Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago) Reviews

First visit here, nice little zoo in the heart of the city.

Very big and very nice. Parking is severely overpriced and food, drinks as well as gifts are also extremely pricey so bring an ample amount of money.

So I have to rate this 3/5 stars, because other times I've gone it's been nothing but an amazing time but this one occasion wasn't so pleasant. First off, i can't yell at the zoo for the weather but the next time I do zoo lights I'm going to to do it when it's a tad bit warmer because Lincoln doesnt supply heated lamps throughout the zoo. Number 2, I was really upset all the animals were not out. Unless they were inside an exhibit, which if I'm spending $20 bucks I wanna see SOME animals. Lastly I was upset about the lack of beer tents and how long the lines were. If I'm spending $20 I wanna have the opportunity to try the beers. They should've managed the lines better so everyone got to have a beer. I DIDNT GET ONE. Not happy probably won't go back during the rest of this winter but I'll definitely come back in summer. And I most certainly won't be back for the brewzoo lights

I tend to reserve my 5 star recommendations, but it's hard to beat a free zoo with great diversity of animals, environments and interaction. And it's free and part of a beautiful public park. Everything from the lions to the monkeys to the pink flamingos; this place is great. There is a mix of outdoor and indoor exhibits but it is primarily outdoor, so be prepared for the elements. If you are in Chicago though, it's a must see.

The best part is it's free and the animals are great but the zoo lights could be better.

Great place to take kids. Entry is free here and staff is very helpful. They have polar bears now, its a must see. Its easy to find parking nearby. Zoo parking is expensive. I didn t like the 5D movie experience. It was too short.

Make some time to enjoy this treasure.
This park is free. yes its free. Now you might have to pay to park,but this is all free. Perfect place and $26.00 at the conservatory.
The upkeep is very well,clean and peaceful environment. The gorillas where are our favorite ,but many great indoor and outdoor exhibits.

The zoo was founded in 1868, when the Lincoln Park Commissioners were given a gift of two pairs of swans by Central Park's Board of Commissioners in New York City. Other animals were soon donated to the park, including, a puma, two elk, three wolves, four eagles, and eight peacock. In 1874, a bear cub from the Philadelphia Zoo was the first animal purchased by the zoo. The bear became quite adept at escaping from its home and could frequently be found roaming Lincoln Park at night. In 1884, reportedly the first American bison born in captivity was born at the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Nice park in the city. We went on a Friday morning, and there weren t many animals out. But for a free zoo, we saw a lot.

Can frequently get $4 parking nearby with parking apps for 5+ hours, which greatly beats paid parking at the zoo itself. Love the fact that they don't charge admission, and they do great themed events for holidays. They definitely did some nice renovations in the last few years because I used to remember it as depressing exhibits. Now they seem much nicer and the animals much happier.

Went to the Christmas zoo lights with my family. It was a great experience and I plan to do it again next time I'm in town.

Excellent free zoo by the lake. The grounds are beautiful and this is a must see place if you re in the area.

Great place to go with the family, best of all... It s FREE!

I feel really bad for the polar bears, last time I went they were presenting nervous/bored behaviors like repeatedly pacing back and forth. I noticed a lot of the animals just have a set routine around the cage. I might dedicate some of my time this summer to creating some enrichment items for them, it just broke my heart. Most of the other animals seemed fine, otters were very cute.

Plz update on google map that you are closed...I drove half an hour and you charged me $ 28 for parking
As you see in the photo it s not written on the parking machine that your closed

Its a great free zoo to take the family for a afternoon.

Great place to visit. Great exhibits and totally free

A county zoo with limited exhibits, but a great entertainment for almost all ages.

In a few words: the only free stuff/attraction (in a tourist perspective) to do Chicago. Out of that, couple of things: Animal cages are sad. Very small and any time the animals looks sad (mainly the monkeys and lion)...clearly a small space, it s not big at all as a Zoo should be! Food options are not big deal! Good things: the holiday/Christmas lights are beautiful...statue with songs...very nice!! Everything else is quite less than any other city Zoo in US.

