A fun filled day with the kids. A lot of the things are closed due to COVID, but Ive been to this zoo many times and definitely a great place to be with the kids.

My family and I go every year together and this year with the pandemic was no exception. We always have a great time and even though the inside exhibits were closed (because of Corona) it was still enjoyable. They had lifelike dinosaurs all throughout the zoo and they were amazing. The staff were nice as always and they were all masked with sanitizer all over for you to use. Everyone social distance and we had a safe enjoyable time. I would definitely recommend this place.

It is was wonderful to get out during the pandemic. You cannot go into the houses so during the winter the animals you can see are the ones used to cold weather. Had a great hamburger outside by the Wilderness exhibit. Remember, you need to go online to make a reservation for an arrival time.

Great experience with the family. This was the dinosaur exhibit it was marvelous. We really enjoyed ourself in all the areas. The Souvenirs are a little expensive. The park decorated really nice.

Love this place! Plenty of outdoor space to walk. Lots of great areas to sit and relax or have a snack or picnic! Great place for an outdoor adventure! Especially beautiful during the holidays with all the lights!

Be ready to walk a lot. All indoor exhibits are closed (more than half the zoo). Unimpressed due to a very small selection of animals to see. Many large dinosaur figures that move and make recorded sounds. Some of the animals were unique and exotic. Staff friendly and informative. Not a great place for children under the age of nine. If youre looking for a nice walk then this is the place to visit.

It is always fun around the holidays to take the kids to go see the zoo lights. But unfortunately due to covid you cant see a lot of the animals. Other than that it is a good time to take the kids and get some fresh air.

Great time! Still lots to do and see in Covid. Some of the animals were inside because of the cold, but a lot of the cats were outside.

This was a nice zoo, really spread out. Due to the pandemic, all indoor exhibits are closed. I also noticed that some of the outdoor animals must of been inside or were moved, so there were a number of them that I missed.You must get a timed entry to go to the zoo, and I would recommend that you do it in advance. Normally the zoo is sold out if you try to go on a spur of the moment kind of thing. Masks are a must, but I did see some people who decided not to keep them on... I stayed way away from them.There are a few parts of the zoo that could use some updates for the animals sake, but all in all, a nice place to visit.PS:. At the moment they have 40 dinosaurs throughout the zoo. Most of them make noise and move, big hit with the kids.

The virus has really impacted the enjoyment of going to the zoo, not completely, but enough to miss the exhibits you would visit when your younger self looked forward to seeing the animals. The 40 dinosaur animated exhibit is really great and many of the children out today genuinely looked excited about it.Please remember to order your tickets online, you also have to pick your arrival time.Please continue to support your local zoo and continue taking the time to enjoy the view around you.

Took my 4 and 5 year old granddaughters with member guest passes. I was refused admission because I only had tickets on my phone not physical paper tickets. No where in the email did it state we had to have paper tickets. The email literally say admission tickets. Also the zoo is refusing to refund the parking we pre-paid. Do not recommend being a member of this zoo. Try the Milwaukee zoo they maybe nicer to their members.

Zoo lights are always wonderful. Felt very safe with the reduced capacity - and on the bright side, the parking and traffic was an absolute breeze. No animals really, but the light show is totally worth it!

Wait until after the Pandemic is over. Half the zoo is pretty much closed and we spent more time walking around looking for something to see than than we did actually looking at anything.

Wow, what an amazing zoo. This zoo features a ton of great exabits and enclosures that are almost all very well-designed so you can clearly see the animals. Its also located in a HUGE area that allows for wide open spaces, and some wonderful park atmosphere. I was sad to miss out on all the inside stuff since it was closed for COVID, but could easily have spent a good 4-5 hours walking around if my feet had not killed me. Thats probably the only downside of this zoo. Be prepared to walk! It will take you close to 15 min to walk from one side of the zoo to the other.

Great place if you are in chicago it is a bit far from downtown. Approx 1 hour. Has lot of exhibit from around the world but due to Corona most of the things are closed. Will visit again once things get normal but now also its fine. Would have given five star but due to closur of some exhibit. One star less.

