With more than 1 million twinkling LED lights, Brookfield Zoo’s Holiday Magic is Chicagoland’s largest lights festival. In addition, it’s most likely the only place you’ll encounter a 41-foot talking tree. Besides the chatty evergreen, you’ll find a 20-foot-lit orb you can stand inside and snap a memorable holiday photo. Guests of all ages can play the Game of Gnome, a fun-filled scavenger hunt with 27 whimsical and enchanting themed gnomes located throughout the park.

Covering just over 3-acres, Brookfield Zoo’s Hamill Family Wild Encounters features unforgettable hands-on experiences that include opportunities to touch and feed animals. Purchase seed sticks and play feeder to hundreds of colorful parakeets that happily land on your hand, watch the kids giggle as goats nibble on their shoelaces and experience the friendliness of wallabies as they welcome you into their enclosure. The Hamill Family Play Zoo is currently closed but goat feeding is available.

Home to more than 2,000 animals, Brookfield Zoo sits within a 216-acre nature park. The zoo hosts seasonal events and offers unforgettable experiences, from dolphin shows to a chance to handfeed a wallaby.

Home to over 2,000 animals, Brookfield Zoo – also an accredited arboretum – is a stellar option if you’re looking for something fun to do with the kids while visiting Chicago. From butterflies to bears, wolves to orangutans, there’s an eclectic mix of weird and wonderful creatures. And for a more interactive experience, there are unique installations, along with a play zoo for children under the age of 11.