Brookfield Zoo – Travel Smart With Jodie

See the expansive Brookfield Zoo Chicago from a Ferris wheel

**Ferris Wheel at Brookfield Zoo (Photo by Jim Schulz/Brookfield Zoo Chicago**

Visitors to Brookfield Zoo Chicago can now get a sky-high view of the zoo from a Ferris wheel. Fully installed and available to zoo guests on March 15, the new attraction (open to the end of 2024) celebrates the zoo’s 90th anniversary.

Located east of the Roosevelt Fountain, it towers over the zoo at 110 feet. As the gondolas (there are two dozen of them) move around, guests will be able to see the animal habitats and gardens plus the Chicago skyline.

Plus, illuminated by 350,000 multicolored LED lights, the Ferris wheel can be seen from across the zoo as a location guide at night and during special events.

Rides take between 7 and 8 minutes and riders must be at least 3 feet tall with a supervised adult or 3½ feet tall with no supervision. Ticket cost is $8 per person (Zoo members $6).

To watch the Ferris wheel’s construction visit the video done by Brookfield Zoo Chicago.

The attraction took a year to manufacture in the Netherlands by Lamberink B.V. It was shipped in seven 40-foot containers to the United States which took about a month. Installation at the zoo was by Kissel Entertainment Company of Okeana, Ohio.

The original Ferris wheel was unveiled in Chicago during the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition (Chicago’s World Fair). Designed by George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. as an engineering marvel, it measured 264 feet high, rotated on a 71-ton, 45½-foot axle, and featured 36 gondolas, with a total capacity of 2,160.

About Brookfield Zoo Chicago. Opened July 1934, it is managed by the Chicago Zoological Society as a private nonprofit organization on 235 acres of Cook County Forest Preserves property in the Brookfield, IL suburb of Chicago. It is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 species. For hours, admission and more information, visit www.brookfieldzoo.org.

Brookfield Zoo Chicago main entrance is the North Gate at 8400 31st Street (1st Avenue and 31st Street), Brookfield, IL 60513.

Visit Chicago to see a zoo or travel by L or see it back in the Forties

This animal and others from the Hamill Family Wild Encounters section of Brookfield Zoo are in videos of Bringing the Animals to You. (Brookfield Zoo photo( — This animal and others from the Hamill Family Wild Encounters section of Brookfield Zoo are in videos of Bringing the Animals to You. (Brookfield Zoo photo)

Some Chicago institutions have put terrific videos on Facebook. Here are some videos sure to entertain and are worth sharing.

At Brookfield Zoo, the “Screaming Hairy Armadillo” sounds ferocious but be surprised by it and other zoo inmates. The zoo has several animal video visits on Facebook. Also check Bringing the Zoo to You..

Chicago Architecture Foundation uses First Lady for its river tour. (Photo courtesy of CAC)

The Chicago Architecture Center also has several good videos ranging from a WTTW Geoffrey Baer L visit and its architecture boat ride to an old film of the city in the 1940s.

Chicago’s ‘L,’ the nickname for the city’s elevated tracks (although not all are elevated,) takes riders through colorful neighborhoods.

It’s fun to see the trailer of the recently released documentary, “Geoffrey Baer’s Chicago” (WTTW). Find the trailer at the Chicago Architecture Center’s facebook page or go to Geoffrey Baer’s Chicago or WTTW-Chicago PBS or interactive WTTW.

Of course CAC is known for its Chicago River Cruise. So hop on board at this chiarchitecture/video.

Another good CAC site has a Metro Goldwyn Mayer film of Chicago in the 1940s. Go back in time to this chiarchitecture video site.

For youtube videos of the city visit Chicago Architecture Center/videos.

Enjoy!

Chicago summer zoo news

Of course Chicago is filled with places to go, many of which you can find at Choose Chicago for the day or week you will be in town.

But put one of its zoos, Lincoln Park or Brookfield, on the do list.

Lincoln Park Zoo

Founded in 1868, the zoo is a fun, free, destination in Lincoln Park, a grassy stretch of ponds, boats and conservatories along Lake Shore Drive just north of the city’s famed Magnificent Mile.

Go to Plan Your Visit to figure out all you want to do. Open 365 days a year, you can fit zoo attractions into half a day in this 35-acre zoo. But definitely visit the Regenstein Center for African Apes because a baby was born to Rollie, a western lowland gorilla on Mother’s Day.

The baby has joined the zoo’s group that also encompasses females Bana and Bahati and juveniles Bella, Nayembi and Patty. The newborn joins a troop of seven individuals, including adult females Bana and Bahati, and three juvenile females Bella, Nayembi, and Patty.