During the crazy times right now, unfortunately for the safety of the animals and keepers you cant go inside any of the buildings. But there are plenty of animals and dinosaurs to see outside. Its always an amazing atmosphere to walk thru the zoo alone or with family. All of the staff are super friendly and willing to answer questions. A guaranteed must visit for everyone.

Great job by the Zoo to maintain everything so nicely. 10 am reservations. Seamless entry. Even easier than it used to be. Reasonable use of masks. Dinosaur exhibits were great. Huge and realistic. Aaaannnd the weather was perfect.

I love going to this zoo. Its one of the most interactive and very well organized zoo. It has a lot of activities and it is very easy to view the animal exhibits. Every now and then they have events and activities for everyone. If in the area, I highly recommend.

Many X-mas lights! Animals hid inside. You cant enter any buildings, but the bathrooms are open throughout. I also suggest the Hot Cocoa w/ Baileys (if you have ID).

We decided to spend our date day at Brookfield Zoo. The weather was pleasant for Chicago in October. We had fun from the moment we arrived. The masked lions were hilarious and the dinosaur at the front gate seemed so real. Our favorite animals were the giraffes, bears, camels, tigers and zebras. The fake bats surprised us. It was a very rewarding experience. We hope to go again when all the exhibits are open. One more than it was a place to safely distance from everyone and all the attendees were respectful by wearing their mask.

Because of Covid it shut down all the indoor activity. We made the best of our visit. Had fun time

Such s great spot if you have toddlers and pre-K kids. Lots to see, playgrounds, even a splash pad and space for picnics. We have a membership and come often. Obviously, things are closed due to the pandemic but otherwise go visit if you haven’t already!

I’m not a fan of zoos in general, given that most house animals in tiny cages, sometimes alone, many neglected...But Brookfield is one of the best. Clean, healthy environments for rare and endangered animals. The staff truly seems to love caring for them and the park is set up nicely. Obviously, the gift shop etc is overpriced, but the overall experience is good.

Fun day at the zoo! Dress warmly! We counted the gnomes, saw most of the animals, got a snack and had a fun family day! Will be back for the zoo lights!

There was tons of gift shops and places to eat. The animals were cool. The geese are not friendly and when we sat on a bench to eat, the honked at us. There was a peacock wandering around which was cool. They also have really cool Christmas lights. The souvenirs and food are pricey, so bring your own food if you come here.

Its a big beautiful zoo and arboretum. Jake doesnt know its an arboretum because he is stupid and doesnt actually know everything. They are making changes. You can feed a giraffe for $10. Thats pretty pricey, but I love giraffes and cant get the money out of my pocket fast enough. So, the zoo is awesome.

I love the zoo! It’s so clean and well maintained. I love seeing all the animals and how well they are taken care of. During covid times, they have implemented great measures to ensure safety. I was a little bummed out that the indoor exhibits were closed, but that just gives us a reason to come again another time!

Beautiful zoo. Amazing animals. Currently all buildings are closed due to Covid restrictions which is disappointing but understandable.

Love, love, love Brookfield zoo! Even though they cant open the buildings, they still find ways to give you a good experience. The large dinosaurs were a fun addition, especially when the live animals are not out. A beautiful place for a fall walk, fresh air, and safe family fun.

Great fun. The tiger and snow leopard were outside. The tiger was resting too. Love the lights and the lighted tunnel was pretty awesome.

Is a great place for everyone! Especially for kids, but we enjoyed family walks so much for years, like a tradition, we love it in all seasons even in winter with the Christmas Lights... We love the dolphins show, with this pandemic everything changes of course, I suggest not going on weekends, you cant maintain the distance on weekends, we went and couldnt stay for mote than 10 mins, so we left, some people dont wear masks at all, so distance is the key, and for that Monday to Wednesday I guess are the best days to go...

If youve ever thought that you would love to go to the zoo but hate dealing with crowds, NOW is the time to go! Pre-order your tickets on the website for the time slot you want. All ticketing happens at the gate when you drive up, and it was easy to scan my tickets off of the PDF I received via email when I ordered. Parking was easy. Walking right into the park when we got to the gate was great. Having the indoor exhibits closed was a bummer, but the Hammill Family Zoo was open for free. A lot of the animals were active in the late afternoon, too, which was fun. Also, the dinosaurs were a lot of fun! The worst part was fending off hornets and geese while grabbing some food. Also, seeing all of the discarded face masks in the parking lot. Not the zoos fault, but maybe putting some really obvious discard bins outside of the exit would be a good idea. Overall, we had a great time!

