Central Park Zoo/ Bronx Zoo
I’ve been trying to plan an itinerary for a week long trip from 22nd- 29th August and was thinking of going to Bronx zoo for a day and then heading over to the Yankee stadium in the evening.
Is it worth spending a day at Bronx zoo or would it be a waste of time with so much else to do in the city?
I was also wondering, if we were to visit a zoo, if Bronx is the best one to go to or if Central Park zoo would be a better option?
The Bronx zoo is much larger. I’d say it depends on how much you like zoos, who’s going and perhaps the weather. I’d think all day at the Bronx zoo followed by a baseball game would be really tiring, esp. if it were very hot. The NY Botanic Gardens is across from the zoo so it would be easy to make a day of it. The Central Park zoo can be done in an hour or so.
Agree with NY Whiz on which zoo— You could spend a few hours at the zoo, i went all the time when i lived in The Bronx, and really enjoy it in 3-4 hrs.I dont know how much you could endure, but if youve got the time then go to Botanical-After that Id take the bus and head on over to Arthur ave, which is maybe a 15 minute safe bus ride from the zoo/bot gardens and have the best Italian meal in the city–there are lots of really good spots there, do a google search on best arthur ave restaurants–have an early dinner then head over to Yankee Stadium–use hopstop.com to ge there or just grab a cab
Thank you all very much for your replies!
It sounds like Bronx Zoo will be the one we go for 🙂
New York Aquarium Coney Island Brooklyn
The shark exhibit at New York Aquarium is probably the most popular among visitors, and for good reason. Opened in the summer of 2018, this exhibit allows visitors to walk through a glass tunnel and be surrounded by ocean life on all sides. The immersive experience is unquestionably one of the New York Aquarium highlights, so don’t rush through because there’s plenty to see along the way. In addition to the sharks, see tons of fish, playful otters, and some very vocal sea lions, who will all be jockeying for your attention. Not to be overshadowed, though, is the Spineless, which opened in 2020, and the brand new PlayQuarium, an indoor play space and touch tank experience. This fascinating Spineless exhibit features a giant Pacific octopus, many moon jellies, and loads of other captivating invertebrates. Though some of the attractions are indoors, keep the weather in mind when you visit, as many of the animals live outside. Admission is FREE on Wednesdays after 3pm. Parking is available at a cost, or take the subway, which stops just a short walk away. When you’re done, stick around to see the rest of the fun along the Coney Island boardwalk.
Originally published in 2018.
Bronx Zoo Or Central Park Zoo
Your opinions of both zoos and how they compare?
What is the least busiest time of day to visit each zoo?
I will be in NY between 14-21 Sept 2008.
One wife and one girl will be accompanying me.
Thanks
Wow Kangaroo, you are really planning it all out.
The Bronx Zoo is outside of Manhattan. It takes about 40 minutes to get there it can be reached by public transportation, bus, subway, ect.
It is a very large zoo certainly worth seeing particularly with a 9 year old. It will take a good portion of your day though so you have to decide if this is something you’d like to do.
The Central Park Zoo is in the middle of Manhattan in the middle of Central Park. It is much, much smaller but very nice. It is a good alternative if you don’t want to take the time to go to the Bronx.
Most convenient and safest way to travel to BRONX zoo?
Tips/traps?
I went to the Bronx Zoo back in 2004 – it may be the biggest in the US but that is only because everything is very spaced out i.e. it is just a very large park with the occasional animal here and there. On top of that, you have to pay extra to see certain areas. Personally I would stick to Central Park unless you have a whole day with nothing to do as it takes some time to get there .
Kangarooo
Where in Australia do you live? Chances are, if you’ve been to the Melbourne Zoo or even Taronga, that you have seen a better zoo. So unless zoos are your thing, I wouldn’t plan on visiting either of these.
Kangarooo!
New York City
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Queens Zoo Flushing Queens
Bison, bears, elk, and pumas all live in harmony at the Queens Zoo. This zoo is on the smaller side, with a focus on North American animals. Wander down the Animal Trail, or explore the Aviary, which features a dome from the 1964 World’s Fair. Like the other zoos, it has resident sea lions who perform for visitors at intervals throughout the day. There is a petting zoo for kids with food for the animals available on-site . If you’ve got any energy left, hit the playground near the petting zoo on the way out to do some monkeying around.
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Rosamond Gifford Zoo Syracuse
Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is home to over 900 animals. Founded in 1914, the zoo has been a continuously accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1987.
Biggest attractions: From the U.S.S. Antiquities Cave to the Social Animals Building to the Helga Beck Asian Elephant Preserve, Rosamond Gifford Zoo features multiple unique ways to see and interact with animals.
