Bronx Zoo Reviews

The Bronx Zoo is one of the treasures of New York City. It is located in the middle of the Bronx just off East Fordham Road. Please note that it is very large which means a great deal of walking. Highlights include: the Children's Zoo, including its petting area, the Asia Monorail that tours Asian beasts, Jungle World, and the Edge Of Darkness. Tip: Go earlier in the day when it firsts opens. The attractions can get very crowded on peak days with wait times. Tip: Plan your route around the zoo. it is too big to zig zag back and forth.

We did not know what to expect and we thoroughly enjoyed this day. We saw all the animals and spent 5/6 hours there. It’s clean and very well presented. We would thoroughly recommend

We recently had been to The Bronx Zoo. I was amazed by the sheer size of this zoo. The best part of the zoo, were of course, it’s animals. All the animals appeared to be healthy and happy :) the food at the food courts was also very affordable. I’d recommend a visit to this zoo. 5-Stars

Had no problems when I got there everything was fine and the beonx zoo us awesome haven't been there in over 35 years spectacular

The Bronx Zoo is a hidden gem in New York. There are wonderful displays set amongst greenery right in the Bronx. Great restaurants nearby. A fun way to spend the day.

I have been coming here since I was a kid. This is a must if you are in the beautiful borough of the bronx.

I went to the Bronx Zoo on the last night of the Holiday Lights on a whim. The tickets had been discounted by 30% and I thought why not? I am so glad that I went. It was an amazing show to walk around.

It really was a beautiful display of lights, music, activities like ice sculpture and comics performing and the restaurants were all open to the guests. Since it was the last night, it was busier early in the evening but by 9:00pm, it started to quiet down.

The lights took up much of the park and I almost missed the back section of the zoo when I went down a different path by the seal tanks towards the original part of the zoo. They had a musical Christmas tree and zebras on silts, costume characters taking pictures and white lights that adorned all the trees. There were all sorts of animals sculptures that lit the way along the paths and all sorts of contemporary Christmas songs were being played.

Even though Christmas was over and the Epiphany had passed, the lights really put me back into the holiday spirit and with it being such a rough Christmas this year, it was nice to have a bit of holiday cheer still come my way.

It was a GREAT evening!

One of the most remarkable zoological facilities you will ever see. Amazing array of wild life, but it can be utterly overwhelming. The parking situation can be a little tricky with multiple locations and the zoo is absolutely massive. You really need to reserve the entire day to make the most of your visit.

A very spacious site, animals generally well kept. Guide on the phone that worked perfectly

Good plan for three hours at medium pace

On Wednesdays admission is free upon reservation

I went during quarantine and was fantastic. This zoo is way better than the San Diego’s zoo. They have new dholes exhibit. It is also really easy to social distance- they wipe down the monorail every time it the ride is over and they have sanitizer stations all over the park. It takes about 6 hours to see every thing.9 if every thing was open.They got a new elephant so happy is not alone anymore. Food is pricey and parking is sometimes hard so if you live close by walk or take the bus. But, if you live far away take the train. More full on Wednesdays. This is one of the zoos that is worth going now because a lot of stuff is outside so there is still a lot to see and do.

I don’t usually leave reviews, but NIFT recommended I start leaving them!
This is a Wonderful place to enjoy the day with your family and kids. The kids loved all the animals and it was a beautiful day for the experience! Even got into the Congo forest for free because it was so quiet there! The Bronx zoo really is a must for anyone with kids or anyone who loves animals! We will be heading back there very soon! Staff were wonderful, the place was clean and most of the animals were on display. (Unlike other zoos I have been to.) best part, Wednesdays are free all year!

When in New York City a visit to this institution is highly recommended. The Bronx zoo brings you close to wild animals, including, lions, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, snakes, spiders, venomous or not, The zoo is comprised of various areas that separate the animals from each other, but it brings them together in their own habitat,thr are Eagles, Condors, vultures, owls and many other feathered friends. Once inside the zoo you could go on the monorail,to tour Africa, or even see the animals that once roomed our Earth the Dinosaurs. You can see the famous TRex and the other animals that lived millions of years before us. You have the choise of several eateries so you can enjoy the food the the zoo offers to customers. You can also enjoy a ride in a camel, The Bronz zoo is the largest zoo in the world, once here it makes you forget that you are old, it brings the child in you. I recommend this very highly.

The late entry at 3pm into the zoo prior to the lights was amazing. The house of birds was soo cool. Bird active & had place to ourselves. Saw many of the animals being put away. The lantern display was amazing. Carolers were great & festive. The ice carver was interesting. The s’mores over priced as was the only complaint. Other lights were well done

Disappointed by lack of large animals outside. There were no staff members to ask directions or receive information from. They charge a regular price but many exhibits closed and large animals not available to be seen . Had been to the providence zoo two weeks prior and all their large animals were outside with a staff member available at almost all exhibits for information. No staff available at all within park. Very disappointed. If you are into small creatures within exhibits inside buildings this is the place for you. Interior spaces all dark and ver difficult yo keep track of children. Literally to dark and dreadful smell in all buildings.

We were visiting from Florida. I have been watching the tv show on animal planet that takes place here about the zoo. So I had to do it since we were going to be in NY. We were staying at the TWA hotel at JFK so we took Uber (about $50) one way to the zoo as the public transportation options would take too long. Zoo was so much bigger than I had imagined. It is very well done...lots of trees for shade, all the exhibits were very well designed. We were very impressed that it is so good despite being a free zoo! We did buy the all attractions ticket for $14.95 each which gets you into 6 or 8 attractions that are fee only. Otherwise the majority of the zoo is free. We got there right at opening on a Weds and it’s as already getting busy but by time we left early afternoon, it was almost too much. There were just too many people packed in. There were a couple attractions we didnt enter because of the huge crowds and it was so hot. If it werent so crowded by early afternoon, I think we would have stayed longer, but I had had enough of “people” and so we left. We would definitely go back though...and we would go right at opening time. Since we dont live in NY, we arent used to mass crowds of people ...

The layout is a bit confusing because of loopy trails. It’s easy to be disoriented and there’s no map pamphlet to be found. You might want to use a GPS on your smartphone.

It’s more for a family event. 3 hours wouldn’t be enough to see all the animals. If you’re tired of walking, then monorail would probably be better.

I felt sad for some animals such as the Himalayan cheetah,and tigers. They were walking in circle because of small enclosures. I hope they can expand some spaces.

Went to the Bronx Zoo on Sunday, Jan 17th. Truly heart breaking how they keep these animals isolated in small enclosures. I saw the foxes showing distress by pacing back and forth over and over again. They had one single cheetah in a glass enclosure all by itself alone pacing back and forth on top of a branch. I saw two rhinos enclosed in a glass area with no room to run. They had one single monkey in one enclosure. Large birds have not room to fly. Most of the animals have no room to run and be the wild animals they are. Others were alone with no partner. Living their entire life alone in a glass enclosure as if they were garments!! Truly heart breaking. WISH SOMEONE WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PLACE AND CLOSE IT DOWN. THEY ARE CRUEL TO ANIMALS. REMOVE THE ANIMALS AND PUT THEM IN A WILDLIFE SANCTUARY.

We spent a morning at the Bronx Zoo unfortunately it was a very underwhelming experience. There appeared to be few animals in each enclosure and those we did see looked very sad. Animals that should have had more company or be in groups sadly were not
One highlight was the reptiles and snake enclosures with this group being very comfortable
The only gorilla we saw appeared very lonely in an unnatural environment
All in all we felt this was a very over rated experience
Anyone planning this should know on a Wednesday tickets are at a reduced cost

During the course of my long life I have been visiting the Bronx Zoo, even though I mostly did not live in New York. Every visit to New York had to include the Bronx Zoo. We have enjoyed zoos all over the world. The Bronx Zoo is the standard by which all other zoos are measured.

Over the years the exhibits have changed radically. Once animals lived in cages mostly. Now almost all live in free roaming enclosures as natural as possible.

Exhibits attract all ages. The Children‘s zoo is outstanding unto itself, featuring hands-on opportunities for children to touch and otherwise interact with animals. Even adults frequent the large Children’s Zoo, and thrill in its close up and personal exhibits.

A monorail offers a must experience overview of the entire zoo with a knowledgeable and personable driver-guide. The basic ticket usually includes everything in the park.

The gorilla house places visitors in an inner enclosure with the primates all around. The sea lion and walrus pool feeding time attracts large crowds. A motor train offers less mobile visitors the chance to see most of the park seated.

For those who are handicapped, the Bronx. Zoo is especially accommodating. Renting an electric scooter for the day is $50 with a $100 refundable deposit. Special accommodation for the scooters and wheelchairs are all around. Zoo personnel are well-trained in accommodating and courteous treatment for people with special needs.

The Bronx Zoo is for everyone, if all ages and backgrounds.

It was clean and very welcoming everyone that worked there had a smile on their face no negativity the animals were so adorable

On our recent visit to New York, we joined our daughter and son in law at the Bronx Zoo. The weather forecast was for rain, but since they are zoo members and there was no cost involved, we decided to risk the bad weather. As it turned out it did not rain and the clouds kept what could have been a hot July day comfortable. We only spent two hours in the park but still got to see lots of animals. We spent some time with the giraffes, okapi, flamingos, sea lions, red pandas (always sleeping), bison, rhinos, water birds and tigers. But my favorites are always the gorillas. They don’t move around much, but they are so fascinating to watch. We left the park around lunch time, which was just as well since their food prices are kind of outrageous. But I know there is so much more to see and do, and I can’t wait to go back.

I had not been to the Bronx Zoo in 22 years and had invited to a private members night for members of the Wildlife Conservatory. I had a ball.

It was so nice to explore the zoo after hours and the members had the whole place to themselves. The architecture and stone work of the old part of the zoo is just beautiful. It was all carved in stone and made in 1907. You really have to look up at the stone work and admire the animal motifs to appreciate it.

I got to see the Congo Jungle, the Tree Top Safari, the Monorail ride (my favorite) and all the animal habitats. The giraffes were very interesting and graceful and the monkeys had their own lives going on and acted as if we were not there and went about their business.

The Tree Top Safari was a lot of fun to climb and the little kids did not seem to have too many problems climbing it before me so I just followed them. It really is different for an adult especially going through the barrel.

I ate at the Dancing Crane Cafe for dinner and surprisingly enjoyed it. The chicken fingers and fries were very good.

Also do not miss the walk through of the Dinosaurs exhibit. That was a lot of fun at twilight.

