Some of our family trips are inspired by movies. The reason is because it’s easier to explain to young kids that we are going to the place they saw in a movie. As opposed to saying, “We are going to the zoo.”
Saying we are going to the zoo leaves the door open to so many questions. However, saying we are going to that place that you saw in the movie Madagascar leaves a child speechless.
Yes, I know the Bronx zoo was not the zoo in the movie Madagascar, but let’s not complicate things.
Let’s not forget the ½ hour into a car ride when your child starts to ask the 2nd most famous question any child under the age of 10 will ask, “Are we there yet?”
Just for sugar and giggles, the 1st most famous question in a child’s arsenal of questions is,________. Can you fill in the blank?
You’ve guessed right.
Yes, the most famous question in their questioning is, WHY?
Hint to parents: Because I said so doesn’t work anymore.
Wear comfortable walking shoes.
The Bronx Zoo is enormous, so there is, of course, a lot of walking. Make sure you are wearing a good pair of walking shoes when you go. If you have little children that may get tired of walking, a good idea is to bring their stroller with you. If you forget, there are strollers for rent, on a first come first serve basis.
The zoo is more than 265 acres with over 10,000 animals. Covering all of the exhibits in one day might be a little challenging. Our family visits this zoo at least twice a year, and we still haven’t been able to see everything there.
What to bring?
Sunscreen is a must on hot days. Nothing is worse than having a great day out with the family just to wake up the next day with sunburn. There are a lot of shaded areas in the zoo; however, you are exposed to the sun quite often. My advice is, you could never go wrong when applying sunscreen if you’re planning on being outdoors all day.
I believe in keeping everyone hydrated whenever we spend long periods outside. When we go to the zoo, I like to pack water bottles and a lite snack, which usually includes grapes, cherries, and strawberries. There’s nothing special about these particular snacks besides the sweet taste.
Parking
If you are driving into the city, the zoo has two entrances to choose from. Make sure you know where you parked once you arrive and mark it down so you will not forget.
It’s best to make a mental note of what exhibit you passed once you enter the zoo, so you know which way to go out when it’s time to leave. I’m only an expert at this because I was the one who forgot which parking lot we parked in.
Don’t forget where you parked.
When it was time to return to the car, my friend and I went down a couple of wrong paths before we finally figured out where I had parked.
I thought I would be able to rely on my phone to locate my car like it usually does when I can’t find it, but on this particular day, my phone happened to die.
Shocking to few, but not to my family that knows me oh too well.
There’s a parking fee.
We decided to pay for the parking online when we purchased our tickets, so we didn’t have to worry about it once we got to the zoo.
You can also pay for parking at the gate once you arrive. Parking at the zoo is $20 for cars and $23 for buses.
Admission
Covid has changed so many things over the years. I’m unsure if things will ever go back to how we used to know. Before Covid, you could pay for your tickets once you got to the zoo. Now, most places have you pay online.
Timed entry
Like other places, the zoo is now on a timed entry policy. That means the zoo only allows a certain number of people to go into the zoo during specific time slots, which might not be a bad idea because it controls the flow of people coming in at once.
That way, it’s not a whole bunch of arriving at the zoo at one time, causing traffic jams, long lines to the parking lot, and long lines at the zoo entrance. I think the funnel system is a good idea. Once you arrive, you can stay as long as you like.
Should I get my tickets in advance?
There will be days when the zoo is sold out because they have reached their maximum capacity for the day. I highly recommend planning ahead. Even if you are unsure which day you would like to go to the zoo, tickets might still be available the day before or the morning of, so check online before you go.
Type of tickets for the zoo.
The one thing I love about this zoo is, it makes it possible for anyone to attend. There are a couple of tier types of ticket pricing.
What are Advance access tickets?
Advance tickets are tickets you can purchase which give you full access to the zoo, including some of the special activities like the Wild Asia MonoRail, the Dinosaur exhibit, the Nature Trek and the rides.
