Can you picnic at brookfield zoo

We found it to be a relaxing time to go to the zoo. Some of the animals were napping at the end of their day, but others were enjoying the weather as it cooled off before dusk. Click here to read more about Summer Nights. Please note that all indoor exhibits are currently closed.

Brookfield Zoo offers special experiences, such as Backstage Adventures as well! Your email address will not be published. Post Comment. Annie Tandy. Outdoor Activities Places to Go. How Brookfield Zoo is Encouraging Social Distancing We were happy with the signage and efforts Brookfield Zoo made to encourage everyone to maintain a distance of six feet between groups.

Bathrooms All of the bathrooms that we saw at Brookfield Zoo were open and touch free as much as possible. What to Bring Masks are required throughout the zoo. Special Summer Exhibit: Dinos Everywhere! Past summer special exhibits include: Brick Safari Amazing Arachnids Dinos and Dragons Closed Areas of Brookfield Zoo All indoor spaces animal buildings, restaurants, and gift shops are temporarily closed.

Playgrounds are currently closed. Outdoor Areas are Open Although the indoor restaurants are closed, seasonal food stands and outdoor souvenir carts are open throughout the zoo. July 1 — September 7 Daily: a. Brookfield Zoo Free Days There are no free days at this time. Conservation Programs The Chicago Zoological Society leads and partners in critically important initiatives around the world — educational programming, breeding and conservation efforst to save dozens of imperiled species, research in veterinary science and husbandry, animal enrichment investigation, the list goes on.

Brookfield Zoo Lights: Holiday Magic Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo is a great way to see your favorite animals and experience the excitement of the holiday season! Summer Nights at Brookfield Zoo The zoo is usually open later on Fridays and Saturdays over the summer, however is an exception.

Join the List. Let us help you plan fun days! Get kid-friendly updates straight to your inbox. First Name. Last Name. Daily stay current by receiving posts as they are published. You can also print out a zoo map before you go. The zoo has several attractions that cost an additional fee above the general ticket price.

I will go over several of these extra attractions in more detail below. For first time visitors to the zoo, there is plenty to do just with the included areas to keep you busy all day. The Brookfield Zoo offers many places to eat including restaurants and picnic areas. If you choose to pack a lunch, each side of the zoo has a picnic area with a playground for the kids.

I love this picnic tote for the zoo! It holds all of our food, has a pocket for napkins and silverware plus holds water bottles on the side pockets. The Roebury Picnic blanket is a great purchase too. I use this awesome fold-up waterproof blanket at the zoo, beach, playground, summer concerts in the park and basically, anywhere we stop in the summer.

I leave it in my trunk so that we can use it at whatever outdoor event we end up hanging out. The great part about visiting this zoo is the huge variety of animals and exhibits you can visit. I would definitely plan a whole day for this zoo.

There are too many areas to list but let me highlight a few areas that make this zoo extra special. Brookfield offers you several ways to get up close with the animals. However, all of these come with an additional fee. Giraffe Feeding — for a fee kids get the thrill of feeding a Giraffe. Penguin Encounter — Families can get up close and personal with a penguin while learning more about them from the zookeeper. Hamill Family Wild Encounters — This three-acre exhibit has three ways for kids to interact with animals.

The first is feeding and brushing the goats. Second, they get to feed parakeets off a stick with bird seeds. The last encounter I have never seen before. Kids are able to walk around in an enclosure with Wallabies. I will admit the Wallabies tend to be sleeping but they do get up and hop around which is fun for the kids to see.

Dolphin Show. Although you are not able to touch the dolphins, you do get a close-up view of them jumping and swimming while learning more about their species. My one note would be the show is focused more on teaching you about the dolphins than having a performance. Today, the acre nature park is home to more than 5, animals and extensive conservation programs. Brookfield Zoo is open days a year from 10 am to 5 pm with extended hours for special events. Groups of 15 or more may purchase tickets in advance.

Additional parking fees apply. Visitors can linger with the lions or the snow leopards along Big Cats row, marvel at marsupials outside of Australia House, go eye-to-eye with polar bears and bison in Great Bear Wilderness, learn about Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in Seven Seas, and more.

Explore animal habitats including deserts, rainforests, and the savannah. Additional fees apply. Brookfield Zoo is located at First Ave and 31st St. The mission of the Chicago Zoological Society is to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. Motorcoach Parking On-site. Group Policy.

Minimum Group Number Maximum Group Number Group Discounts Available. Minimum Size for Group Admission Rate Miles from O'Hare Airport Miles from Midway Airport Miles from Downtown American Express. We appreciate your understanding! For more info about tickets and admission, click here. The following indoor buildings are currently open or will open at the designated day and time noted:. Hamill Family Wild Encounters is currently open includes attraction fees. The parakeet aviary is open, but the wallaby and goat experience are currently closed.

Zoo maps are available on our website. You can also download a zoo map to your phone via QR codes found at the zoo.