With a wealth of exhibits, plus educational and cultural experiences that appeal to all ages, Brookfield Zoo is one Chicago-area attraction that should not be missed.
Wide walking areas lined with meticulously maintained trees, flowers and shrubbery invite visitors to explore the many areas of the zoo. The 216-acre site is open every day of the year. If you pick the right days and times, you can see many of the attractions without a lot of waiting — in or outside the park.
Here’s how to do the Brookfield Zoo.
HIGHLIGHTS
Brookfield Zoo features 26 major animal exhibits. Many of the world’s unique
habitats have been recreated through a variety of exhibits including the Living
Coast (featuring penguins), Seven Seas, The Fragile Rainforest, Habitat Africa!, Tropic World and The Swamp. One easy way to see it all is to ride the Motor Safari tram, which provides an open air ride to many areas of the park. Cost is $2.50 for adults, $1.50 for children 3-11 and seniors 65 and over.
Two special attractions are the famous Children’s Zoo, and the popular
Dolphin Show. Both require a separate admission fee.
The Children’s Zoo is populated by barnyard animals, birds and small reptiles, supported by a host of hands-on activities. Admission is $1 for adults, 50 cents for children 3-11 and seniors.
The Dolphin Show can been seen four times daily Memorial Day through the summer at 11:30 a.m., 1, 2:30, and 4 p.m. Admission is $2.50 for adults and $2 for children 3-11 and seniors; kids 3 and under are free. During the winter months, shows are reduced to just two daily performances.
WHAT’S NEW IN 1999
For visitors who haven’t been to Brookfield in a while, the zoo has added many
spectacular exhibits in the past decade and updated its restaurants and food
service. New this year is a Dragonfly Marsh exhibit, opening Aug. 14. It features hands-on activities, plus plants and animals all aimed at teaching visitors about marshes and pond life. Look for it near the Indian Lake area of the park. Also check out Habitat Africa!, which currently features a savanna theme. Next year, a new exhibit, Habitat Africa! – The Forest, will join it.
SPENDING AND SAVING
Adults pay $6, and children 3-11 and seniors 65 and over pay $3. Kids 2 and under are free. You’ll save money every Tuesday through September, when adult admission drops to $4, and children 3-11 and seniors pay $1.50. During the late fall and winter months, enjoy the leaf or snow covered zoo for free on Tuesdays and Thursdays. When the weather’s cold, there are warming areas to duck into and even a free heated train to ride. Parking rates that apply year-round are $4 for cars and $8 for buses.
Visitors may bring picnic lunch items and soft drinks into the park, where you can sit and eat anywhere you wish, not just at the concession areas. And you can go back and forth to your car to get items and bring them back, so you don’t have to lug everything with you.
BEST TIMES TO GO
Until late May, the zoo is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and until 6 p.m. on weekends. Beginning May 29, hours are 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Starting Sept. 7, hours revert back to the same schedule used before May 29. On Oct. 31, winter hours begin: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.
During good weather, Mondays and Wednesdays are the best days to go, typically with the smallest crowds.
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS
A variety of strollers (both single and double), big chair wagons, and electric convenience vehicles are available, priced from $5-$8 and $20.
BIG EVENTS
A Rhythm and Roots Festival will be held every weekend beginning Fridays through Sundays of July and August. From noon until 4 p.m., you’ll experience music, dance, folk tales, crafts and customs from faraway places.
Every weekend in July, Friday night through Sunday, adults can enjoy Evenings in the Wild. Hours are extended until 8:30 p.m. so visitors can stay later for dinner at Bocaditos or any of the other zoo restaurants and scout favorite animal exhibits at night. There’s also a special evening dolphin show.
Taste at the Brookfield Zoo is held Saturdays in July, beginning July 10. A variety of ethnic foods is available at the Tonga Hut restaurant from 4-8 p.m. with food tickets sold at 50 cents each. Culinary demonstrations and live entertainment also are on the menu.
Teddy Bear Picnic is Aug. 7 and 8, with (in addition to a picnic) a parade and clinic where volunteer “doctors” fix whatever is wrong with your teddy. Also plan to visit the four species of bears (brown, polar, spectacled, and sloth) at the zoo.
Summer at zoo ends Sept. 18-19 and 25-26 with “Fiesta para Todos” (“Party for All”) with Latin-theme live music, dance, food and educational and cultural activities.
HIDDEN TREASURES
Many brave visitors have yet to discover the Australian House and its free-flying fruit bats.
The full-service, South American-theme Bocaditos restaurant offers outdoor balcony seating with a great view and a newly revised menu (call 708- 485-0263, ext. 216 for details).
HAZARDS TO AVOID
Avoid parking in the north lot; its larger size and extra entrances can lead to some congestion. The smaller southwest lot has just one entrance but empties into a residential area near a school that seems to get you on your way better. One caveat: The smaller southern lot will be closing eventually.
The Dolphin Show is often a sell-out at the first and second shows. Arrive at the zoo around 3 p.m. and you’ll miss the scorching sun on some summer days, a large portion of the day crowd will have left, and you’ll easily get a seat at the 4 p.m. dolphin show.
GETTING THERE
Brookfield Zoo is located at First Avenue and 31st Street in west suburban Brookfield, approximately 14 miles from downtown Chicago. From the city, take the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) west to the First Avenue exit and head south (left) to 31st Street.
Tri-State Tollway (I-294) users traveling from north of O’Hare Airport can connect with I-290 about 5 miles south of the airport.
If you’re downtown, hop on the Metra train (Burlington Northern Santa Fe Line) at Union Station. Twenty minutes later, you’re at the Brookfield stop. Going east, the zoo is just a short ride on the same line from Aurora and Naperville (call 312-322-6777 for schedule).
The zoo is also accessible via Pace suburban bus service (312-836-7000).
