Disclosure: This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.
One of the great things about the Chicago area is that there are so many fun family-friendly things to do. One of the places we enjoy going as a family is the Brookfield Zoo. Some of my favorite zoo memories are pictured below, from the hot summer days to the cooler days at their ‘Boo at the Zoo’.
This summer, Brookfield Zoo is encouraging families to make even more memories inside their gates. On Friday and Saturday evenings, through August 13th, they are hosting Summer Nights.
The zoo stays open until 9pm these nights so people can enjoy Brookfield Zoo in a new light with cooler evening weather, enhanced dining, a beer and wine garden, live music, roaming performers, kid’s entertainment, and a new laser light show, all surrounded by wildlife and nature.
The summer fun isn’t limited to night time though. During the days families can find all the great exhibits they’ve grown to love, along with other exciting attractions like Dolphins in Action, Festival of Flight, Hamill Family Wild Encounters and Hamill Family Play Zoo. This summer the boys went to their first dolphin show and to Hamill Family Wild Encounters for the first time.
In the “Wild Encounters” area, visitors get a number of hands-on experiences including opportunities to touch and feed animals, including parakeets and goats. Lucas enjoyed brushing the goats and sitting with them in the goat area. We also got to see reindeer up close which is any Santa loving child’s dream!
Visiting the zoo with young children? Then you’ll want to visit the Hamill Family Play Zoo. Children will have fun touching, exploring, building, and playing while connecting with nature. They can pretend to be a zoo keeper, dress up like a lemur, or make some crafts.
Imaginative fun isn’t limited to the Hamill Family Play Zoo. My boys found it all over the park!
We loved checking out all the animals, too. The dolphins and penguins were my favorite. Lions and tigers and bears were a must-see on Luke’s list and Jake wanted to checkout the reptiles. I loved this guy (pictured below) who slowly came over and stood as still as could be just looking at me, letting me snap his photo.
Love birds? Now through Labor Day the zoo has ‘Festival of Flight’ which is a 20-minute presentation offered a few times through the day, that features more than 20 species of birds.
Have you visited Brookfield Zoo yet this summer? It’s not too late to make some more wonderful family memories!
How fun! That looks like a great zoo! My kids would love it there!
What a fun zoo. I love the play zoo for kids! That’s so cool.
Looks like a really fun zoo! Those little added touches make all the difference. The laser show sounds like it would be really neat!
This looks like a nice zoo. I have not been to the zoo in a long time. I think once it cools off a little a trip to the zoo is in order.
I love visiting our local zoo and seeing all the different animals. Brookfield Zoo looks like a fun place to visit for both adults and kids.
What a great zoo, looks like you had perfect weather the day you went. We love to visit different zoos and our girls enjoy taking pictures of all the animals.
I love going to the zoo! I’ve never been to this one though. It looks like you all had so much fun. I know my girls would have loved it there.
We love to go to the zoo!! The kids love to see all the animals when we go, it’s always talked about for weeks afterwards!
I love the zoo. It is a great place to make memories glad you guys got a chance to start a zoo tradition.
This zoo looks like it has so much to offer and was so much fun! My kids would love to take a visit here and explore everything.
What a fun time! I’ve only been to Chicago once and it was for business. I really hope to visit there for pleasure one day. My kids would love this.
Brookfield Zoo looks like a great place to spend the day with the kids. We always have fun when we go check out the animals.
My kids love to go to the Zoo. I would love to check out the Brookfield Zoo.
I think that will always be my favorite zoo, so you’re right. The memories I have there have lasted my whole life.
You guys look like you are having so much fun at the zoo. I love all the pictures at that you guys took.
This looks like a great Zoo. We love to go and learn all about the animals.