Lincoln Park Zoo Tips: Plan Your Day and Save on Extras
Lincoln Park Zoo has one of the best locations of any zoo in the country and a ton of history. It opened in 1868, which makes it one of the oldest zoos in the United States, and it is absolutely worth a visit, if for no other reason than it isn’t often that you can watch zebras and skyscrapers share a horizon. The best part: it is free to walk in the front gate. The catch is that everything fun once you’re inside costs money. These Lincoln Park Zoo tips will help you plan your day and spend as little of it as possible.
Lincoln Park Zoo Tips: The Quick Verdict
Is Lincoln Park Zoo worth it? Yes. It’s free, it’s open 365 days a year, and you can see the highlights in two to three hours. If you’re already downtown, there is no good reason to skip it. Just go in knowing that the zoo is free but the extras are not, parking can run up to $45 a day, and rides and animal encounters have all crept up in price. Arrive early, bring your own snacks, and you’ll have a great half day for almost nothing.
1. Where is Lincoln Park Zoo?
2. Choose Your Parking and Transportation Option
3. Know the Lincoln Park Zoo Hours of Operation
4. Arrive Early
5. Visit on a Weekday
6. Dress for the Lincoln Park Zoo Weather
7. The Lincoln Park Zoo Admission Cost is Nothing
8. How Much Time Do You Need?
9. See The Must See Lincoln Park Zoo Animal Exhibits
10. Follow the Interactive Map
11. Try a Self Guided Tour
12. Check the Show Schedule
13. There Are Rides
14. Explore the Lincoln Park Zoo Animal Encounters Options
15. Choose a Lincoln Park Zoo Restaurant
16. Outside Food at Lincoln Park Zoo is Allowed
17. Smoking is Prohibited
18. Leave the Pets at Home
19. There is a Baby Care Center (Kind of)
20. Check the Special Lincoln Park Zoo Events
21. Lincoln Park Zoo Membership Can Save Money
22. Lincoln Park Zoo FAQ
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Lincoln Park Zoo Tips
1. Where is Lincoln Park Zoo Located?
The Lincoln Park Zoo entrance and parking lot are at 2400 North Cannon Drive, right in the middle of Lincoln Park on Chicago’s North Side. If your GPS argues with you, the lot sits at the corner of Fullerton Parkway and Cannon Drive. The zoo’s administrative address is 2001 N. Clark Street, but you don’t need that one unless you’re mailing them a letter, which nobody under the age of seventy has done in years.
2. Lincoln Park Zoo Parking and Transportation Options
How Much Does it Cost to Park at Lincoln Park Zoo?
The zoo runs its own lot at Fullerton and Cannon. Your first half hour is free, which is exactly enough time to realize you forgot the diaper bag in the car and walk back for it. After that, daily rates run roughly $35 to $45, depending on the day and how busy it is. The lot is cashless and has no exit attendants, so the “free admission” zoo can still quietly relieve you of nearly fifty bucks before you’ve seen a single animal.
Pro tip: If you don’t need in-and-out privileges, check Spot Hero for cheaper parking near Lincoln Park Zoo. Garages a few blocks away are often less than half the price of the zoo lot.
Rideshare
Uber and Lyft can drop you right at the zoo entrances, which neatly sidesteps the parking question altogether. For a single visit, a rideshare round trip can easily beat $45 of parking, especially if you’re not coming from far.
City Buses
Several CTA bus routes stop near the zoo, including the 22, 36, 151, and 156, though it’s worth confirming current routing before you rely on a specific number. The “L” train is not your friend here, since the nearest stops are all about a mile away, which is a long haul with a stroller, a tired toddler, and the snacks you smartly packed instead of buying inside.
3. When Does Lincoln Park Zoo Open?
Here’s the part most guides get wrong: the grounds and the buildings keep different hours. In summer, the gates open at 8 a.m. while the animal buildings don’t open until 10 a.m., so early birds can stroll the grounds before the indoor exhibits unlock. Summer weekday gates close at 5 p.m.; weekend and holiday gates stay open until 7 p.m. The buildings and Farm-in-the-Zoo close earlier, around 4:30 p.m. The rest of the year, hours generally run 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The zoo closes early a handful of times a year, so check the current hours before you go. The good news is that the zoo is open all 365 days, so there’s no wrong season to show up.
