Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

Lincoln Park Zoo occupies 14 hectares in Lincoln Park on Chicago's North Side, bordering Lake Michigan roughly 5 kilometers north of the Loop. The zoo has operated since 1868, making it one of the oldest in the country, and is one of the few remaining free-admission zoos in the United States. The Regenstein Center for African Apes houses a family group of western lowland gorillas and chimpanzees in naturalistic indoor and outdoor habitats. The zoo's Nature Boardwalk, a restored prairie ecosystem around a 1.2-hectare pond, opened in 2010. is just one of many options in Chicago. Major attractions worth considering include 360 Chicago Observation Deck (Formerly John Hancock Observatory), Adler Planetarium, and Chicago River.