New York City is the most populous city in the United States and is known for its completely aligned skyscrapers. It is also the world’s most developed urban center having a wide range of wildlife and marine life. You can spend a perfect day out with your family and kids by starting from Bronx Zoo to the Central Park Zoo.
Did you ever think of seeing a giraffe in the Bronx or a seal in Manhattan? New York City zoos offer families and kids to experience close-up interaction with animals from all over the world. There are plenty of zoos in NYC for different ages of children, attraction, attention, and interest.
Top Zoos Of New York
The top zoos of New York City provide a wide range of experiences with wildlife and marine life. We will be mentioning the top zoos in NYC.
Bronx Zoo
Bronx Zoo is the largest zoo in NYC and spans more than 250 acres. There are 750 species in the zoo for display. Seeing all of the 750 species is not possible in a day. A couple of days are required to see all of the 750 species. The animal habitats are organized in a geographical species and location. You will be seeing Lions in the African Plains and Gorillas in Congo Gorilla Forest and Leopards in the Himalayan Highlands.
Apart from this, there are monkeys, giraffes, tigers, and other wildlife animals. Bronx Zoo offers your kids to experience their favorite species in this epic and famous NYC destination. If you or your kid wants to have hands-on experience, then the Children’s Zoo offers a tamer who can help you for a better and close-up experience with animals.
Little ones can experience close interaction with sheep, goats, and donkeys. Also, there is a 4-D theater that gives a natural and epic bird-eye view of the zoo. The children as young as 3 can climb the elevated tunnels and see the zoo attractions from the treetops. Kids ranging from age 7 and up can go to Treetop Adventure and enjoy a zipline over a river.
You can visit the zoo on Wednesday and get free general admission. There are total experience tickets for different attractions such as 4-D Theater, Children’s Zoo, Treetop Adventure, etc.
Prospect Park Zoo
If your kids are not that much animal enthusiast, the Prospect Park Zoo is a manageable and fun destination for families with kids. As compared to Bronx Zoo, you will not find exotic animals but there are tons of fun things to do at this NYC gem. For example, The Discovery Trail is a shady and winding path that goes through animal habitats. There are interactive games for the kids such as the climbable spider web.
Bring a quarter to feed the red pandas and ducks in the pond. There are farm animals in the Kid’s Zoo where your kids can have hands-on experience by interacting and feeding them. Sealion show cannot be missed. If you are having more time, then you can visit Prospect Park Carousel for a spin.
Staten Island Zoo
One of the greatest destinations in NYC for family fun is only a stone’s throw from Manhattan and Brooklyn. Staten Island not only offers a great beach, Children’s Museum, hiking trails, but also a fantastic zoo that makes it worth a trip to Staten Island. You can visit Staten Island by car, bus, or ferry. The 300 different species in the zoo make it more interesting when you get to see kangaroos, birds of prey, and leopards.
Experiencing 300 different species sounds a timely thing to do, there is a café on the grounds between the attractions. Also, there is a covered pavilion where you can rest and have snacks on the picnic tables. The Conservation Carousel features 25 hand-carved endangered species for the kids to ride on. There is free admission on Wednesdays after 2 pm.
Queens Zoo
It is the zoo that focuses on North American animals. There are bears, bison, pumas, and elk that live together in the Queens Zoo. Take your kids down the Animal Trail and explore Aviary that features the dome from the 1964 World’s Fair. The sea lions perform for the visitors in intervals throughout the day. Take quarters with you, the Petting Zoo for Kids allows feeding the animals.
If you have more energy and time, then visit the playground near the petting zoo, so that your kids can do some monkeying around. One of the eight playgrounds is having Jurassic and Triassic dino-themed jungle gyms. The Wheel Fun Rentals will give you bikes, pedal boats, or surreys to pedal around Meadow Lake. Want to stay on foot? Take a hike on Willow Lake Trail.
Take a tour to Queens Botanical Garden where there are jam-packed events throughout the year. Also, smell the cherry blossoms in mid-April at Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival. It includes Japanese performances and music.
Central Park Zoo
Central Park was created for teeming the masses of Manhattan, covering 843-acre with woodlands, lakes, meadows, and wildlife. Central Park Zoo gets 40 million visitors annually. The 21 playgrounds of Central Park Zoo make it the best fun destination for families and kids from all over the world and city. The crash course in climates is offered by the zoo where you can see everything from snow leopards and snow monkeys to poison dart frogs and grizzly bears.
The Tisch Children’s Zoo, for the little ones, is a perfect pit stop adjacent to the main zoo. You can follow the winding trail through whimsical forest and kids can get hands-on experience while interacting with animals and feedings them. Bring a lot of quarters for animal feed. Watch hippos, bears, and goats at George Delacorte Musical Clock that serenades the visitors with a variety of nursery rhymes.
Fuel up at the Dancing Crane Café. Also, catch or release the fish in Harlem Meer for free. Go to the highest point of the park that is Great Hill. Enjoy the gentle and sloping lawn with American elm trees. Kids who have watched or read the Stuart Little, remember the place where the boat race took place. It was done in the Conservatory Water. You can also rent a boat from the stand behind the pool.
New York Aquarium
The 14-acres occupied aquarium on Coney Island, New York is having 350 marine species and 18 sharks and ray species. People buzz about the Shark Exhibit at New York Aquarium. There is a glass tunnel through which the visitors can walk to experience ocean life on all sides.
Don’t rush through any part because there will be a lot of highlights and marine life experience. There will be tons of fish, a squadron of pelicans, playful otters, and vocal sea lions. Aqua Theatre displays the sea lion show. Before visiting New York Aquarium, check the weather, because many marine animals live outside like penguins, California sea lions, sea otters, harbor seals, etc.
Verdict
All of these zoos in New York are worth visiting and fun things to do in New York. Families with kids tend to visit these zoos because of different attractions available there make it a fun time for the kids. If you visit these zoos more often, then you should be getting a membership to save extra charges.