About
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Added by Jopie, at 21 February 2017
Opening Hours
- Monday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Thursday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
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20 Reviews
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10 March 2021
It's free and lovely to visit. I finally saw my beloved polar bears! It was the first time in 5 visits. We also got to see otters, seals and penguins, which are family favorites as well. They improve the animal enclosures every so often too, making it more comfortable for the animals.
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16 September 2020
Need reservations but it's worth it..
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04 September 2020
During times of COVID-19 a lot of the exhibitions are closed.
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21 August 2020
Nice to see the animals enjoying the outside. Staff went out of their way to remind people to stay safe and wear their masks. It would be a good idea if staff reminded people while they were walking around. Not everyone complied all the time.
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02 August 2020
I'm a member of the zoo because I really appreciate what they do for animals and the city of Chicago. I was impressed with how much work they did to make the zoo safe for the public to come back. There are directional arrows all over to keep everyone moving in a way that can be socially distanced. The staff was all very friendly and helpful with any questions.
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17 December 2017
I honestly can't believe this zoo is free. I expected to spend an hour walking around before leaving, but I could have spent 3 hours taking everything in. The staff was super friendly and helpful. The gorilla exhibit was incredible. As a visitor, being able to walk from the L was great.
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10 December 2017
It's free, great for kids, the whole atmosphere of Lincoln Park is nice in the summer. It's open year round, though. There are stores and food places nearby. Quick access on the bus or a small walk from the train. Parking is limited due to no parking lot and a crowded neighborhood Good probably have to walk a bit after finding a park. I've been going for years.
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10 December 2017
Considering the access to this zoo is completely free I was absolutely astounded by what was on show - we walked up town from the Mile on a whim and decided to visit the zoo just for a short time but we were drawn in and and ended up spending a few hours here.
If you are in Chicago for any reason I would heartily recommend a visit to this zoo, whether you have children or not, it's a fantastic collection they have and the scenery of the surrounding park really sets it aside from any zoo I have visited before.
My personal favourite was the big cat house - such incredible animals and you can really get a close up view of them. My only comment would be to visit on a day with good weather as we toured on a rainy day so most of the animals were only in the indoor sections of their enclosures.
Also, special mention for the polar bear!response / report this review -
02 December 2017
Really great zoo, can't believe it was free! We went on a warmish winter day, you could still see plenty of animals and they were being very active. The primate house is great, cool lions and other big cats too. Friendly staff, and good food options in neighbourhood nearby. Very impressed, a good activity to do in Chicago!
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30 November 2017
This is a great zoo to visit when you visit chicago or any day when you don't have anything to do. The area itself (Lincoln Park) is amazing! You can walk and enjoy nature within the city with stunning city views from all angles of Lincoln Park. The beat thing about Lincoln Park Zoo is that it's free! Parking as well they have their own parking lot which you can pay or you can try to find FREE street parking I your own at the back of the zoo which is very convenient it leads you to were all the farm animals are. They have a lot of animals that are usually out. You can her the lion ROAR all thought the zoo and they just remodeled a lot of the zoo mainly where the polar bears and seals are. They also have the Lincoln Park Christmas Lights during the holidays which makes your experience even better.
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08 October 2017
"Is this real life?" The zoo is free! Absolutely amazed considering how many animals there are. Can't recommend this place enough. Take a walk through the zoo, grab some food, then head around the corner for a nice day at the beach along Lake Michigan.
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01 October 2017
Don't know what some of these people are complaining about. If you find the concept of keeping animals caged up troubling, then I highly recommend you don't go to any zoos! And as far as the animals looking unhappy or unhealthy here, I really didn't see much evidence of that. The male lion did strike me as pretty old, but what do you want? For the zoo to "dispose" of it when it starts looking aged so they can get a younger, better-looking "model"???
With that said I thought this was actually a pretty nice zoo, especially considering it was free. Not all the animals were out, but it was pretty hot the day I went, so I really couldn't blame them. It is a pretty big zoo considering it is free. It is also a bigger and better zoo than the free zoo in Madison, WI, in contrast to another reviewer's claim. I wandered around the zoo for a few hours, thought I had seen the whole thing, and then found out I had only seen about 2/3 of it. So I ended up staying almost until they closed.