4. Arrive Early
Arriving early is probably the single most useful of these Lincoln Park Zoo tips. The place is far more pleasant without a crowd, and you’ll find the smallest one first thing in the morning. There’s also a practical reason: the indoor exhibits and buildings start closing before the grounds do, so if you roll in mid-afternoon, you simply will not see everything. Get up, get there early, and hit it first thing. Don’t be like this guy.
5. Visit on a Weekday
No matter what time you show up, a weekday crowd beats a weekend crowd. If school is in session, you might walk into a field trip or two, but a wave of matching T-shirts is still easier to navigate than a typical Saturday. If your schedule has any give in it, go during the week.
6. Dress for the Weather
Chicago is cold in the winter. That is not a secret. Most of this zoo is outdoors, and the wind off the lake does not care about your cute outfit, so dress for the actual weather and not the forecast you wish you had. If you’re putting together a bag for the whole trip, our what to pack for Chicago with kids list will keep everyone warm.
7. Lincoln Park Zoo Cost
Is Lincoln Park Zoo really free? Yes, it genuinely is. Admission is free every single day of the year, no ticket, no reservation, no catch at the gate. The catch comes after the gate: parking, rides, animal encounters, and food are all paid extras, and they’ve all gotten pricier. The zoo is free; your wallet is not safe.
8. How Long Does it Take to Go Through Lincoln Park Zoo?
If you want to see everything and take your time, plan on roughly half a day. If you just want the highlights, you can knock those out in two to three hours, which makes the zoo a perfect anchor for a downtown day with a museum or the lakefront tacked on. Planning a bigger Chicago itinerary? The nearby Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium pair well with a zoo morning.
9. Lincoln Park Zoo Exhibits
There are several exhibits at Lincoln Park Zoo, almost all of which are named after rich people, because that is how free zoos stay free. Some of the highlights worth prioritizing:
A. Pepper Family Wildlife Center – This is the marquee addition since the old version of this guide. The renovated former Lion House reopened in fall 2021 as a glassy, open habitat for African lions, and it also houses snow leopards, Canadian lynx, and red pandas. If you only have time for one thing, make it this one.
B. Lincoln Park Zoo African Journey – African Journey features giraffes, rhinos, and pygmy hippos.
C. Regenstein Macaque Forest – Visit the forest to see the snow monkeys, who are unbothered by Chicago winters in a way the rest of us can only envy.
D. Lincoln Park Zoo Farm-in-the-Zoo – This is where you can find and feed farm animals. It is a cute section for little kids. Everyone else can probably skip it.
Pro tip: The Farm runs daily feeding programs in season, with chicken feeding around 11 a.m. and cow feeding around 11:30 a.m. and again in the early afternoon. Check the schedule before you visit so you can time it right.
E. Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo – You can see black bears, otters, and turtles in this area.
F. Kovler Seal Pool – Obviously, from the name, you will find the seals in this pool.
Pro tip: Check the daily schedule for any seal feedings or keeper talks happening during your visit.
G. Helen Brach Primate House – This house should not be missed.
Pro tip: Check the hours of the house, because they may close earlier than the rest of the zoo.
H. Regenstein Center for African Apes – Another must-stop, featuring the gorillas and chimpanzees.
I. Walter Family Arctic Tundra – The Arctic Tundra houses the polar bears.
Pro tip: Check the show schedule for a polar bear keeper talk.
J. Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House – Monkeys, sloths, and snakes are among the highlights in this house.
10. Follow the Interactive Map
The signs pointing you toward specific animals are less than clear. It is not unusual to see a cluster of guests huddled around a sign, debating which way to walk like it’s a group project. The interactive map spares you that scene.
Pro tip: If you’d rather not stare at your phone all day, grab a paper copy of the Lincoln Park Zoo map.
11. Try a Self Guided Tour
Tight on time? The zoo has built suggested itineraries for guests with different priorities, designed to hit the highlights in about two hours. You can follow them right on the interactive map.
Pro tip: The Little Explorers route is designed for families with young children, so you’re not dragging a four-year-old past the reptile house at the exact moment they hit the wall.
12. Check the Show Schedule
Free talks, feedings, and activities run throughout the day, and they’re some of the best value at a place where most extras cost money. Check the schedule so you don’t miss the ones you actually care about.
