Few family outings in metro Detroit deliver more than a day at the Detroit Zoo. The 125-acre park in Royal Oak is home to more than 2,000 animals, from the residents of the Arctic Ring of Life — one of North America’s largest polar bear habitats — to the whiskered whisker-ups of the Edward Mardigian Sr. River Otter Habitat.
The star for many kids is the Polk Penguin Conservation Center, the largest facility of its kind in the world, where more than 75 penguins of four species swim around and beneath visitors in a chilled, iceberg-inspired habitat. Add giraffe feedings, the Tauber Family Railroad, the 4D theater and the Wild Adventure Zone play areas, and a full day disappears quickly.
The zoo is open daily at 8450 West 10 Mile Road in Royal Oak. Buying tickets online at detroitzoo.org in advance is the easiest way to skip the line at the gate.
