Zoo Amenities
Peacock Cafe
Are you as hungry as a lion? Then be sure to stop by our Zoo Concession Stand, located at the Northwest corner of the zoo. Whether you're looking for a quick lunch or just a snack, you can choose from:
- Hamburgers
- Cheese Burgers
- Hot Dogs
- Nachos
- Popcorn
- Ice Cold Drinks
- Candy
- Pretzels
- Ice Cream Bars
Tree House Gift Shop
Conveniently located at the admission/exit gate for your first or last stop of the day, Tree House gift shop. The store hours are 10:00am to 4:30pm daily.
The shop offers a wide variety of merchandise that appeals to all ages, including T-shirts, film, blown ostrich eggs, jewelry, plush toys and much more.
Your purchase helps support the zoo and our animals.
Observation Tower
The observation tower sits on top of a sand dune east of the Zoo and overlooks Lake Michigan. A Works Progress Administration project from the 1930s, the stone lookout tower was designed by Fred Ahlgrim in an Art Deco style. The tower is a creation of a steel railroad tower faced with limestone and is the roof is topped with a spherical ornament reported to be a compression chamber from the city's first fire engine.
The tower can be visited through the Washington Park Zoo entrance during regular zoo hours. From the top balconies there is a spectacular view, which is about 220 steps above street level.
Safari Train
Deep in the heart of the Zoo is the new Safari train for kids. Separate Admission: $ 3.00 per ride.
