I was 58k steps into a 100k steps day when I arrived at the hallowed ground that is the Bronx Zoo. You really need to move as much as possible on the 100k step days, so zoos are the ultimate hack to keep moving while taking your mind off the throbbing of your legs. An old coworker of mine used to RAVE about the Bronx zoo, and he was not lyin. We saw everything, including but not limited to giraffes, rhinos, gorillas, camels, tigers, sea lions, aardvarks, lions, a peacock, etc. All those were rad, but seeing an Okapi truly altered my brain chemistry. I didn't even know an Okapi existed, and am still not fully convinced they do. It was a half zebra, half giraffe, and half horse hybrid. One cannot help but make the comparison to ManBearPig. It really got me wondering. If I didn't even know Zebraffehorse existed, what else don't I know about the world? Sometimes we get stuck in routines and being trapped in this bubble inflates our egos to the point where we think we understand everything. Seeing this Okapi humbled me and reminded me that all I know is that I know nothing. Get over to the Bronx Zoo, it's good for the soul. IG @johnny.novo Tiktok @jnov__ Substack @johnnynovo read more

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Bronx Zoo is honestly top tier. When my family and I took a trip to New York, one of the places we knew we had to take the kids to was the Bronx Zoo. I am not even the biggest zoo person, but I honestly feel like this place should be the standard for all of them. First off, it is so spacious. There is a ton of greenery, and it genuinely seemed like the animals were well cared for and in habitats that felt natural to them. They also have an incredible variety of animals. Maybe I was just being naive because it is in New York, but I was so surprised by how many different animals we were able to take our children to see. As a huge bonus, they had an exhibit with a Daniel the Tiger partnership or collaboration, which was so cute. There are plenty of food spots around and they looked pretty good, though we ended up not grabbing anything to eat so I cannot speak to how it actually tasted. What I did notice, though, was that there were no crazy long lines, and the park overall was extremely clean. I kept seeing workers walking by actively cleaning up the space. You are definitely going to get your steps in. It was pretty hot the day we went and I was tired by the end of it, but they actually have strollers and even double strollers available to rent. As a mom of two, I really appreciate that they actually think of us. I honestly wish we had known that beforehand. Overall, this was a really great experience. I would love to go back again, maybe on a day when it is not quite so hot, but I can totally see why this is considered one of the best zoos in the country. read more

Bronx Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Bronx, New York

4.5 FYI Wed is PAYW day for the Bronx zoo so lower rate. Booked Wed tickets on the previous Monday- paid $14.95 zoo admission which includes all star attractions (was $17.95 last year). Worth it bec some animals can be seen only in the paid star attractions. Since we had the all- inclusive (or if you're willing to pay extra), we didn't skip the Children's zoo. A sloth, anteater, skunk etc are there and saw them up close. Can hand feed too. Hand washing station available. Was a great visit bec most animals were out and active (some were mating!) on that less humid, cloudy day. A big area to cover. Didn't see the shuttles on that Wed. I like walking but sometimes we had to go around areas we've been to to get to another area. Also there is signage but a list of what's in the area a path leads to would help. I guess we can look at our phone too which we kept doing. read more

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Updating this review, because it should be noted how this zoo just keeps getting better and better. We went for our annual family trip and had a blast! We bought into the membership so we are looking to make more visits over the summer. We also missed out on the new Daniel Tiger exhibit and Bubs is a fan, so we will def be going sooner rather than later. Here's to many more Zoo trips! read more

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Love the Bronx zoo so much. My family and i come several times a year to enjoy the animals. Today, we came with Wednesday admission tickets which are nearly $15 a ticket. We wanted to enjoy all the star attractions which are normally $7 each. It was a super hot day, and because of this, the monorail was closed. Also, the zoo shuttle wasn't working. I wish I knew ahead of time because I would have planned to come in through the southern blvd exit and make my way down to the Asia exit but it's ok. We enjoyed everything else. My son loved the Congo seeing the gorillas and also the children's zoo. The bug carousel is also always fun. We were so glad to eat inside the dancing crane where the ac felt nice. We had neck fans today since the heat was intense. I plan to come back to the holiday lights event. Hopefully next time we decide to visit the monorail will be working read more

