Kids love animals. Did you know there are lots of opportunities to see animals near Ann Arbor? While there are two great zoos within an hour, they are both day trips. There are several closer options that don’t require the all day commitment. These places to see Animals Near Ann Arbor include several nature centers, farms, and more.
Where to Find Animals in Ann Arbor & Beyond
Check out this map for a quick reference, then scroll down to find animals in Ann Arbor and beyond.
We’ve split our list by location to make it wasy to find an outing for your animal-loving child. So it will be easy to find animals close to home for a quick visit, or places that are better for a day trip to see animals.
So check our list to find Petting Farms near Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Nature Centers, and the Huron Valley Humane Society in Ann Arbor. In addition to these locations, there are several locations that hold events featuring animals. For example, the Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary and SASHA Farm Animal Sanctuary hold events that fatures their animals. In addition, you will find events at libraries and other venues featuring animals from Leslie Science & Nature Center or The Creature Conservancy.
Animal Encounters In Ann Arbor
Humane Society of Huron Valley
“Love starts here” is the Humane Society of Huron Valley’s motto, and they offer lots of youth activities to foster compassion—not to mention entertain!
Both animal-loving and animal-fearing kiddos can benefit from a variety of programs at the modernized shelter. Check below for their upcoming event schedule.
- “Little Paws Story Time” for ages 2-5, along with“Sensory Story Time” for neurodiverse youth, include stories and safe interactions with animals.
- “Pets and Pajamas” for school-age children are drop-off events, giving parents a break and kids a fun, animal-focused alternative to a babysitter on Friday nights.
- “Rescue Reading” is a win-win for kids and animals alike; giving young readers a chance to practice their skills in front of a non-judgmental audience, and friendly animals a chance to socialize.
HSHV also offers youth volunteer opportunities, camps when school is out, and special events throughout the year. Check below for their upcoming event schedule.
At a Glance
Location
Humane Society of Huron Valley, Cherry Hill Road, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Season
Year Round –
Schedule
See Event Calendar for chances to visit
Price
Tiny Lions lounge and adoption Center
Ann Arbor’s cat café, the Tiny Lions lounge and adoption Center (or “TLC” for short!) is an offshoot of the Humane Society of Huron Valley—a place where kids young and old can visit with kittens and cats in a comfy space. While all the felines there are available for adoption, there are no strings attached! Enjoy “Tiny Tails Story Time,” “Cats and Kids,” or “Mewvie Night,” or simply drop in when they’re open. They also offer birthday parties and room rentals.
At a Glance
Location
Tiny Lions lounge & adoption Center, 5245 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Season
Year Round –
Schedule
Sunday: noon-5p
Tuesday: 12-7p
Wednesday: 12-7p
Thursday: 12-7p
Friday: 12-7p
Saturday: 12-7p
Price
$10/hour, $6/half hour. Event costs vary
White Lotus Farms Farmers Market
White Lotus Farms offers Farmers Markets and a chance to visit their animals while you shop.
They added a new pavilion to provide shelter from the sun and rain while shopping at the market in 2022. Shop the fresh grown produce, but also their bakery, creamery, and take home meals. They also feature products from other local farms and businesses.
While at the Farmers Market, make time to visit their animals including baby goats.
Their spring, summer, and fall farm market hours will be announced as spring arrives (no announcement by March 24)
At a Glance
Location
White Lotus Farms, West Liberty Road, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Season
Seasonal May 2, 2026-November 22, 2026
Schedule
Wednesday: 9a-1p (2025 hours)
Saturday: 9a-2p (2025 hours)
Price
The Petting Farm at Domino Farms
The Petting Farm at Domino Farms allows families the chance to interact up close with farm animals. Their animals include cows, goats, sheep, chickens, pigs, and more.
You can feed the animals yourselves. Bags of feed are $3.
They offer tractor rides seasonally (weather permitting). Tractor ride tickets are $5.
Their hours change seasonally. We have provided them as of March 2026
At a Glance
Location
Domino’s Farms Petting Farm, 3001 Earhart Road, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Season
Year Round –
Schedule
Mondays-Fridays: 10a-2p, Saturdays: 10a-4p
Price
$8. $5.50 for ages 60+. Kids 23 months & younger are FREE
Leslie Science & Nature Center
Leslie Science & Nature Center is an outdoor Ann Arbor treasure. Explore the Black Pond Woods trail in different season, visit the raptor enclosures any time, or check out their new nature playscape.
The Critter House is open during select days and events. Be sure to check our calendar for details.
