Aviously

A few months ago I talked about the NY Aquarium and how it was not worth the even discounted prices. But on the flip side they have the Prospect Park Zoo, the most bang for your buck of any of the 5 WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) locations in NYC.

Admission is just $8 for adults, $5 for children, and it’s easily accessible by train. There is no parking lot at the zoo, but it’s located on a long stretch of road with no buildings so parking can be found at times…when not competing with the Grand Army Plaza Library and Brooklyn Botanic Gardens.

It’s a fairly small and cozy zoo, but unlike the aquarium, they really pack in the variety of animals.

• Sea Lion Court – When walking into the zoo you are greeted by a nice sea lion pool, where they put shows on a few times a day.
  

You can then head around the semi-circle and visit the four unique areas of the zoo:

• Discovery Trail – The trail is a nice little stroll loaded with animals (such as prairie dogs, otters, dingos and red pandas), places for kids to have fun (like a spider web to climb on, broken “eggs” and turtle shells), and an Aviary.
  
• Animal Lifestyles – Baboon exhibits, marmosets and Palla’s Cat are a few of the animals in this building
  
• Hall of Animals – This is their tiny animal building, holding animals like frogs, Fennec Fox’s, mongoose and the loris.
  
• Barn and Garden – The barn is the “children’s zoo” of the Prospect Park Zoo, allowing people to pet sheep, goats, and cows, and see other “barnyard animals” like pigs and alpacas. This area also has a nice flower garden that you can wander through.
  

Highly recommended for a day of fun, and after you can go next door to the Carousel and Lefferts Historic House.