As we neared the end of our stay in Milwaukee, I decided to take the kids to the zoo. It was a little bit overcast at the start of the day, but it warmed up nicely!
The Milwaukee Zoo is spread over 200 wooded acres, and houses over 2500 animals. This is not a small outing. I would highly recommend strollers, even if your child has recently decided that strollers are for chumps. The loop around the zoo is long, and at times, hilly. Even the allure of their favorite animal may not be enough to curtail the complaints and whines.
Adult admission will cost you $11.75 in the off-season (November-March) and $14.25 during the warmer months. Children three and up are charged $8.75 and $11.25, respectively. Seniors get in for $10.25, and $13.25. Children two and under are free.
This zoo is part of the Reciprocal Program under the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. For more information on this program, visit our Resources page.
This was a nice break. For the three of us, we only had to pay the adult admission, and parking ($12)
I have to say this was a very nice zoo. It took quite a while to get around to see the whole thing, and in retrospect, I would recommend to start at the Northwest Mutual Family Farm (with playground, barnyard, and dairy barn, etc). We made a brief attempt at playing on the playground when we came across it late in our visit, but after both Z and G were pushed/kicked down a slide by children who were clearly unsupervised, I decided it was not in the cards for us.
Another attraction that we didn’t try (but wish we had!) was the train. I bet you’re surprised by that one! It simply took us too long to get all the way around, and I needed to get the kids in for their car naps. I believe it’s worth mentioning again just how expansive this zoo is. While you are walking the loop, you will come across a lot of wooded sections that don’t seem to be used for animals. I’m not sure if they are leaving room open for new exhibits, or if it is simply being preserved as is, but I had to wonder if the animals could have been arranged a little more evenly!
There is also a ropes course of sorts that looked really fun, but it was closed while we were there.
On our way out, we stopped by the cafe to grab a quick lunch. The duo shared a grilled cheese, some fruit, and some yogurt. The healthy options left a little bit to be desired.
Overall, we really enjoyed the Milwaukee Zoo. It may not have been our favorite Zoo visit to date, but it was large, with terrific viewing areas, and quite the assortment of animals!