Queens Zoo, New York’s Other Zoo
Scared?
Absolutely not. My two boys called to the bear and one even decided to do a little dance. A fitting end to a day at the Queens Zoo in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, New York City.
This was the first zoo (besides the petting kind) for my two children, age 4 and 2, and for that reason my wife and I chose to avoid the famous, and busy, Bronx Zoo in favor of a smaller, quieter one.
We visited Queens Zoo in late July. It was hot, even by New York standards, and at 10 am the sun was trying to make us pack it in for a more air-conditioned destination, but we had already told the children and they were excited, and a promise is a promise.
No need to worry: an overarching canopy of trees shaded the walkways through the North American wild animal habitats and for two and a half hours we had a relatively cool stroll through the Queens Zoo. The paved path and the dirt side trails to viewing stations provided easy stroller pushing. In addition, two water stations and a pavilion, complete with an air conditioned snack building, were placed at regular intervals.
After paying for our tickets (and what great prices: $5 for adults, $1 for ages 3-12) we entered the Queens Zoo. Our 4-year-old bee-lined down the trail to see the alligators. The two reptiles didn’t disappoint. From our safe perch on a bridge above, we watched the alligators swim lazily about, their powerful tail propelling them through the water; on the other side of the bridge–and separated from the toothy reptiles, a varied assortment of water fowl paddled and dove into a tree lined pond.
From the alligators, the trail passed exhibits on lynx and pumas, and even though both were asleep, the parks ‘mystery’ stations with their red decoders kept the boys from being disappointed. These stations were set before animal evidence (such as claw marks on a tree) and asked what happened here. To find the answer, children needed to use a special red decoder, given with admission.
The trail continued around, passing animals like elk and coyotes. Half way around the main loop, sea lions swam in a large, natural looking pool. We arrived at feeding time, and for fifteen minutes (an eternity for children) we enjoyed watching the sea lions dive after fish and climb out on the rocks to take food from the attendants’ hands.
Unfortunately, the picnic area only had vending machines and, as it was nearing noon, we needed to head out of the zoo for lunch. We completed the loop, stopping to view the exhibits on bison, prairie dogs, birds and the rare spectacled bears, before leaving the zoo for the pretzel and hot dog vendors just outside the gate at the carousel.
Though small and lacking the more exotic animals of other zoos, the Queens Zoo is a wonderful way to spend a few hours. In addition to the wild animal exhibits, the Queens Zoo runs a domestic animal area across from the ticket and gift shop.
Nearly everything was perfect for a family: the exhibits provided basic information on the animals, the right amount for children; staff members were pleasant and answered my boys’ questions; and tickets were inexpensively priced; the only drawback was the lack of a cafeteria, but with planning, a picnic in the zoo would have made the day perfect.
The Queens Zoo is open year round. It is located at 53-41 111th St. in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Visit the web site www.queenszoo.com for more information.
