Planning on visiting St. Louis and Chicago the third week of May. Which zoo would be the most interesting and easiest to get to? We would probably just spend the afternoon there. Both of us are adults and would be interested in unique exhibits, not just typical stuff you see in every zoo.

ok i am biased but i love lincoln park zoo in chicago. the lakefront location can't be beat and the surroundings are so pretty. plus perhaps by the time you get here, the new gorilla habitat should be open. i can't wait to see it myself. there was an article in the chicago tribune a couple of weeks ago about the the new gorilla habitat and the zoo hired experienced (human) climbers to test the surroundings out to see if anyone could escape and lo & behold, the habitat could be escaped from 3 different areas. so they are continuing their design. best of all, the zoo is free!

http://www.lpzoo.com/index_2.html

have fun!

As much as I like the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago and it's lakefront setting, if you have a car, head out to Brookfield, about a 1/2 hour outside of Chicago. Brookfield can also be reached by public transportation. I think the exhibits, including Tropic World and the Australia exhibit, at Brookfield are better.

I was just at LPZ, the new African ape center is not open yet and the gorillas and chimpanzees are not currently at the zoo. It is scheduled to reopen in May but since the enclosure is not secure, who knows?

One big advantage the St. Louis Zoo has is that it is FREE! Why not go to the St. Louis Zoo AND the zoo of your choice in Chicago? Check out each zoo's web site and find the uniqueness that appeals to you the most. We love going to zoo's in different cities and though not all are thrilling overall, each seems to have something "unique". Have fun!

Lincoln Park Zoo is also free whereas I think Brookfield is about $12 per adult.

The Lincoln Park Zoo certainly is more convenient if you are staying downtown. You can get there by taxi, bus or el (a few blocks of walking at the end). You will have to drive or take a commuter train to get to the Brookfield Zoo.

The Brookfield Zoo is much larger and has some nice exhibits and other aspects, such as a dolphin show. It is a bit on the pricy side though. I took my daughter and two young nephews a few weeks ago. With admission, extras (things like petting zoo and dolphin show have surcharges), parking, lunch and a few goodies at the gift shop, I ended up spending over $100.

Both have websites if you want to get a feel for what they offer.