If you have an Advance access ticket, check your ticket to see all that is included with your admission. The first time we went to the zoo and paid the advance ticket fee, we did not realize all of the activities and sights that were included, so we missed out on a lot.
What are limited access tickets?
Limited tickets are tickets that give you access to the zoo but not the special activities. These tickets are perfect for families who just want to see the animals. Trust me, there are so many animals to see, and looking at them will probably take two visits alone.
Does the Bronx Zoo have free tickets?
The zoo gives you free limited access every Wednesday. This will allow you to see only the animals. Tickets are available online every Monday at 5pm for the upcoming Wednesday. You must make your reservations online, or you will not be able to access the zoo.
The Bronx zoo has a variety of discount tickets available as well.
Things to do
There are so many exhibits throughout the zoo. My favorite exhibit was the World of Birds. It was amazing to go into their habit and watch them roam freely. If you have small children like mine were, at the time, this exhibit might scare them a little.
They were excited to see the birds because they were so pretty, but once my kids realized the birds could fly over their heads, that was a different story. The colors of the birds were so beautiful and put together. Some of the birds looked like they had makeup applied around their eyes, which they didn’t, but that’s the best description I could give.
I was utterly fascinated by the perfection in their colors and their feathers.
Bronx Zoo map
To make the most of your trip, the best thing to do is to download the zoo map, so you can see where you are and where you would like to go next. The app was a great tool, and we used it the entire time.
We used the map as a guide to locate food, restrooms, and where to go next on our adventure.
If you do not want to use your cell phone or if your phone dies as mine did, there are also maps posted throughout the zoo.
Click here to take a look at the map of the Bronx Zoo: https://bronxzoo.com/map
Dinosaur Safari
Besides the exhibits, the zoo also has the Dinosaur Safari, which is a guided tour. This is the part where you can kick your feet up and take a break as you sit in an open trailer which drives you through the tour.
The tour guides are wonderful giving you the names and details of each of the dinosaurs.
Zip lining
In the treetop adventure section, you can make your way through the aerial rope course, or if you’re brave like me, you can give a shot at zip lining.
At first, I was kind of scared to do the zip lining. My backing out excuse was that I was not dressed for the occasion. Low and behold, there was a solution to my unprepared attire. The treetop adventure has a little shop where you can purchase things needed for the trip. Needless to say, I went zip lining that day with the rest of the family, and it was terrific.
Zoo Shuttle
I’m not sure if you got my hint yet, but if not, there’s a lot of walking at the zoo. To make the most of your trip and to be able to see most of the animals, I recommend you take the zoo shuttle.
The shuttle is included in the pricing of your advance tickets. Don’t worry if you do not have advance tickets; there are still options to pay at the shuttle’s booth.
We did a little of both because we planned on staying at the zoo the whole day. Besides, I wanted to get some steps in on my Fitbit.
I always say that to make myself feel better.
Food
Located around the zoo are different places to eat with various foods available such as hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers, and salads.
We packed a lite snack to hold us over while we were visiting the zoo since they allowed us to bring in food. Check the website for an approved list of foods to bring.
Bronx Zoo Live Cam
During Covid, we had to find ways to reshape our lives, and one of the ways my family found to add excitement to our days was to watch the live cam at the zoo. The live cams are broadcasted between 10 am – 4 pm on any device that can log on to the zoo’s website.
If by any chance you can’t make it to the zoo or if you want to earn cool mom points like I did, log onto the site and search for the live cam to view the animals. Click here to view the live zoo cam.
If your family loves the Bronx Zoo, click here to take look at my blog about Please Touch Museum.
The Bronx Zoo is located at:
2300 Southern Blvd.
Bronx, NY 10460
As always,
Thank you again for coming along this journey with my family and me. If there’s any place you feel my family would enjoy visiting, please tell us in the comments below. You can also put any questions in the comments if there are any questions I have not answered about the Bronx Zoo…