One of the best zoos out there! And they have lots of good policies in place to make it safe in Covid, yet still open and serving food. The family membership costs about 2-3x the cost of going once. So could be a very worth while investment. Really nice to see their Christmas holiday light show in December

Just another beautiful warm fall day. Enjoying it with family. Love Brookfield Zoo!!

We spent a wonderful morning touring via, guided tour riding in an electric driven carriage by a staff member. The dinosaur exhibit was the main show followed by an outdoor tour of many of the animals relaxing in their enclosures. Many were out and about with the guide giving us information on each, including their names. Loved it.

Holiday magic was a cheerful way to get out and enjoy some beauty of the season in a safe environment during COVID19

Have gone twice now since its reopened. Indoor exhibits closed but lots to still see outside. Dinosaur exhibit is amazing and there is a second location of dinosaurs by the bears (swan lake). Majority of people are wearing masks throughout the zoo. All employees are wearing masks too. Its been nice to be able to go back

I love it here, my daughter loves it here. We always get such a joy and such entertainment. And I love the accessibility to alcohol

Very fun to walk around and see all the animals! They wont let anyone inside any buildings yet, but theres a lot to see outside. The bathrooms are still open, you have to wear a mask if you are interacting with any of the employees, but as long as you and your family stay 6 feet away from anyone else you dont have to wear your mask! Most of the animals have the option to go inside if they want so we missed a few. Oh yeah and they have a dinosaur exhibit which features life-size replicas! The children love it!

My mom and I were here last Thursday and were very disappointed. After spending $100 between two tickets and parking, we were expecting to see animals. We barley saw any animals and a lot of things were closed because of Covid. Our zoos in MI have things opened in the zoos that they dont and its going fine for us. Needless to say we will not be coming back. We see more animals at our tiny zoos close to home than we saw here. Dont waste your money as they shouldnt be charging full price for tickets when half of the things there are SHUT down. Again, our zoos in MI are doing perfectly okay with limiting how many people are in an exhibit at a time so they dont need to shut down a majority of the attractions. Not to even mention that barley any guests wore masks and most of the staff werent wearing their masks right. I hate masks but I still wear mine correctly in public. I recommend taking your money to the aquarium. We saw more animals at the aquarium in the first five minutes than we saw in the two hours we were at the zoo.

If you live in Chicagoland, you already know... Brookfield Zoo is amazing! Their COVID procedures are top-notch. We felt so safe being there but also so NORMAL. The joy on my son’s face in seeing all of the animals made me forget about all of the heaviness in today’s world for the duration of our visit.

A little disappointed this visit. None of the outside playgrounds were open, which I didn’t understand, if parks in the city are open then these should be as well. Most of the animals were out enjoying the rather and the male lions gave us a fantastic treat with some roars. The dinosaurs were there when we visited and it was amazing seeing how large they were and how close we were allowed to get.

They really go all out with the Xmas event Holiday Lights worth the $!

The zoo is good but it can use some improvement, From the slightly increased prices to the variety of animals. I like that it’s spacious but I hate that it doesn’t have an elephant, doesn’t have many other animals and when you ask it’s always an answer similar to “ we will never get an elephant”

It was a good experience.Kids love it.We went in October end, free visit but all the indoors were closed. We were a little disappointed about that. Not sure if it was because of Covid or if thats what you get for free.Loved that we got to see the big cats.Dinosaur everywhere section is really well made.

Not crowded and had a great time. Our son got to feed the giraffes as well as see so many of the animals. A lot of exhibits (indoor) are currently closed because of COVID but still plenty to see and do.We got to enjoy the peacocks strutting around during lunch too.

I have always loved this zoo, and I get that Covid19 forces changes, but since a lot of attractions were closed, they could have asked for donations online as an entrance fee instead of charging full price. It was a lot of money to walk through and not get the full experience. Many of the animals werent outside and you dont get your moneys worth at all. But it was nice to see some of the animals.

