Naubinway — At the GarLyn Zoo, there are no crowds and no lines. There is endless shade and a cool, lakeside breeze. You can watch lions, lemurs, or a tortoise as long as you want. It’s the best zoo experience in Michigan. You just have to go to the Upper Peninsula to get it.
The GarLyn Zoo and Wildlife Park is nestled among a couple acres of pine trees just off the shore of Lake Michigan. A 40-minute drive west of the Mackinac Bridge, it may not be an easy destination for most Michiganders, but it’s well worth the stop.
Open May through October, the zoo boasts all kinds of animals. There are the usuals—lions, tigers, and bears—but it’s also a trove of exotic creatures. Ring-tailed lemurs and squirrel monkeys snuggle in furry heaps. A white-cheeked turaco perches on a branch. A common genet blinks its big eyes from the dark of its cave.
The zoo wasn’t always this diverse. Opened in 1994 by Gary and Lynn Moore, it was first inhabited by the couple’s beloved pets. The Moores’ pygmy goats, potbellied pigs, pheasants, peacocks, and sika deer attracted the zoo’s first visitors. Today, these creatures give the zoo a homey feel. Even with big cats and tropical fauna, the place feels like it could be in your back yard.
The Moores have worked hard to make the zoo into the attraction it is today. For six years after opening the zoo, the couple lived in an unfinished garage on zoo property. They sold their pickup truck to pay bills, feed the animals, and survive their second winter in the U.P.
Things started to look up in their third season.
More visitors came, and more animals followed. The zoo added reindeer, alligators, tortoises, and more to its ranks. Many of the animals were rescued by or donated to the zoo, according to the GarLyn Zoo’s website.
Touring the GarLyn Zoo with my own family, it was easy to see why the place has become a popular destination: It provides visitors a superior zoo-going experience.
I take my kids to the Detroit Zoo all the time. We love it there, but the place has a few downsides. First: the cost. If I didn’t have a membership, I’d pay more than $100 to take my family of four. At the GarLyn Zoo, our tickets cost half that.
Experience is about more than cost, of course. The Detroit Zoo may have bigger enclosures and more creatures, but it’s always crowded. No matter when we go, we have to battle throngs of day campers and armies of strollers to catch a glimpse of animals, who are often obscured behind dirty, double-pained glass.
Not at the GarLyn Zoo.
We went in late August—the tail end of tourist season in the U.P. Even so, the zoo was pleasantly populated. We had plenty of space as we meandered down the cedar-mulched trails.
We lingered for as long as we wanted as we watched the lioness yawn and get comfy next to her slumbering mate, separated from us by only two wire fences. We were so close to the big cats, in fact, that signs warned us not to get rowdy—and to make ourselves scarce if a feline turned its backside our way.
My kids could take their time observing whatever animals caught their fancy. My toddler cackled as the kangaroos loped from one end of their enclosure to the other. No one jostled us for a closer look. No one pushed or shoved. We felt like we were at our own private zoo.
The best part? We were done in about an hour. We took our time and still left with a little energy to spare. No tantrums. No meltdowns. Just happy memories.
After our visit, I have very few drawbacks to report. It’s worth noting that the only bathrooms on site are stall vault toilets. The zoo’s website points out that there’s a nice rest stop a couple minutes down the road, so make a pit stop if flushing is important to you.
But the bottom line? The GarLyn Zoo is a relaxing destination that won’t dominate your day or blow your budget. If you visit, you may find yourself wandering its paths and marveling at its mere existence. Lions and tigers in the middle of nowhere. Who knew?
Katie Clarey is a contributing writer for Michigan Enjoyer.