The zoo is a lot of fun for out of towners.

Amazing zoo, what a pleasure for the entire day! plenty of animals and attractions for the entire family to enjoy. We go every year and enjoy every visit with our kids.

My wife and I and our two kids had wonderful time at the Bronx zoo. The Bronx zoo is very large so bring your comfortable walking shoes . We highly recommend pre buying the refillable soda cups as they pay for them self very quickly . The zoo is well kept but lacks good signage to help you navigate easily . Be prepared if you are traveling with your stroller to park it outside of most indoor exhibits and carry your kids as strollers are not allowed in most indoor exhibits . All and all is awesome place to spend the day . Well worth the money will be back .

We had a lot of fun visiting the Bronx Zoo the first weekend it opened up after the COVID pandemic! A lot of the indoor activities were unfortunately still closed, but we got the chance to see many of the outdoor exhibits including the tigers, giraffes, sea lions, red pandas, zebras, and more. One of my favorite attractions was the Wild Asia Monorail — a motorized monorail tour of many of Asia's native species such as tigers and elephants. The staff at the zoo are very friendly and knowledgeable and were very welcoming and accommodating during our visit!

$17 for parking! Zoo was in poor shape & needed incredible amount of TLC! Animal exhibits in poor shape. Do not spend the extra money for the butterfly exhibit - total rip-off. Families with children running around like banshees.

This was a much larger zoo than I expected being in the middle of the Bronx. So there is a lot of walking involved. But the exhibits and the animals were so great. The only issue we had was that we had a full pass but then so many of the areas have separate admissions and there was no explanation that they would take that pass so we ended up missing a couple of exhibits until we tried the pass on the monorail and it allowed us to go on it. The only signs were of the extra charge to visit areas.
Other than that the zoo was so great, we really had a good time. It was also a Boo at the Zoo time and the kids around the place were in costume and seemed to be having a really great time. I had the most fun with the otters and the sea lions, and the variety of birds was amazing.

Do not waste your time unless you go on Wednesday which is free. However, if you do expect a 50 person line at the ladies restroom. No joke. Don't pay for the extra Exhibits they are not with it at all. Try groupon to get a better deal. Lots of empty exhibits, lots of walking and seeing nothing. Did I mention literally 30 to 50 person bathroom wait? No real air conditioned places to rest. Hard to find a vendor or water fountain to get a cold drink. We could have seen some other cool new York sight instead of this poor excuse for a zoo. We were so excited to go n and so disappointed.

My family loved the Bronx Zoo! We bought a family membership so that we could see all the exhibits. Most importantly, we wanted to see the new dinosaur exhibit, which was very well done; the dinosaurs were very realistic. We loved seeing all the animals, but our favorite ended up being the tigers, probably because we got to see the staff doing a training exercise with them and got to see them up close. It was just lucky timing! We also really liked the butterfly garden and the gorillas, and the reptile exhibit was extremely interesting.

We found the staff to be very friendly, the animal exhibits to be very clean and thoughtfully laid out, and the cafe was also very good. It was very shady, which was nice on a hot day, and it was very well landscapes. Except for some sirens, we forgot we were in the city. It was also very clean. It’s clear the people at the zoo really love animals! It made me feel good about the $200+ membership!

It is definitely too much to do in one day! We spent one and a half days and still didn’t get to everything.

The only negative for us was all the poorly behaved camps. They were loud! And it detracted from the enjoyment of the park.

We were previously members of the Columbus Zoo and Cincinnati Zoo, and honestly, it's hard to beat the Columbus Zoo. The Columbus Zoo is well priced for annual memberships, has a ton of shows and animal feedings offered, and the zoo is clean and well done throughout. We liked the Bronx Zoo a lot, but had higher hopes for it. I was disappointed for other guests to see that if you want to see the entire zoo is $39.95 per adult for a zoo it all pass. The Bronx Zoo is unique in that there are special admission fees for almost everything- The Butterfly Garden, The Jungle walk, the Gorilla exhibit, the Asia Monorrail and a few others have extra charges to do each attraction. The special exhibits were fantastic though. We loved them all. I was bummed there are no polar bears in the zoo, and this zoo has a ton of walking so I recommend wearing good walking shoes. But tons of animals and attractions everywhere, so you won't be disappointed. Note that the shuttle is not working this time of year except on weekends. There are also not a ton of special feedings and shows at the Bronx zoo. I recommend looking up feeding times if there is an animal feeding you'd like to see.

Everything was amazing. Loved the people walking around with bird like apparatus on. So cute. Loved watching kids reaction to the birds. So much to see. The pictures really don't do it justice. You have to look everywhere, birds and animals in trees, behind bushes, on the ground. You really don't want to miss anything. You could easily spend an hour just in the gift shop. Lots of food and snack booths around. It was a chilly nite so hot chocolate or egg nog with a little something in it was welcome. There was an ice carver tent we ventured into. Interesting watching him create beautiful ice carvings. Went on the Bug Merry go round. Very nice. Wheelchairs available. All of the exhibits had so much detail, some even had movement. Truly an amazing trip for kids and adults.

I had not been to the Bonx zoo in about 15 years. My 11 year old grandson insisted that we go after his return from sleep away camp. We arrived just as the park open and was able to get parking in a close lot.

I was totally blown away with all the refurbished exhibits. Cages are gone! I loved seeing the gorillas and tigers in what looked like a more natural setting.

I loved the whole experience. Spent more that 5 hours there and walked almost 4 miles.
If you go, get there early. The busloads of school aged children arrive in droves around 11:15, and keep on coming until at least 2 PM.

We visited the Bronx Zoo on the 6th September , 2019 and was a fantastic zoo to visit , the enclosures for the animals are huge and getting around the zoo is easy. My daughter also had an animal encounter with a sloth which she absolutely loved and was one of the highlights of her trip . If staying in Manhattan you can either catch a bus from in town or catch the subway to Pelham Park on the 2 train and its about a 15 minute walk from the subway.

Zoo is really really big. Way much larger than I expected. We started around 11:30 and left around 5:00. With two young kids with us, we only had enough time to explore 1/3 of the whole zoo.
All animals seem very healthy and peaceful. I saw the most beautiful giraffes and strongest rhinoceros there. And we saw them really up close! We came during the dinosaur event, so the kids were super excited!

The Zoo encompasses more than 265 acres and while it may not be possible to experience it all in one trip, if you plan your day accordingly, you can visit most of the animals in a full day! We took the option to purchase the Private Cart Tour, a 60 min tour with a guide that takes you around the zoo and visits those animals you wish to see most. We were blessed to see all of the big cats, even though our tour guide said many days they are hiding in the brush or sleeping behind trees or big boulders. We also elected to book a wild encounters experience! We all enjoyed the experience and the wealth of information the keepers shared with us during the 30 min encounter! We even received a surprise visit from another animal which was unexpected, but exciting for us all and we enjoyed the experience. The Zoo is the cleanest we have all every experienced, the staff, keepers and guides were extremely friendly and helpful! The cafe was reasonably priced, considering and food was delicious. A fun and enjoyable day had by all!

The Zoo appreciates the military. They had several extra things to do for the Fall season and Halloween. It is a decent size Zoo. You will find a lot of shady spots to stay cool. You do have to pay extra to ride a camel. It is not included in the total experience.

The only way to justify the $ 40 entrance fee is to hope that it is helping the animals. Otherwise its a waste of money. Sadly the place has become run down. With very few animals out and visible it felt more like a walk in the woods. I won't say save your money, because it feels like they need it. I will say go with open mind and low expectations, then you won't be disappointed.

There’s so much to do and see! The children’s zoo is a must for kids less than 11! Lots of walking! But there are electric vehicles, strollers and double strollers to rent ( we didn’t use this)
There is a carousel. Lots of ways to view animals.

This experience was pure delight and simply wonderful. We lucked out with sunny blue skies, bright sun, and a calm breeze so that 24 degrees was actually comfortable appropriately bundled up. Whoever came up with this idea and the team that executed is needs to be acknowledged for an excellent job. I surprised my husband and adult daughter with this family outing for the day after Christmas. We had a leisurely lunch at a fantastic Italian restaurant on Belmont Ave, around the corner from Arthur Ave, then drove the 5 minutes to the Zoo at 3pm. At that time, we were still able to see indoor animal exhibits until 4:00pm. We meandered around the paths as the lights started to get brighter, and at 4:30pm we entered the different themed lantern areas, while enjoying a cup of hot cocoa and a crunchy churro stick. There was just enough families/people to make it lively but it never felt overly crowded the day we went. It was SO MUCH FUN! We were thrilled to find out the Bug Carousel was free to ticket holders and jumped on - all three of us with enormous grins on our faces to see each other sit side by side again. OUr daughter is 30 years old so it brought back lots of sweet memories. The Holiday Lights experience is just magical and full of awe and delight - it brought out the kids in us and we had such a wonderful family time.

We planned this trip with a other family and we had a blast! The lights were amazing and the ice carving competition was fun to watch! We had 4 grown children with us and still got everyone on the bug carousel! Would recommend this to anyone! If you go a bit later - parking is easier.

No matter the seasons or the weather, we always had amazing time at the Bronx zoo. The Dino adventure, treetop adventure and the safari train were her favorite, and she can spend hours on carousel and watching butterflies. During Halloween week, a lot to get thrilled about in their labyrinths, quizze, during winter time is like in snow wonderland. We are never tired of the Bronx zoo and 1.5 hours one way trip is totally worth it. :)
Stuff is young, but generally helpful. Food is not that great, but hey, you come not for that. :)

We had a great day visiting the Bronx zoo. It is so large, so plan to get there early and make sure you wear comfortable shoes as there will be a lot of walking! The weather was beautiful, however there was plenty of shade for those hot days. There were also plenty of restrooms and places to eat.