This is probably one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE zoos .I love the attention to detail for each of the regions, almost feels like a theme park!They have such a unique collection of animals and all the informative boards were so interesting to read. I also appreciated the efforts of the zoo to release the animals and help them integrate back into the wild.They also have very unique activities, such as penguin encounter where you can book.. Im so glad we made booking, it was memories to last a life time! They were the cutest Chilean penguins and I was surprised to see each one have such a unique personality!Bonus, the zoo is free on Christmas Eve!

The zoo was pretty clean and nice. With the whole covid-19 thing going on, all indoor buildings were closed. It was still a great place to visit. The kids loved seeing not only the regular animals, but the animatronic dinosaurs too!

Brookfield zoo is usually a family favorite but it was kinda boring this time around. All the buildings are closed so we were not able to see very many animals. I understand with covid-19 things have to change but I think they could limit the number of people able to access the buildings at each time and it would be a much better experience. The dinosaurs were cool but if I didnt have a membership ending in October I would have been upset to pay for admission to the zoo. I dont think I will be renewing my membership next year.

With the pandemic its a very safe place to go with your family. Its nice to walk around and see the animals. You cant go into any houses those are closed. But very enjoyable and very safe

We had a nice time, but due to Covid it wasnt much to do. But overall we had a nice family time....

Whats not to like, its a zoo. It was all decorated for Christmas. If it wasnt for covid it would be perfect.

Nice experience and the dinosaurs are pretty cool. However, half of the zoo is closed due to covid.

Giving 4 stars for the experience during COVID.Outdoor activities only and no interactions with animals like the petting zoo. The wallaby area was open.I recommend a beautiful day to hang outside.Food is very limited. Most visitors appeared to have packed their own food and drinks.

Most of exhibits closed (all the inside ones) so we did a lot of walking not to see anything. Would have been good to have a revised map. Had not been there before. Almost all vendors closed.. Not worth $70 I paid for parking, 2 children and myself. Went to Cleveland Zoo week before paid $110 for 2 seniors, 4 adults, 2 children, free parking and zoo was very beautiful.

Havent been here over 13 yrs. I forgot about how big this place but I enjoyed the walk the only things open was the outside sites. The water animals and reptile display was closed. But if you or your kids are into dinosaurs then get there before November the Dino display was awesome.

A day at the zoo, wonderful All the indoor facilities closed however still plenty to see. Lots of social distancing for sure. There were lots of dinosaurs around which was nice. Lots of fighting geese around, be aware. Geese do come really close.

Nice Zoo! However, for the admission they should include some sort of souvenir or discount gift for next visit. On another note, the Zoo is pretty big and the parking lot is conveniently close by. Our admissions process on a weekend was pretty quick. Although, I believe weekdays should be a lot quicker. There is definitely a lot of sight seeing here; tigers, bears, dolphins, snakes, even peacocks are walking around the park freely. This place is definitely a family fun activity!I recommend you bring your cameras fully charged.

Lovely place with the family!!! To explore and watch the animals and take pictures!loved the dinosaurs all around the zoo!

Unfortunately, we could not enter due to lack reservation which was overlooked when making parking reservation. Will try again, hopefully with a better experience. Not upset, will give one more chance.

This Zoo is amazing. Been going here since I was a kid. Now I get to being my daughter here! Covid protocols make it feel very safe as well.Family pass is a must if you plan on going often.

Amazing zoo and its free for Illinois residents on Thursdays you only have to pay for the parking lot $15 for the whole day. The zoo its pretty big so be prepared to be there for at least 3 hours, there are a lot of resting areas and you are allow to bring your own food.

My family and I love the Brookfield Zoo. This is a wonderful zoo. I have been going for the last 30 years since I was little.

A fun family friendly place. I love visiting at all times of day. Lots of animal activity if you visit in the afternoon. Zoo Chats with zookeepers are cool and informational.

The tree set up was so nice. We decorated with all sorts of things.

Love this place but DO NOT SPEND YOUR MONEY ON THIS ZOO DURING COVID!!! Only 50% of the park is open. Anything indoors is closed off (so all the good animals). It’s absolutely NOT worth the non-discounted price. Oh, and there’s only two bathrooms open that we could find.