Leslie Science & Nature Center hosts great events for all ages. Their marquis events include the annual Ann Arbor Earth Day Celebration, Monarch Migration Festival, and Animal Haunts. Throughout the year they also host additional events like hikes, campfires, and even a camping day.
Each summer they host Summer Camps plus they host camps on select days off from school.
At a Glance
Location
Leslie Science and Nature Center, Traver Road, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Season
Year Round –
Schedule
Dawn-Dusk
Price
Free
The Creature Conservancy
The Creature Conservancy is a great place to see interesting animals. They are known for their rescues of exotic pets and for injured animals who cannot be released into the wild.
They have both indoor and outdoor viewing areas. Outdoor viewing is limited in the winter, but many animals are outside during the summer.
They have indoor programs on the weekends. Join them to see the inside animals and for a live animal presentation. With social distancing in place, they offer two sessions on Saturdays and Sundays. Each session includes a live animal show on the Stone Stage featuring three animals that rotate each month.
At a Glance
Location
The Creature Conservancy, Ann Arbor-Saline Road, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Season
Year Round –
Schedule
Sunday: noon-5p
Saturday: noon-5p
Price
$15/adult, $13/ages 2-12
Animals in Livingston County
Howell Nature Center
The Wild Wonders Wildlife Park at Howell Nature Center features a half-mile woodland trail with over 70 animals.
The animals represent 30 bird, mammal, and reptile species that are native to Michigan. All of the animals at Howell Nature Center have been permanently injured or have imprinted on humans and cannot be released.
Alexandria’s NatureScape is a natural children’s play area with a waterfall kids can splash in, sand dunes they can dig in, stumps to jump and spider webs for climbing. Kids can build a shelter, water paint, and more. Towering above the naturescape is the Tree House, a wheel chair-accessible treehouse with 7000 square feet of ramps, suspension bridges, and platforms. Inside the Treehouse, you’ll find hands-on activities like a discovery table, book nook, and bird watching.
At a Glance
Location
Howell Nature Center, 1005 Triangle Lake Road, Howell, MI, USA
Season
Year Round –
Schedule
10a-5p Daily for Wild Wonders Wildlife Park, 10a-3p Tuesdays-Sundays for Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic
Price
$9/18+, $7/ages 3-17, Free for kids 2 & under
Animals in Oakland County
Kensington Metropark Farm Center
Kensington Metropark’s Farm Center lets kids (and adults) experience the sights, sounds, and smells of a life on the farm.
Visit their 150 year old barn, the poultry house, or the barn exhibit.
While at Kensington Metroparks, you can also visit other areas of the park like the lake for swimming or boating, or the Splash & Blast spray ground ($4 admission fee)
At a Glance
Location
Kensington Metropark, 4570 Huron River Parkway, Milford, MI, USA
Season
Year Round –
Schedule
November-February: 9a-4p, March-October 9a-6p
Price
Vehicle Entry Fee: $10/day, $40/year
Detroit Zoo
Make a day of it with a day trip to the Detroit Zoo. A few of our favorite animals to visit are the penguins and polar bears, the prairie dogs, the red panda, and the kangaroo. They even have a wolverine.
At a Glance
Location
Detroit Zoo, 8450 West 10 Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI, USA
Season
Year Round –
Schedule
October-March: 10a-4p, April-August 9a-5p. September 9a-4p. Be sure to check for closures due to events especially Zoo Boo
Price
Gate Prices: $27/Adult, $24/Youth/Senior. Online prices are demand based.
Carousel Acres
Carousel Acres in South Lyon offers pony parties and mobile petting zoos. You can also visit their farm in spring-fall. They do offer private parties and more at various events.
During the season, they offer pony rides ($8) on Saturday and Sunday. They also have a parakeet aviary. The other animals you see on the farm may vary based on which are out at mobile petting zoos.
At a Glance
Location
Carousel Acres, inc., 12749 9 Mile Road, South Lyon, MI, USA
Season
Seasonal April 15, 2026-October 31, 2026
Schedule
10a-2p Mondays-Fridays, 10a-3p Saturdays & Sundays
Price
$10/person. Pony rides $8
Animals in Monroe County
Indian Creek Zoo
Indian Creek Zoo is a small zoo located in Lambertville. Their animals range from bunnies, cows, and chickens to more exotic animals like giraffe, wallabies, capybaras, ostriches, and kangaroos.
With older kids, you can splurge on an encounter with various animals like a lemur, wolf, sloth, capybara, or kangaroo.