The exhibits are well thought out and the Congo area was the best. There are numerous gorillas who come right up to the glass and watch all the people. The butterfly exhibit was also very nice as you walk through the exhibit they are flying everywhere. We also enjoyed the monorail.

nice place to visit when i was a child everything inside was pretty much free or reasonably priced now everywhere you turn you have to pay for the attractions inside fyi if you go on a busy day and leave your baby carriage outside the exhibit it will probably get taken and a lesser expensive model will be left in its place

I have never felt so unwelcome at any public entertainment facility in my life as a disabled individual. Do not even attempt it if you don't already have a motorized cart of your own and at least one able-bodied person to help. We came by tour bus, which had to park as far as possible from the gate with no option to let those of us with disabilities get off nearer the gate. I had to push my husband in our wheelchair about 200 yards across an active parking lot dodging incoming cars. Then we couldn't find the kiosk to rent electric vehicles and no one at the zoo would help us. Not my job was the attitude. When we did finally find it, we were told that we could not leave our manual wheelchair there and I could not get back into the zoo if I left to take it back to the bus. When I asked what we were supposed to do, the nasty woman at the kiosk said she didn't care what we did. Even after asking to see a supervisor, the best they could offer was that we could hide the wheelchair in a nearby weedy area and hope it wouldn't get stolen. Although the website says that the shuttle and monorail are handicapped accessible, we couldn't ride the shuttle because we could not leave the motorized carts at the loading areas and the ECV's rented by the zoo itself were too big and heavy to go onto either the shuttle or the monorail. The buildings are all supposed to be accessible, but most are not. The ECV's rented by the zoo don't fit through most of the doors and the heavy glass and metal doors can't be opened by anyone who does not have upper body strength. We had to wait at most doors for a kind zoo patron to open the door and hold it for us. Some zoo staff would do it, but many said they were not allowed to open doors for us or help us in any way. There were no paper maps. Guests were expected to have and be readily able to operate a smart phone and download an ap to see a map. Since we don't have good eyesight or manual dexterity, we had no access to maps. The few painted maps were hard to find and the signs pointing directions were hard to decipher, just pictures, letters and arrows with no words. We had a miserable time and wasted a lot of time and money. Disabled people should stay away! You are not welcome at Bronx Zoo!

This is a great place to visit. I purchased an "animal encounter" with the penguins, which turned out to be more amazing than I could have possibly imagined. We met multiple keepers, who gave us lots of information on the penguins, plus an unbelievably personal, up close encounter with the penguins themselves. The guide that walked us around part of the zoo was great-- there was a small history of the zoo tour, which I thought was well worth knowing. It gives you an idea of how far our understanding of animals has come, and what we're doing to help the animals in the world.
The zoo itself is big-- a lot of ground to cover, and I was only there a few hours, unfortunately. It's great that there's a lot of space for animals to hang out, but the handoff is that it's hard to see get a close up look at certain animals. I was really excited to see the African Wild Dogs, but couldn't get a good shot, for example. However, other exhibits like the Aquatic Birds and Madagascar were amazing and immersive.
If you have kids, I'd recommend looking into an official tour, just because, like I said, lots of ground to cover, and they're obviously very knowledgeable about their animals. Also, if you want to buy apparel, look online, because their size options are pretty limited (although my kids were still happy with their shirts).

My favorite part of the zoo was the Gorilla exhibit. They were so much fun to watch and seemed to enjoy all the attention. This is a wonderful zoo!

Got there early Saturday and spent the whole day walking around. Not as packed as I expected, being my first trip to New York. Worth it and definitely a top tier zoo, although I think the Kansas City Zoo outranks it for me.

The TV show hyped this up for me, so perhaps it is wrong to say it felt like just a zoo, but we love zoos and you need to make it out here if you do too.

The zoo was great. Almost as interesting as the TV show. So glad that we got to see it in person. Bought a sweatshirt (don't usually buy souvenirs).

Make sure you get the Total Experience Tickets online because some exhibits at the zoo cost extra money! Don’t underestimate its size. It’s huge and will take you a full day so get there early!

My wife and I were here last Sunday, and we were a bit disappointed. It was about 90 degrees and sunny, and many of the animals seemed to be hiding. We couldn't see any of the bears or the tigers. We did, however, see giraffes and one lion.

We only paid the basic price and so we didn't see any of the "extra" sights in the zoo during this visit. I find the zoo kind of expensive.

Great place for couples, families and friends. Can be a bit expensive but worth it considering what they do. You can bring your own food or pay in park. There is beer served as well...
Get there for when they open at 10. Buy the all inclusive tickets. Best deal. Adults can go into the petting zoo which has been expanded. The world of birds is really well done. Watch the series call The Zoo as well.

The habitats for the animals are incredibly designed, particularly the Congo. I have watched many TV programs about this Zoo and how the animals are cared for. My visit only increased an already deep appreciation for the efforts expended to sustain the many ambassadors that no longer have a wild to return to.

While many people today claim zoos are harmful to animals, I would actually recommend that they visit the Bronx Zoo. You will not find animals in small enclosed cages with iron bars. The animals in this zoo are housed in wide open natural areas and seemingly have the freedom to roam as they wish to. Glass-type wide viewing areas allow visitors to see animals without crowding around a small cage. Some animals are also in wide open enclosures such as the Rhino's, seals, and some birds. The park has a tram to various exhibits as well as a Dinosaur exhibit (closed when I visited). A wide variety of animals are available ranging from the large cats to the smallest forest animals. I would recommend parking in the 'Asia' parking area which is MUCH closer to the zoo itself vs the 'River' parking area. Overall, a place to visit with a moderately priced entry fee.

Excellent, well laid out, clean zoo with more than enough animals to fill up a full day visit. The bears were probably our favorite because 2 of them came down from the top of their rocky area, sat upright, faced each other, and engaged in this playful exchange of batting their paws at each other. We probably watched them for 20 minutes! The giraffes were indoors due to how cold it was and they were in the middle of a feeding session when we entered their enclosure late in the afternoon. Other animals that we watched for quite a while included the flamingos, tortoises, sea lions, bison, and rhinoceroses.
We drove there ourselves and parked in lot C, so that's a good one to pick if you're entering an address into your GPS. Also, the main restaurant facility is the Dancing Crane Cafe, which had good protein bowls and other choices. The staff there were also really pleasant and helpful.

Beautiful zoo. Well kept and very fun to explore. The animals were all amazing! Lots of walking. Paths are well marked and peacocks that follow you around are awesome!

The Bronx Zoo is beautiful. An oasis in the city! They have a great selection of animals to see and riding the monorail to see the elephant, deer and others was a fun experience. I would definitely return!

It was a great day! This zoo is huge, beautiful and filled with a variety of animals. I definitely recommend it for kids of all ages.

Visited back in March 2019. Got there by subway and got off at Pelham Parkway. It’s a bit of a walk to the zoo getting off at that station but there are some fantastic shops and food outlets on White Plains Road. My advice is take food with you to the zoo as the food their wasn’t great and wasn’t cheap. The zoo itself is a great day out and is spacious. Unfortunately I didn’t get there as early as I wanted to so didn’t get to see all the exhibits. The gorilla exhibit was amazing and I would defiantly return again next time I visit New York

Great day at the zoo and great value of the tickets. I though off peak admission does not include the attractions, but they do!

Although we went late and only spent about 3 hours there, we still had a very nice time. We went on a Wednesday, when there is admission fee, so that made it worthwhile too. The only complaint that I had, was that the parking fee seemed a little bit too high for the time that we were there. We payed $17, and since we were there for less than 3 hours, I thought that the parking fee was way too much. Other than that, we still had a nice time.

Had a great visit while visiting New York lovely zoo and great collection of animals I'd recommend to anybody young or old

I have been a Bronx Zoo member for two years and I really feel there should be a better value for members. You do get 40% off the ticket but that is still nearly $20 a person on top of the $300 a year family zoo membership. So for the four of us to go it was an additional $80 on top of what we spend a year. It is crowded, like really crowded, so there are long lines for everything from light shows to food. We waited 15 min for an overpriced hot chocolate. Then we spent $6 for s’mores. ONE MARSHMALLOW for $6. And that is with our member discount.
I was hoping for some craft stations or something, more like what you see at Boo at the Zoo, (which is no extra cost) but we didn’t see that. The ice carving looked cool, but there were so many people we couldn’t see at all. The holiday train is also an up charge, so we didn’t do it. At the very least that could be free for members.
I was also disappointed that there was no hay ride at boo at the zoo this year. It was replaced by the Dino ride, which was also an upgrade charge so we opted out.

Zoos are serious business for me. I visit them everywhere I travel. I am intense, focused and comprehensive But I discovered an alternate universe when we took our visiting two and a half year old grandson to my beloved ‘home zoo’ in the Bronx. We chose a bright, chilly, winter day, with a significant wind chill. The later thinned the crowd of fellow visitors, leaving us like lords of a sumptuous manor, replete with dazzling menagerie.

To be with a 21/2 year old on his first carousel is magical. But the order of magical magnitude grows when it is the enchanting bug carousel of the Bronx Zoo and when said amusement is so empty that its newest fan can take 7 turns riding 7 different bugs without leaving the Merri go round to stand in line!

Next stop was the zoo’s unheralded toddler paradise, to my mind the single best exhibit for the munchkin set: the Mouse House. With a small step that runs beneath the exhibits throughout almost the entire building, the MH facilitates discoveries and delights—without adult mediation, the scourge of great learning. A cage full of clambering pigmy mice, each smaller than a walnut elevates a child to a level of fascination no tablet can equal! We watched our little guy’s attention span labor to happy exhaustion. By the time we hit the Reptile House, he was near satiety, absorbing only highlights. Another curtain-call turn on the Bug Carousel and a treat in the Dancing Crane, and our expedition ended in joyful tiredness. He fell asleep talking about Grandpa’s zoo and awakened to the same theme. I assume his dreams were likewise coopted.

It felt like a day worthy of a lifetime memory.

What an amazing place, the animals are so well kept, the people are so helpful. We liked the food too. Many Thanks

On July 25, 2023, we visited the BRONX ZOO, in New York. Since I'm fond of wildlife, I enjoyed viewing an immense variety of wild animals well preserved in their fitting environments.

The zoo contains a broad range of species from carnivores to herbivores, from amphibians to reptiles to avifauna.

I've attached some of the selected images, caught in my camera, for you to share.

Hope you'll like this wildlife thru my photography and I'll be happy to receive your comments.

Best regards.

Prof P Chattopadhyay
(P C Sir)

Post Script:
Upsides of the Zoo
# The zoo is enormous and provides a fitting ambiance in the enclosure of respective wild species
# The animals look healthy attesting to their appropriate care
# Provides bus rides (similar to monorail) inside the campus so aged people and children can view the zoo with good ease
Downsides of the Zoo
# Only one tiger! We expected Siberian tiger, Sunderban tiger, Malayan tiger
# Found no leopard. No snow leopard. No Cheetah! Why this iconic zoo missed these beautiful carnivores I don't know.
# Only one lion! Usually, zoos sport a pride of lions that adds beauty to any zoo.
# The famous Kodiak bear is missing. Nor you can find the polar bear--the show stopper!
# The number, as well as the variety of serpents, are very few and far between
# There should have been a Chimpanzee enclosure with a family of chimps delighting the spectators
# Many birds are caged denying the photographers access to photograph them. The wire-mesh enclosure should better be replaced by glass walls at least on one side

What a wonderful place to visit. The grounds were clean with lots of animals on display. Can’t wait to go back. The children’s zoo was very nice.

