North Avenue Beach

A Lincoln Park history museum next to the zoo and conservatory, with free admission for children under 12 and accessible restrooms.

A boutique hotel in Old Town, near Lincoln Park Zoo, with free cribs and mini-fridges in some rooms.

Bold, geometric equipment with a big twisted climbing net and monkey bars for older kids, and its own area for toddlers.

A 40-plus-year Lincoln Park pizza tavern with a dog-friendly patio, casual and walk-in friendly for families.

A free zoo where a toddler can pet a goat in the barn one minute and climb a play treehouse the next, with no ticket line to manage in between.

Old-school burger and shake joint with a relaxed feel, across the street from the zoo.