We spent our last Chicago morning at Lincoln Park Zoo before driving to Milwaukee, and it was the best day of the three. It also cost us nothing, which after two observation decks and a river cruise was not what I expected to be writing.
Lincoln Park Zoo is free. No ticket, no reservation, no timed entry — you walk in. It is one of the only free zoos in the United States, and it has been since it opened in 1868.
Quick guide
Don’t miss the Nature Boardwalk — the best free skyline view in Chicago.
Free, every day of the year. No booking needed.
Open 8am–5pm on weekdays, 8am–7pm at weekends and holidays. Earlier than most people expect.
Allow 2–3 hours. You can do it faster; you’ll wish you hadn’t.
Don’t drive. On-site parking is $35–45 a day — more than most paid attractions in Chicago cost. The first half hour is free, which is no use to anyone visiting a zoo.
Go early. You’re in before the crowds, before the heat, and the animals are more active.
The parking trap
Worth saying plainly, because it catches people out: the zoo costs nothing and the car park costs $35–45.
A family who drives pays more to park at the free zoo than they’d pay for two adults at Skydeck. The first 30 minutes are free, which covers nothing at all.
Take the bus. It’s around 20–25 minutes from downtown, and we did the whole trip on Ventra cards that cost €78.77 for four people across our entire holiday. 👉 How we got around Chicago without a car
What’s actually there
The zoo has been open since 1868, when it started with two swans donated by New York’s Central Park. It now holds more than 200 species. That’s the history — the rest is on Wikipedia, and this is what you’ll actually walk around:
Nature Boardwalk — see below
Regenstein African Journey — the big-animal section
Pritzker Penguin Cove — the one small children stand at longest
Kovler Lion House
Farm-in-the-Zoo — the hands-on part, and the right first stop with under-fives
The Nature Boardwalk is the reason to come
A path around a pond at the south end of the zoo, with the Chicago skyline rising behind the trees and the water.
It is, genuinely, one of the best views in the city, and it costs nothing. Everyone else photographs Chicago from 300 metres up after paying $32 a head; this is the version from ground level with a pond in the foreground, and almost no visitor guide mentions it.
If you do one thing here, walk the boardwalk. If you have ten minutes and a camera, this is where to spend them.
How long you need, and when to go
2–3 hours covers it properly with children.
Go at opening. The zoo opens at 8am on weekdays and 8am at weekends, and the first two hours are the best of the day — cooler, quieter, and the animals are moving rather than sleeping in the shade. In a Chicago July that matters more than it sounds.
Weekends and holidays stay open until 7pm, so a late afternoon visit works too if mornings aren’t possible.
Food, and what to bring
There are cafés and food stands inside, at zoo prices. We didn’t bring anything with us, as we just had our breakfast prior to the visit, and by midday we already left the Zoo, to go to Milwaukee.
Bring water, sun cover in summer, and a plan for the middle of the day if it’s hot — the zoo has shade but the walking is in the open.
Why this was our best day
Two observation decks, a river cruise and a deep dish pizza, and the day the boys talk about is the free one.
I don’t think that’s a coincidence. The zoo asks nothing of you — no timed slot, no queue, no ticket, no schedule. After two days of booked attractions and being somewhere by a certain hour, a morning where you just walk in and wander is what a family holiday is supposed to feel like.
If your Chicago trip gets shorter, this is the day I’d protect.
Pair it with
- The Starbucks Reserve Roastery — the easy indoor stop afterwards 👉 floor by floor
- The other free things in Chicago — the Bean, Crown Fountain, Maggie Daley Park, Grant Park 👉 Millennium Park with kids
- The full three days 👉 our Chicago itinerary with kids
- What the whole trip cost 👉 our real numbers
Keep every existing internal link in the post. Eleven contextual links is the strongest linking of any post in your Chicago cluster.
Lincoln Park Zoo With Kids: FAQs
Is Lincoln Park Zoo really free?
Yes. Admission to Lincoln Park Zoo is free every day of the year, with no reservations and no timed tickets needed. It is one of the only free zoos in the United States and has been free since it opened in 1868. Only parking, food and a few special experiences cost money.
What are Lincoln Park Zoo’s opening hours?
The zoo opens at 8am every day. It closes at 5pm on weekdays and at 7pm at weekends and on holidays. Going at opening is worth it, especially in summer, because it is cooler, much quieter, and the animals are more active than they are in the middle of the day.
How much does parking cost at Lincoln Park Zoo?
On-site parking costs 35 to 45 dollars per day, with only the first half hour free. That is more than two adult tickets to Skydeck Chicago, at a zoo that charges nothing to enter. Take the bus instead — it is around 20 to 25 minutes from downtown and public transport for our family of four cost 78.77 euros for our whole trip.
How long do you need at Lincoln Park Zoo?
Two to three hours is right with children. That covers the African Journey section, the penguin cove, the lion house, Farm-in-the-Zoo and a walk around the Nature Boardwalk without rushing anyone. You can do it in an hour, but you would be skipping the parts children like most.
What is the Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo?
A path around a pond at the south end of the zoo, with the Chicago skyline rising behind the trees and water. It is one of the best skyline views in the city and it is free, which makes it a rare alternative to paying for an observation deck. Most visitor guides do not mention it.
Is Lincoln Park Zoo good for young children?
Yes. It is free, so nothing is wasted if a visit is cut short, there are no timed entries to be late for, and Farm-in-the-Zoo gives younger children something hands-on. The penguin cove is usually where small children stay longest. Bring water and sun cover in summer, as much of the walking is in the open.