It is a huge zoo with plenty to see. I went on Wednesday which is free, and we saw a lot. But, I was a little upset that there were certain animals that you needed to pay to see. Again, it’s summer, the heat was scorching, the large animals were hiding, but you can expect that. In addition, a cool thing that you won’t see in most places is the fact that peacocks were roaming around everywhere. Overall, I recommend coming here.

Bronx Zoo experience was amazing. Could have better information on the website of how this experience work.
The Holiday Lights is beautiful but the park closes at 4pm to visit animals so after 4pm its only the Holiday Lights!

Plan to spend all day here. The lions, tigers, snow leopards, gorillas, mandrills, flamingos, duck pond, world of birds house, wild asia, are just some of the goodies. I think spring and fall are the best times to go.

The shuttles were all taken with school children and camp groups. My husband, who is 76, never had a chance to ride one. All seats were taken. We had to walk everywhere. The golf carts were whizzing around at high speeds for a park. We saw it over and over again. One employee in a cart came flying around a corner and almost hit my grandson as he crossed the road. Someone needs to control your employees who have access to these golf carts.

Otherwise, the grounds and animals seemed well care for and clean. It would be nice if you had a few more signs to point the way to different exhibits.

The trip was an epic fail. Many exhibits were closed. The ones that were open, didn’t have many animals. There wasn’t anything on the website to indicate this. Didn’t see any restaurants open. No retail shops. We spent more time in the car traveling to the zoo, than we did in the zoo. Very disappointed.

The Congo Gorilla Forest is the most popular exhibit in the Bronx Zoo and Ernie the silver-backed gorilla who successfully sired five offspring in 2014 and 2015 is the star of the show. It's always a thrill to see the gorillas interact in their 6.5-acre playground. Opened in 1999, the Congo Gorilla Forest is the largest immersion exhibit ever built and replicates the gorillas' natural habitat, which is 1/3 of a mile long and is home to 20 western lowland gorillas, 400 species of plants, 50-foot-tall trees and orchids. When you walk into Congo Gorilla Forest, you are immediately immersed into the African rain forest. See Mandrills, Red River Hogs, Okapi and Pythons. And Ernie. The Bronx Zoo, which was established in 1899, is located at 2300 Southern Boulevard in Bronx Park in the New York borough of The Bronx. It is the largest metropolitan zoo in the United States with 265 acres of park lands and naturalistic habitats separated by the Bronx River. It is world renowned for its large and diverse animal collection and award-winning exhibitions. It is part of an integrated system of four zoos and an aquarium that holds 4,000 animals and 65 species. The zoo also features the original buildings known as Astor Court, a series of Beaux-Arts pavilions grouped around the large, circular sea lion pond, the Rainey Memorial Gates and the Rockefeller Fountain, once a landmark in Como, Italy. Other major exhibits in the zoo are Jungle World, Madagascar, Tiger Mountain, African Plains, World of Birds, World of Reptiles, Zoo Center, Wild Asia Monorail and the Children's Zoo.

We went for the Xmas lights in the evening which were quite small and not comparable to other big city lights we've seen. We found it a bit of a waste of a trip all the way to The Bronx sadly. However, we hear the daytime zoo generally is worth coming back for...we just think maybe skip the Xmas lights....stick to the daytime zoo!

I could spend a few days wandering around the zoo, looking at animals and enjoying the overall scenery, and still feel like I haven't seen everything. This zoo is huge, so there's plenty to see. I love Jungle World, Tiger Mountain, and the aviary, although everything is really well organized and the animals are clearly well-loved and cared for properly. I loved riding the monorail as well! It's better to take the train here, I've heard that parking is expensive.

Worst zoo!! Because of covid 19, they designed a unfair reservation ticket system. If you had membership with them, all weekend tickets are not available to reserve now. All Oct tickets are gone!!!! But if you purchased the normal daily tickets, you could get any. If the zoo really wants to limit the people because of covid 19. Why only limit the membership group??? what is the real reason for reservation. limit people or make more money???

My younger son loves animals and wanted to visit the Bronx Zoo while in New York. The Zoo had great exhibits. The variety of animals was awesome. My son rode a camel and had a blast. There is a dinosaur exhibit and train ride. This is a great place to take the kids. It is a lot of walking so be prepared and wear comfy shoes. Also you probably want to plan your visit since there is no way you can see everything in one day. I highly recommend visiting this zoo.

My boys have watched The Zoo on TV for years. Their first visit to The Bonx Zoo didn't disappoint. Clean, friendly, lush, spacious, and everything they hoped it would be. The education and conservation efforts are apparent throughout. Very well done, and a must see with or without kids.

This zoo is huge, has great diversity of animals and is well organized and clean. The service from the ticket office is also great.

The Bronx Zoo seems pricy but you get what you pay for. Meandering, well shaded paths take visitors through animal exhibits organized largely by geography. Special zones such as the butterfly garden and, of course, the reptile house (World of Reptiles) are not organized geographically. Each exhibit boasts excellent signage so the opportunities for education are abundant for those who want to take advantage of them. We saw plenty of rest spots with benches and picnic tables, but we did not eat food (or drink the beer) on offer, so I cannot comment on quality. Both the animal enclosures and the human habitats seemed clean and well cared for. We were there for five hours and kept a steady pace (after spending about half an hour eating a picnic lunch), but we missed large sections of the zoo and will need to go back. If you want to see the whole thing in one go, wear very comfortable walking shoes and allow a full day.

I have been a member for many years and love The Bronx zoo. My family goes multiple times a year. I was hesitant at first to go during this time, however I decided to go since they give you a specific time slot. I thought that by doing this the Zoo would be less crowded. When we arrived The zoo looked just as crowded as it normally would before all of these rules. There were so many people and sooooo many lines for everything it was crazy! It’s not worth standing in lines in the heat with small children while wearing masks and no social distancing. Everyone was on top of each other. I don’t see the point of specific time slots with so many people there at the same time. I left after an hour. The children’s zoo line was ridiculously long . Save your time, your money and your sanity.

They had like 4 animals out and they still charge $35 a ticket. Do not go in the winter it is a waste of money.

After watching the TV show at home we decided to check it out on the last day of our week long trip to New York. We took the subway from 42nd and Times Sq to Pelham Parkway which took about 40 minutes. From there it was a short walk to the zoo's entrance. It was almost ninety degrees so its tree covered park provided welcome shade. Visiting on a Monday it wasn't very busy and were able to go round most of the exhibits we wanted to see. We didn't get around everything in about 4 hours but we did take some time watching our favourite animals. I'd probably recommend at least 5 hours if you want to do the zoo justice as well as getting a snack. On this particular day none of the kiosks were open, just the main restaurant next to the flamingos.
The animals I was looking forward to seeing were the tigers but unfortunately they were chilling out at the back of their habitat behind some logs so we couldn't see them. I particularly loved the bear and gorilla exhibits. Like it says on TV they really ensure that the animals aren't viewed behind cages. This gives a small ideal as to how they'd be in the wild. We are always mindful when going to any zoos on holiday that the animal welfare is paramount and enclosures are appropriate so we always do our research.
We left having really enjoyed our visit and well worth the trip out of the main city.

We came to the zoo because of the Animal Planet show and we were not disappointed! We arrived as the gates opened after buying our ticket online. Flawless system! We stayed all day and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Wings of Wonder was as exceptional as it seemed on TV and my hubby saw the bird lady we love as he waited for me to use the facilities.
Only weird thing was the adult male in the ladies room. Glad you have staff in there because there were children in there. Creepy but your staff were on alert.
Dave on the monorail rocked it! There was a woman working in the Dancing Cranes concession area cleaning tables who helped a family with a sick child. I didn’t get her name but she was so classy. You have a gem in her and all of your staff throughout the park. We will be back next trip!

Thank you to Peter with Wild Encounters for making our day magical!! He picked us up at the front gate and brought us over to the ambassadors building, and truly gave us a VIP experience (made himself a personal photographer, gave us an overview of what to expect and what to check out at the zoo, called us ahead of time to locate us to get us to the building, etc.). All the staff we spoke to at the zoo were super helpful and nice, but Peter really made our day. If you're going to the Bronx Zoo, highly recommend doing one of the Wild Encounters experiences - we learned so much and the staff was so nice!!

The extended family visiting this Christmas - from Michigan, Hawaii, and Shanghai - and, oh yes, Queens - spent a wonderful day at the Bronx Zoo. The 3 year old had perhaps the best assessment: "I love this place!" All had similar responses and decided that next year, weather permitting, we'd return.

Highly recommend visiting the Bronx Zoo. You would never know you were in The Bronx. It feels more like you are in a clean beautiful Disney park in Florida.The vegetation is amazing. I have never seen most of these plants growing in the Northeast. The animals sightings are great. Everyone who works there is professional and helpful. Go when the seasonal monorail is operational or you will miss a lot. And make sure you see the elaborate main entrance. They don't build anything like that anymore. We took the 5 train from Grand Central and were there in 45 minutes. Then it's a 3 block easy walk. I don't recommend taking the bus. The Bxm11 only takes Metrocards, no cash, and it took almost 90 minutes. You can bring in your own food. Lines for food were not long at all. Paying for the all included tickets through their website will save you time and money. Have fun!

Tonight, we visited the Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo. We had a fantastic time. The staff was super friendly.

Also, we visited Holiday Lights 10 years ago, so we have a reference.

You will have a terrific time. However, three things prevent a five-star rating.

1. No animals. That's right, aside from the sea lions, you will not see any animals. There used to be exhibits open during the sholiday Lights. So, if you are expecting to see animals at night, you will be disappointed.

2. Pricy. 10 years ago, admission was $8.00. Now, it is $29.95. And that does NOT include parking.

3. They used to have a special Holiday Lights zoo map. Now. No special map. This may be nitpicky, but that map was nice to have.

So, you will have a good time, but you will payyyyyyyy, and no animals...

...except for the sea lions.

