Brookfield Zoo

Just a short ride along the BNSF Metra line from Chicago’s Union Station, Brookfield Zoo will make you think you’ve landed in San Diego. This huge campus is home to an impressive variety of species including big cats, primates, and ocean dwellers. More so than the Lincoln Park Zoo, Brookfield gives visitors tons of opportunities to get up close and personal with the animals. The bear exhibit, which includes two polar bears and two grizzly bears, has a viewing window underground into their swimming pool, where you can watch them lazily enjoy their mid afternoon swim from literally inches away. Consistently rated one of the top ten zoos in the States, Brookfield is a great excuse to escape the city to the suburbs for the day.