“It’s really amazing to see this family group grow and adapt,” said Curator of Primates Jill Moyse. “Lincoln Park Zoo’s last gorilla birth was in 2015 when the troop welcomed newborn Bella. It’s an exciting time to visit Regenstein Center for African Apes where you can see different life stages of the gorillas from newborn infant to full-grown silverback.”

Lincoln Park Zoo is at 2001 North Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614. For parking, hours, bus transportation and more information call (312) 742-2000 and visit LPZoo.

Brookfield Zoo

Brookfield Zoo is in the southern suburb of Brookfield. Opened in 1934 it is operated by the Chicago Zoological Society. A year-round destination it is open every day.

The zoo is so large you will need a whole day to see everything but if coming the summer of 2019, do stop to see Snowflake, a 16-year-old albino American alligator in The Swamp habitat that is visiting from Florida’s St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park where it returns in September.

According to Brookfield officials, albino alligators are extremely rare with only about 100 existing in the world. Easily subject to predators, they have ivory-white skin and pinkish eyes.

Brookfield is worth visiting even though it charges admission. General admission is adults: $21.95, seniors 65 and older $15.95 and children age 3 to 11 15.95. Deduct 1 $ in each category ordered online. For ticket information that covers special exhibits and online ordering visit CZS/tickets.

Parking for Brookfield Zoo, a 216-acre destination that includes several winding paths, fountains, eateries and gift shops, is at two gates: North Gate Main Entrance 8400 31st Street (1st Avenue and 31st Street), and South Gate Main Entrance 3300 Golf Rd, Brookfield, IL 60513 Visit Directions and CZS and Brookfield Zoo/Home for more information.

A Bearded Dragon and a Dracorex Hogwartsia visit Brookfield Zoo

You might expect a place that has exotic species to have interesting creatures you want to see, but dragons and dinosaurs?

A mythological creature has landed on a castle harboring a live dragon from today's world at Dinos & Dragons at Brookfield Zoo. Photo by Jodie Jacobs — A mythological creature has landed on a castle harboring a live dragon from today’s world at Dinos & Dragons at Brookfield Zoo. Photo by Jodie Jacobs

Brookfield Zoo, Chicago Zoological Society’s extraordinary suburban compound of more than 3,000 animals west of Chicago, opened “Dinos & Dragons” May 6 and will continue the exhibit through Sept. 17, 2017.

You start what turns out to be an excursion into dragon mythology, literature and reality in a tent where a live Komodo Dragon peers curiously back at you and a dragon (make that lizard) caretaker walks around holding maybe a Frilled Dragon from Australia or another lizard that doesn’t mind being touched.

The tented area is divided into themes – Medieval, Asian and Paleontology (study of prehistoric times using fossils).

“We’re connecting science and myth,” said André Copeland, Chicago Zoological Society’s Interpretive Programs Manager.

Visitors are first greeted by a fierce-looking dragon on top of a medieval, castle that holds a glassed space for one of the live dragon-named creature.

There are several more live specimens but near the tent exit is a large, Chinese structure with another live “dragon”.

“In European myths, knights slay dragons. In Asia, the dragon is a symbol of virtue,” said Copeland.

He suggested visitors note differences in the mythical creatures often lumped together as dragons by counting their limbs.

“A wyvern is a biped and is popular in Europe. A dragon has four limbs,” he said.

Youngsters will want to stop at the paleontology area to brush aside material covering fossils and a peek cutout for a photo.

The wonderful props, lizards and learning stations are a traveling exhibit provided by Louisville, KY based Build 4 Impact.

“People can see the real live dragons of today,” said Copeland.

A couple of Pteranodons guard a Brookfield Zoo nature trail where dinosaurs and dragons lurk. Brookfield Zoo photo

Next, as you leave from a back exit you might hear a roar. But you’re not afraid of dinosaurs and dragons that lived eons ago, right?

Instead of playing a game of Thrones, the signs suggest a game of Bones. One station asks “Are You Smarter than A Paleontologist?

Now, be ready for photos or a selfie in front of an Ankylosaur Gryphon, the Late Jurassic period’s Stegosaurus and Apatosaurus or the Late Cretaceous period’s T- Rex.

Stop at the Dinosaur Dissection Lab near the exhibitand then go over to the outdoor Stage-osaurus Theater west of Tropic World (weather permitting).

It’s a fun, informative exhibit, and yes, there are Harry Potter book references.

Details: Brookfield Zoo is at 8400 31st Street, Brookfield, Illinois. For information call (708) 688-8000 and visit CZS

Music, discussions and other activities celebrate King

Most schools will be closed Jan. 16. Government offices and banks will also be closed because the third Monday in January is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday honoring the great civil rights leader born Jan. 15, 1929 and assassinated April 4, 1968.