Absolutely disappointed, empty park, very few animals and I must add that, despite the size of the park, the animals, especially the large ones, were kept in very small spaces. The park closed at 4pm and even though we had bought the ticket at 1pm we paid the full price! Considering then that in winter the animals are sheltered and you can't even see one! Absolutely not recommended

My experience as a New Yorker with the Bronx Zoo is just OK. First off if you don't go on a FREE day (which is certainly not free). The price of almost $40.00 a person and about 30 for a child is ridiculously high. That means a family of 4 is spending about $140 before walking in the door. OH let's not forget the $22.00 parking fee. If you want to walk about 9 miles ( we literally walked 8.5 miles) and see almost nothing but a lot of greenery and birds, then this would be nice day. Most of the large animals are sleeping all the time because they get feed and go back to lay down. You also can't see a lot of the larger animals unless you go on the monorail. Feeding times are now only done once a day around 3pm. That was worth going to see. The penguin one was very nice. I have been to this zoo many times and things there are not chaning for the better. The feeding time at the sea lion exhibit was not informative at all. Basically a bunch of women come out with buckets and throw fish the animated sea lions. They do not tell you anything about the sea lions or what is going on. Very disappointed this time. As I have said this zoo is going down hill. Oh and I didn't mention that you don't even get a paper map or a paper feeding schedule for your 40 dollar ticket. This zoo is huge and you most certainly need one. The phone map is too small. If you want my opinion skip it and go the central park zoo in Manhattan, which is small and intimate and not nine miles of walking. The animals there are more animated and of course you have the rest of central park to explore. There is also the Prospect Zoo in Brooklyn, which is also small - I haven't been to that one. I was to the zoo in St Louis which was wonderful. And guess what it is absolutely free. Most things in St Louis are abosolutely free. It was the best trip we took when my son went to school there. My rating skip it unless you want 9 miles of exercise and want to spend $40 dollars a person to do it. Also, if you can take the train in, as we spent 1 1/2 hours in the Bronx traffic that doesn't move at all. Worse than Manhattan traffic. The trip should have taken 45 minutes. The worse traffic I have ever seen, another reason to skip it.

Absolute loved the bird enclosures so different from what we have here.It is Free on a Thursday and we just paid for a total experience ticket so we could do the jungle walkthrough and a free ride. Take a picnic, plenty of places to chill, you need the whole day at this Zoo. It's amazing.

The family visited the zoo on a Tuesday. The crowd was not extensive as later in the week and this may be the reason why a number of convenience facilities (food stalls) were closed. We had to hunt for concessions that were open. I would recommend going later in the week when more capacity is brought online. The indoor exhibits were more fun since you got to see the animals up close and personal. We had a hard time spotting some of the other animals in the open air enclosures. Prepare for lots of walking unless you take the shuttle which comes at a cost. Finally, I would ask for the general admission which is cheaper and in my opinion, your experience does not suffer. However, the zoo seems to push the Total Experience package which is about $40 for an adult.

This Zoo was amazing! I loved how open and spacious everything was. The animals truly had room to move and live. Yes some of them were hard to see, but animal welfare comes first here, and I appreciate that. We went on a Saturday and even though it was full when we came in, the crowd was never a problem. I would highly recommend the full experience. Jungle World and the Congo experiences were amazing! And you get souvenir cups which were free to refill on the day we were there. I would highly recommend this Zoo and I would say that you need to carve out a significant amount of time to explore. We will definitely be back when our son can walk a little better so he can experience it too.

We thoroughy enjoyed our trip to the Zoo. There were no disappointments at any of the venues but a couple of things one should take note of:
First is if you travel by Subway. You should be on the Pelham Line. Get off at Pelham Parkway and head to the SOUTH end of the platform. You'll come down on White Plains Road. Turn 180 Degrees and go to Pelham Parkway. Cross White Plains Road and turn left on Bronx Park East, then right on Boston Road. That takes you to the West Gate Entrance which is the closest to the Subway Line. We missed the turns and ended up adding almost a mile to our walk!
Second: Take advantage of "Total Experience" tickets. The extra $8 is well worth it. It gives you entrance to several venues including the World Asia Monorial, Shuttle, Jungle World and several others which you would otherwise have to pay an additional entrance fee.
All in all it was a very well spent day. I'd recommend it to anyone!

There is a seal with a huge brand on its back!
They say it’s because the seal was hunting endangered fish.. but why would you burn numbers into its back and have it swimming in a pool that is way too small? This needs to be addressed

It was a great day at the zoo,but unfortunately the bus into the zoo was not working.We walk a lot of but it was a nice experience.Very recomendable!!!

Absolutely beautiful!!! My mother, sister, my 19 months old grand niece and I enjoyed ourselves. All was so nicely set up and well detailed. The people in character we amazingly entertaining! Great work!!!!

I paid $160.00 for tickets for 3 adults and 1 child. I went to the Bronx zoo on Thursday, August 18th, 2022 only after entering the zoo to find out that they had power outage. It was the worst experience ever. Half of the stuff was not accessible due to power outage. Even some of the restrooms were closed. You would think by the amount of visitors that visit on a daily basis at the price range they charge per ticket they would have high maintenance for back up generators. I had asked many of the people that work there if they had any estimated time of when the power would be restored? None of them had an answer.

I became a member of the Wildlife Conservation Society (NYC Zoos) this year. I visited the Bronx Zoo with 5 other family members (2 kids and 2 adults). We parked at southern blvd, a great entrance near the childrens zoo. The Childrens section is great There’s a wide variety of animals, including flamingos. They love climbing the rope spider web and sitting in the rabbit ears, but the best is the last part where there are penned in goats that can be fed and some roaming birds. Kids had a great time.

The. We walked down to the Dinosaur Safari En route we stopped at Madagascar. We arrived at the Dinosaurs and were amazed. There were so many and most were animated. It wa great and quite a long walk.

We went back past the childrens zoo to eat lunch. Food was ok. Nothing great: burgers, chicken nuggets, fries and salad. The salad wasn’t good. Then we were off again for a long walk to Wild Asia. Along the way we stopped at Tiger Hill, but we’re disappointed: no tigers to see. It was a hot afternoon so they were probably sleep.
After what was a 1-2 mile walk, we arrived at Wild Asia, climbed down a lot of stairs, and took the tram ride. That was great. Enjoyed the narration and seeing lions, elephants, and so many other animals in natural settings just beautiful and, amazing, it’s the Bronx.

Before we left the zoo at the end of the day we had to stop so everyone could buy souvenirs. A few plushy animals and a shark tooth necklace (for Aunt Melissa’s surprise gift) later, we took the tram back up to the southern boulevard entrance.

The staff were terrific. My only request would be more trams with more stops. It would make the day so much more enjoyable.

If you live in NYC, become a family member. It’s worth it.

Used day off from work and wanted to avoid the NYC Marathon so wend there.
The Zoo is nice but I think overrated. Some exhibitions under constructions and couldn't see all animals. There was parade which was nice for the kids even thought quite small

Had a WONDERFUL time! This is the third year in. Row I’ve gone with my family...making this a tradition. We always go in a group of 10-14 family members and we get there when the Zoo opens and leaves when it closes. There is so much to do that we barely have time for everything but we make sure we go on the monorail.. The staff was wonderful...friendly and professional all the time. AWESOME DAY !!!💯🦋

We watch The Zoo on Animal Planet which is a behind-the-scenes at the Bronx Zoo and were excited to visit. It did not disappoint! We live in Chicago where there are 2 wonderful zoos - Lincoln Park and Brookfield. The Bronx Zoo blew us away. It's so lush - like enjoying the exhibits with a nature walk. The monorail in the Asia world area was unique and fabulous. I would highly recommend this attraction for anyone but especially families.

They are all about conservation and education. We were impressed.

We went on a Wednesday, because the general admission is free. The free admission does not include seeing the monkeys, gorillas, the tram ride, or anything other extra thing, but it was definitely worth it. There was still a lot to see without seeing these things. It was hot so a lot of the animals were resting in the shade, so I’d recommend going on a cooler day.

Enough can’t be said about the Bronx Zoo. From the classic architecture to the spacious environments (compared to other zoos), this zoo has something for everyone. From your standard rhinos, giraffes and apes, to more rare animals like the Red Panda and Okapi. With lots of tree canopy to keep you cool and out of the sun. I highly recommend the Bronx Zoo.

I must confess that on my first visit to the Bronx Zoo, I spent an entire 3h watching only the gorillas, such human figures, the mothers with their babies, one waving to me!
the the silver back alpha male making a rare appearance among his many concubines!
I was mesmerized!

It was just my husband and I this trip. Ask for the general admission prices if you are not accessing the extra programs offered. GET A MAP!!! The signs are helpful but you can get turned around pretty easily and the map is super helpful.
There are lots of food and snack choices along the way. Check the map for locations and offerings.
There is a lot of walking, but there is also a train ride if you need it.
Lots of animals and informative signs about what you are looking for along the way.

It’s been several decades since I have visited this zoo, but was looking forward to it again. My son and I visited during the week from Manhattan. Took a taxi up and tried my first Lyft experience to return - (not many taxies available there. The zoo is terrific - so many unusual animals in their natural settings. Animals close enough so you can see them clearly ( not in the far background). Lovely area to eat with fresh, tasty sandwiches. The staff throughout are very pleasant and helpful. It was terrific! My son and I visited and it was expensive considering cab and Lyft to get there and back to Manhattan.

I went to the Bronx Zoo for the Annual Light Show on the last day of the show so it was quiet and not too many people so it was perfect picture taking.

Each of the themes of the show were so beautifully mounted. I loved the enchanted forest and the Christmas tree light show by Astor Court. I just wish the music had been louder.

I think this was the best show I had seen at the zoo.

Had a wonderful day at the zoo. The grounds are beautiful with lovely architectural buildings. We were able to see so many different animals and exhibits. I was worried about crowds, but, we didn’t have any problems. We parked in the Southern Blvd parking lot and it was an easy in and out. We had 5 people so it was smart for us to buy a membership. We were able to pass the lines going in and got discounts on everything else.
I will definitely go again.

So disappointed... We were really looking forward to the zoo visit since the website assures that masks are mandatory. We thought it would be a “safe” outing with the combination of mask use, social-distancing, and being outside. However, we found a majority of people were either not wearing masks or wearing them incorrectly (around their neck instead of their face). The line to enter the tiger area was long and not socially-distanced at all. We were uneasy that we did not see zoo employees around to correct/enforce the mask use policy except ONE who was walking and corrected someone as we were leaving. Not having visible staff near the animal viewing and exhibit areas, where people tend to crowd and not follow social-distancing guidelines, to monitor mask use is a big oversight in my opinion. Thank goodness it was a free admission day (except I had to still paid $17 to be parked there for 45 minutes) because we left in less than an hour being so uncomfortable with the lax use of precautions.

