Ever since I was a young child, I have loved animals. My children now share my love of animals, and are always excited about any opportunity we have to interact with them. We have started a bucket list of animal encounters to experience in West Michigan. We have enjoyed being able to get up close and personal with the animals, as well as interact with unique animals such as reindeer. I was surprised at how short reindeer are and how big their antlers are - it's amazing that they don't fall over with all that weight atop their head!
The kids enjoyed learning about the different foods safe for animals to eat as well as learning about their habitats. Engaging with the animals was also an opportunity to talk about what goes into caring for animals as well as why it's important to take care of our environment and be aware of how we can help conservation of species.
Here's our bucket list of places to visit along with photos of us enjoying checking Deer Tracks Junction and John Ball Zoo off our list so far:
1. Deer Tracks Junction - Cedar Springs
Visit our Farm where you will get to see pigs, goats, donkeys, bunnies, camels, alpacas, reindeer, Tibetan yaks, and so much more, including our Parakeet Pavilion, and great new things for 2020, including BABY BEARS! Everything is wander at your leisure. Feed the animals a snack (ONLY food available for purchase – NO OUTSIDE FOOD ALLOWED), or just plain love on them. When you are done horsin’ around with the animals, the kids will have a blast in our FUN BARN full of tunnels, nets to climb, and giant slides; our miniature Playhouse; our Sandy Gulch sandbox; racing rubber duckies in the Duck Race tank, and our giant 4 story Mine and train play area! We also have Hog Heaven built just the right size for the little ones to have tons of fun, too!
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2. Boulder Ridge - Alto
Located on 80 acres of land in Alto, MI, Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park is a unique, hands-on experience for the entire family. The park boasts a distinct collection of exotic animals and reptiles, and the variety and dynamic atmosphere make Boulder Ridge anything but your average zoo. Venture through the reptile house before checking out the ostrich, lemurs, kangaroos, monkeys, or crossing a bridge to get a closer look at the 11ft alligator in the pond below. From there, head over to the bird aviary or meander through the petting zoo to see some of Boulder Ridge’s newest additions and take advantage of the rare opportunity to possibly pet a baby zebra, wildebeest, or water buffalo. Don't delay, as Boulder Ridge closes for the season mid-October!
3. John Ball Zoo - Grand Rapids
Travel around the world with the live animal exhibits at John Ball Zoo. In addition to the live animal exhibits, from now through October 25, 2020 you can see BRICKLIVE Animal Paradise, which features more than 40 life-sized animal sculptures created with over 1.8 million individually colored building bricks. Be one of the first to see this amazing exhibition! John Ball Zoo is only the third zoo in the country to host the exhibition and the first in Michigan.
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4. Lewis Adventure Farm & Zoo - New Era
The fall season of fun has begun and runs through November 1, 2020. Our Fall Season at Lewis Adventure Farm & Zoo is the perfect place to be. Capture the perfect photo in our Pumpkin Patch and enjoy our 46+ farm attractions! Have you experienced the unique animal encounters in our zoo? From the littles all the way up to adults, we have something to keep everyone entertained all day!
5. Fellinlove Farm - Holland
A small family farm for people of all ages and abilities...home of three Fell ponies (rare breed) and more! We "Fell In Love" with the Fell ponies and our other animal family members!
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