The John Ball Zoo, located in Grand Rapids, MI, has a nice compliment of animals and a reasonable entrance fee of $4.00 for adults and $2.50 for children. A huge sculpture of John Ball with two children sets the tone of the facility.

A family can see all the inhabitants of this zoo in two hours. There is essentially a single route to be followed, so you will not get lost or miss any animals.

Many of the cages, in addition to the normal bars, have a small-mesh screen. This screen plays havoc with the automatic focusing of cameras. However, some of the cages also had a glass viewing area, so at least an acceptable shot could be obtained.

There were ample places to eat, and there were some nature sessions for all ages. I noticed more than a normal number of attendants floating around who were helpful in answering questions.