At a Glance
Location
Indian Creek Zoo, 2744 Consear Road, Lambertville, MI, USA
Season
Seasonal May 1, 2026-September 30, 2026
Schedule
10a-5p May-September
Price
$16/adults, $14/children (3-17), $15/seniors (65+) & military. Free
Calder Dairy
Head out to Calder Dairy and visit the cows that produce their milk. Plan your visit for milking time at 4p. The milking area was recently renovated and now has fun interactive activities. Then buy some milk, yogurt, ice cream, or other dairy products to take home.
In addition to the cows, you can also visit horses, goats, ducks, geese, and more. The new goat area lets you see the goats running up and down their playscape to get feed you send to them.
At a Glance
Location
Calder Dairy and Farm, 9334 Finzel Road, Carleton, MI, USA
Season
Year Round –
Schedule
10a-7p Daily
Price
Free
Animals in Wayne County
Maybury Farm
Northville’s Maybury Farm is a working farm whose mission is to connect the community to animals and agriculture with hands-on experiences.
At a Glance
Location
Maybury Farm, Eight Mile Road, Northville, MI, USA
Season
Seasonal April 14, 2026-October 31, 2026
Schedule
Vary Seasonally. Closed Mondays. April: 10a-2p weekdays, 10a-5p weekends. May-September 10a-5p daily. October; 10a-2p Tuesdays-Thursdays, 10a-8p Fridays & Saturdays, 10a-7p Sundays
Price
$8/person general admission. Children under 2 & members are free
Animals in Ohio
Toledo Zoo
The Toledo Zoo is our favorite place to visit animals – but it is a day trip. I have always loved visiting the polar bear, tigers, and the primates. Nature’s Neighborhood is also a big hit.
For older kids, don’t miss their Aerial Adventure Course which operates during summer.
At a Glance
Location
Toledo Zoo, 2 Hippo Way, Toledo, OH, USA
Season
Year Round –
Schedule
Vary Seasonally. 10a-4p daily in spring.
Price
$32/Adults, $29/Children ages 2-11) or Seniors (60+)
Seasonal Farms with Animals
Several seasonal farms also give you the chance to see animals.
About Parmenter’s Cider Mill
Parmenter’s Cider Mill opens August 23, 2025 for their 152nd season! Next door to the cider mill is their Northville Winery and Brewing Co offering beers, wines and hard ciders. They have live music and food trucks there Wednesdays through Sundays.
Crops: Apples
Activities: Animals Play Area Fall Activities
Food: Cider, Donuts, Other Baked Goods, Hot Dogs, Other Meals, Winery, Alcoholic Beverages
Market Products: Fresh Produce, Jams & Jellies
Location
Parmenter’s Northville Cider Mill, 714 Base Line Road, Northville, MI, USA
Farm Hours
10a-8p daily
About Blake’s – Lyon Township
In summer 2022, Erwin Orchards in South Lyon closed as the owners have retired. Blake Orchards out of Armada, MI purchased the property. While Armada is a bit of a drive from Ann Arbor, South Lyon is much closer. Erwin has always been on our lists and we are updating the listings to reflect the…
Crops: Raspberries Pumpkins Cherries Apples
Activities: Wagon/Hay Rides Animals Play Area Fall Activities
Food: Cider, Donuts, Other Baked Goods, Hot Dogs, Other Meals
Market Products: Fresh Produce, Jams & Jellies
Location
61475 Silver Lake Road, South Lyon, MI, USA
Farm Hours
U-Pick:
8a-5p Mondays-Fridays
9a-6p Saturdays & Sundays
Funland: Thursday-Sunday 10a-6p through 9/5, then open daily
About Three Cedars Farm
Three Cedars Farm in Northville offers a cider mill, hay rides, train rides, corn maze and a u-pick pumpkin patch. Don’t miss their storybook farm featuring Three Little Pigs, Little Red Hen, Peter Rabbit, and more. They open for the 2025 season on Labor Day Weekend. For 2025, they now have a Country Jamboree Show ($1/person). Last year…
Crops: Pumpkins Apples
Activities: Wagon/Hay Rides Animals Play Area Winter Holiday Activities
Food: Cider, Donuts
Market Products: Fresh Produce
Location
7897 Six Mile Road, Northville, MI, USA
Farm Hours
Labor Day weekend: 10a-6p
Fall Hours:
Sundays-Thursdays: 10a-8p
Fridays & Saturdays: 10a-10p
Halloween 10a-6p
November 1-3: 10a-8p
About Coleman’s Farm Saline
Coleman’s Farm in Saline used to primarily be a corn maze. They no longer offer a corn maze, but do have a corn trail this year. They also offer pumpkins, mums, and cut flowers. Plus, you can visit baby animals and enjoy donuts and cider.