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I vacillate between my support of zoos and revulsion. I hope conservation efforts do more good than harm. I love animals and with their habitats disappearing maybe zoos are a good last ditch effort. The Bronx appears to keep the animals in a healthy environment. The park itself is clean. Of note could use a few more restrooms. read more

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My family and I had a great time at the Bronx zoo. We not only enjoyed seeing the large variety of animals, but we also enjoyed reading about the many species of animals. I would recommend that you bring your walking shoes, water and food. They also have great food and snacks in the concessions stands at the zoo. read more

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We used to be members when my son was younger and I honestly don't remember the last time I was there. It was so nice to go back today and the weather was perfect! Low 50's and not a cloud in the sky. Wednesday is free day and we got there nice and early at 10 am. Park was pretty empty and we did the whole park. Unfortunately the monorail doesn't open for a couple of weeks. 10,000 steps and 3 hours. The crowd did pick up as we were leaving. My advice is bring your own food and drinks - park prices for the concession stand were standard- $5 for a bottle of water read more

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The train experience was by far one of the best experiences ever. I didn't know it existed. Theres a trolley that goes around on a tour, it is very well curated and has great views of the animals. It was a 20-25 minute wait to ride. The food/drink experience is all strategically placed. The food was better than I expected. I went for a work event and the staff went the extra mile. I was very impressed. Also glad they have beer and wine options lol. I would say if you are expecting this to be a 2/2.5 hour outing. Expect 4 hours and bring comfy sneakers. The biggest obstacle was parking- was designated to go to a rear parking lot which was a bit of a nightmare to get to. read more

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I recently went here with my family, and we had an amazing time. Seeing all of the animals when they were all out and about was great for making memories. read more

Huge, well-maintained zoo. I can see why it is one of the top rated in the nation. I was there 5 hours and covered the entire grounds but rushed through a few places. You'd never guess that you're in the most populated city in North America. I entered via the southeast entrance - and there's a waterfall shortly after you go in. The original main entrance is about 100 yards beyond. Going this way, you're got tall trees all around and insulated from the city - feeling like you're away from it all. They have a nice mix of both indoor and outdoor exhibits. Some are on the older side, most have been updated over the last decade. There's a great lunch spot on the northern most side of the zoo in the center. Many choices. They do have a petting/feeding zoo for kids. I thought it was interesting that they have a separate building for Madagascar animals. The best recommendation I can make is to use the interactive map provided by the zoo, available on your phone. You share your location with the map, and tap on the animal you want to see and it will direct you to it live. Unfortunately, my battery was drained by the time I finished though. read more

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Try to go here with the kids once or twice every year It's great on how they maintain such a good facility to keep the kids engaged and also introduce seasonal entertainment such as dinosaurs or Halloween nights etc Love this place for myself and the kids read more

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On March 1, 26 was a great day! Not only being there with my kids, but also was there for a big surprise. Yes certain areas are closed due to the season, but there are also areas that are open that you can still visit. But trust me it's worth going once the weather gets better because there's a lot of outdoor activities and exhibits you can see. As we were enjoying some of the areas that were open, I was told there was a surprise I was going to do. I had to be there 15 minutes before my timeslot. The location was at the zoo center, which upon checking I was told what my surprise was. It was the sloth encounter! OMGGGGGG!!! They are my favorite! As we were waiting for the final members to arrive, it was time to head out and meet the famous HANS! When I tell you, I was antsy and very excited to meet him. As we were heading to the location, the workers were giving us a little background about the zoo and animals. As we arrived, I was feeling overwhelmed because I have never seen a sloth up close. As we went inside, we had to disinfect our hands and a shoes before sitting. Before HANS came out we got to meet two of the cutest armadillos I've ever seen and yes, this was my first time seeing them up close. After the workers gave us a little background about the armadillos, it was the moment of truth. HANS!!!!!!! For the most part we were able to see HANS eat a snack and unfortunately slept during the encounter but we were able to pet him and see him up close. We also got pictures with HANS! (YES, I CRIED!!!!!) This was such a beautiful experience and hopefully can do it again while Hans is up and slowly active . And yes, if this is something you are going to be doing I recommend to make your reservation ASAP because they get fully booked especially to see HANS! Thank you Bronx Zoo, will be coming back soon! read more

