Directions: The Milwaukee County Zoo is located next to I-94. From I-94, take the Hwy 100 exit and head north. Turn right onto Blue Mound Road. The zoo is on your right. Insider tip: To avoid the $9 parking fee, you can park free along Blue Mound Road or on side roads, but arrive early because the spots fill up fast.
Hours and Phone: The Milwaukee County Zoo is open 365 days a year from 9 am to 5 pm May 1 through September 30 Monday through Saturday. Summer hours for Sunday and holidays is 9 am to 6 pm. Winter hours (October 1 through April 30) are from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Insider tip: The small mammal buildings open at 10 am and close an hour to a half hour before the end of the closing day. Free Zoo Days are held throughout the year during the off season but they can get very crowded by lunch time. Phone: 414-771-3040
Entrance Fees and Ride Fees: There is a fee for parking and for each passenger in your vehicle, depending on age. Milwaukee County residents get reduced ticket prices. The cost in summer 2007 is $10.50 for an adult, $7.50 for a child, and $9.00 for parking. There are many different attractions inside the zoo that have additional fees. The train ride is $2.50 for adults and $1.50 for children. The carousel is $2.00 a ride. Adults with children under 42 inches of height can stand next to their child for free on the carousel. Insider tip: on the busiest days, head to the train and carousel at noon while everyone else is having lunch. The lines are much shorter then. The new sky ride, called Sky Safari, is $2.50 a person and runs along the west side of the Asian animals exhibit. Camel rides and pony rides are $4.00 each and are on opposite sides of the Big Cat area. The Zoomobile is a great way to see the zoo without having to do any walking. Ride this tram for $1.50 if you're an adult, and just $1.00 for kids. The ride is approximately 25 minutes long.
Animals: At the main entrance you will find the penguins in front of you and the train and carousel to your left. Also to your left and inside the train route is all the main outdoor exhibits, including the African and Asian animals, the Australian animals, and the North American animals. And only in Wisconsin does a zoo host a whole farm. There are dairy cows, pigs, horses, rabbits, and goats, plus a play area. If you headed right from coming in the main entrance, you found the housed exhibits, including the Aviary (bird house), Primates and Apes, Special Exhibits Building (housing sting rays and sharks in 2007), Aquatic and Reptile Center, and Small Mammals building.
Food: There are food stands scattered all over the zoo. From pretzels, popcorn, and vending machines to a dairy store with ice cream treats and the remodeled Lakeview Place and many others. Insider tip: The cheapest choice for lunch is to pack your own. Enjoy it down by Lake Evinrude. Just be sure to pick up after yourself. Feeding the animals, and that includes geese and other hovering fowl, will merit you a $500 fine.
Gifts: Two gift shops flanked the entrance (and exit) of the zoo, and gift carts are scattered all over. Choose a stuffed toy from about any animal you can think of. Carts all around the park offer similar souvenirs, and the ever popular mold-a-ramas can be found throughout.
Smoking is now prohibited in the zoo except for in designated areas.
For other Milwaukee area activities for children, see the Daniel M. Soref Planetarium review or check out Discovery World or Betty Brinn Children's Museum.
To visit a free zoo in Wisconsin, see the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison.