You need to be there when the gates open. It was packed with people. There are long lines, for the more popular things. And,also, there is a lot to look at. I took the full day to go through. You also need to get The Total Experience ticket. If not, it costs 6.00 for each special exhibit. For the price your paying, you might as well spend the extra money. That way, you and your family will all be happy. Get your tickets on the website, with your AAA discount, print out tickets before trip. I did. It was so easy. They have food, restrooms all around. Get a map of the zoo at the gate, when you get there. There was one thing I was surprised at, the zoo is so huge, I expected more animals. Some caged in animals only have one or two animals in the cage. And, the animals are so far away. Wear comfortable shoes. Carry a bottle of water, you will need it. Enjoy!

Looks like I may in the minority here but I found our visit to be good, but nothing extraordinary.

To begin, 3 tickets cost $116 (one adult and two kids). The zoo has “flex” pricing which I believe means that they can raise prices by demand. Since I was there during school break, and the demand is apparently high, my adult ticket was $45 as opposed to the usual $37. Yikes. And the real kicker here is that since it’s the shoulder/cold season, many animals were not on display. So, paid a premium price for a limited experience.

Parking was $20 and lunch for 3 (burgers, fries, soda) was $76. Two small stuffed animals came to $28 and a couple of slushies were $9 each.

Despite the roughly $250 expense, we enjoyed our time. Gorilla exhibit was especially good. The zoo in general, facilities and several exhibits, can clearly use some upgrades. However, the main entrance area is beautiful. Be sure to appreciate the spectacular architecture of the buildings.

The zoo is quite expansive so be prepared to walk. Overall the zoo is enjoyable but I would advise a few things. Try and go on Wednesday when the admission is free. Pack lunch - they allow you to bring it in. Lastly, go in the warm months to ensure you will see all the animals.

Note I wish TripAdvisor allowed half stars. It’s better than average but I can’t say very good.

We booked free tickets online for our visit on Wednesday.
Nice complex, some areas are subject to charge.
There are snack bars, shops,...
You can spend several hours here.

We visited the Bronx Zoo yesterday and had a great time. We also felt very safe throughout our visit. They've done a great job with timed ticketing such that you don't feel rushed (you're allowed to stay as long as you like), but it still felt so uncrowded. It was almost like the park was rented out by a few groups and you had free reign (that's how well social distancing was working)

Staff were clearly cleaning everything often, and the bathrooms were very very clean. Yes, there are some exhibits that you can't see, as they're either inside, or the viewing area is inside (gorillas, penguins, reptiles), but we got a great deal by doing the Total Experience ticked on a Wednesday (when entrance is free). So for $15 per person we got to ride the Asia Monorail and make use of the tram. It definitely felt worth it.

I went to this zoo with my extended family and so had to rent a wheelchair. This zoo has a LOT of hills, so be prepared for this. Overall, not much to say other than it was a very nice, clean zoo with lots of animals. Everyone had a good time.

Spent a day at the zoo, and did a cheeter encounter. This was a wonderful experience, well worth doing, and the zoo itself is amazing.

Lots of walking, but great exhibits and wonderful scenery and architecture. Gorillas were hiding, but we saw some animals we had never before seen.

The Bronx Zoo has a stellar reputation for humane enclosures, large grounds, and its conservation efforts. Given that, and the high admission prices, I expected more. The grounds are really pretty and if the weather is nice it’s just fun to walk around. And you have to do a lot of walking but as a New Yorker I expected that. What is strange though is how inaccessible it is. We had our child in a stroller and constantly had to take her out to enter most exhibits or because certain animals could only be seen after climbing stairs (bears). We did see the bears, the lions, zebra, tigers, snow leopard, red panda and giraffes. My one year old daughter really enjoyed the animals but I was disappointed and sort of saddened by their enclosures, especially the lions. There were two male lions and seeing them was spectacular. But their area was so very small. For animals that have so much area to roam in the wild it just depressed me. Personally I’d be happier if the chance of seeing the animals was less because their living area was bigger. I know this would disappoint others but the Bronx Zoo touts conservation efforts so I expected larger enclosures. Some animals, like the tigers, were exhibiting signs of distress, pacing back and forth. The giraffes were crowded into a room smaller than my NY apartment. I believe they might also have access to an outdoor area that we did not see. I hope so. (And though we did not see the elephant I know about the zoo’s refusal to let her go to a sanctuary to be among other elephants). The signage throughout is good and informative. Although in some cases I’d have liked more information about the animals there - where they came from, were they born in captivity, how many the Bronx zoo has etc. We paid for the total experience. SO expensive. And not sure it did us much good as the Congo exhibit closed as we got there. The website should (if it doesn’t, I didn’t see it) make clear that although the zoo is open til 5:30 on saturdays, many of the exhibits close earlier. We had about 3 hours in the zoo, really 2.5 since things were closing at 5; It was not enough.
Staff was generally friendly, but there weren’t many of them. More staff should be available for questions.
All in all I have mixed feelings about taking my child to the Bronx Zoo and I’m not sure I want to return.

Very nice grounds. Loved the monkeys Gorillas . Signs needed to be more clear Enjoyed feedings. Gift shop nice. More restaurants and shops needed to be open

a great place for a walk while enjoying nature; I consider it a fantastic destination in New York City

This zoo is my current favorite. The layout seems to have been really throughout, like you are in the woods between exhibits. The old buildings are very nice. The monorail ride with all the animals and commentary was great. I enjoyed in particular the following exhibits: gorilla, world of birds, bison, and many more. I really enjoyed the cheetah experience, so we did the Rhino and fox experiences also. Even though it is just a few minutes, I enjoyed the bonus animals for the experiences. Don’t get me wrong the Columbus zoo probably has more animals, sure this zoo doesn’t have pandas, but this zoo is a favorite.

I've been to the Singapore, San Diego, and Schonbrunn zoos, and the Bronx can hold its own! The animals have large enclosures that are contained in a manner that allows humans to feel like its natural. The gorilla exhibit was amazing! The monorail was sooooo cool! Loved the jungle trek as well! A fantastic park that we spent almost 4 hours in. I could have stayed longer!

We went on Wednesday and got the discount tickets. They say five on Monday they go on sale, but I purchased them around 3:30 on Monday. Also, it's $20 for parking.

I am always a bit trepidatious to visit a zoo. I am always concerned about the condition of the animals in captivity. I am happy to say that all of the animals at the Bronx Zoo seemed well cared for and reasonably happy.
It was fascinating to view the three Snow Leopards up close. I know that Snow Leopards are extremely elusive in the wild and very difficult to actually see in the Himalayas. So it was very fascinating to watch them in close quarters. They are very beautiful.
There are many other exciting things to experience - lions roaring, gorillas in social interaction, etc.
Well worth the not inexpensive price of admission.

We had a wonderful time at the zoo from start to finish. The grounds are beautiful and very clean. All staff, without exception, was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The animal exhibits were great keeping the animal’s well being and safety the #1 priority. Highly recommend spending a day here. Lunch a few blocks away on Arthur Ave was delicious

The Bronx Zoo is wonderful. There is natural landscaping that enhances your visit. We especially liked the train/tram that revealed unique animals.
This zoo is quite large and would take an entire day to visit more thoroughly.

Had a wonderful time at the zoo while on vacation from Illinois. Easy to find. Everyone was friendly and helpful. A must is the tran ride. Only disappointment was that they didn't have refrigerator magnets and the drink cup didn't say Bronx Zoo.

This zoo was a nice surprise. We've visited NYC several times and never been to this zoo which is one of the largest in the US. It is wonderful. It's like stepping into a forest as you walk under the trees in the shade. You would never know you are in the middle of a city. The animal enclosures are mostly spacious and the animals seem well-cared for. We thoroughly enjoyed our few hours there.

This zoo has a lot to see. There are different areas all around the zoo. They have maps there, but it can get confusing. I would look online at a map first before you go and pick out what you want to see. There is a lot of walking around to do so wear comfortable shoes. You can always find places to sit. There are trams around but not a lot of them. They have a monorail that takes about 20 minutes. I would do that in the morning before it gets crowded. There are places to eat that has mostly chicken, hotdogs ect and also and indoor restaurant. At one parking area before you leave there is a gift shop.

We did a family bus trip to the zoo. We had five hours to tour the zoo, not enough time. The exhibits are fantastic, we were able to see almost every animal, the monorail was fun, and the food was good. The Congo exhibit was the best. The gorillas came right up to the glass.
I recommend wearing comfortable shoes as the zoo is rather large.
I can’t offer any admission or parking information as our admitted was included in the tour. It was nice that our ticket included everything except the camel ride. There is a parking lot.
Great family trip. Great zoo. The employees we interacted with were very friendly and helpful.

Expected so much more! Sadly it's nowhere near what is was twenty years ago. Hope it gets back in shape, or closes.

The Bronx Zoo is so much fun! We went on a simulated dinosaur safari; saw a Komodo dragon; visited sea lions and gorillas in the Congo; went on monorail ride through the jungles of Asia. This zoo is absolutely a must-visit. It's only a 3.5 hour drive from north of Boston!

What a beautiful zoo! Lovely enclosures for the animals, and lovely walking paths across the expansive zoo. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes! We had a lovely day here and loved the Snow Leopard who was "talking" to us! Spent quite a bit of time watching the gorillas and we were thrilled to even see an animal we had never heard of before, the Dholes.
The only thing that this zoo needs to improve on, is their cafe food....pretty terrible. We all ordered different items, and none of them were good. (Cheese pizza was terrible, Pesto sandwich was so dry, Chicken fingers were pretty bad) You can bring your own food, but since we were visiting from the west coast, we didn't have that option to prepare something in our hotel room.

I would have given it 5 stars but the Birds of Prey exhibit outside in those small cages was so sad to see. The eagle tried to fly and fell to the ground and tried again.
This needs to be changed immediately. Instead of spending money on new exhibits & attractions fix the ones that are there with the animals and birds in them for years.

We had a fantastic day - 68 degrees, blue skies. The bronx zoo is a good zoo but not the best. The grounds are great, plenty of trees in an area that has very little trees. Definitely don't feel like you are in the bronx. Food cost was very high and quality not so good.