Crops: Pumpkins
Activities: Animals Fall Activities
Food: Cider, Donuts
:
Location
12758 Jordan Road, Saline, MI, USA
Farm Hours
Saturdays: 10a-6p
Sundays: noon-4p
About DeBuck’s Family Farm
DeBuck’s Family Farm offers a variety of family fun. They now start the year in spring with the Tulip Festival. In the summer, they have lavender and sunflowers. In fall, they have a corn maze and pumpkin patch. The family fun area with other attractions like Bounce Pads, Human Foosball, pedal trikes, and more is…
Crops: Pumpkins Sunflowers
Activities: Wagon/Hay Rides Animals Play Area Fall Activities
Food: Donuts, Other Baked Goods, Other Meals
:
Location
DeBuck’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, 50240 Martz Road, Belleville, MI, USA
Farm Hours
Summer (Lavender & Sunflowers)
Fridays: 10a-4p
Saturdays & Sundays: 10a-6p
Fall (Corn Maze & Pumpkins)
Saturdays & Sundays 10a-6p
October Thursdays & Fridays: 10a-4p
About Blast Corn Maze at Nixon Farm
Blast Corn Maze is located in Dexter. They offer 3 levels of difficulty in their corn maze. They also offer u-pick pumpkins, hay ride, mountain of straw, corn box, picture props, corn cannon, cow train, duck races, pedal cars, and more.
Crops:
Activities: Wagon/Hay Rides Animals Play Area Fall Activities
Food: Cider, Donuts
:
Location
The Blast Corn Maze, Daly Road, Dexter, MI, USA
Farm Hours
About Spicer Orchards
Spicer Orchards is a large orchard in Fenton that offers a wide variety of u-pick fruits as well as sunflowers, a corn maze, and even Santa. They are one of the only orchards offering u-pick cherries with both sweet and tart cherries. It is always fun to watch their pitting machine go to work on…
Crops: Strawberries Blueberries Raspberries Pumpkins Cherries Peaches Apples Pears Sunflowers
Activities: Wagon/Hay Rides Animals Play Area Fall Activities Winter Holiday Activities
Food: Cider, Donuts, Ice Cream, Sandwiches, Other Meals, Winery, Alcoholic Beverages
Market Products: Fresh Produce, Jams & Jellies, Unpopped Popcorn, Baked Items, Other Grocery Items
Location
Spicer Orchards Farm Market, Cider Mill, Fudge, Bakery, 10411 Clyde Road, Fenton, MI, USA
Farm Hours
Summer: First wagon at 9a.
After Labor Day First Wagon at 9a
Last wagon goes out at 5:30p, returns around 6:15p
Market closes at 7p
About Wiards Orchards & Country Fair
Wiard’s Orchard and Country Fair combines u-pick fruit with the activities of a country fair. The Country Fair opens on weekends starting Saturday, September 6. Beginning Wednesday, September 17 they will also be open Wednesday-Fridays. They close for the season on October 31 In addition to offering u-pick apples & pumpkins, they also offer family fun with corn maze, playgrounds,…
Crops: Pumpkins Apples
Activities: Wagon/Hay Rides Animals Play Area Fall Activities
Food: Cider, Donuts, Other Baked Goods
Market Products: Fresh Produce, Jams & Jellies
Location
Wiard’s Orchards, Merritt Road, Ypsilanti, MI, USA
Farm Hours
Country Fair:
Wednesdays-Fridays 10a-6p
Saturdays & Sundays 11a-6p
Country Store:
Tuesdays-Sundays 9a-6p
Other Places to See Animals
Local parks are also a good way to see animals. Gallup Park is great for ducks and geese.
Animals make frequent appearances at events around town. Our calendar has a separate category of animal related events. A few examples of events are
- Read to the library dog events offered at several local libraries or the humane society.