I was surprised they actually had African Wild Dogs there, unfortunately they were not out. If it had been a little cooler, like maybe 70 degrees, I bet there would have been more animals out (it was between 85 and 90 when I was there). There was also a park area and lagoon next to the zoo, which was a pleasant walk. Wasn't much to see there except for the plants, though. Didn't go to the Petting Zoo (or "Interactive Farm"), not my thing. Overall, are there better things to see and do in Chicago? Definitely yes. But this zoo is definitely cool for spending a relaxed, low-key, and low-cost few hours in the Windy City.response / report this review -
22 September 2017
We have visited both Lincoln Park and Brooklyn zoo in Chicago. I feel both are more or less deserve same rating. The lucrative side of Lincoln Park zoo is: it's free. However, do not drive, take a taxi or Uber. The parking charges are so high unless you are Lucky enough to get a curb side parking. The conservatory here is worth a visit.
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06 September 2017
My family and I came here on a cold February day and we're shocked at the amount of animals out and active! What a great zoo and views of the city by Lake Michigan. Alsoas many have noted it is a FREE ZOO. It was fairly quiet that day so we had no problems finding free parking as well. Our kids loved seeing the rhinos and lions and when we were cold we made it into the botanical gardens and cat exhibits which were very well maintained. I honestly think this might of been our best experience ever at a zoo regardless of price, location and time of year. What a great experience and highly recommend regardless of time of year!
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15 July 2017
When I first walked into this place, I realized I was in meat lover's paradise. I heard great things about it, but I had no clue about the variety of options I would have to choose from.
Do I want otter, do I want polar bear, or should I splurge and get the king of the jungle? All of the animals looked so good. I walked around the park for about 45 minutes looking at all the animals deciding what to order.
So I went to the booth where you can buy tickets for the swan boats. I decided to go big so at the booth I ordered a giraffe leg, medium-well. Then I walked over to the area where the giraffe is located and sat on the ground to wait.
A waiter came out and refilled the giraffe's water dish, which got me excited because the leg meat will be even juicier now. I sat for about 2 hours waiting, so I became concerned about my order. And I could clearly still see the giraffe walking around.
I complained several times to the manager, who I assumed was the head chef or at least the sous chef. He told me to relax and that the giraffe was very tired and needed to go to bed for the night. I was baffled.
Why offer such delicious meaty dishes if the animals just get tired and go to bed? 4 stars for not delivering the food. Also, I noticed most people were just eating ice cream all day. Why order ice cream with all of this tasty meat surrounding the area? I will return in the future. I want my giraffe leg.response / report this review -
09 May 2017
For a free zoo, this place is great. They have lots of variety in animals and the grounds are very well kept. The location is very good for extending your trip into the park, out onto the lake, or into the conservatory. Those three activities would make for a great half day in Chicago when the weather is nice. The bridge just outside the southwest exit of the zoo provides one of my favorite views of the city. Also, if you are a sloth lover, the mother and baby sloth are worth the trip alone.
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29 March 2017
As someone who grew up with the world-renowned San Diego Zoo and San Diego Safari Park, I remember being skeptical of a small urban zoo on my first visit, but I gotta say - this is a nice place. The animals seem well cared for and the enclosures are well done. We can debate all day about whether a zoo in a city is a good idea or not but I enjoy going here, and it's free. Nice way to spend an afternoon, or go see the zoo lights during the holidays.
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16 March 2017
The zoo is a wonderful destination - even in the winter weather. The animals were very active and they are very close and easily visible even for small children. The mid-day crowd on a weekday was sparse and we were the only visitor's in many areas. The birds in the bird house weren't shy and came near to us on our walk through their areas. The apes we're especially playful and it was interesting to see them interact with the snow the keepers brought in to their enclosure. If you are nearby and have a few hours you should definitely check the zoo out. You can't beat the price either - free!
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13 March 2017
What a beautiful place. Such a blessing to have a free zoo in prime location. Parking is a bit expensive but worth it. Get ready for a lot of walking. So if your pregnant like me? Make sure you take comfortable shoes and take advantage of the bathrooms too. They are a bit hard to find in the south part of the zoo.
A lot of new exhibits opened up this year on the west size with bathrooms so your good there!
My 2 yr old and 6 yr old love the farm/barn. So make sure to check it out! Don't forget your snacks! But if you do, they have a cafe restaurant. No worries!
If you have extra time walk on over to the west side where you'll find a free (donations welcome) plant conservatory. Just beautiful!!!
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28 February 2017
Nice zoo overall. I'm not a fan of big animals inside indoor cages but the big cats do have an outdoor area as well. The facilities are a bit run down but the animals seem healthy visually.
It is a free park which makes it very accessible. The view of the skyline is spectacular and the park around the zoo is well kept.response / report this review
