Queens Zoo…Alligators!

City-Kid Review:

Runs, climbs.
Look!
Runs, climbs some more.

The Queens Zoo is fantastic fun any day of the year but what makes it particularly special in the summer are the
….alligators!

As you cross the bridge you look down and see alligators basking in all of their scary magnificence. Of course, they don’t think of themselves as scary, they are just being alligators.

The Queens Zoo is dedicated to the animals of North America. It is wonderfully laid out. On one side, you follow a trail which takes you through the different regions and related animals. As you follow the path around in a loop, there is a dedicated children’s nature area in which you can sit in an eagle’s nest as well as other nature-based activities. The path leads around to the seal pool with the cafeteria opposite. You can sit and eat at one of the chairs and tables while watching the seals do their things. On one of the days we went, they had a particularly vocal seal, which was fun. At the end of the loop is a regular children’s playground.

On the other side of the path, they have their domestic animals petting zoo. We love the way this is spaciously laid out with easy access to all of the animals. Unlike at the Bronx Zoo, the petting zoo is open all year round. If you can find a clear day in an off-month such as February, as we did, you can have the animals almost to yourself.

The staff at the Queens Zoo have always been tremendously friendly, including giving City Kid some feed to give to the animals at snack time.

Need to Knows:

Location: 53-51 111^th Street, Corona, New York 11368. Take the 7 train to 111th street, walk south along 111th street, and the zoo is on your left, next to the New York Hall of Science.

Cost: General admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children, $6 for seniors. Under 2s are free. Admission is free if you have secured a WCS membership with your NYC-ID card. You have to obtain this from the Bronx Zoo. A family plus membership is $199.95 which gets you unlimited access to pretty much everything in this zoos.  There are cheaper membership packages, also.

The cafeteria is quite basic with vending machines and a few refridgerated sandwiches. I recommend bringing your own food and enjoying the seals while you munch.

Top-Tip

We caught the 7 train all the way to Flushing to buy freshly hand-pulled noodles from a Chinese food market. If you have a car, it is a short trip to Jackson Heights where you can have a delicious Indian buffet lunch or dinner at Jackson Diner, or one of its competitors on 74th street.

Do you have a favorite NY Zoo? Please share with us in the comments below.

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