- Critters Up Close at AAHOM
- Ann Arbor Parks events
- Nature Walks
- and more.
| Date/Time | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| 💙 | April 18 12:00pm-3:00pm | Critter House Open Hours at Leslie Science & Nature Center, Ann Arbor MI |
| 🎟 | April 19 8:30am-9:30am | Yoga with Cats at Tiny Lions Lounge & Adoption Center, Ann Arbor Michigan |
| 💙 | April 19 10:00am-4:00pm | Eddy Discovery Center Grand Reopening at Eddy Discovery Center, Chelsea Michigan |
| 💙 | April 19 12:00pm-3:00pm | Critter House Open Hours at Leslie Science & Nature Center, Ann Arbor MI |
| 💙🆓 | April 19 12:00pm-4:30pm | Earth Day Festival
at Leslie Science & Nature Center, Ann Arbor MI The Ann Arbor Earth Day Festival at Leslie Science & Nature Center brings together organizations from across Ann Arbor & Washtenaw County for one large celebration. The festival is Sunday, April 19 from 12-4:30p at Leslie Science & Nature Center. This free, family-friendly event features displays; hands-on activities; live entertainment; green...Read More |
| 💙🎟 | April 19 1:00pm-3:30pm | Animals Have Class | Environmental Adaptations at Eddy Discovery Center, Chelsea Michigan |
| 💙🆓🎟 | April 21 10:30am-11:30am | Spring Story Time: Frogs & Toads at Bader Park, Ann Arbor Michigan |
| 🎟 | April 22 9:30am-10:30am | Tiny Tails Storytime at Tiny Lions Lounge & Adoption Center, Ann Arbor Michigan |
| 🎟 | April 22 5:00pm-7:30pm | 2nd Annual Yom HaAtzmaut Israeli Block Party |
| 💙🎟$ | April 23 10:30am-11:30am | Little Paws Storytime at Humane Society of Huron Valley, Ann Arbor Michigan |
| 🆓🎟 | April 23 5:30pm-7:30pm | Read to Quinn the Library Dog at Ypsilanti District Library – Michigan Ave Branch, Ypsilanti Michigan |
| 🎟 | April 23 7:30pm-8:30pm | Yoga with Cats at Tiny Lions Lounge & Adoption Center, Ann Arbor Michigan |
| 💙🆓 | April 25 10:30am-12:30pm | Family Birding Introduction and Walk at Ypsilanti District Library – Michigan Ave Branch, Ypsilanti Michigan |
| 💙🆓 | April 25 11:00am-3:00pm | Fun on the Farm at Horning Farms, Manchester Michigan |
| 💙 | April 25 12:00pm-3:00pm | Critter House Open Hours at Leslie Science & Nature Center, Ann Arbor MI |
| 💙 | April 25 12:00pm-3:00pm | Critters Up Close at Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Ann Arbor MI |
| 💙🆓🎟 | April 25 1:00pm-3:00pm | MetroBarks: Paws, Pose & Play at Huron Meadows Metropark, Brighton Michigan |
| 🎟 | April 26 8:30am-9:30am | Yoga with Cats at Tiny Lions Lounge & Adoption Center, Ann Arbor Michigan |
| 💙🆓 | April 26 11:00am-3:00pm | Earth Day Fair at Wilson Park, Milan Michigan |
| 💙 | April 26 12:00pm-3:00pm | Critter House Open Hours at Leslie Science & Nature Center, Ann Arbor MI |
| 💙 | April 26 12:00pm-3:00pm | Critters Up Close at Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Ann Arbor MI |
| 💙 | April 26 2:00pm-3:30pm | Ephemeral Hike: Exploring the "Coral Reefs" of our Forests at Eddy Discovery Center, Chelsea Michigan |
| 🆓🎟 | April 27 5:00pm-7:00pm | Read to Simba the Library Dog at Ypsilanti District Library – Whittaker Rd, Ypsilanti Michigan |
| 💙🆓🎟 | April 28 10:30am-11:30am | Spring Story Time: Salamanders at Esch Park, Ann Arbor Michigan |
| 💙🎟$ | April 30 10:30am-11:30am | Little Paws Storytime at Humane Society of Huron Valley, Ann Arbor Michigan |
| 🎟 | April 30 7:30pm-8:30pm | Yoga with Cats at Tiny Lions Lounge & Adoption Center, Ann Arbor Michigan |
| 💙 | May 2 12:00pm-3:00pm | Critter House Open Hours at Leslie Science & Nature Center, Ann Arbor MI |
| 💙🎟 | May 2 1:00pm-2:00pm | Great Blue Herons are Great at Kensington Metropark Nature Center, Milford Michigan |
| 💙 | May 3 12:00pm-3:00pm | Critter House Open Hours at Leslie Science & Nature Center, Ann Arbor MI |
| 💙🎟 | May 7 10:00am-11:00am | Fun on the Farm: Spring Babies at Kensington Metropark Farm Center, Milford MI |