Great place to take the kids (or for the kid inside you!!) while visiting Chicago. It's free, and it's fun. We came when it was cold and still highly enjoyed ourselves. Parking tip: if you've already been using the Park Chicago app, and you have money lefton your account, then just park on the main road, unless you're staying all day. Have fun!

It was an ok zoo wish they would of had more animals out and wish they had elephants there

Great place to go as a family or with friends. Each visit leaves new memories

Just love this zoo and especially during the holiday season for the lights.

Very few animals. Under construction. Really a waste of time

Enclosures were a bit small, but the zoo is fantastic, the keepers are all so helpful and friendly, teaching you all the neato animal knowledge. Decent food. Cool architecture. Parking hard to find on street, lot is $20+

Love to walk around the zoo on a warm summer afternoon looking at the animals or on a snowy December night looking at the Christmas lights! Best of all its free! Very family friendly!

Love the polar bears but I wish that they did not put them in a small area and seeing him walk back and forth looked really sad they should have put him in a different spot

Good selection of animals and the staff is quite kinde

The landscaping is gorgeous. Beautiful, colorful, rich, dense. We saw polar bears, giraffe, zebras, monkeys, seals. There was much more to see. So great to have this free zoo in Chicago. Of course donations are always accepted. Saw the seal show. Cute! Oh! Also saw some red fox. Wow, I did see alot even though I missed more than half the zoo.

Great way to enjoy an afternoon in the city, and it's free!

The kids and us had so much fun!! They had a wide range of animals and experiences for all ages and even better...it was FREE!

It's a FREE zoo in the city. Great selection of animals. Bird exhibit, gorilla exhibit are some of our favorites.

It's free, so that's cool. Lots of work being done, so some exhibits are closed. No AC in buildings, so if it's hot outside, they're stifling. Tons of open spaces, gorgeous plants, and the nature boardwalk is beautiful. The view of the city is nice too.

I didn't expect much beings is a free zoo but overall I spent 3 hours with the kids and it just flew by. The animals were fairly active, plus the crowds moved quickly.

It's gorgeous here. The attractions are always interesting & when I'm full bloom the vegetation is breathtaking. Top it off with being next to Lake Michigan & a ton of food options within blocks of the zoo.

Great free zoo. It has a lot of interesting animals and they also do a cool display in the winter.

Our children love coming here on the weekends. Fun place.

It was a nice, free place to visit, although i Don't support zoo's and it was a little small, in an hour you can see all of it

The Lincoln park zoo was amazing and it's free. The animal where good but couldn't see some of them because they were away because of the winter weather.

Nice clean zoo with large habitats for the animals. Not at all what you'd expect in the city. Is wonderful that is free & they maintain the diversity of animals.

Pretty good for a free zoo! Not to crowded when we went, and even though some of the animals weren t out because of the cold it was still a fun experience overall.

A must-see if you have kids in the city, but also a great, free date spot :-)

Love the free kids music in the barn on Wednesday and Fridays.

Best part is it's free and many great exhibits my kids love it

I went to view the gorgeous Christmas Light display.

Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the best attractions in and around the city.They have a great variety of animals and provide a very pleasant walking experience.The best thing is it has got the free entry.We always enjoy going here.

In a pandemic when it's cold, don't waste your time. All the animals are inside and the buildings are closed. If you drive and park on Cannon Dr it's $35. Went to Zoo lights a few years ago, and all the animals were asleep.

This is always a great day trip. There is a little park on a pond to the north that is phenomenal. Find it.

Free zoo! We enjoyed every minute of this place. Coming from Texas this place is one of a kind.

Amazing!!!! Loved every second of it here - can't believe its free too :) Lovely clean fun and my toddlers loved it.

