There's no shortage of options to entertain your family if you're visiting Chicago with kids who love animals. Shedd Aquarium is both exciting and educational for kids, with fun interactive displays, live shows, play zones, and exhibits on marine life around the world. Brookfield Zoo is a vast, 216-acre nature park in Chicagoland that's home to hundreds of different animals, a fun motor safari tram, a huge butterfly world, and the Family Play Zoo where you can dress up as zookeepers or furry friends. Closer to downtown, historic Lincoln Park Zoo has exotic creatures like red pandas, snow monkeys, leopards, a classic carousel, and other fun rides.
A ride for kids of all ages is the Navy Pier's Centennial Wheel, which gives fantastic city views topped only by heading up to 360 Chicago on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Tower on Michigan Avenue. For a different perspective of Chicago, hop on board the Tall Ship Windy at Navy Pier and enjoy great city views from Lake Michigan aboard an authentic 4-mast schooner. Kids can even join in and hoist the sails themselves!
The world-class Chicago Children's Museum has hands-on, interactive displays and exhibits, including the popular ""Dinosaur Expedition"" where kids can join an archaeological dig and explore a real fossil pit. The Adler Planetarium lets kids have the feeling of going to outer space without even leaving Chicago, and LEGOLAND Chicago is a toy wonderland with life-sized LEGO displays, interactive areas, and a 4D theatre.