Take a walk on the wild side with a trip to Brookfield. Home to the largest zoo in the Chicago area, Brookfield is a family-friendly village that has all the makings of a good time: great restaurants, fun shopping, easy access to nature and even a massive arcade!
Start your trip with some animal action at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, home to more than 3,500 different animals representing over 500 different species. Find your new favorite animal as you stroll along the zoo’s beautifully landscaped paths that take you from enclosure to enclosure. You can also get some quality time with some of the animals and those who take care of them with the zoo’s animal encounters, where you can watch – and even help – animal care specialists feed penguins, otters, sharks, flamingoes, giraffes and more! Your little ones will love playing in the Hamill Family Play Zoo, which has interactive exhibits and fun learning activities. And don’t forget to catch the dolphin show!
Keep your nature day going with a hike or bicycle ride on the Salt Creek Trail System, a mix of paved and unpaved paths that run along the zoo, the Des Plaines River and Salt Creek, or check out Galloping Ghost Arcade, which has almost 1,000 games and is open 365 days a year.
All that fun will make you work up an appetite, so grab a bite at Irish Times, an award-winning pub famous for its shepherd’s pie, great patio, Irish spirit and cozy atmosphere. Don’t forget to grab something sweet from Fill My Jar, an artisan candy and chocolate shop.
Adventure awaits you in Brookfield.