We did a Cart Tour and Keeper’s Choice animal encounter on Monday 10/26. Josh was an incredible tour guide. His passion for the animals was infectious. The zoo keepers who did our encounter were also amazing (I apologize, I forgot their names).
As a couple in our 30’s, we didn’t know what to expect. We loved it! I wouldn’t hesitate to bring my young nephew for the same adventure. Josh brought us around to a ton of exhibits. He took time to point out and share fun facts about animals we wouldn’t have seen without him. The encounter was amazing, we met an aardvark, alligator, crested porcupine, an owl and Samantha the snake (I was scared and they made it awesome. If you are going to the zoo I highly recommend doing a tour and/or an encounter. Ask for Josh!

Nice to go with the kiddos. The walk is nice and you learn about the species at the zoo. The only tip I would suggest is to bring your own snacks and food .

omg what's better than the gorillas.... nothing

had a great day with friends we were there from 10 am till 5pm
a beautiful day

I brought my daughter to the zoo for the weekend. She had a wonderful time. i know next time to bring a wagon cause its a lot of walking. The only problem i had was that i paid online with my membership for parking.... i was charged 17 dollars to park.

Love the zoo. We have watched the show on the Discover channel and wanted to see the actual zoo. Was not disappointed! Great exhibits and very friendly staff!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for having employees like Matt and Peter! My family and I did the Giraffe Encounter for my mom's birthday (they're her favorite) and while it was already an unbelievable experience, Matt and Peter made it that much more enjoyable. Peter greeted us and served as our host. He gave us all sorts of zoo info (his tenure speaks for itself) while bringing us to the giraffe exhibit where we met Matthew, our wildlife ambassador. Both Peter and Matthew were extremely kind, personable, patient, and knowledgeable. We were a very curious bunch and Matt and Peter answered each of our questions while we got up close to feed the majestic Tabissa (sp?). It was truly an unforgettable experience and we were so grateful for your work and your employees. You are truly lucky to have folks like Matt and Peter in your staff. We will be requesting them again if we can get to another encounter! P.S. the experience is about 30 minutes total but we spent the rest of the afternoon in the park.

The zoo is an amazing place to go. Yes, there is quite a bit of walking, but shouldn't that be part of the fun? The tigers, the giraffes, the bears and their collection of reptiles are all amazing - and they have a couple of beautiful rhinos. The only problem with the zoo is the maps - first, they are kiosks. Then they don't tell you how far away from you something is or they are so sparsely located that it really takes a lot of effort to get to where you want to go. I am a New Yorker and I have been going to the zoo forever - so I just figured they had to have an app, right?
So I searched in the app store and low and behold, it exists and it's free.
For all of you saying that you had to walk forever, perhaps this will help you. I used it all day with the family and it made the trip so much better - try to find a bathroom on your own with a 4-year old having to go....now! haha - having a map made the day better, trust me. I certainly didn't make the lines shorter, but at least we found everything we were looking for - especially the BEER - they have beer (I love the Bronx Zoo)!
Don't pass up the Bronx Zoo, it's a great time for everyone, just be ready to walk - oh, and don't miss the seals!! They are awesome.

We are members so the ticket price was almost half off. Totally worth it even if we paid full price and it’s appropriate for all ages! The paths were creatively lit and themed. The paper lantern style animals were mesmerizing. The light show at Astor Plaza can be seen from all four sides and there is plenty of room to see. When the show is over the performers happily walk around to meet and greet and will take pictures with you. It was really a lovely evening. Shops are open, food and drink is available. Firepits and s’mores can be enjoyed. There is even an adult bar if that’s your thing. I would say that the earlier times may be more crowded and with lots of strollers. If you have older kids or no kids maybe try the later times.

I thought this zoo was just okay. It's massive, bring your good sneakers, but the layout was confusing and I felt like I was walking in circles. The exhibits are very large, you will spend most of your time trying to find the animals within it than actually seeing animals. I saw more animals at the smaller NYC zoos, which I enjoyed way more than this one. I also came on a discount Wednesday, don't do that. It was way overcrowded. I ended up leaving halfway through due to the massive zoo size and overcrowding.

I live halfway between Philly and NY. We also have a free county zoo within an hour of driving. Both Philly and Cape May county zoos are better than the Bronx Zoo. I think the Bronx zoo was easy to get to and there was plenty of parking. I recommend paying for the Total Experience tickets. Then you can do everything and bypass the ticket booths. Remember to bypass the ticket booths. Most of the lines are for people buying tickets, walk right by those lines. When your done at the zoo, go to Louie and Ernies for Pizza. The neighborhood is safe and the pizza is out of this world!

This Zoo really exceeded expectations, it is so big, you need a fair few hours to make sure you see everything but is so worth the time! There is so many amazing animals here which you would never see at other zoo’s, the enclosures are wonderful for the animals and the zoo itself it just beautiful. The staff around the zoo were all so polite and helpful. We also ate in the zoo cafe which has delicious food! Would 100% recommend a trip here.

It's not worth it. Many animals are in poor condition and far from their habitat. It's just if you go with kids, otherwise it's not worth wasting a day going to the zoo

It is certain that in this season the animals must be brought in warm, but hey, $40 for entry and seeing almost no animals is a high price to pay. However, I would like to qualify my remarks. Indeed the setting is very pleasant, a haven of peace in the middle of the Bronx
Visit

Once we got our bearing straight, we did fine getting around the zoo. We wished we had more time to enjoy the zoo but our Lyft to the zoo took forever and we were afraid of traffic getting to the airport. I would recommend
This zoo to anyone, but you probably need several hours to see and do everything.

Open! Gets better every year.

Although Lot-C is a PIA to get into because of the inefficient drive down Southern Boulevard, it offers the best geographical entrance to the Zoo. Once inside, take the tram to the other side of the park and work your way back. Easy peasy.

The food is most impressive, especially at the Dancing Crane Cafe. The tuscan sandwiches, packaged salads and even breakfast items make this location pit-stop worthy, not just for lunch. My wife and kids appreciated the vast array of non-soda beverages, too. Great selection of beers...tall boys!

Lots of aspects were still not open (surely due to Covid closure) but what IS available is plenty enough to draw the crowds. We will always return.

We love the zoo. Holiday lights was well done. Only issue was that we expected illuminated workers to be walking around and there were only two that we saw. Rather disappointing.

The mono riel it’s amazing the guy it’s very knowledgeable about animals and explained really good everything about each animal and the habitat and where they from

Did not realize the zoo was so massive .I love how the animals I have free range in their exhibits. The guerrilla rainforest was amazing. The monkey house was closed that was a disappointment

We had such a lovely time at the Bronx Zoo! The Christmas lights are part of a long standing family traditions. The staff was so friendly and it’s a fun activity for both family young and old.

Fantastic! Loved it! Clean and beautiful. Wonderful staff! This is a must see if you are visiting the Bronx.

Always check the weather ahead of time,we were trying to book for free Wednesdays,but it was impossible to get thru,but trip adviser made it very easy to book another day,I will always book with them for now on,ty trip adviser

It was all magnificent a landscape of pure magic ideal for the whole family especially for children who will experience the true magic of Christmas

We had planned to visit the zoo with our 4 year old son. We chose a wednesday as the entry is free ( you still need to buy the total experience tkt).we also chose to visit it in september when it is less crowded. And it was the perfect time to visit. We spent the whole day here and i must say we enjoyed every bit of it. Be prepared to walk a lot and do take a stroller. Most of the restaurants will be closed on wednesdays.

Also i would suggest to buy the total experience tickets at the gate as it is cheaper at the gate for wednesdays.

There is also a camel ride which my son thoroughly enjoyed. You got to pay an extra 8$ for it.

I went with my wife and 3 kids for a day trip. We have a membership to the Bronx Zoo, so we have been many times before, not since the pandemic started. I hate to write something negative about the zoo because the Bronx Zoo is dear to my heart and I support their mission, but I just can't recommend going at this time. You need to have timed tickets, so that they can monitor capacity, which I totally support, but the website to get tickets is frustrating and it takes a long time online to get them. I do think the zoo is trying to operate under challenging circumstances the best that they can. Hand sanitizer dispensers are everywhere. Staff is all masked up, distancing in lines is clearly marked. I would say most people were wearing masks. There were some bozos wearing them around their chin, or just over their mouth and not their nose, but most people were masked. The reason for my recommendation to postpone visiting is so many things are closed- everything indoor is closed (and yes it may be because of NY regulations and not the fault of the zoo)- so no Jungle World, World of Reptiles, Mouse House, World of Birds among other places, and even some things that seemed mostly outdoors- Congo Gorilla Forest, Butterfly Garden are also closed. Once you cut all of that off, there's not nearly as much to see. So what happens- what is available becomes that much more crowded. The line for Tiger Mountain was longer than I've ever seen, and once it gets so long that it is beyond the point of the social distancing markers, there is a lot less of social distancing being observed. The line for the Asia monorail is always long, but today it was longer than usual. It just isn't worth subjecting the kids to such long waits in the heat. Because so much is not available, people gravitate to what is and so the crowds at these things in some respects are worse than usual. If the restrictions loosen, and the zoo has a return to everything being available, then I would recommend going, but until then, I just don't think it is worth the admission cost.

I went with my daughter and grand children. There is a lot to see. I suggest that you ride the tram around the zoo first to get an overview. Next

Welcome to the Bronx Zoo! My favorite place as a kid. The exhibits have gotten nicer over the years. The animals are usually pretty active so you get to enjoy them. The monkeys are my favorite.

Please a teenager who has followed museums even if it’s not their cup of tea. We imagined a quick visit and ended up spending 6 hours there…
What to deduce from this? We got caught up in the game and from one theme to another we wanted to discover more. Some good surprises: the gorillas, the seabird aviary, the children's area but it's all quite dated. A good day !

I really enjoyed going to the Bronx!! I had not been there for years!!! The staff I encountered with were very nice and fun despite the heat

It was a wonderful to spend the morning of Memorial Day at the Bronx Zoo. We wanted to see the rare red panda so we parked in the Asia Parking Lot (Parking Lot A). As New York locals we like having an annual membership to the Bronx Zoo which also lets you go to other NYC nature experiences managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society in the NYC area. It was exciting to see both a red panda and a snow leopard taking a nap in the Himalayan Highland area. The shaded walkways through trees were a nice reprieve from walking the streets of New York City.

Great and friendly for kids and adults of all ages, lots to see and do. Don't rely on phone caneras to capture experience of you don't have a back up batterry. 😊

Lots of animals to see, lots of things to do which adds to your day. Food reasonably priced too. Fun for all the family.

