8 Best Zoos and Aquariums in New York

New York is home to several zoos and an aquarium with different types of experiences. If you're looking for an affordable option in the heart of the city, don't miss the Central Park Zoo. And, of course, don't miss the Bronx Zoo, the most impressive zoo for its size and variety of species.

Among the best things to do in New York is Aquarium NYC, the oldest aquarium in the United States. There are other zoos scattered throughout the boroughs, which also offer small marine life spaces. The one in Queens, for example, is very interesting because it specialises in native American species. Here is a complete guide with prices, opening hours and all the information you need.

I recommend you consider buying tickets to the Bronx Zoo and discover more than 10,000 animals of 650 species. Every day the zoo prepares an itinerary that varies and makes the experience more original. It includes animal shows, feeding sessions and 4D shows with special effects.

Connect with your favourite animals and don't miss wild encounters with lions, giraffes and more. Travel the world and visit the Himalayan Highlands, where red pandas and white-naped cranes await. Or hop on the monorail that runs through Wild Asia Monorail. You can also take advantage of:

• Madagascar, famous for its lemurs and Nile crocodiles.
• JungleWorld, a wild environment with leopards, insects and reptiles.
• Children's Zoo, a children's area where kids can interact with domestic animals.
• Bug Carousel, a themed carousel where you can ride on carriages with giant insects, such as the praying mantis.

This zoo uses large landscaped areas instead of traditional cages, which is why it's one of my favourites. Also, don't miss the Christmas lights at the Bronx Zoo. It's an annual festival that you have to buy tickets for in advance. It allows you to see different illuminated animal figures, ride the Christmas train and enjoy endless entertainment.

Details of interest

• Price: Bronx Zoo tickets start at €31 per person.
• Opening hours: Every day from 10:00 to 17:00, with Saturday and Sunday opening hours extended to 17:30. Please note that the Bronx Zoo's opening hours are subject to seasonal changes.
• Location: 2348 Southern Boulevard, Bronx.
• How to get there: Take the 2 or 5 underground to Pelham Parkway station. Then walk a couple of minutes or take the [](https://bustime.mta.info/m/?q=BxM11 express bus){target="_blank" rel="noopener"} from Manhattan via White Plains RD.
• What's usually included in the ticket: access to the zoo and daily shows (they vary daily, so be amazed).

Don't miss the oldest aquarium in the United States and the only one in the city. At the New York Aquarium you can enjoy marine shows and more than 350 species. It is also one of the few places in the world where you can touch stingrays in a controlled environment.

Can you imagine seeing zombie worms? In this aquarium it is possible. It houses other amazing creatures such as sea lions enjoying their acrobatics, black-footed penguins and sea otters.

Here children have the chance to be biologists for a day and discover the secrets of marine life. You should also take the family on the Shark Voyage, a tourist train that runs through shark tunnels. There are also special events on Halloween, Christmas and other holidays. There are also 4D projections with simulations in the Aquatheater.

Interesting details

• Price: from €30 per person.
• Hours: Every day from 10:00 to 17:00, but hours may change seasonally.
• Location: 602 Surf Ave in Brooklyn.
• How to get there: Take the F or Q underground line to the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station, or take the B36 bus.
• What's usually included with admission: Access to all food and animal interactions, including touch pools and the Playquarium. You can also enjoy the aquarium shows in the 4D Theatre and Aquatheater.

Among the best things to do in Central Park is a visit to the Central Park Zoo. It's a great place to see endangered species and enjoy animals such as grizzly bears and snow leopards.

If you plan to visit New York with children, you can't miss this zoo , which is suitable for all ages. In fact, they have a special area known as the Tisch Children's Zoo, which is a small farm where they can interact with goats and sheep.

It also has a 4D theatre that offers special experiences and projects the history of the zoo. I find it easy to walk around because it is divided into three ecosystems, but you can always book a tour of New York with a visit to the Central Park Zoo and get to know it with a tour guide.

Details of interest

• Price: Tickets to the Central Park Zoo start at €20 per person.
• Opening hours: In spring and summer it is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 17:00; holidays and Sundays from 10:00 to 17:30. In autumn and winter it is open daily from 10:00 to 16:00. Be sure to plan your time well, as the animal habitats close half an hour before the zoo closes completely.
• Location: on the southeast side of Central Park.
• How to get there: You can take the New York underground to the Fifth Avenue station, you will have to walk four blocks to find the entrance to the zoo.
• What's usually included in your ticket: Access to the zoo and the Tisch Children's Zoo, as well as interactive exhibits in the 4D theatre.

Another must-see zoo is Prospect Park Zoo. Its focus is on conservation and species protection and it is home to 400 animals of at least 100 species. Among its main attractions are:

• Discovery Trail, a trail where you can see red pandas and dingoes at a safe distance.
• Hall of Animals, take the opportunity to see the rarest and smallest species, such as dwarf mongooses and dart frogs.
• Animal Lifestyles, discover the behaviour of various species.
• Sea Lion Court is the area where you can see the sea lions, noisy and funny little animals that make sounds, dance and play with each other.

