The zoo is easily accessible by public transportation, although you need to take a bus. The L does not run to the zoo. You could take the red or brown line to Fullerton and then get off and take the bus or a cab east (east is towards the lake). Or you could take the Marine bus north (from Michigan Avenue). Parking at the zoo is expensive! Street parking can be fairly full, so if you go that route, be prepared to walk.

As I mentioned above, the seal exhibit is probably my favorite. I also really enjoyed the monkey/gorilla exhibit. The monkeys literally looked like they were just hanging out! They had blurbs set up next to the cage giving a bio on some of the different animals, how old they were, where they came from, which children were theirs, etc. There were pictures there too, so sometimes you could spot a specific one that was featured.

On the south end of the zoo is a children's farm. And next to that is a pond where you can rent paddle boats. They're definitely a workout! The little girl that accompanied us had a lot of fun on that too. These are not free, and I do not remember how much it was, but I don't remember it being that much money. They rent them out by the half hour if I recall correctly.

As could be expected, the food and beverages were very expensive. There is a food court on the north part of the zoo, as well as vendors set up around the zoo for drinks and popcorn. It's typical amusement park/zoo fare--sandwiches, burgers, ice cream, etc. The money you save from admission could go towards food, or you could bring a lunch and eat it on one of the picnic tables that are set up around the food court.

All in all, one of the better things to do in Chicago, with entertainment for both kids and adults.

The zoo’s site

We needn’t have. Unbeknownst to us at the time, in 1962 a number of prominent Chicago women, who had also been heart-sickened by the little zoo with promise, had banned together and formed the Chicago Zoo Society. They set about raising funds over the next four decades. Working feverishly behind the scenes, it is a result of their devotion and the generous benefactors, Friends of the Zoo, and magnanimous individuals, that has swung the zoo from rather dismal to its present stellar status as one of the top zoological gardens.

Oh! What they’ve done to the zoo !

Entering the Farm in the Zoo recently, I had to shield my eyes. This children’s attraction, a favorite of my sons when they were young, is almost too pristine (and bright!) to be recognized. It is Disneyland-clean and spit-shined; a dairy operation that self-pasteurizes. Crossing the bridge that affords some of the city’s best views, I noticed dozens of paddle-boats plying the waters. That water? Gasp. It had been pasteurized, too, apparently! Strolling past semi-familiar exhibits, camels, the sea lions, the primate house, I was stuck that everything about the zoo had turned over a new leaf - and sprouted a new flower. Concessions are now varied and enticing; restrooms are pristine. The beautiful prairie-school Cafe Brauer building is once again a popular outdoor dining venue, restored to its former turn-of-the-century elegance.

The zoo is all-round beautiful. The exhibits are top-notch and more extensively developed than ever. The new Regenstein African exhibit presents more than a glimpse at African mammals, it takes visitors on a journey through the life of a young African boy. Better yet, the zoo does more than provide onlookers with views of exotic creatures; it fosters education, environmental awareness, and conservation efforts worldwide.

Most impressive of all, Lincoln Park Zoological Garden is one of the last free major cultural institutions in the country and the only one remaining in Chicago. Even though some funding comes from the Chicago Park District, more than 2/3 of the operating costs are provided by private donations and philanthropy, as are most of the exhibits and acquisitions.

Think of the zoo as Chicago’s gift to itself and its visitors. Accept the gift - freely!

At the north end of Chicago’s Gold Coast, where Dearborn Parkway meets North Avenue, you’ll encounter a splendid, block-long rectangular garden. In season, it features native Illinois prairie grasses and flowers, as well as the traditional decorative annuals and is cultivated entirely by volunteers. Inviting walkways on either side lead walkers, bicyclists, and baby-stroller pushers northward to the foot of an imposing statue of a standing Abraham Lincoln. Beyond Old Abe, through tunnels under LaSalle Drive, lies a park stretching nearly four miles along the shore of Lake Michigan and past the North Side’s yacht harbors. This is the grand entrance to Chicago’s Lincoln Park.

Its free attractions include the highly-regarded Lincoln Park Zoo, a replica of a working farm where your kids can pet Nanny Goat’s kids, and the Lincoln Park Conservatory, a delight that many tourists -- and Chicagoans -- overlook. The large building at the park’s far south end is the Chicago Historical Society, which normally charges admission but is free on Mondays. At Fullerton Ave, north of the Zoo, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. a relatively new attraction to the Chicago scene, also has one free day a week (Thursdays).

On spring and fall evenings, you may see a rugby match or, at least, a rugby team at practice on the athletic fields at the park’s far south end.

The Elephants Return!

The Zoo is currently in a state of transition. A new multimillion dollar exhibit,the Regenstein African Experience, is due to open May 22. The elephants, which had been loan to other zoos for more than two years, return in triumph to join giraffes, rhinos, meerkats, warthogs, crocodiles, and other African species in surroundings designed to give visitors an illusion of walking through the animals’ natural habitat.

The flamingo pond, pictured below, is also being renovated, with a new shelter to make the tropical birds more comforatable -- and visible -- during Chicago winters.

This year, unfortunately, you WON’T be able to see Lincoln Park Zoo’s world-class collection of chimpanzees, baboons, and great apes. All are on loan to other zoos while ours builds a new, larger, and more nature-like habitat and research center.

Don’t Overlook the Conservatory!

Known for its spectacular lily and orchid shows, the Lincoln Park Conservatory presents a different exhibition every 40 days or so. This is a marvelous and relaxing respite from hours on your feet in the adjacent zoo; there are benches where you can sit and rest in the midst of a jungle of 50-foot tall ferns. No admission charge ever.

For refreshments or a full meal try the hugely popular Cafe Brauer, on a lagoon between the Farm in the Zoo and the main Zoo. Society folk often use the upstairs hall for wedding or charity receptions.

To return downtown after your Lincoln Park tour, catch a southbound bus at the stop in front of the Zoo’s main gate.