Twenty minutes from the Loop, Brookfield Zoo Chicago spreads 235 acres of animal adventures across Brookfield – from the dolphins of Seven Seas to the primates of Tropic World, one of the largest indoor rainforest habitats anywhere. The Hamill Family Play Zoo is the family headquarters: a whole building where kids can dress as vets, garden, build habitats and help care for animals alongside keepers.
Seasonal favorites – the summer butterfly tent, Boo! at the Zoo and Holiday Magic lights – plus splash pads and a historic carousel keep repeat visits easy. Run by the Chicago Zoological Society since 1934, it’s a conservation classroom disguised as the wildest playground in the suburbs.
