Which Is Best: Potter Park Zoo Or DeYoung Family Zoo. A Guide To Which Is The Best Zoo In Michigan, USA

Explore a comparison of Potter Park Zoo and DeYoung Family Zoo, two wonderful yet distinct zoological parks situated in Michigan, USA.

This comprehensive comparison spotlights everything from the unique animal inhabitants and overall size, to the accessibility, amenities, family-friendly attraction factors, and the cost of a thrilling visit for the whole family.

Discover more about Potter Park Zoo's much-admired efforts towards conservation and education, balanced with a fun day out.

Alternatively, learn about the spaciousness and unique charm of DeYoung Family Zoo.

While they both offer enriching experiences and glimpses of fascinating creatures like tigers and penguins, each has its unique features that add distinct flavours to your zoo visit.

Which Is Best: Potter Park Zoo Or DeYoung Family Zoo. A Guide To Which Is The Best Zoo In Michigan, USA

At A Glance

Potter Park Zoo and DeYoung Family Zoo are both fantastic destinations in the state of Michigan for families, particularly those with older children, and are accessible to persons with disabilities.

Spanning a larger area, Potter Park Zoo emphasizes conservation and education in addition to family fun, and offers a full day out.

Notable animals there include lions, penguins, and tigers.

Meanwhile, DeYoung Family Zoo, featuring tigers, sloths, bears, and penguins on its expansive area, is described as large and spacious.

Regarding costs, Potter Park Zoo’s admission fees are slightly less expensive than DeYoung Family Zoo’s, but charge a parking fee unlike DeYoung Family Zoo’s free parking.

At both zoos, food stalls are available but visitors could also opt to bring their own food and drinks.

However, both do not allow pet dogs, except for service animals, and do not allow animals to be held by visitors.

For both zoos, using public transport is not a viable option.

Size

While both Potter Park Zoo and DeYoung Family Zoo offer a full day of family fun and are not accessible by public transport, they differ in terms of size.

Potter Park Zoo, located in Lansing, Michigan, sprawls across 102 acres and takes around 2-3 hours for visitors to see all of the attractions.

On the other hand, DeYoung Family Zoo in Wallace, Michigan, is a bit smaller, covering 79 acres.

However, it also takes approximately the same time, 2-3 hours, to explore all the attractions.

Both zoos are spacious and offer a variety of wildlife to enjoy, demonstrating that size does not necessarily dictate the range of species and attractions to be discovered.

More About Potter Park Zoo

About Potter Park Zoo

Size (acres) 102
Time To Walk Around 2-3 Hours
Adult Price $8-15
Child Price $5
Infant Price Free Under 3 Years Old
Price For Family Of 4 $40
Parking $3-5
Can Bring Your Own Food? Yes

Information from https://potterparkzoo.org/

Price

When comparing the admission prices at Potter Park Zoo and DeYoung Family Zoo, both located in Michigan, there is a noticeable difference in costs.

At the Potter Park Zoo an adult ticket ranges from $8 to $15, whereas the price for an adult ticket is a flat fee of $16 at the DeYoung Family Zoo.

For children, Potter Park Zoo charges $5 while DeYoung Family Zoo is significantly higher at $14 per child.

In terms of concessions, Potter Park Zoo charges between $6 and $13, while at DeYoung Family Zoo, there is an interesting pricing structure where military personnel are granted free admission and otherwise, it costs $15.

Children under the age of 3 enter for free at Potter Park Zoo, compared to DeYoung Family Zoo where children under the age of 2 are granted free admission.

For an average family of 4, it costs $40 at Potter Park Zoo, but the cost increases to $60 at DeYoung Family Zoo.

This reiterates that Potter Park Zoo is more affordable overall in comparison to the DeYoung Family Zoo.

The cost of an average family of 4 at Potter Park Zoo is $40 compared to 60 at DeYoung Family Zoo.

Potter Park Zoo and DeYoung Family Zoo both located in Michigan, offer an impressive variety of animals for spectators to observe.

Potter Park Zoo with its striking lions and tigers, also homes a colony of endearing penguins, bringing a spacious range of wildlife right into the heart of Lansing.

On the other hand, DeYoung Family Zoo, in addition to providing a habitat to tigers, also houses lovable sloths and bears, thus enriching the Wallace area with diverse species.

Furthermore, while the Potter Park Zoo does not disclose the exact number of animals, the relatively larger park could suggest a greater variety of animals.

The DeYoung Family Zoo, however, is home to about 450 animals.

Despite the unique ensemble of animals at both locations, only the DeYoung Family Zoo features penguins and sloths, suggesting a more diverse collection of wildlife. <div class=”overview” markdown=”1”id=”wyntk-deyoung-family-zoo”>

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/

</div>

Accesibility

The accessibility for visitors with disabilities at both Potter Park Zoo and DeYoung Family Zoo in Michigan is commendable.

Potter Park Zoo is equipped with rentable equipment to facilitate accessibility, ensuring that even those who have difficulty walking can comfortably navigate through the zoo.

On the other hand, DeYoung Family Zoo is wheelchair accessible, although it is noted that there may be some tricky paths.

Despite a few challenging routes, visitors who use wheelchairs can still enjoy a visit to DeYoung Family Zoo.

Consequently, both zoos have made significant strides in promoting inclusivity for visitors with physical disabilities, enabling them to appreciate the diverse species of animals on display.

Pefect For

Both Potter Park Zoo and DeYoung Family Zoo offer great options for families, specifically those with older children.

They prioritize accessible experiences ensuring that individuals with disabilities can also enjoy their visit.

Potter Park Zoo, which boasts its focus on conservation and education, provides a full day out for the family and its notable animals include tigers, penguins, and lions.

DeYoung Family Zoo, on the other hand, offers a vast, spacious setting where families can view creatures such as tigers, sloths, and penguins.

While both zoos are not accessible by public transport, they provide parking facilities for their visitors.

It is also essential to note that both zoos encourage families to bring their own food and drinks for the trip, hence making them a cost-effective, family-oriented adventure.

However, the only downside is that neither zoo allows visitors to hold any animals, therefore, interactive experiences are somewhat limited.

They are both fairly similar in offering disability accessibility, yet it is worth mentioning that while Potter Park provides rentable equipment for easy mobility, DeYoung Family Zoo has several tricky paths that might offer some challenges.

Conclusion

In conclusion, both Potter Park Zoo and DeYoung Family Zoo offer a memorable experience in the lush landscape of Michigan for not only families with older children but all animal enthusiasts.

Each holds a commendable commitment to conservation and educational initiatives.

Though, Potter Park Zoo tips the scales with a more focused emphasis on conservation and education, while the DeYoung Family Zoo provides a larger quantity of animals and an abundant, spacious environment.

While they host a similar roster of attractions, featuring majestic penguins, tigers, and lions in Potter Park and delightfully adorable sloths and bears, alongside tigers and penguins in DeYoung Family Zoo.

Deciding between these two institutions will largely depend on personal preferences and priorities.

However, if accessibility is a concern, Potter Park Zoo does offer rentable equipment to ensure a comfortable visit, while DeYoung Family Zoo is wheelchair-accessible with some tricky paths.

Pricing could be another deciding factor with Potter Park Zoo being the more affordable option especially for families.

On the other hand, DeYoung Family Zoo provides free parking.

Either way, whichever zoo is chosen, visitors can anticipate an immersive day in the animal kingdom with a chance to explore, learn, and create lifelong memories.

Zoo Near Me