Last summer, my husband’s cousin invited our family to join her family, and spend a day at the Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield IL. Admission is roughly $30 per adult, and $21 per child, ages 3 to 11. Parking was $17 if you park in the North Lot, which we did, and $20 if you park in the South Lot. Fortunately, my husband’s cousin and her family have a membership to the zoo, so our family only needed to pay for parking. The zoo is open from 10 to 5 on weekdays, and 10 to 6 on weekends. We arrived right at opening at 10am, and our kiddos were thrilled with the opportunity to play with their cousins.
We took the tunnel under 31st street to the zoo proper, and set out to explore. The kids climbed all over King Nyani, a giant gorilla statue, while the adults strategized over the best place to start. We ended up walking past the carousel and Roosevelt Fountain to visit the Swamp, and then we swung over to Tropic World, home of the primates. Stormy loved Tropic World because it had a sloth. We got to stand there, and watch a keeper feed the sloth while it was hanging upside down from a branch. Leaving the sloth behind, we discovered orangutans and gorillas. The enclosures were amazing! They reminded me of a giant aircraft hanger, with the high ceilings, and so much room for the animals to move around. It was very different from any zoo I had ever been too before.
Leaving the primates behind, we spotted a large peacock meandering down the path. The kids were able to get quite close, and imitate how the peacock was walking. Stormy and Rainbow also tried to echo its cry. It was, apparently, used to the silly antics of young humans. We popped into the Reptiles and Birds building, and then visited the penguins in the Living Coast building. From there, we walked through Wolf Woods, and checked out the Great Bear Wilderness. One of the the wolves was very close to the windows of the viewing area, and it was neat to see up close! The girls also loved seeing the polar bear. He was standing on a rock nose deep in the water, so you could see him by looking under the water, as well as from above. Pebble needed a boost to see above the water level to get a better look at the big guy.
By this point it was lunchtime, and we headed over to the playground area to fuel up. Both my husband’s cousin’s family had brought a picnic as did we. We found a picnic table in the shade, and took a break. The kids ate a little, but quickly ran off to explore the playground before begging us to return to the living coast area so they could play in the fountain area.
The zoo is much, much bigger than the one we normally visit in Baltimore, and I knew that we would never see everything there was to see as there is a lot of ground to cover! By the time the kids were done playing in the fountains, and trying to soak me in the process, I could see Pebble was starting to tire. My husband’s cousin suggested we make a brief stop in the Hamill Family Play Zoo, and then take a ride on the carousel before we headed home. The carousel was a hit with all six kids, and they could have ridden it multiple times! FYI, it does cost extra to ride the carousel, but members get a reduced rate.
Our last stop of the day was, of course, the gift shop, where I let all three kids convince us they each needed a new stuffy. Stormy got a sloth, Rainbow picked out a fennec fox, and Pebble found a monkey with long arms that could velcro around her neck. She has a monkey at home that was similar that she called Ooh-Ooh, and decided that this one would be Ah-Ah.
It is a great zoo. I have heard that koalas will be arriving in the summer of 2024, and I know Pebble would be over the moon if she knew! She loves koalas thanks to the Netflix show, Izzy the Koala Girl. I would love to visit again, as would the kids. My advice, wear comfy walking shoes when visiting, so much walking, pack extra clothes for the kids because they will be in the fountains faster than you can blink, and bring plenty of snacks and water to keep everyone fueled and hydrated. I would also caution you to be prepared to spend a lot more money than you anticipated. Between the entrance fee, parking lot fee, carousel fee, ferris wheel fee, etc., it can turn into a pricey day very quickly, but if you have the money and time, it is def a zoo worth visiting! Happy trails!
https://www.brookfieldzoo.org/Brookfield-ZOO/Home.aspx
