Queens Zoo

Let me start by saying that for most of my life I have lived no more than about 30 miles from this zoo. I have passed by it hundreds of times, whether on my way to a Met's game, a trip to the NY Hall of Science, on route to LaGuardia airport, or just taking the Grand Central or LIE somewhere. Not once did I ever stop at the zoo. I've seen the sign for it, been in Flushing Meadows park where it is located, and even have a membership to the zoo through the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)! Today I took my 5 year old and 2 year old and we had a blast. The zoo is small, only a handful of animals, but the intimate setting and lack of crowds was GREAT! We saw a bald eagle, an alligator, sea lions, puma, lynx, Bison, pudu (a small deer), and a host of other animals. There is also a cute little domestic animal petting zoo. We also went to there discovery center which is open on weekends for children's crafts. The craft was a cheesy paper diorama, but my kids enjoyed it. The zoo was clean, as were the bathrooms. One word of caution, there is NO restaurant on site. There are some vending machines for drinks, snacks, and ice cream. We brought lunch and had a nice picnic under an umbrella by picnic tables located by the vending machines and sea lions.

We spent about 2 1/2 hours there including lunch and saw everything. This is a great little day trip that could be included with a stop at the Hall of Science within walking distance down the road. Citi field and the tennis center are also nearby. I wouldn't go out of my way for such a small zoo, but if you're in the area and looking for a fun time, check it out.