Like the one in the Bronx, here they prefer artificial habitats that recreate the places where each species belongs. If you wonder why they are not returned to their natural environment, you should know that many are not capable of surviving on their own. In the saddest cases, their ecosystems were destroyed or invaded by other species.

Interesting details

• Price: from 10 € per person.
• Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 17:00; Saturdays and Sundays until 17:30. Please note that opening times may vary according to season.
• Location: 450 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn.
• How to get there: The easiest way is to take the Q underground line to Prospect Park station.
• What's usually included with admission: Enjoy all areas and exhibits such as the barn and sea lion training.
• Special zoo policy: Please note that admission is issued on a timed basis. For example, if your ticket is timed for 10:00, you must arrive between 10:00 and 11:00 to gain entry as it will not be valid afterwards. This does not limit the time you can spend at the zoo, which is completely free.

If you're planning to go borough by borough in New York, why not give the multi-ethnic and fascinating Queens a try? Here hides a gem of New York's animal world: Queens Zoo, where you can see Andean bears and have fun feeding sea lions.

Its main attraction is the Aviary, which features black-crowned night herons and scarlet macaws, but has a staggering number of species. It also houses a home farm ideal for interacting with donkeys and alpacas, the friendliest animals in the whole zoo.

But if you want to go wild, I recommend the Wild Side exhibit which has a species once thought to be extinct. This is the Chaco peccary that lives in Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina. It has disappeared by 50% and is therefore rigorously preserved in this zoo.

Details of opardo Amurinterés

• Price: from 10 € per adult and with discounts for children.
• Opening hours: every day from 10:00 to 17:00; on Saturdays and Sundays the opening hours are usually extended until 17:30. Hours may also change seasonally.
• Location: 53-51 111th Street in Queens.
• How to get there: You can take the Q23 and Q58 bus lines or take the train that connects to the Mets-Willets Point station.
• What's usually included with admission: Unlimited access to all exhibits.
• Special zoo policy: Please note that admission is timed and punctuality is required.

New York is one of the world's leading capitals and it's no wonder it has such comprehensive entertainment options. Staten Island Zoo is ideal for discovering the animal world in a more tranquil setting. It is also home to the largest reptile collection in the county.

Not only that, it also has the Amur leopard, a rare feline that is on the verge of extinction. It's also home to a marmot, a species famous for its ability to predict the weather.

If you go to New York in February, on the second day of the month you can witness Groundhog Day, when this animal comes out of hibernation. If he can see his shadow as he leaves his burrow, then winter has a couple more weeks to go, but if he can't see his shadow, then winter is almost over. This event is also celebrated in Pennsylvania and is a tradition of the old American farmers.

On Staten Island you can also take a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry, a different experience that connects the island to New York in record time, but don't confuse it with the New York Ferry that takes you to Brooklyn.

Interesting details

• Price: from €10 per person, with special prices for children.
• Opening hours: daily from 10am to 4.45pm, subject to seasonal changes.
• Location: 614 Broadway, Staten Island.
• How to get there: You can take the free ferry to Staten Island. From the ferry terminal you can take a bus to the zoo.
• What's usually included with admission: Unlimited access to the zoo's attractions and exhibits.

New York is just twenty minutes from its twin New Jersey, home to Bergen County Zoo. I wouldn't miss it if I were you. Famous for its exotic species and animal-centric summer camps, have you ever seen a bald eagle or would you like to? It has several specimens, as well as cougars and the famous American bison.

It's a wilder and smaller environment than the zoos in the middle of New York, but it's worth it to see animals from South America. In addition, you can enjoy rides on the zoo's tourist train, which costs about €2, or take the kids on the merry-go-round for €2. Both attractions are available from 10:00 to 16:30.

Details of interest

• Price: from €4 per person, with discounts for children and seniors.
• Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 16:30, last opening to visitors at 16:00.
• Location: 216 Forest Avenue, Paramus.
• How to get there: The easiest way to get there is to take the 168 bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal to the Forest Ave at Spring Valley RD stop.
• What's usually included with admission: Access to educational activities and exhibits. Please note that the zoo's carousel and train are an additional cost, starting at €2 per person.

If you're still curious about wildlife or have already visited the above options, I'd like to tell you about a hidden gem in the county. This is the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, an animal experience fifty minutes away from New York's hustle and bustle with more than 1400 animals from different continents.

Initially, this zoo housed only animals native to New York, such as red-tailed hawks and Brooklyn eagle owls. However, its habitats expanded. Among its main exhibits is the Reptile Center, where you can see fascinating creatures.

You can also visit Big Cat Country, a world dedicated to the majestic felines, or check out a sea turtle recovery area, where they are usually treated and then returned to the ocean. Those in a more delicate condition are left to live in the zoo's pleasant living spaces.

If you go with children be sure to take advantage of the zoo's tourist train and merry-go-round, as well as the interactive farm and free-flying bird exhibit.

Interesting details

• Price: from €20 with discounts for children.
• Hours: daily from 10:00 to 16:00.
• Location: 560 Northfield Avenue, West Orange.
• How to get there: You can take the bus from Port Authority Bus Terminal to Northfield Ave.
• What's usually included in admission: All attractions and exhibits. However, there are activities such as pony rides and zip lines that may incur an additional cost.