A Socially Distanced Visit to Lincoln Park Zoo

Today, Liz and I ran out to Home Depot for some supplies. We had scheduled an in-store pickup, but then realized we had a few more things we needed to get in-person.

On our way home, we decided to swing by Lincoln Park Zoo. Given the cold and the outdoor nature of the zoo, we decided to park and go for a bit of a stroll.

Translation: we wanted to go see the seals. And by we, I mean Liz.

On walking towards the entrance: everything felt surreal, given how infrequently we’ve gone out. Or really, given how infrequently we’ve left the house this last year.

On arriving at the entrance, we were told we needed reservations. Nothing more than a formality, as it was still a free process – but I guess the zoo needed some way to restrict/enforce a limit on the number of folks attending.

We stepped to one side, played on our phones for a minute, and then had some QR codes for the guard to scan.

While the zoo itself was open, none of the buildings were accessible. And there were indicators everywhere, encouraging people to maintain their distance, and to encourage the movement of crowds down certain paths.

Liz, on the lookout.

While everyone inside had on masks, I still felt incredibly uncomfortable around other people. At several points, people came right next to us and I instinctively moved away a few more feet.

While it was nice to be outside, I still felt very wary.

Japanese macaques. A little hard to see, given how well their fur blends in… but there’s a small little baby there, in the middle.

On our way out, another stop by the Seal Pool. For the most part, everyone swam by underwater… but every so often, we’d see one of the seals surface briefly.

To be under the sun directly – to be out in the fresh air, what a novelty. On this last day of 2020, here’s looking at a new year with, one hopes, better days ahead.

Related:
A Brief Visit to Lincoln Park Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo with the Hutte Family
Wedding Reception Recon: Lincoln Park Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo (2006)