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I've always heard about the Bronx Zoo, both good and bad things but had never visited. In less than a month, I've now had the pleasure of going twice. The first time as a guest of a member and the 2nd time with a large group of elementary and high school students. I planned the student trip through their educational department and it was a seamless experience thanks to Jennifer. Jennifer was amazing, she was able to book our trip even though it was very last minute. Thank you Jennifer for all of your help and kindness! It's best to arrive around 10am when the place is massive. There are so many different types of animals to see. I really liked that they are in large open areas that reflect their natural environment. It felt like we were coming to their world and not that the animals were caged up for our entertainment. The monorail is a great experience focused on Asian wildlife. The hippopotamus, elephant and wild horses were some of my favorites. I really liked the Congo gorilla forest as well. I highly recommend the dinosaurs exhibit as well. There are plenty of restrooms and seating areas available. I recommend to bring your own food since the food for sale is overpriced as expected. read more

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Came to the holiday light show and it was so beautiful!!! Definitely chilly but it was a great evening. So much to do and see the lights are so special and there's a lot of treats that they usually don't have during the day like hot chocolate smores churros chili lentil soup! Hot and spiked cider read more

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Cannot recommend this place enough. It is my happy place. I've been a member for 2 years now and wish I had started sooner. I have been over 10 times in the last 2 years, and still have not seen the whole thing. I try to arrive right when it opens and I always close it down. Ive visited all the WCS zoos and aquarium in the NYC area and they have done a great job with all of them. After watching the tv show on discovery+ 'The Zoo' I feel so connected and trust they always put the animals and conservation first. read more

At Bronx Zoo there are a lot of animals in the wild right here in the Bronx. I love it! read more

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We came here while visiting from out of town so we had to deal with the normal "city" traffic. However, we arrived safely and had no problem getting into the Zoo (my wife had previously purchased the tickets in advance). They have a helpful paper map, which is nice when many places now require you to use your smart phone to navigate. It is a large zoo, and not entirely arranged for easy viewing of everything. Because we came off-season, the "tram" vehicles which transport you are around were not running. That meant walking to everything with a toddler in tow wasn't easy. We paid the upcharge to go to the Dinosaur exhibit, and it was really neat. I am not a dinosaur fan but I still could appreciate the amount of work and technology that went into making dozens of life size animated dinosaur displays. The sounds were a bit muted for an outdoor exhibit, but perhaps that was to prevent scaring the kids. The dino bone digging areas were just so-so. Other areas of the zoo just seemed "average". Some animals were easy to see and others were either far away or asleep. Exhibits and concession stands were closed in places we wanted to visit, so take that into consideration if you come off season. The monorail, with a viewing of the red panda, was the highlight of the Zoo. The engineer seemed to non-stop talk which made it hard to focus on certain things, but he did ensure that we noticed everything of interest while on board. The indoor mouse house was also fascinating, as I have never been to a zoo with anything like that before. I also liked the indoor butterfly/bird sanctuary and kept staring at the parrots (Macaws) because they are so beautiful. This zoo frequently ranks in the top 3 of the country. While it might have the budget to create spectacular exhibits (like the Dinosaur one), it didn't come across to me as a wonderful zoo. It felt mostly average. The cooler weather, the lack of a convenient trolley to get around, or the inability to see all the animals while we were there left a bit of a disappointment. Had we lived nearby and could come multiple times we would definitely see more, and it likely would live up to the hype. That being said, it was a fun trip. read more

In general I'll try to avoid visiting zoos due to ethical concerns, but I think the Bronx Zoo might be one of the more ethical ones out there. It is one of the few exceptions I allow. I've never once seen the entire zoo in one trip. I've been going there since I was five and wouldn't be surprised if there are parts I still haven't seen yet because it's so expansive. All my visits as an adult have all been with groups of children, and it's difficult corralling and motivate kids to keep moving in such a large zoo. I found it best to ask each kid what they want to see most and hit up those spots. Treat everything passed along the way as a bonus. These trips often include city kids. These kids are used to walking entire neighborhoods just to get to school or anywhere else, but the zoo still wears them out, so imagine suburbanites used to the car life on these trips. Those kids struggle. We've always left before even seeing half of what the zoo has to offer. If I didn't live in NY and wanted to really wanted kids to see the zoo more fully, I'd break it into a multi day trip rather than attempt it in one go. But kids are always happy with my abridged trips to just say hi to their favorites. I'm the one left wanting. I'll probably have to start going solo or with adults in order to really explore. I do think it will be possible to see everything in one trip with just adults. The zoo is just not little legs friendly. The Bronx Zoo is probably the most expensive zoo I've ever visited. If an exhibit is popular, anticipate pulling out some money to pay more to see it. That's ok for me if the money is used for good, but it's something to consider if on a budget. I wish they were more strict about not letting people bang on the glass in the primate exhibit. I leave the primates for last on trips because watching them makes me so sad. That sadness gets punctuated by bangs and taps on the glass by inconsiderate zoo goers. read more