A Baptist minister, an organizer of the 1963 March on Washington where he gave his famed “I Have a Dream” speech and the 1964 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, King also worked with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to change segregated housing in Chicago in 1966.

Martin Luther King Jr monument in Washington D.C. Photo by Jodie Jacobs

Chicagoans may wonder what he would say now, half a century later, if he saw the violence that plagues some of the city’s neighborhoods.

The question might be discussed at some of the events this weekend, or Monday and during the week when several organizations celebrate his birth.

Here are some of the places to go for those celebrations.

Chicago History Museum

Lyric Unlimited, an outreach arm of the Chicago Lyric Opera, and the Chicago History Museum, is doing Chicago Voices TALK beginning at 5 p.m. Jan. 15 at the History Museum. The program includes panel discussions and gospel music.

While at the museum see civil rights artifacts. Check details at Chicago Voices TALK.

The History Museum is at 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago. Public admission $10, CHM members $5.

Brookfield Zoo

Zoo general admission is free Jan. 16. But also go to the Discovery Center for a noon musical celebration by the Chicago Metamorphosis Orchestra Project and the Shift’s Englewood Youth Orchestra. For information visit Brookfield Zoo.

The North Gate entrance is at 1st Avenue and 31st Street, Brookfield. The South Gate is at 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield.

Lincoln Park Zoo

The zoo holds day camps during school holidays. For Martin Luther King Jr. Day, preK through fourth grade camps are Jan. 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The theme is “All About Birds,” but camp groups will explore the zoo and have activities regarding animal diversity, conservation and how the zoo cares for animals. The youngsters will also learn interesting animal tidbits such as why hummingbirds build nests using spider webs.

Camp headquarters is the Judy Keller Education Center. Cost is $68 a camper ($58 zoo members). Visit zoo camp for more information.

Black Ensemble Theater

The theater hosts programs by the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago, 7 p.m., Jan. 19. There is also a pre-show reception 6 p.m. in the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural center

Go to see Sketch N’ Tyme, The Robbert Reddrick Trio, Alexis Rogers, Yahdina Udeen, Dawn Bless, Red Clay Dance and RIZE Youth Dance Company. The program is sponsored in part by the Driehaus Foundation and the Illinois Arts Council. Tickets are $12.

The Black Ensemble Theater is at 4450 N. Clark St., Chicago. Visit AAAAChicago for more information.

See more Martin Luther King Jr. Day options.

Three Chicago weekend family ideas

If still looking for something to do in the Chicago area this weekend here are some suggestions, beginning Friday.

Brookfield Zoo

Walk among more than a million twinkling lights, listen to a tall talking tree, watch ice carvers, ooh doing the Polar Light Show and ah during the magic show and sing to reindeer in Wild Encounters or bears in the Great Bear Wilderness at what is formally called the Chicago Zoological Society or what most Chicago folks call Brookfield Zoo.

The zoo is celebrating Holiday Magic this weekend, Dec. 17-18 from 10 a.m. through 9 p.m. but the lights, shows and other fun stuff don’t really begin until 4 p.m. The zoo is at 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513. For ticket and other information visit BZoo.

CTA Holiday and Elves Workshop Trains and the Holiday Bus

You can tell when the holiday trains are pulling into an L station because of all their colored lights. Oh, yes, you’ll also see Santa in his sleigh on a flatcar with his reindeer and holiday trees. The Elves Workshop train should be following shortly for those who didn’t make the Holiday Train. Inside, the trains are decorated for the holidays and equipped with candy canes to hand out.

On Dec. 17 The CTA Holiday Train will operate on the Red Line between 12:15 and 9 p.m. (two trips either direction, and the Purple Line from about 4:15 and 6 :16 p.m. Visit Holiday Train schedule.

The Holiday Bus will be traveling the No. 62 Archer route Dec. 16 going south from Kinzie and State at 1:15 p.m. and Dec. 17 going north at 12:25 p.m. from the Midway Orange Line to Kinzie and State See CTA holiday bus. You know it’s the holiday bus because “Ralphie the Reindeer” leads the way with his glowing, ruby-red nose. Once inside, you see Santa and art from Wacker Elementary and Santa. Find more information at Holiday Bus.

Juicebox Series Human Tim+Robot Tim

Bring your toddler to the Chicago Cultural Center Dec. 16 or the Garfield Park Conservatory Dec. 17 to watch Human tim and his robot friend make music. Both places are 11 to 11:45 a.m. The Cultural center is at 78 E. Washington St. downtown and the Conservatory is on the west side of Chicago at 300 N. Central Avenue. Both places are reached by CTA trains.. Visit Juicebox .