John Ball Zoo
John Ball Zoo is located on the west side of the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States.
A zoo & aquarium inside Grand Rapids
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 17°, with about 75" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can stay in Grand Rapids
John Ball Zoo is inside Grand Rapids, which has 41 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Established in 1891
John Ball Zoo dates from 1891. About ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
May, June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 70–83°. When to go ↓
An airport 11 miles away
Gerald R. Ford (GRR) has airline service, about 11 miles from John Ball Zoo.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Grand Rapids. Green months are the mild ones.
John Ball Zoo
John Ball Zoo is located on the west side of the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. The John Ball Zoo is situated on the ravines and bluffs along the west edge of the property.
The zoo houses more than 2,000 individual animals representing over 200 different species. Through its charitable work, the institution aims to give back "to the community".
- Type
- Zoo & aquarium
- Animals
- 2,000 animals · 238 species
- Area
- 140 acres
- Established
- 1891
- Wikipedia readers
- 5.1K a year
Where to stay near John Ball Zoo
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Grand Rapids (41) and Wyoming (15).
- 1Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
- 2Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
- 3North Country Trail
- 4Acrisure Amphitheater
- 5Ramona Park
- 6Public Museum of Grand Rapids
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From John Ball Zoo | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | in town | — | 41 30 hotels · 4 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 3 campgrounds | 201,183 | $245K | D |
| Wyoming | 5 mi south | 10 min | 15 12 hotels · 2 motels · 1 inn or B&B | 78,588 | $225K | C− |
| Walker | 4 mi northwest | 5 min | 13 11 hotels · 2 motels | 25,881 | $295K | C− |
| Kentwood | 8 mi southeast | 10 min | 18 18 hotels | 54,776 | $268K | D |
| Grandville | 5 mi southwest | 5 min | 10 9 hotels · 1 inn or B&B | 17,018 | $271K | D |
| Cascade Township | 12 mi east | 20 min | 18 16 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B | 20,201 | $473K | — |
| Byron Township | 11 mi south | 15 min | 8 7 hotels · 1 campground | 28,685 | $340K | — |
| Georgetown Township | 8 mi southwest | 10 min | 4 1 hotel · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 campgrounds | 55,682 | $336K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near John Ball Zoo
Other well-known places within 52 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
1in town MuseumGerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
26 mi MuseumFrederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
319 mi Park & preserveNorth Country Trail4in town TheatreAcrisure Amphitheater39 mi Theme parkMichigan's Adventure
55 mi Theme parkRamona Park
51 mi MuseumJim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia
6in town MuseumPublic Museum of Grand RapidsPhoto credits
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum: Staff of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Public domain · Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: User Jeffness on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 2.5 · North Country Trail: Huron-Manistee National Forests, Public domain · Ramona Park: Gpwitteveen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia: Jim Crow Museum, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Public Museum of Grand Rapids: John Eisenschenk, CC BY 2.0
Visiting John Ball Zoo
Is John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids?
Yes. It’s inside Grand Rapids, MI.
When is the best time to visit John Ball Zoo?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 70–83°.
What is the closest airport to John Ball Zoo?
Gerald R. Ford (GRR), about 11 miles away.
Where should I stay near John Ball Zoo?
Grand Rapids (in town, 41 places to stay), Wyoming (5 mi, 15 places to stay) and Walker (4 mi, 13 places to stay).
Tips from people in Grand Rapids
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Grand Rapids’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.