Staten Island Zoo Is Animal-Packed Adventure for Little Ones

If you're looking for animal adventures in the Big Apple might we suggest the Staten Island Zoo—one of NYC's true hidden gems? While there are so many wonderful zoos in NYC, the compact Staten Island Zoo is seemingly overlooked. It has a perfect layout for small children and is packed with interesting species for kids of all ages to explore, plus it offers fun, family-friendly programming. Its admission fees are reasonable, so consider this your sign to head across the Verrazzano or take a FREE ferry ride to this under-the-radar NYC animal haven. 

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Is the Staten Island Zoo Worth a Visit? YES!

The Staten Island Zoo is a perfect option for NYC families and visitors wanting to experience animals up-close. The Staten Island Zoo is stroller-friendly and can be conquered in one day. We recommend visiting on a weekday during an off-peak time for the most "empty zoo" experience. A note for those visiting in the late spring: school field trips are booked during May and June, so if you plan to visit the Staten Island Zoo on a weekday, consider visiting during the afternoon to avoid the large crowds and school bus traffic.

RELATED: Top 50 Things To Do with Kids on Staten Island

The animals are so close you could almost touch them—almost! 

Start Your Adventure at the Staten Island Zoo

We entered the zoo from the parking lot at the Clove Road entrance. Right away, we spotted a Capybara and watched it nibbling on its food for a bit. There are dinosaur sculptures close to this entrance that are perfect for climbing. We saved those for the end of our trip and journeyed on to see the Amur Leopard. It wasn't out at the time, so we wandered on to the next part and circled back later.

If you happen to visit the Staten Island Zoo on a hot day, start with the indoor exhibits. The aquarium and the Africa wing are two top choices. We spent some time with a few very interactive monkeys that sat right up against the glass, glancing over their shoulders at us. Pacing lemurs and some pretty wild frogs were a few of the highlights. Some critters were even set up at stroller height, so still-crawling kids can get in on the animal action!

The aquarium exhibit invites kids into an underwater world. 

Must-See Exhibits at the Staten Island Zoo

With more than 1,500 animals of 300 different species, the Staten Island Zoo has so much to offer. Here are some of the highlights.

Bats at the Staten Island Zoo

The bats were an awesome experience and are not to be missed. The enclosure is surrounded by cave-like rocks and is dimly lit with a flickering lantern. The bats dart back and forth in the shadows, which creates a dramatic and immersive experience. You can even hear the sound of water dripping in the background, making the cave experience feel authentic. Kids are immediately captivated by the bats.

Staten Island Zoo Aquarium

Normally, a visit to the aquarium means a separate trip to another aquatic-themed attraction, like Coney Island's New York Aquarium. But, the Staten Island Zoo has its own on-site aquarium! Kids can get up-close-and-personal with tons of fish and feel like they're snorkeling or diving into the underwater adventures while exploring educational sea life exhibits.

Tropical Forest Wing

The Tropical Forest wing is another can't-miss attraction. The Staten Island Zoo does a great job of making the indoor exhibits feel alive and inviting. The rain forest area was adorned with an enormous tree that made the whole room feel like a part of a forest. Monkeys licked beads of condensation off the glass. Awesome birds and massive frogs were also a big hit.

Horse Barn & Kids Korral

Outside, we checked out the horses and wandered through the barn area. The Kids Korral requires an additional fee (we didn't purchase a ticket on this trip). We bought some feed but didn't hang onto it long enough to make it to the sheep and other farm animals. My over-enthusiastic kids tossed it to the chickens, who were not particularly interested. We rounded a corner and found ourselves followed (behind a fence of course) by an enormous, curious ostrich.

RELATED: Visiting Snug Harbor and Botanic Gardens with Kids

A play space with oversized nature sculptures invites climbing and exploring. 

Temperate Forest Sculptures

The Temperate Forest Sculptures were another fantastic feature for smaller kids, with hollow tree trunks to climb through, eggs to hatch out of, and a gigantic snake to sit on. We spent nearly as much time here as we did in the rest of the zoo.

Fox Exhibit

Foxes, both arctic and red, live adjacent to the play sculpture area, and they were exceptionally playful and cute since we caught them during a feeding.

Amur Leopard

We came back to this exhibit right before we left, hoping to "spot" this spotted creature. And sure enough, we did! We watched this beautiful cat pacing back and forth for quite a while before we headed back around the circular zoo path and find our way back to the car.

Staten Island Zoo Carousel

The Staten Island Zoo Carousel is a sight to behold, but take note: Carousel hours are shorter than the general zoo hours, so come between 11am-3pm if you'd like to take it for a spin. You can purchase carousel tickets at the zoo entrance for an additional $3. The ride was closed when we visited, and we can't wait to go back again soon!

Food Options at the Staten Island Zoo

You can purchase something to eat at the cafe on the grounds. It carries snacks and a few kid-pleasing meals like chicken nuggets and sandwiches. There is indoor seating, or you can opt for outdoor picnics at tables if the weather allows. There's also a gift shop here full of snuggly animals and toys. We went home with a furry ring-tailed lemur.

Staten Island Zoo Tickets

Admission to the Staten Island Zoo is a reasonable $10 for adults and $6 for kids ages 3-14. Those under age 2 enter for FREE. Staten Island Zoo tickets are FREE for all visitors on Wednesday after 2pm.

Know Before You Go to the Staten Island Zoo Adventure

• Parking at the zoo is FREE. The zoo's designated parking lot is located right across from the Clove Road entrance.
• The Staten Island Zoo is open year-round, seven days a week from 10am-4:45pm. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
• Bring your strollers: The entire complex is stroller-friendly.
• Directions to the Staten Island Zoo can be found here.
• Word to the wise: Print out a map from its website before you go. We didn't, but the upside to our aimless wandering was we were able to spend extra time hanging out with the frogs, bats, and lemurs—we stopped by to see them twice.

Originally published in 2018. Photos and additional reporting by Louise Finnell.