Detroit Zoo: Arctic Ring of Life & Winter Wildlife Experiences

About this adventure

Spanning 125 landscaped acres in Royal Oak, the Detroit Zoo is a vibrant, uncrowded winter wonderland where cold-hardy wildlife thrives in snowy conditions. The zoo's crown jewel is the Arctic Ring of Life—one of North America's largest polar bear and seal habitats—featuring a spectacular 70-foot-long clear underwater tunnel where families can watch majestic polar bears swim directly overhead through clear sub-arctic waters. Winter visitors can also observe frolicking river otters, playful gray wolves, Siberian tigers, and red pandas navigating snow-covered branches. When temperatures drop, families can duck into the warm, tropical Polk Penguin Conservation Center—home to more than 75 penguins diving into deep waters—or the butterfly garden and Great Apes indoor habitats. Paved paths are thoroughly plowed for strollers.