Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
a weekend, buy tickets to the dolphin show at least a couple of hours
before the one you plan to attend, because they tend to sell out
quickly.
The
Hamill Family Play Zoo
is a wonderful stop for kids. They
not only get to pet animals but can also build habitats, learn how to
plant a garden, and even play animal dress-up. The only catch: the
separate admission fee ($3.50 adults, $2.50 children). Allow 3 hours.
First Ave. and 31st St., Brookfield.
&
708/485-0263.
www.brookfieldzoo.org.
Admission $10 adults, $6 seniors and children 3-11, free for children 2 and under.
Parking $8. Free admission Tues and Thurs Oct-Feb. Memorial Day-Labor Day daily
9:30am-6pm (Sun until 7:30pm); fall-spring daily 10am-5pm. Bus: 304 or 311. Take
the Stevenson (I-55) and Eisenhower (I-290) expressways 14 miles west of the Loop.
8 Kid Stuff
Chicago Children's Museum
Located on tourist-filled
Navy Pier, this museum is one of the most popular family attractions
in the city. The building has areas especially for preschoolers as well
as for children up to age 10, and several permanent exhibits allow
kids a maximum of hands-on fun.
Dinosaur Expedition
re-creates
an expedition to the Sahara, allowing kids to experience camp life,
conduct scientific research, and dig for the bones of
Suchomimus,
a
Saharan dinosaur discovered by Chicago paleontologist Paul Sereno
(a full-scale model stands nearby). There's also a
three-level
schooner
that children can board for a little climbing, from the
crow's nest to the gangplank;
PlayMaze,
a toddler-scale cityscape
with everything from a gas station to a city bus that children under
5 can touch and explore; and an
arts-and-crafts area
where visitors
can create original artwork to take home. Allow 2 to 3 hours.
Navy Pier, 700 E. Grand Ave.
&
312/527-1000.
www.chichildrensmuseum.org.
Admission $8 adults and children, $7 seniors. Free admission Thurs 5-8pm. Mon-Fri
10am-5pm (Thurs until 8pm); Sat 10am-8pm; Sun 10am-5pm. Closed Thanksgiving
and Dec 25. Bus: 29, 65, or 66. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand; transfer to city bus or
Navy Pier's free trolley bus.
Kids
Lincoln Park Pritzker Children's Zoo & Farm-in-the-Zoo
After hours of looking at animals from afar in the rest of
Lincoln Park Zoo, kids can come here to get up close and personal.
Unlike many other children's zoos, there are no baby animals at the
Pritzker Children's Zoo;
instead, the outdoor habitats feature
wildlife of the North American woods, including wolves, beavers,
and otters. Although there are a few interactive displays outside,
most kids head inside to the Treetop Canopy Climbing Adventure,
a 20-foot high wood-and-fabric tree (encased in soft safety netting)
Value
Kids
