Detroit Zoo
A large zoo covering about 50 hectares, famous for its underwater viewing tunnel for polar bears and its penguin center.
The Detroit Zoo is located in the northern suburb of Royal Oak. It was one of the first zoos in the United States to adopt cage-free open exhibits, and it is home to about 2,000 animals. Highlights include the Arctic Ring of Life, where an underwater tunnel lets you watch polar bears swim; the Polk Penguin Conservation Center, one of the largest penguin conservation centers in the United States; a butterfly house; an amphibian house; and a miniature train. In December the zoo holds its WildLights festival. Tickets cost about US$25. Parking is extra, and the zoo is about a 20-minute drive from downtown.
Opening hours
Summer 09:00–17:00; winter 10:00–16:00
Nearby sights
- Cranbrook Educational Community
- Motown Museum (Hitsville U.S.A.)
- Fisher Building
- Ford Piquette Avenue Plant
- Detroit Historical Museum
- Detroit Institute of Arts
- Michigan Science Center
- Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History