Great zoo, entrance is free. There is a polar bear and tigers

Good experience, although some animals are not there

Beautiful zoo, I can't believe it's free. The exhibits are beautifully landscaped and the buildings are also very nice. Great place to bring the kids and just stroll around. Park place cafe is a good place to have lunch but the food is a little bit pricey or save even more money and bring your own lunch and drinks.

Nice to see the animals enjoying the outside. Staff went out of their way to remind people to stay safe and wear their masks. It would be a good idea if staff reminded people while they were walking around. Not everyone complied all the time.

3 stars mean its okay....I know there is a pandemic going on so maybe that's the reason. On a bright note, admission was free if you pre register. Staff was polite. But the amount of animals (unless they were all higing) was sad. They had plenty of ducks and flamingos. If you just need some exercise and want to take a walk this is a good area to do so. Or maybe a day out with the kids. But even the kids may get bored. This is probably the first time I didn't take any pictures at a zoo. But again, I'm hoping the blame is on covod

Great small zoo with many events throughout the year.

Great zoo for kids, not to big and easy to cover in a day. Great location right off the lake, we have been members the last few years to access easier parking. Zoolights at Christmas time and Fall Fest before are great family fun. Not the biggest zoo but perfect size for us, actually enjoy more than Brookfield because it is less walking.

Cool animals, it was a bit small but it was free so that's a plus

Enjoyed our time. Except my son wanted to see the kangaroos that weren't out.

This is a must go to whenever in the Chicago area. Great for all ages.

Lots of interesting animals. Well worth the trip to explore it.

The place had very few animals but what can you expect from a free admission. I did donate 20 dollars. They seem to be expanding. I hope it helps the experience.

Wonderful place to spend a day with the kids. Go see the kids area. And it's free!!!

I took my grandson here during his spring break holiday. This is a very good zoo given the free admission and how close you can get to the animals. The indoor gorilla exhibit is unbelievable when they are chasing each other. Park along the street down from the zoo for free.

I Love this zoo. I have been going here since I was a little girl. Let's keep it open donate. The only free zoo in Chicago.

This is an excellent zoo! Truly excellent! I grew up going to the Cincinnati Zoo, and I think Lincoln Park Zoo gives them a run for their money. And the best part is that it's free! It is an excellent attraction for the people of Chicago. It is clean, the habitats are nice, and the layout is well done. This is worth going out of the way for.

Great zoo, with good exhibits. We visited on 7/23/17, hugely accessible, the layout isn't functional. The overall atmosphere in the Zoo is great, and the employees were awesome.

Nice that's it's free admission but it was kind of confusing to walk around and see everything without going going to the spot. But that also could of me lol . Saw a few animals not too many that day but it was also kind of cold out

Beautiful park-like setting with a great array of animals in natural settings. Free to get in, but parking is crazy expensive ($30 for less than 4 hours), but that's the case across Chicago.
Was hot the day we went and many of the animals retreated to their inside space.

Great park with a nicely kept up old zoo. I really enjoyed the aviary. And seeing the lions was great if a little sad for them.

Went during covid. It's free but parking is far from free. The jungle cat exhibit is closed and so are most of the attractions inside other than the outdoor kept animals. A good place to visit, maybe not during covid but still decent. Prepare to spend $50 per vehicle depending on parking, and prepare for large groups of people waiting to see the exhibits that are open.

Lots of school groups when we went so it was super crowded. Limited selection of animals and those there were hard to find at times. Food was expensive - probably to make up for free admission.

A zoo on the middle of the city. It's nice, but there aren't a lot of animals to see. It is clean and great to walk around, just not as many attractions as other zoos.

Fun day at the zoo. Saw lots of great animals. It wasn't too crowded. The weather was perfect. Can't beat free. The grounds are very well maintained. Everything is clean & well organized.

Even though it was free I didnt expect anything from it . It was horrible some of the habitat didnt even have animals and the drinks cost 4 to 5 dollars a water is 4. The soccer field next to it is in good quality so that was the best part.

Awesome especially for being a free zoo!
Easily navigated!