Season: Open year round except for Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
Amenities:The HoneyBee Café is open 10 am. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The Curious Cub Gift Shop also sells sandwiches and beverages.
Parking: Free parking available at the zoo and on-the-street parking in the Tipperary Hill neighborhood and in Burnet Park
Accessibility: About 60% of zoo exhibits are indoors, though both indoor and outdoor pathways at the zoo are accessible. Wheelchairs are available free of charge. The zoo has a large family bathroom that includes a chair for nursing parents. Before visiting, you can download a social story. Service animals are allowed, therapy animals are not.
Tickets:$9 adults, $5 for seniors and children 3 to 17 free for children 2 and under.
COVID restrictions:Masks are no longer required at the Zoo. There are hand sanitizingstations throughout the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
Go: 1 Conservation Place, Syracuse 315-435-8511, rosamondgiffordzoo.org
Zoo New York Watertown
Zoo New York began in 1920, when the banking firm Northern New York Trust Company donated two whitetail deer to the City of Watertown and the nearby Thompson Park. From there, the zoo gradually expanded under the name of the Thompson Park Zoo, purchasing several additional animals, thanks to funds raised from the Childrens Park Zoo Club, formed to raise funds to help feed the animals according to the website.
Now Zoo New York is the second most visited attraction in the Thousand Islands Region. According to its website, it attracts nearly 50,000 visitors per year and is supported by over 800 member households and reaches nearly 10,000 people through educational programs, with the goal to inspire conservation through education and programs targeting family members.
Biggest Attractions: There are an extensive range of events throughout the year, from a Wine Art & The Wild, event June 18 featuring art classes and wine vendors, to the Halloween-themed Boo at the Zoo, Oct. 15, which will include games, prizes and live entertainment. Visitors also can attend keeper chats, which discuss various animals, and participate in an elk feeding.
Amenities: A giftshop, a café and a classroom for education workshops.
Parking: Free.
Accessibility: There are five wheelchairs available.
Tickets: $11 adults $8 children 3 to 12 free for children 2 and under. Senior and military discounts.
Membership: Individual and family packages range from $45 to $200.
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Health And Safety Is A Priority
We are managing capacity for our guest experience, but still expect some lines or gathering at animal viewing areas. Please respect social distancing and related guidelines.
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Central Park Zoo Manhattan
OK, the Bronx Zoo it’s not. But this little corner of the park, which has exhibited animals since around 1850, has some showy creatures, including a snow leopard, red panda and a few very playful sea lions. Alas, Gus, the beloved polar bear, died in 2013.
There are birds and reptiles, too , as well as a 4D Theater and a petting zoo, which is especially engaging for younger children. The zoo is divided into four quadrants with the sea lion pool in the center, and is small enough to make a morning visit manageable with plenty of time leftover for lunch.
Once you’re inside the main gates of the zoo, you can’t leave and come back in, so if your agenda includes the Tisch Children’s Zoo, which is a bit further north, go there first. You can buy tickets ahead, or, if you have a QR reader on your smart phone, you can scan the code and get tickets on the fly.
Biggest attractions: Children from toddlers to tweens will enjoy a trip, especially if you plan your visit to coincide with the penguin or sea lion feedings. .
Season: Open all year.
Accessibility: All buildings are wheelchair accessible. A page on the zoo’s site describes which exhibits have hills and rough terrains.
Tickets: $14 to $20, depending on visitors’ ages and exhibits you’d like to visit.
Membership: Packages range from $90 to $425.
Amenities: The Dancing Crane Cafe serves meals, snacks, beverages, and desserts.
COVID restrictions: Masks are not required.
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Bronx Zoo New York City
Made up of 265 acres, the Bronx Zoo is the largest metropolitan zoo in the country and one of the largest zoos in the world. The setting of Animal Planet’s “The Zoo,” the Bronx Zoo has dazzled visitors since 1899.
Biggest attractions: From orange langurs to gorillas from the Congo to “Tiger Mountain,” the Bronx Zoo has a plethora of unique, captivating exhibits. From April to October, be sure to check out the Bronx Zoo’s Butterfly Garden.
Amenities:Located near the Zoo Center, opposite the Bronx Zoo Store, the Dancing Crane Cafe is currently under renovation, but is scheduled to reopen this spring. Near the Children’s Zoo, The Patio offers tables for boxed lunches, along with a menu. The Pecking Order is at the Northern Ponds, while the Asia Plaza is located near JungleWorld. Somba Village is near Baboon Reserve, while Zoo Bites is at Tiger Mountain. Zoo Brews is located near the Nature Trek. There are additional snack stands located throughout the park. More information is available online.
