| BROOKFIELD ZOO | LINCOLN PARK ZOO | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 216 acres | 49 acres |
| Price | At $22 for adults, $16 for kids, and $14 for parking, the whole trip can easily top $100. | Free — but they nail you with parking (as much as $35). |
| Star Creatures | Seven bottlenose dolphins | A troop of chimpanzees |
| Skyline View | Does the Brookfield water tower count? | A skyscraper tableau, best seen from the boardwalk |
| Snacks | Churros, hot dogs, soft pretzels — the usual zoo fare | All that stuff, plus kale salads, calamari, and Cuban panini at Café Brauer |
| Odds you’ll have to explain the circle of life | High. PETA sued the zoo last year over the accidental deaths of 54 stingrays in 2015. | Low. There was a bad run in the mid-2000s, including three elephant deaths, but things have calmed down. |
| Can you touch the penguins? | Yes ($40 per person, Penguin Encounters) | No ($60 per person, Malott Family Penguin Encounter) |
| WINNER Brookfield. It may not be as highbrow, but your kids will dig its massive menagerie (c’mon, dolphins!) — and you’ll get your steps in. |
||