Lincoln Park Zoo
If you are traveling by Chicago the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is located 2 miles north of the Loop in the North Side neighborhood of Lincoln Park, is home to dozens of species, including zebras, sloths, and hippos, among others. Visitors can get up close and personal with the zoo's furry (or scaly) animals in their natural environments: See gorillas in their natural habitat at the expansive Regenstein Center for African Apes, or visit the Kovler Seal Pool to get up close and personal with harbor seals in their natural habitat.
It was noted that visitors loved the zoo's abundance of large mammal species and that there was no entrance price. If you're traveling with children, stop by the Farm-in-the-Zoo exhibit, where they can get up close and personal with barnyard favorites such as cows, pigs, and goats. Prepare to use public transit or an airport shuttle to the zoo, as there is limited parking space in the facility's parking lot.
However, two bus routes feature two stops at the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is not within walking distance, but is within driving distance. A couple of blocks distant from the zoo are bus stops for routes 22 and 36. The site is open every day from 10 a.m. until 4:30, 5:30, or 6:30 p.m., depending on the time of year and the weather. All of the zoo's exhibits are free to see, but you'll need money if you want to ride the zoo's carousel or train, or if you want to buy something from one of the gift shops or cafes on the grounds. Learn more about the exhibits, facilities, and special events at the Lincoln Park Zoo by visiting their website.
As of 1868, the zoo was the fourth oldest zoo in North America, making it the oldest in the country. It is also one of the few zoos in the United States that offers free entrance. The zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), which is a professional organization (AZA). The Lincoln Park Zoo was established when the Lincoln Park Commissioners received a gift of two pairs of swans from the Central Park Board of Commissioners in New York City, which served as the inspiration for its establishment.
The park received additional creatures shortly after, including a puma, two elk, three wolves, four eagles, and eight peacock, all of which were donated to it. The first animal purchased by the zoo was a bear cub from the Philadelphia Zoo in 1874, for a total of $10 US dollars. It proved highly good at escaping from its habitat and was frequently spotted prowling the streets of Lincoln Park late into the evening. According to legend, the Lincoln Park Zoo was home to the birth of the first American bison born in captivity in 1884. As recently as 1896, the species had been on the verge of extinction in the wild; as a result, the United States government purchased one bull and seven cows from the Zoo's bison herd, with the intention of transporting them to Yellowstone National Park to aid in the species' resurgence.