Lions, tigers, bears AND gorillas! Well maintained grounds and pleasant surroundings. Extremely kid friendly and the restrooms are clean. I did not purchase food or drinks from any of the cafes or food stalls so I can't speak for the food/drink quality or prices but they are available if needed. read more

I've been holding back on this review because there's just so much to sayy- I don't know where to start. If you are debating whether a membership is worth it or investing on some tickets for the family, I say GO FOR IT! you really won't regret it I have a membership and it's been the greatest membership I've had thus far. I have the family zoo plus membership where three adults including yourself get in for free plus 4 children. You have the option to add another adult on the card- the purpose is so that person can go to the zoo with the card without you having to be there. The person whose name is on the card must be present. You are able to remove or add a person at anytime. For me it's more flexible and convenient to only have my name on it to not restrict the people I could take. The membership grants you access to the zoo for a full year, including the Central Park zoo, prospect zoo and queens. there's a membership that grants you access to the aquarium as well but is more expensive. Parking is not included in the membership but is available for an additional fee at the time of purchase with your membership or at any point during your membership. Every time I go to the zoo, regardless of the season we find parking so we don't need the parking at the zoo. You get a 10% discount at the gift shops and food spots. You get free access to jungle world, nature trek, the children's museum, Congo world, the big carousel, wild Asia monorail and the butterfly garden which you would normally have to pay an additional fee to get into besides your regular zoo admission ticket. You also get early access to new animal exhibits before the public does. And those are only some of the benefits that you get, you also get additional discounts for things that aren't covered by the membership such as the holiday lights show (25% off) I am delighted to say that I have never seen the bathroom at the zoo in bad conditions EVER. I don't know how they manage to keep it so clean, regardless of the large crowds. Overall, the zoo is always clean. The guests are respectful in the sense that there is never garbage on the floor. It is worth it to purchase a souvenir cup. You get free refills throughout the day and for any future visits. I've been using the same cup since last year with no issues. There are some areas where the refill is a $1 and others where it's free with that specific cup. If you are a member, remember to mention to the cashier that you are one so they can apply your member discount for your food and drinks, they often forget to ask if you are a member. The best recommendation I can make is to use the interactive map provided by the zoo, available on your phone. You share your location with the map, and tap on the animal you want to see and it will direct you to it live. It will look similar to your iPhone maps when you're walking without the audio. Trust me the interactive map will make things significantly easier and less aggravating. You can miss a lot of animalsthat are close by without the map, you would be walking in circles without it and end up note tired at the end. The signal over there is not great but the maps function work perfect for me. I recommend you wear walking sneakers because you will WALK a while lotttt. You also can't get in the nature trek without sneakers. You can bring in your own food and drinks to the zoo, there are designated areas to sit down and eat. An insulated book bag works wonders for me. There are strollers available for rent which you will absolutely need if you don't have your own. The zoo is very inclusive when it comes to people with disabilities which is great, they have alternative routes all over and tell you in advance if a particular route will lead to stairs, and if so there's alternative routes that are stairs free. There are also quiet areas and headphones available upon request. The most perfect time to go is right before spring, you will have the animals to yourself ! I discovered that solo dates to the zoo is the most majestic experience ever! You get to enjoy the zoo with no rush and it's even better without the crowds. The animals are also more relaxed and don't hide when there's less crowds. For the first time ever I got to see the tiger walk right next to the glass. Prior to the spring there will be exhibits closed for the winter but none that take away from the experience. The zoo is free on Wednesdays and so is the botanical garden which is close by. I went to the botanical garden for an hour to journal and spend time with god and proceeded to the zoo for the rest of my day and it made it 100x better to see that these beautiful animals are a gift to us form the lord 10/10 recommend read more