Parking: For a car, all day parking is $20. For a bus, all day parking is $23. Weekend preferred parking at Fountain Circle is $27.
Accessibility: It is $13 to rent a single stroller and $18 to rent a double stroller. Wheelchair rentals are free with a $20 refundable deposit. Service dogs are allowed, but therapy dogs are not.
Season passes: There are multiple membership options starting at $225 for families, $150 for couples and $90 for individuals.
Ross Park Zoo Binghamton
Ross Park Zoo is considered one of the oldest zoos in America, coming in fifth after zoos in Philadelphia, Chicago, Cincinnati and Buffalo. Officially opening in 1875, the zoo takes up 90 acres and features numerous exhibits housing over 100 different species. The zoo boasts a strong emphasis on conservation education and has created an outreach program that serves over 20,000 people in New York and Pennsylvania.
Biggest Attractions: There are seven endangered species at the zoo, including the African penguin, the Amur leopard, the red panda, red wolf and more. The zoo also features Wild Encounters, according to Phillip Ginter, executive director of the zoo, which offers opportunities for folks to go behind the scenes with some animals, including the red pandas exhibit.
Amenities: A concession stand near the center of the zoo serves pizza, hot dogs and sandwiches along with additional snacks including chips or ice cream. Theres also a playground available for children and a picnic area in the center of the zoo as well.
Parking: Free.
Accessibility: Complimentary wheelchairs there are plans to introduce a wheelchair-accessible electric tram by July 11.
Tickets: $7 for adults, seniors, college students who show proof of ID, members of the military who show ID and children ages 3-11. Free for children ages 2 or under.
Membership: Individual and family packages are available for between $45 and $170.
Go: 60 Morgan Road, Binghamton 607-724-5461, rossparkzoo.org.
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The Best Zoos And Aquariums In Nyc
Ever think you would spot a seal in Manhattan or a giraffe in the Bronx? Did you ever hope you’d be surrounded by sharks at Coney Island? New York City zoos and the New York Aquarium offer families the chance to get up close and personal with animals from all over the world. From the Bronx Zoo to the Staten Island Zoo, each borough has its own unique zoo experience. Whether your children are big or small, there is a zoo in NYC suited to their age, interests, and attention span. Best of all, access to these creatures doesn’t have to break the bank. Free admission can be as easy as picking the right afternoon to visit. Check out our insider tips for making the most of New York City’s zoos and aquarium.
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Be sure to click through to each zoo’s website as you’re planning your visit. Currently, all NYC zoos and aquariums are limiting entry, and timed-entry tickets are required to visit. Book your tickets in advance to ensure entry.
Wcsorg Zoos & Aquarium
Founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological Society, the Wildlife Conservation Society was one of the first conservation organizations in the U.S. The Society began with a clear mandate: Advance wildlife conservation, promote the study of zoology, and create a first-class zoo. In fact we have five: the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, and New York Aquarium.
Queens, NY
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A Guide To 5 Best Zoos For Tourists In The Boroughs Of New York City
There’s a world of wonders to be found and savored in New York City’s zoos, where people can enjoy the antics of all kinds of animals, from monkeys to sea lions to snow leopards.
At the same time, they can learn how these creatures live in their natural habitats. To begin A Guide to Zoos for Tourists in the Boroughs of New York City, let’s started with the famous Bronx Zoo.
Bronx Or Central Park Zoo
Hi all.
Simple question really! Preferably we would rather go to the Central Park Zoo simply for convenience. However if the general opinion is that the Bronx zoo really is that much better then we may consider going there.
Many thanks in advance.
The Central Park Zoo is a fraction of the size. It’s a cute little zoo right in the middle of manhattan and you can see everything in about an hour.
The Bronx Zoo is world class and really big. It would pretty much be a day trip…to get there, spend a few hour seeing most everything, and then get back into Manhattan, you’re probably looking at dedicating 6+ hours to a Bronx Zoo trip.
The decision probably depends a lot on how long you’ll be in NYC and how much you love zoos. 🙂
Your choice…you could spend an entire day at the Bronx Zoo. The Central Park Zoo is a fun couple of hours more or less break from the rest of your day.
A Guide Named Sue
I just saw in your other thread that you’ll be here in February…probably not ideal weather for a day out at the
Thanks all! I think we will dedicate the time and go to Bronx. Have found out we can get a bus that seems to ve very handy for getting right outside the Zoo
Many thanks.
The Bronx Zoo runs several smaller zoos in NYC including that in Central Park. I agree with other commenters that main zoo in the Bronx is the major attraction of that sort in the city. During warmer weather, the “free” day on Wednesday becomes terribly overcrowded in the Bronx and should be avoided.
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