Best Zoo in Lyons

"The Lincoln Park Zoo is a free family-friendly Chicago attraction and home to hundreds of animals, birds, plants and endangered species from around the globe. Visitors can explore animal exhibits and houses such as the Flamingo Habitat, the Nature Boardwalk, the McCormick Bird House, the Helen Brach Primate House and the Kovler Sea Lion Pool. The venue also serves as a conservation science and research center, and hosts educational programs and workshops that are open to the public."

"For its part, Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the oldest in the United States. It was established in 1868, yet has been continuously updated and is amongst the most contemporary in terms of education, recreation and conservation. The zoo is unique in that it offers an intimate setting that allows visitors a closer look at the animals than most sprawling zoo settings."

"A Metra train ride out to the suburb of Brookfield, this zoo is in 216 acres of green parkland and boasts more than 450 species. The Brookfield Zoo made waves when it opened in 1934 as it pioneered the use of moats and ditches instead of cages, and was also the first in America to have giant pandas. One of the most recent additions is the Great Bear Wilderness, letting you get within inches of North Americas mightiest carnivores."

"An alternative to Lincoln Park is Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo, located in the nearby western suburb of (you guessed it) Brookfield. Brookfield Zoo is spread out over 200 acres and offers larger, cage-less exhibits such as Tropic World, a massive indoor habitat with three distinct environments, filled with primates from around the globe. 1st Avenue and 31st Street, Brookfield, Ill., 708-688-8000."

"Spend a day at Chicagoland’s largest zoo and meet some of the world’s most charming and fascinating creatures. This 216-acre nature parks is filled with a wide variety of animals, plants, and even an animal-themed carousel – so your kids will find plenty to enjoy. Don’t forget to take a ride on the Motor Safari tram, explore the “Great Bear Wilderness,” and pop into the “Butterflies!"

"Lincoln Park Zoo is a renowned 35-acre zoo in Lincoln Park and a hotspot for tourists. It’s the zoo’s pavilion, designed to provide shelter for open-air on-site classes, that offers such a fantastically picturesque snap. With the design drawing inspiration from the appearance of a tortoise’s shell, the stunning curved wooden pavilion elegantly frames the Chicago skyline."

"The Regenstein Center for African Apes is also part or rather an extension of the Lincoln Park Zoo, where the visitors can come close to the apes, chimpanzees and the gorillas that have found their home there. It is home to some of the endangered species of western lowland gorillas as well as chimpanzees and exists to provide with the most realistic looking environment for them to live in comfortably. Location: 2058-2156 N Cannon Dr, Chicago, IL 60614, USATimings: 10 AM to 5 PMEntry Fees : –"

"The Helen Brach Primate House is yet another extension of the Lincoln Park Zoo and is home to primates of varying shapes, sizes and colour. The area is made in a way to imitate the natural habitat for the primates to make them feel safe and familiar at the place that they are residing in. It was opened back in 1927 which finally underwent an extensive renovation in the year 1992."

"According to La Boulangerie owner Vincent Colombet, the canelé is in his blood. After all, it's one of the most celebrated traditional sweets of his home region of Bordeaux, where, he says, it's not an everyday staple, but rather a special-occasion treat. Though he believes his background gives his version (which is prepared in his central cooking facility on Elston) an edge over those of his peers, still he finds it challenging to produce an exact replica of the canelé of his youth, largely because the rum commonly used in Bordeaux is difficult to source in his adopted city."

"La Boulangerie found on W Logan Blvd boasts a whole range of baking specialties. There are usually 11 staple macaron flavors on offer, with others coming and going based on the season. Currently, flavors include mint chocolate, dark chocolate hazelnut, lemon poppy seed, raspberry, and lavender chocolate."

"If you’re still trying to diet in this pandemic, well you should definitely avoid following Stan’s Donuts & Coffee’s Instagram, because one look at their photos will completely override any self discipline you thought you had. More importantly, Stan’s has the flavor to back it up. Featured flavors include: Biscoff Banana Pockets, Glazed Pretzels, Lemon-Pistachio Old Fashioneds, and their new Caramel Marshmallow Pockets."

"There are regular doughnuts and then there are doughnuts topped with sprinkles and filled with bananas and Nutella, and Stan's specializes in the latter."

"Launched by a husband and wife duo, Sweet Spot Macarons was the first business to bring a macaron truck to Chicago, and maybe, as claimed, the world. Each macaron has a flaky shell holding together a chewy center of flavor. Now, the pair will even take requests on where they travel to next via their email address, hello@sweetspotmacarons.com."

"Restaurants Ice cream parlors Logan Square. The Freeze is a vintage time warp, and while there aren’t nearly as many locations of the fast food restaurant (formerly known as Tastee Freez) as once dotted Chicago (there were dozens), you can still find one in Logan Square. Waffle and sugar cones are filled with a high peak of soft serve and dipped in throwback flavors like butterscotch, cotton candy and peanut butter."

"Logan SquareSoft serve piled high and burgers served hot top the bill at this retro Logan Square drive-in. Formerly known as Tastee Freez and dating to 1950, The Freeze is a go-to spot that often draws long lines of customers encircling it during the warmer months. If you like your ice cream served velvety smooth and topped with a heaping dose of nostalgia, it’s hard to beat any order here."

"Restaurants Ice cream parlors Lower West Side. No summer bucket list is complete without a trip to Pilsen to visit La Michoacana Premium, Chicago's premiere paletería. Upon entering this cheerful shop, you'll be pulled to the display case, which is jam-packed with dozens of paletas in flavors like blackberry, kiwi-strawberry and creamy pistachio."

"This Mexican ice cream shop and its colorful paletas are a total must-try. La Michoacana’s extensive options, ranging all the way from tangy Michelada to creamy strawberry, will have you coming back and back again for more!. The shop also sells tangy mangoneadas, with blended mango sorbet, diced fresh fruit, lime juice and Tajin chili powder, another incredible option for cooling down in the hot summer weather!"

"There are a few La Michoacanas in Chicago, but the location we really like is in Pilsen. It has a drive-thru (much appreciated this year), the staff is friendly, and they have great paletas and regular ice cream. The treats here are very sweet, perfect for when you want a dessert that tastes like dessert because not everyone wants their treats to taste like goat cheese or earl grey tea."