Wonderful zoo with amazing enclosure and wildlife treatment I've ever seen. I've been to a lot of zoos and this is by far the best! Didn't even have enough time to see it all, perfect all day trip. Also loved that they would show you how they acclimate new birds by spraying windows, amazing work read more

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Came with the family today and had a blast! Parking was super easy and affordable. The facilities were so clean, and everything was reasonably priced. There were an abundance of animals, easily laid out, and the highlight was the dinosaur exhibit. Highly recommend for a nice family day! read more

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Many walking passages, places to eat, things to see and animals to learn and explore from. I love coming here and walking to with the kids and explore a new area because this zoo is so huge. You will need to arrive early to ensure you become close to exploring everything. You can check online what events are there. Then they have many extra things to do that you do have to pay extra to actually partake in. The air jungle and other areas are a part of this. I suggest to bring a lot of water and snacks to avoid buying that inside. read more

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I haven't been to the Bronx Zoo in a couple years, and decided it was time to return. While it's a fairly big zoo, I felt like the 3.5 hours I spent there was a sufficient amount to see pretty much everything. It was a hot June day, so most of the animals were either hiding (probably in the shade) or asleep. I enjoyed how much information was provided about the different species at every exhibit, and it seems that the Bronx Zoo is doing action and advocacy work to protect wildlife and conserve natural habitats. read more

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Very stinky smell everywhere. Maybe that's how zoos are, but just be prepared for the strong smell - very hard to ignore.

Amazing place, I love there. Very safe and family friendly fun. I can't wait to go back

One can always debate the ethics of a zoo, but in the end, at least for me, zoos are always a fun, educational experience for me. The Bronx Zoo has a great selection(?)/display of animals. Our tour group had an exclusive ticket which allowed us to ride the monorail, which I recommend as its akin to a slow speed roller coaster around the zoo and gives you an aerial view about their enclosures. High enough to give some thrill, but low enough so that people that may have issues with heights should still be able to handle it. Hopefully there aren't any troublemakers on your rail, as there were on mine, as a woman refused to sit and they had to keep stopping the ride/tour. The animals were great, a couple of the monkeys were showman posing on branches, like they were doing a playboy/girl photo shoot, and one of the gorillas even waved at us. I encountered a parakeet that would bow whenever I said hello to it, but wouldn't say hello back. The zoo didn't seem that big, as I was able to hit everything up in the 4 hours I was there but the dinosaurs (which I didn't really need or want to) and that was being hindered by a pouring rain for a good part of the time. Everything is easy to get to and although there is a tram available it was very walkable. The staff encountered were personable and friendly. Overall, it was a fun time, and I recommend it if you the chance to go. read more

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Amazing zoo. It's great! Check out picture. Lots of bathrooms Lots of places to eat--albeit very expensive Lines not so bad read more

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One of the best zoos in the country. It's worth a visit for young and old alike. Highlights that you shouldn't miss include the Asia Monorail, Jungle Area, Gorillas and Congo Section. Fun activities include feeding the budgies and riding the bug carousel read more

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So much fun and a lot to do. If you go make sure you see all the feedings! They have seal feedings and penguin feedings which are so fun to watch. Get there 15 mins early so you can get a good spot to watch. We went in the summer and the heat was brutal. But most of the animals were still out and cool to watch. We did the bird feeding where you get a stick to feed the birds. If you do this in the summer the bird house is HOT! Like very hot but it was fun and we got a bird to eat from our stick. Do this early bc the birds get less hungry later in the day. I wish that we did the train to see the elephants but we didn't go on it. Next time! They let you bring food and waters of your own so do this if you want to save some money! read more

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Wonderful services and great vibes in the zoo. try to get tickets before you go !! When I went there, at the gate saying that "tickets are sold out no entry today" In the zoo, there're multiple cafes and Souvenir stores. If you like to go to the store , right after Asia gate is very convenient. You'll just need to make a right and see camels and outdoor cafes and gift shops. As well as there's a trolly tour. (You'll need to pay $) but at the gift shop, each store has a different items. Try not to show up when the weather is cold (around 45-50F) most of the animals aren't there. Plus, Asia gate is walking distance to the train 2&5. you can bring own food inside but most of ppl buying at zoo. Indoor cafeteria are highly recommended :) read more

