Just arrived home from a getaway to Brookfield Zoo. Unfortunately we picked a day when they were talking 60% chance of rain and storms, but it didn't stop us. Parking at the zoo was a breeze as there wasn't anyone else around. After purchasing our tickets (which I found to be cheap!) we headed into the souvenier shop for an umbrella or poncho. I was anticipating these items to be marked up, but I didn't find it outrageous. Ponchos were right at $5 and the price of umbrellas ranged from $8-$25ish. Had we prepared properly we would have brought our umbrellas from home. We figured the day was going to be miserable and were quickly proven wrong! All the animals were outside and moving around. I have never been to a zoo that was this active. It quickly made us realize we picked a great day to be at the zoo. We didn't have to worry about crowds or watching animals sleep due to the heat. Some of the buildings are defintely showing their age, but the zoo is undergoing many improvements. It took us about 5 hours of consistent walking to see the entire zoo. We could have slowed down, but we also wanted to make sure we saw everything. The dolphin show was just ok, I thought the one at Shedd's was MUCH better & longer. Then again for $3 you can't expect a whole lot. It seemed that all the younger children were entertained & that is what its all about anyway. I would HIGHLY recommend bringing in your own food/beverages or else leaving to eat then returning. I believe a bottle of pop was $3.50 or $4.00. So for families wanting to save some money I would try to pack things to bring in rather than purchasing everything as the bill will add up quickly. Just remember that you are at an attraction and things are going to be marked up. I wouldn't pick any other day to see the zoo except a rainy or cold day when all the animals are out and active. It was truly and enjoyable experience & we'll be back!

First time visit to this zoo during a recent trip to Chicago. I have to say this is one of the cleanest I've ever seen. The animal pens are bigger than let's say the LA zoo which impressed me and the greenery around the zoo grounds is beautiful and well maintained. This zoo also has several indoor exhiibits such as the Australia House and The Living Coast which is an aquatic display of oceanic life. The Salt Creek Wilderness is a must see. The prices for admission do vary depending on what you want to see and the day we went parking was $8.00 so it's not for anybody expecting an inexpensive day trip but as far as zoos go - It's great. The only thing wrong with the day we visited was there was thousands of young kids there for field trips. I do feel that while the zoo needs to make money, they need to limit the number of schools that can show up on a given day perhaps by a system of scheduling. Would I visit here again?... Yes I would.

I grew up in the Chicago area, and my family have been members of the zoo since I was quite young, so I've seen a lot at Brookfield, mostly good but some disappointing.

On the good side, Brookfield is huge! If you want to see everything, it can easily take all day, and you better have some good walking shoes because you are going to cover a lot of ground. In all this area, the zoo has all the expected creatures you see at most zoos, but also some pretty unique exhibits as well. There are several animals in the zoo that can only be found in 3 or 4 zoos in the country, and Brookfield is one of them.

Now for the downsides. In recent years, the zoo has made some additions to make itself more "kid-friendly," which have come at the expense of the animal exhibits. Aside from Stingray Bay, the two most recent additions are a carousel, and the "play zoo" in place of the former Small Mammal House. And all three of these cost extra on top of the admission cost. It's sad to me that former animal areas are being replaced with glorified playgrounds, at a zoo no less.

Overall, it is worth it to check out Brookfield Zoo, despite some of the recent changes they've made. There's enough other nice areas that you can skip the playgrounds and not feel like you didn't see the whole place.

Favorite areas of mine are: Australia House (wombats, kangaroos, cassowaries), Habitat Africa (large giraffe area, and kopje - rock outcrop dwellers), Fragile Desert and Rain Forest (meerkats, fennec foxes, naked mole rats), and Seven Seas/Pinniped Point (dolphins and sea lions) although that one's REALLY showing its age now. The Living Coast and the Swamp are pretty nice too.

My family and I are zoo members. We live near the zoo. We go at least once a week during the summertime. Every year it keeps getting better!
This year, they added a stingray bay where the kids can touch a stingray! They also added a carousel. My kids learn so much when we go to the zoo. I am so fortunate that we live near such a great place!
Do not miss it if you are visiting the Chicago area! If you become a member, you can get free parking and admission for an entire year! They will also give you 10% off of any purchases in the park. My kids favorite spot is bat house. This is an awesome and educational place!