It’s the combination of both of these words that makes Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo so alluring.Located just off Chicago’s lakefront on the north side, Lincoln Park may not have the oomph of the south side’s Brookfield, but it is kinder on the pocketbook, as one of the last free cultural institutions in Chicago. The zoo is open 365 days a year, although the hours vary based on the season.
Although zoos have long been associated with children, families, strollers, and more children, you don’t have to be in elementary school to visit a zoo (and this time, you won’t have to wear the matching t-shirts so you don’t get lost). The serenity of a beautiful day outside checking out wildlife that isn’t routinely found in your backyard (and some that is—one can seemingly never escape the ubiquitous Canadian Geese) is something that appeals to all ages, not just the family set. And did I mention the free?
If you haven’t been to Lincoln Park recently, you may have forgotten some of the old favorites, like polar bears or the Sea Lion Pool, first built in 1879. Even if you’re a frequent visitor, be sure to check out the new Regenstein African Journey, complete with aardvarks, meerkats, and other animals recently seen in "The Lion King." From birds that fly to birds that don’t, from small furry mammals to the reptiles that eat them for breakfast, Lincoln Park Zoo has it all. Don’t let the name of the Children’s Zoo (currently under renovations but still open to the public) fool you. Feeding goats (and trying to prevent them from eating your shoelaces in the process) is an all-ages pleasure.
The zoo also offers programs, mainly for children, but occasionally features those that appeal to adults as well. You can check out their website at www.lpzoo.com for information on summer events.
Even if animals aren’t your forte, you can visit the small botanic garden off the zoo and inspect some beautiful plants; or rent a paddleboat for ten dollars and take a leisurely half-hour paddle around the South Lagoon. Stop in one of the zoo’s many eateries and get a snack. It’s not just hot dogs and bags of chips anymore either; I can promise that the foccacia sandwiches at the Big Cat’s Café are every bit as good as the ones at Panera.
Now that summer is here, take a day to examine the Lincoln Park Zoo. There are guaranteed to be amusements from all forms of life, from the animal habitats to the herds of children from schools and camps who fill the park most weekdays spouting quotable child-isms.
As for the aforementioned monkeys? You can find lemurs, marmosets, and squirrel monkeys (among others) in the primate house. After a several year absence, chimps and gorillas also will be returning to Lincoln Park later this year in the newly renovated great ape habitat.
And when that day comes, I’m sure I’ll be there, nose pressed against the glass like I’m five years old all over again.
Sure, zoos may not be just for kids, but sometimes they still do have the power to make us feel like one.
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