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First visit to the zoo and it was very well laid out and organized for the crowds which arrived for Boo at the Zoo. Animals looked well cared for. Employees seemed less than enthused to be there which was disappointing. Food choices could have been better. Need more locations for water sells. Overall we enjoyed our visit and will be back. read more

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You can't go wrong with the zoo. The only bad thing was it was too hot! Wednesday if you didn't k ow it's free a great deal. Parking though is $22 and if you want your child or/ and self to explore different things it's an extra $17. It's worth the $17 because we roll the monorail she got to go on the carousel. You have access to the children's zoo the dinosaur park and many other fun activities. You also could take the shuttle with the $17 extra fee. There's so much to do in so much to see. I can't even name it all. We got to see the lions Tigers elephant. Why now and many other nice birds and animals we didn't go through the whole park cause once again it was too hot before a free event and an extra $17 not including the parking. It was worth it first time for my daughter and she loved it next time we go hopefully it's cooler so she can see other things and play More in the activities that they have read more

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Always be a great way to spend at the Bronx Zoo . Added this year the dinosaur exhibition. Great Day to have. read more

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Just an all around good time. Me and my nephew had an amazing experience here. It was his first trip to the zoo and he had a thrilling time. We came as it first opened and immediately went looking for the boss animals to try and hopefully catch them up and about. To say the very least we weren't disappointed at all. From rhino's, to apes, to lions, tigers, and bears OH MY, this place had it all. It was such a wonderful experience and filled with a lot of walking so make sure you have the proper shoes on because this place is huge. There are maps at key points of the place to help guide you around and they came in handy. There's also food vendors too if you need a quick bite to eat. It's highly interactive for kids. There's a whole Dinosaur safari with life size dinosaurs that move about and roar. We had a blast walking through it, I had so many laughs with him being so scared to turn the corner not knowing what kind of beast would be waiting there to great us. Also there is a dinosaur virtual reality experience that even adults would enjoy. There's petting zoo's also and even a fossil excavation booth that's filled will all kinds of fossilized relics that kids can uncover. All in all this is definitely a place where you would want to bring the whole family out and just spend a few hours seeing the beauty of what lives in the savanna, the Congo, and many other places in the world. read more

Must go love it there but dangerous area and risky roads also but parking lot across from the zoo but love the zoo (bring your own food food from the zoo cost a lot ) read more

the biggest lie i read in these reviews is 2-2.5 hours is enough time for this zoo. ITS HUGE!! maybe im just slow and actually enjoy taking things in? i was there almost 4 hours and feel like i wanted more time there to explore. the bronx zoo is great. i was very happy visiting! *if you collect squished pennie's from places - the bronx zoo no longer has penny machines* -i asked a gift shop employee and he said they unfortunately removed the machines (basically because of human error) - the gift shop i was in offered a penny book which has a bronx zoo penny attached ! i knew penny books existed but didn't own one yet, so ! the best of both worlds. al employees were very friendly and the zoo was very clean. read more

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My family and I have been members of the Bronx Zoo for several years. I was born and raised in the Bronx and I always remember as a child our many trips to the zoo whether it was with family or on a school class trip. We love the entire zoo but we have our favorite spots that we always see when we visit. We enjoy the children's zoo, the bug carousel, the butterfly garden and the monorail. We like to visit the bison, sea lions, rhinos, flamingos, giraffes and zebras to name a few. If you can afford the membership I highly recommend it especially if you are planning on visiting multiple times throughout the year. You can save a lot of money and you get exclusive access to member only events before they open to the public such as Boo at the Zoo and Holiday lights. Parking is included in most memberships but double check before purchasing and you also get a free t-shirt plus discounts for food and drinks plus at the souvenir shops as well. read more

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I love zoos. While this isn't the best zoo I've ever been to, it's really nice. The animals are in large spaces and even on a cold day, you can see many amazing wildlife indoors. We met friends and everyone commented on what a nice zoo this was. We've been to zoos all over the US and in many other countries, highly recommend a visit here. read more

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