Had a nice to even with the social distance put in place. Some of the favorite exhibit were closed but watching my great grand enjoying the animals at 18 mos was everything.

Had a great time. The zoo is doing a great job of making sure the place is clean and people are wearing masks where they need to be. Wss great to finally get out of the house and do something and we did so safely thanks to Brookfield Zoo.

All of the indoor activities were closed and quite a few of the animals were missing from their enclosures. It was okay but there shouldve been somewhere for people to cool off, especially for people with conditions where they cant be out for 4 hours in the hot, humid weather.

Indoor exhibits are temporarily closed due to COVID, but weather permitting, its nice to walk around the outdoor exhibits.

Second time we decided to visit Brookfield zoo after quarantine at stage 4. We paid regular price but majority places are closed and animals weren’t even available to see them. The only plus was that Dinosaurs were there and my boys loved watching them. I wish they can lower the price and free parking during this time when 70% of fun things are all closed. It was nice walk though.

Great job the staff at Brookfield Zoo! Had my 2 young children with us today, and felt comfortable with their guidelines and rules. Cant control everyone, but most other people had masks on and respected social distancing. Limited entry also meant there were no groups huddled around exhibits and my daughters could see easily.

I would save your coin and wouldnt go right now. Every indoor exhibit is closed. Its a real bummer. It was cool seeing the dinosaurs and the other animals but really missed the indoor stuff. Wear a damn mask so we can get back to the old normal

First time adventure to the Brookfield Zoo and I look forward to returning soon. There’s conveniences for all and rentals available to make your visit more pleasurable. Kids can enjoy the carousel, playground, interactive areas and more. If you enjoy seeing the birds up close and personal, you will really enjoy the bird exhibit and the birds that roam the grounds. The peacock was such a nice treat, the bird is even more beautiful in person. The geese near the buffalo exhibit will patiently wait for drops of food while you eat and the seagulls as well. There’s a decent amount of exhibits to see and a few hours is simply not long enough, plan for a day at the zoo and you won’t be disappointed.

Dino event is a pretty cool add on since the enclosed exhibits are closed; due to covid.

I love this zoo. Its charming and easy to walk around. The animals are well cared for. We really enjoy walking around here.

Definitely more then a place with animals. Love that the Dino exhibition was scattered around the whole place, made it more realistic. Also, the Octoberfest celebration is a great time. Catch it before its gone.

Brookfield Zoo is a great experience all the time. They have all of their inside exhibits closed now due to Covid, but all of the exterior ones are still open. Masks are required when in close proximity to others.

What a great time we had at the Brookfield Zoo Sunday night. We headed over to see the zoo lights, and we were not disappointed. We got there about 2pm thinking it would give us enough time to see the animals, eat and see all the lights but it didnt. I would get there earlier next time. The problem was the zoo stays open later when doing the zoo lights but the animals start getting put to bed before you get to see them. So go early if you want to see the animals. All in all what a great night. The highlight was the parakeet building at the Hamill Family Wild Encounters. You walk into a building full of parakeets and get to buy a little stick with seed on it for 2 dollars and have the parakeets land on the stick to eat the seed. So fun️

We went for the dinosaurs first, animals second. My grandson LOVED the dinosaurs. Animals were a little sluggish on a nice summer day. Lots of bees. Bring a picnic lunch. No real food during the pandemic. Crowded but not crazy. Lots of people chose to wear mask even though they are not required in the zoo after you enter. Some dinosaur toys were reasonably priced while others were ridiculously expensive. It was a day to remember. He loved it!

If,you just want to get out of the house. Why not go to the zoo and have a good day out with the kids to breeze. But, dont forget to make reservation before you go .

Be aware that all indoor exhibits are closed due to Covid.

This is the best zoo Ive ever been to. I have been going to Brookfield since I was a baby and it just keeps getting better!!

Went out today with the fam. Had a great time, weather was just right. Most outdoor exhibits are open, indoor ones are closed due to covid. They had lots of dinosaurs (moved a bit and had sound) throughout the zoo. Carts/smaller stores open for food and drinks.