13. There Are Rides
The zoo has a small train, the Lionel Train Adventure, plus a VR experience or two, like a Gorilla Trek. Your kids will spot them from a mile away, the way they always do. Tickets run $4.50 each as of this writing (the VR experiences need two tickets per rider), and bulk packs bring the per-ride cost down. Be prepared to pay up or perfect the art of the strategic distraction.
Note: The carousel, officially the AT&T Endangered Species Carousel, is currently closed until further notice, so don’t promise a carousel ride you can’t deliver.
Pro tip: If you go often, you can save on the rides by buying tickets in bulk.
14. You Can Interact with the Animals
If you want to spend more time with the animals, you can pay extra to do exactly that.
Malott Family Penguin Encounter
The Lincoln Park Zoo Penguin Encounter is a 60-minute program with a behind-the-scenes tour and some time inside the habitat. You can’t touch the penguins, but you can interact with them if they decide to come over. If the penguin isn’t feeling you, you are out of luck, and there is no manager to complain to.
As of this writing, the cost is around $80 per nonmember and $70 per zoo member, and kids must be at least six years old to participate. Prices have climbed, so confirm the current rate when you book.
Feeding Programs
Over at Farm-in-the-Zoo, you can take part in the daily feeding programs and get up close with the farm animals. It’s open to everyone, no membership required.
15. Lincoln Park Zoo Dining Options
Lincoln Park Zoo has several dining locations scattered around the grounds. Some seasonal spots add a full cocktail menu of fruity drinks clearly engineered for middle-aged women who have earned them.
Pro tip: If you have dietary restrictions, don’t trust the menu boards to mark everything. Ask a server directly about gluten-free or allergen-friendly options.
Bonus pro tip: If you’d rather wait and eat better, there are plenty of restaurants near Lincoln Park Zoo.
16. Lincoln Park Zoo Outside Food Policy
You can bring in your own food, but not alcohol. Packing a cooler is the single easiest way to dodge concession prices at a free zoo that quietly charges for everything else. Feeding the actual animals, however, is a hard no.
17. No Smoking
Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the property. Step off the grounds if you need to.
18. Does Lincoln Park Zoo Allow Dogs?
You’d think “can I bring my dog to the zoo” answers itself, but the very walkable, very urban setting makes people wonder. For the record: no outside animals other than service animals are allowed at Lincoln Park Zoo. The lions would be thrilled to meet your goldendoodle, and that is exactly the problem.
19. There is a Baby Care Center (Kind of)
There’s a space billed as a Quiet Room in the Searle Visitor Center. You can use it to breastfeed, but it’s not a dedicated nursing room, so you may end up sharing it with someone using the space to pray. Manage your expectations and bring a cover if that matters to you.
20. Check the Special Events
A free zoo still needs to make money, so the calendar is stuffed with paid events all year. These include adults-only nights with alcohol, summer block parties, the wildly popular ZooLights during the holidays, and a gala that lets you party as hard as you did at prom in the 1990s, if every prom ticket had cost an amount with at least four digits in it.
Check the events to see whether anything lines up with your visit.
21. Membership
It’s free to walk in, so why pay for a membership? For a once-a-year visitor, you shouldn’t. But if you go often, the math flips fast, and the reason is parking. A single membership turns a $45 parking day into a $12 one, and that’s before the free ZooLights tickets and other perks. Two or three visits a year and the card has basically paid for itself.
Individual Membership
As of this writing, individual membership runs about $69 per year and includes the following:
A. $12 flat-rate member parking per visit
B. Free ZooLights tickets during the holiday season
C. Access to the Member Lounge at Searle Visitor Center
D. Access to member-only events
E. Discounted tickets for the train and other rides
F. Discounts on food and merchandise
G. Discounts on day camps and youth programs
H. Discounted and free admission to 100-plus other facilities affiliated with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
I. Subscription to Lincoln Park Zoo magazine
Household Membership
As of this writing, household membership runs about $95 per year and includes the following:
A. Two free parking passes, then $12 flat-rate parking for each visit after that
B. Free ZooLights tickets during the holiday season
C. Access to the Member Lounge at Searle Visitor Center
D. Access to member-only events
E. Discounted tickets for the train and other rides
F. Discounts on food and merchandise
G. Discounts on summer camps and youth programs
H. Discounted and free admission to other Association of Zoos and Aquariums facilities
I. Subscription to Lincoln Park Zoo magazine
Lincoln Park Zoo Safari Membership
As of this writing, the Safari Membership runs about $189 per year and includes the following:
A. Unlimited free member parking
B. Free ZooLights tickets during the holiday season
C. Two free tickets to the annual after-hours family event, SuperZooPicnic
D. Access to the Member Lounge at Searle Visitor Center
E. Access to member-only events
F. Discounted tickets for the train and other rides
G. Discounts on food and merchandise
H. Discounts on camps and youth programs, plus early access to registration
I. Discounted and free admission to other Association of Zoos and Aquariums facilities
J. Subscription to Lincoln Park Zoo magazine
For the latest tiers and exact pricing, check the current membership options before you buy.
