Regardless of their differences, both zoos offer a fascinating insight into a variety of captivating creatures. <div class=”overview” markdown=”1”id=”wyntk-saginaw-childrens-zoo”>

More About Saginaw Children’s Zoo

About Saginaw Children’s Zoo

Size (acres) 10
Time To Walk Around 1.5 Hours
Adult Price $7
Child Price $7
Infant Price Free Under 1 Years Old
Price For Family Of 4 $28
Parking Free
Number Of Animals 150
Can Bring Your Own Food? Yes

Information from https://www.saginawzoo.com/

</div>

Accesibility

When comparing wheelchair accessibility and ease of navigation for those with difficulty walking at DeYoung Family Zoo and Saginaw Children’s Zoo, it can be seen that both make concerted efforts to provide an inclusive and welcoming environment.

DeYoung Family Zoo, due to its larger size and more rugged terrain, has some tricky paths, but it remains generally accessible for wheelchair users and those with disabilities.

Patrons are encouraged to contact the zoo for more specific details to ensure a comfortable visit.

Saginaw Children’s Zoo, on the other hand, with its smaller size and primarily paved paths, offers potentially easier navigation for those with mobility impairments.

Both zoos, while providing different experiences due to their contrasting sizes and landscapes, emphasize their commitment to accommodating all visitors, regardless of physical ability or mobility limitations.

Pefect For

Both DeYoung Family Zoo and Saginaw Children’s Zoo offer a great family day out, but each caters to a slightly different experience.

If you’re a family with older children, either zoo could be a great option as both are described as perfect for families with older kids and provide excellent disability access.

However, if you have toddlers, Saginaw Children’s Zoo would be the preferred choice.

This zoo not only boasts a vast array of small and engaging animals but is specifically tailored to be toddler-friendly.

On the other hand, DeYoung Family Zoo, with its larger, more spacious layout and a wider variety of bigger animals like tigers and bears, might be more appealing to families with older children or even adults who appreciate more extensive walks and interacting with a larger scope of wildlife.

Both zoos offer an unforgettable experience - it simply depends on the age and preferences of your family members.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both the DeYoung Family Zoo and the Saginaw Children’s Zoo offer unique experiences that cater to different visitor preferences.

The DeYoung Family Zoo, located in Wallace, Michigan, presents a more extensive and fatherly diverse array of animals across its 79 acres, including tigers, bears, and sloths among others.

Although slightly more expensive, it’s an ideal place for families with older kids, offering a more immersive and comprehensive zoo experience.

On the other hand, the Saginaw Children’s Zoo in Saginaw, Michigan offers its own charm.

Even though it’s following on a significantly smaller scale of 10 acres, it offers a curated selection of smaller animals including llamas and rabbits, alongside the star attractions of sloths and penguins.

It is both cheaper and perfectly adapted to families with toddlers, offering an engaging yet gentle introduction to the animal world.

Both zoos are wheelchair accessible with helpful services and amenities including food stalls, free parking, and permission to carry in personal food and drink.

Therefore, the choice between the DeYoung Family Zoo and Saginaw Children’s Zoo largely boils down to visitor preferences for size, diversity, cost and child-appropriate engagements.

Both zoos remain dedicated to their mission of animal conservation and public education, providing a worthwhile experience for all visitors.

Zoo Near Me