The Philips Park Zoo in Aurora, Illinois is a free zoo to the public. It’s very tiny, but is sandwiched between a park and a splash pad, as well as the nearby golf course and waterpark. This zoo is nice for toddlers as it’s small enough to let them walk around the whole time. Be careful though – the terrain is uneven and it’s a bit hilly.
Highlights:
- Reptile House – this is the highlight of the zoo! The house includes two alligators, several turtles, and many snakes, along with other small aquariums
- Elk – When you walk in the main entrance, there’s a pod with a deck overlooking it. The elk are usually visible on the far end of the pond
- Otters – these playful animals can be found when you come in the back entrance to the zoo near the splash pad, and when visible are fun to watch
Lows:
- Bigger animals can be harder to see – I’ve been here several times, and have yet to see the cougar or the wolves, as they’re often hiding in the shade; as mentioned above sometimes the elk are difficult to see as well
- Terrain – mentioned in the opening comments, while I like letting my kids walk here without a stroller I wish the terrain was a little more steady so I wouldn’t have to worry about bumps and scrapes on the blacktop
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