The place was nice! Most of the animals where visible. But with half the reason of going to the zoo being the exhibits, and theyre ALL closed.... Not worth full price admission

It was a nice day for my visit. Great for family outings. Kids love it. Due to covid indoor exhibits were closed. No access to the apes ... Other animals could only be viewed from outside. Most food concessions were closed. While it was a good experience covid caused limited access to exhibits.

They close all the attractions inside the building so no reptiles or penguins can u see . I don’t understand how come they did not do it like the other zoos for example in Indiana or Wisconsin they have someone letting people go in the attractions inside the building when it gets empty. So be ready do miss on 56% of the animals because they have those areas close. I don’t understand why they charge the same fee if u don’t see all the animals . To be honest go to Indianapolis there zoo is 100 times better , you can pet rays and sharks and see dolphin show for free it’s included on ur ticket. Again this place sucks and I will definitely not go again with there over price tickets .

We love Lemos farms, we go every year for pumpkin fun but we went for a birthday party and what a treat.My nieces birthday and we got the horses all to these little girls, how cool us that? The man running the horses was so sweet with our kids, he was patient, and enjoyed helping them.

Its nice and all but hard to give it 5 stars when Lincoln Park zoo is free. This one is better but not enough comparable to being able to get the zoo experience for free.

Do not go to Brookfield zoo during this covid virus season. Currently, you have to buy a ticket before you go and make a reservation. Read the fine print. Your reservation is not refundable, even in the rain, you either attend the zoo at your reservation time or you forfeit your money. What a lousy way to run a business. I had guests from the west coast and when we made our reservations, the weather forecast was a 0% chance of rain. The next day when we awoke and looked at the weather forecast, it had changed to an 80% chance of rain all day. Needless to say, we didnt intend to keep our appointment and get soaked, especially since many of the exhibits are closed. Would they refund your money, absolutely not. Never again will I go to Brookfield zoo.

Great place for kids and getting outdoor time during COVID. Most folks are respectful with wearing masks but plenty of space to avoid where they are not.Great job controlling crowds and putting up signs in congested areas.

Weve been members for years and have no plans of stopping! Really impressed with the reopening recently. The staggered appointments to arrive seem to be keeping crowds in control and it is not difficult to social distance from other groups. The Dinosaurs are a great addition this summer just like the past exhibits. Highly recommend!

Cant really provide a star rating because I couldnt find a way to get into the park! I walked there only to find the pedestrian entrance closed & a long line of cars with just 2 people checking tix. Maybe I shouldnt be so self-conscious about standing in line among cars, but I also shouldnt be expected to do that. My 1 star rating is for accessibility &/or inadequate signage (if I just missed something).

The process was smooth and efficient. The digital distancing factor was incredible. First time Ive left to be in the public. Great time had by all!

We came here mainly for the penguin encounter on Tuesday. It’s still winter so lots of animals can’t been seen, especially the ones in exterior enclosure. There’s plenty of things to do with the family.The nice thing about coming on a weekday in the winter is that there are absolutely no crowds. This also means most cafes or food places are closed.We booked our penguin encounter at 2pm and the two staff opened the door and 4 bachelors waddled in. They’re really the sweetest little guys ever. Our batch of penguins were very lively and friendly. My friend and I got “hugged” by a few of them and got a chance to pet them several times.I sometimes hear of people being disappointed that they only got to interact or pet a penguin for only a few seconds - but really the penguins are like cats, they have their own interests and preferences. They wander over to people or things they find interesting. It’s still great to be around them and watch them.

I love coming over on the weekend with my son. Very fun and safe place. Current member!

The Playgrounds and Hamil family play center is closed for the year. I bought a membership so my family would have a place to go play in the winter, and I figured if it got to cold outfit would be nice to go to the Hamil family play center.

The animals we very active and most of them were out and about. They all seemed very happy as did the zookeepers. Great meerkat exhibit!

Great zoo, perfect place to bring your kids. Great variety of animals, reptiles, birds and aquatics. Worth at least 4-5 hours of your time. Great Monkey and ape sections. Ample free parking. Zoo was well laid out and organized. One of the better zoos we ve visited.