22. Lincoln Park Zoo FAQ
Is Lincoln Park Zoo free?
Yes. General admission is free every day of the year, with no ticket or reservation required to walk in the gate. You only pay for extras like parking, rides, animal encounters, and food.
How much does parking cost at Lincoln Park Zoo?
The first half hour in the zoo lot is free, then daily rates run roughly $35 to $45. The lot is cashless. If you can find street or garage parking nearby, or take a rideshare, you’ll often pay less.
How long do you need at Lincoln Park Zoo?
Plan on two to three hours for the highlights and about half a day if you want to see everything and linger. It pairs well with another downtown stop in the same outing.
Is Lincoln Park Zoo good for toddlers?
Yes. It’s free, stroller-friendly, and walkable, with Farm-in-the-Zoo, the children’s zoo, and the Little Explorers route built for small kids. The train ride is a hit, just know the carousel is currently closed.
Lincoln Park Zoo or Brookfield Zoo: which should I visit?
If you’re downtown and want a free, quick visit, choose Lincoln Park Zoo. If you want a larger, more immersive day and don’t mind driving and paying admission, see our Brookfield Zoo tips instead.
Final Thoughts – Lincoln Park Zoo Tips
Is Lincoln Park Zoo a good zoo for you? If you’re already downtown, absolutely. It’s a great way to fill a few hours, the new Pepper Family Wildlife Center alone is worth the walk, and the price of admission is exactly zero. Use the Lincoln Park Zoo tips that fit your day, pack your own snacks, and keep the extras in check.
If you want a bigger, more intense experience at a Chicago-area zoo, try Brookfield Zoo. Brookfield isn’t free and isn’t downtown, but it offers a lot more square footage for your day.
Visit Lincoln Park Zoo if you’re downtown. You will not regret it, and your wallet will mostly survive.
What a great article! I love it and find it very useful. I love monkeys so would definitely schedule that in to my visit ? ‚ô•
What a guide! We have been thinking of visiting Chicago with the kids sometime! I will pin this one for later! Great post!
This guide is so thorough! You really thought of everything 🙂
OMG – that Camel’s butt looks so funny. Plus the alligator looks exhausted.
Such a great guide. As a Chicago girl, I second using the train. It’s so easy and much cheaper than parking at the zoo. Plus you can take the train system from just about anywhere near Chicago.
Love that the zoo is free! Although I think the membership makes the discount on parking totally worth it!
Great that the entrance to the zoo is free. Here in the Netherlands, you’ll easily pay 20 euros for adults and 15 euros for kids, which makes it an expensive outing. Would be cool to visit Lincoln park zoo when we visit Chicago.
Great tips! Zoos are always a great hit for families. Membership is a great tip, some of the deals you get on special events are incredible.
I’m from the Netherlands, but I’m planning a visit to Chicago in a few years. Will put this on my list with places I want to visit when I’m there!
I would love to see the polar bears at Lincoln Park Zoo! This is definitely top of my list for when I visit Chicago!
This is such a fantastic guide with so many tips! I’d love to visit the zoo one day – I love seeing the animals. Your photos are so cute, I especially love the zebra one!
Emily xx
We are still yet to visit Chicago from the west coast of Canada. Definitely on our “Must Travel To Next” list. The zoo looks like a great place to visit and a long history as well. Will bookmark this for our future visit to the city. 🙂
This is such a great guide! And knowing that outside food is allowed, game changer! Will save for when we visit.
Oh, this looks like such a fun zoo! You have such great information about it.
I so appreciate tips, tricks and savings pointers to places likes zoos etc. because as a family of 4 kids all under age 10, we don’t have time for trial and errors. Lincoln park zoo sounds like a whole lot of fun.
I love this place!