My bestie, Jamie, and I decided we would go to Brookfield Zoo with our families for Mother’s Day this year. Both of our families are fairly early risers and like to get moving in the morning so we figured we’d get an early start. We found out though that the zoo doesn’t open until 10:00 a.m. So, we decided to leave early anyway and stop for a late breakfast on the way up there. We stopped at Cracker Barrel at the Weber Road exit but found the wait was going to be 1-1 1/2 hours. So, we drove down the street to McDonald’s with a playland. The kids were quite pleased with the choice. We left there about 9:30 and arrived at Brookfield Zoo at 10:00.

We haven’t been to Brookfield Zoo very many times and each time I go I realize why. With 3 young kids, it is hard to see the whole zoo. I felt like we were skipping exhibits and it felt necessary because the kids were wiped out. If we weren’t with our friends, I’m not sure how much I would have actually enjoyed the day. We added on the dolphin show to our entrance fee and went to the 11:30 show. It was a nice show with music, commentary, and the dolphins were fun to watch. The show at Shedd Aquarium is better, but this one was still good. Overall, if you want to see animals and don’t mind walking, you could have a great time. If you have small children, a smaller zoo could offer the same or better experience. The kids had a good time, the adults had good conversation, and we didn’t lose anyone, so it was a good day!