Potawatomi Zoo Mom Tips

Our experts give you things you need to know about the Potawatomi Zoo! Check out the Mom Tips and maximize your visit!

Parking – There’s really just the one main marking lot, with a couple of different off chutes. We’ve found there to be ample parking on both visits, even on Father’s Day.
Strollers – If you have toddlers or above, I would say leave the stroller at home. The terrain isn’t difficult – paved paths the whole way through, and it’s not large enough that your children will tire very easily. However, if you have an infant (12 months or younger), I would probably say a stroller is better than a baby carrier here. Children can easily see the exhibits in the stroller so you won’t have to take them out for a view. Also, there really aren’t indoor enclosures here, so no worries for having to squeeze inside or take them out.
Bathrooms – The zoo isn’t overly large. We easily found a bathroom each time we needed one. The bathrooms by the flamingos (opposite of gift shop) aren’t very large, but are centrally located. Both also have changing stations in them.
Food – The biggest thing you need to know about this zoo is that you cannot bring any food inside. However, there is a large park with a multitude of picnic tables surrounding the parking lot. We enjoyed a picnic lunch before entering on Father’s Day. There was plenty of room for our family of five to be secluded at our own picnic table even on a busy day.
Playground/Splash Pad – As mentioned there is a large park right outside the zoo, and there is also a splash pad. Although small, it looked like a nice area for kids, and there were 4 very clean port-a-potties right next to it. On a warm day, this would be a very nice option.
Gift Shop – As mentioned above, you can’t bring food into this zoo. The gift shop and food stands, however, were very reasonably priced. At the small ice cream stand outside the gift shop, popsicles were only 37 cents (including tax)! A 1-scoop cone was $3.
Feeding Opportunities – Bring your quarters! The fish pond and farm have feeding stations (50 cents per handful). These were both fun for the kids. The farm allows you to feed cows, goats, and alpacas. If you’re interested in a larger feeding opportunity, then sign up online for the Bison Encounter. For $15 per person (6 people max), you can feed the bison for about 15-20 minutes. There’s no age requirement on this, which is nice.

Click Here to read our full review of Potawatomi Zoo’s exhibits.