It is $20 for parking though, which is the only real negative

Me and wife visited the zoo in June (just before summer officially started). It is huge so plan what you would want to see for sure. Get the Map at the entrance. its very clean and so many animals. We really enjoyed our day

Parking was found quickly as we had 2 needing scooters. Unfortunately those who couldnt walk was directed to the other side of the park for scooters? If we needed strollers they had them. This caused more than an hour delay before we could start our day. Sadly we ended by the lion exhibit and the only way of going forward was stairs. We couldnt drive 2 scooters down 2 flights of stairs so we split up. We helped each of the two handicapped people down and there they sat. 2 able drivers took the scooters back and again walked back to the group. Again losing valuable time. We missed so many fun shows due to getting around. The one show feeding the sea lions was so much fun. We took the monorail which everyone enjoyed. And the childrens petting zoo, along with other fun activities was lot of fun. At the tree though, there was a slide. There should be someone at the top managing the children as they go down the slide. There was a pile up at the bottom while we were there and when young child was hysterical crying as they got kicked quite hard. The pile up including about six children that should never happen. I believe if we didn’t have the two handicapped adults with us everyone would have had more fun and time to do more and see more. Not only were they affected the entire group was affected.

I brought a group of 39 people from upstate New York to visit Arthur Avenue and the Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights Display. We had an absolutely amazing day. If you look at some of the photos on the Zoo's website, what you see in person is even better. Many of the animal displays are full-size and some have motion to them - such as the wings on the cranes moving as if ready to take flight. And, there are lots of appropriate animal sounds along the way. Be sure to visit all of the three main sections as each is very different. There are ice carvers and carolers to add to the festivities. The cafe is large with plenty of tables and seats and a variety of items including hot chocolate if you need to rest or get chilly. You can rent scooters or wheelchairs (first come, first-served) and the pathways are quite well lit. I would highly recommend making this a stop in your holiday agenda.

First time in a zoo in over 40 years, expected not good things, found a wonderful experience. Yes I know about the TV show, but TV vs. reality is different. Not here, they have peacocks walking around freely, begging of course and more squirrels and chipmunks than you can shake a stick at, even the allusive black squirrel. We're about 60 and walking this would have killed us, but they have electric scooters you can rent, and we did. Mine died in under an hour and my wife pushed me back to the front entrance to do an exchange, no problem. We started with the children's zoo cause animals had to be scratched. Madagascar was cool and then the seal pool, smelled of fish, do you think? From there a quick lunch, we recommend you bring your own or deal with over priced bad fast food. This were the scooter died. Onward to the Gorillas with a short stop to watch Giraffes. I watched a Gorilla wave his lunch at the crowd, not get the reaction he desired and wave bye and walk away. I watched another one move sitting positions for some privacy and take ALL the bedding with them. Smart creatures. By this point it was closing on 3pm, time to get out of dodge and beat the traffic. Looking forward to going back next fall and seeing the southern half of the zoo.

We enjoyed the fact that there were so many trees at the zoo. We'd like the fact that the animals for the most part had a lot of room to roam. We liked looking at all the different animals. The food choices were good. We liked the monorail that took us to look at some of the animals. The souvenir shop had some neat things to look at and we did purchase a few items. We liked the butterfly area also. I did not like the parking situation. For some reason they had people parking in every other spot I don't understand the purpose of this. I heard other people complain about the same thing. That would be my only complaint because it took a while for us to park because it was such slow going doing every other spot.

A good visit ideal for anyone with a fascination with wildlife. you need placy of energy and its spred out but worth the hike.
The animals seemed to in open kind environments although the large birds seemed a little cramped in their cages
Cafe spacious but expensive for what it is

Most of the day was spent walking long distances to get to the exhibits. The shuttle is not a hop-on- hop off and only picks up at one end and drops off at another, which means more walking to get to see the animals. Only saw one, elephant, two Siberian Tigers, one red Panda, some deer. Very disappointing. not to see numerous wildlife in one of the supposedly best zoos in the world. Long lines and wait times to get to see animals and this was a weekday, will not be recommending a visit to the zoo and will not be returning aver again.

I attended the Wild Encounters event with the Cheetah at the Bronx Zoo and it was amazing!! They brought out two additional surprise animals (a baby alligator and a companion animal, a dog), and we were allowed to pet the alligator and the pet. We were explained that Cheetahs take a long time to trust people so petting the cheetah wouldn’t be possible. None of the animals were drugged, and they were all so well behaved and cute. Special thank you to the two lovely guides, Darlene and Jen who introduced us to the experience so eloquently. They were wonderful, and it showed that they all care for all the animals. This is a cosy experience (max 8ppl) that I would recommend to anybody.

Do the Dinosaur safari with HENRY T! He was really animated and didn’t miss a beat! That was was our first stop and it landed us back in time for the sea lion feeding. The park is still well kept and the staff knowledgeable and friendly.

My daughter and I make it a point to go see a zoo in every city we visit. The Bronx was one of the best we have seen. The animals have so much room to roam and the facilities are a true replica of each animals natural habitat. There are peacocks all over walking with the patrons. We spent more time at this zoo than any other because it felt so right to be there. Don't miss this experience.

A wonderful day in May 2023 for me for my 76th birthday and my younger friend from Plymouth, Devon UK. We came to NY for 5 nights specially to visit the zoo and had a wonderful day. The animals and birds so well cared for in lovely spacious enclosures, and all staff so welcoming and helpful.(everyone from the entrance gate to the exit 7 hours later). Jason introduced us to lovely Hans Solo the sloth. The food in the canteen was good, and our suitcases on return to the UK were crammed with nice hoodies, T shirts , Christmas decorations and two sloth toys!!
A day to remember. Congratulations Bronx Zoo on the conservation, research and education that you do.

Was very nice and clean not alot of people there went during the week. Just wish more of the stands were open and where it is cash or credit only there should be signs waited in line and the lady told me this is credit only had to go back and wait in line again.

With a November visit, you don't get to experience many of the animals as it's too cold for them to be on exhibit. The one's we did get to see were worth it. I would recommend going in the warmer months when all the animals are out and about. Plan on a lot of walking, which is how it should be to keep the exhibits as natural as possible and give the space needed. Planning on going again as it warms up!

I had not been back to see the Bronx Zoo in over 40 years. It was a pleasant experience to see that it is still there, acres and acres of natural habitat for wild animals in the midst of a concrete jungle. We were told that admission is free on Wednesdays, we were there on a Thursday so we had to pay.

Anyhow, we were fortunate to see tigers, leopards, gorillas, and even the lions. However, the lions were lounging about when we passed their enclosure and did not do much activity. The other animals, such as the tigers and the gorillas, walked around close to the glass so we could really see them in action. One particular pleasure was to see the pink flamingos. For some reason, a park worker came out and chased them away after a few minutes, an interesting sight.

The park was not overly crowded, there were lots of children. Before we left, we were able to ride the carousel, there is no extra charge for doing that. To see the major sites within the Bronx Zoo takes a lot of walking but is, in my opinion, well worth it.

Fantastic day, in a park very sensitive to the environment, walk through the woods, in a superfine setting, I highly recommend.

The zoo is gigantic. We plan to return again as we didn't see all there was to see.
We spent several hours there and realize there was so much more to see. The
place is well taken care. You won't be disappointed.

Was very excited that the Bronx zoo offered a Dinosaur safari but must say I was disappointed, I expected it to feature more dinosaurs and be more fun. If you visit the zoo to see the animals make sure you buy the total experience tickets so you don’t have to pay extra to see certain animals! We had to do lots of walking and some animal exhibits were a bit disappointing for different reasons but all in all we had fun. The zoo grounds are beautiful, you forget that you’re in the middle of the Bronx.

More animals are needed
the staff at the cafeteria needs to improve, they need to clean the tables more often. They need a more friendly staff!

At first I was a little scared about purchasing tickets from a website that is not the actual company, but everything went great and I will do it again. It was fast and easy!!

Went on a Friday, not too crowded & nice weather. Animals appear well cared for. Signage was easy to follow. The grounds were clean & employees friendly. Enjoyed seeing the feeding for the sea lions & penguins. Monorail guide was pleasant & knowledgeable. Large area to explore so be prepared to walk.

The positive: I love going to the Bronx Zoo. It is well maintained, and has a lot of animals to see. The negatives: The monorail is a popular attraction, and the line can be very long. While I understand that it takes a lot of money to run a zoo of this size, my biggest gripe about this zoo is the high ticket prices, and high cost of parking. With their "flexible pricing" (meaning they can increase the cost of a ticket depending on when you go, such as a holiday) the cost of tickets and parking is very "steep". My last trip (on Memorial Day, 2023) was $92 for two tickets (one adult, and one senior citizen), and an additional $20 for parking. That is a total of $112 for two people to GO TO THE ZOO. If it gets any more expensive I might not go there anymore. They are not part of the reciprocal zoo program, and do not offer any discounts, not even AAA. ( I do not live locally, so a Membership is not worthwhile).

This zoo is simply fabulous. It is huge and we didn’t see the whole thing even n a light crowd weekday. We scheduled to enter at 10am and we’re walking the entire day except when got lunch. The enclosures are amazing. This was my first visit and as much I love the new enclosure attractions I also loved the earlier zoo buildings - classic. When you are over in that direction go into the aquatic bird enclosure - it is massive and open air. The Congo enclosure is also huge. If I lived closer I would get a membership.

Went with my wife on a cool Sunday (high temperature in the upper 50s) and spent the entire day (10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) on what was one of best zoo experiences we have ever enjoyed. Because of the cool weather, all of the animals, including the large cats) were quire active. The only exception was the brown bear, who was sound asleep. The grounds are beautiful as well. I high recommend making time for the 20-minute Asian Monorail ride and making use of the shuttle to get around.

Getting there was an easy drive (remember, it was Sunday morning) from midtown Manhattan).

The total experience comes with a variety of possibilities that you can do. The main things are the Gorilla forest, The jungle world, the children's zoo, the butterfly garden, and the wild Asia monorail. There are many other things that you can do. The zoo is beautiful with lots of trees and small grass areas. There are so many animals to see if you choose not to buy the total experience ticket, like lions, tigers, rhinos, and tons of birds. all of the animals are in their own habitat which makes it all more realistic and natural for the animals and the visitors. My only negative is that many stores and food places were closed when we went. It was the end of the summer but was still very busy. We spent almost the whole day there so I would suggest getting there when it first opens!

This zoo is so great you might almost want to become a resident yourself. Failing that, if you’re only visiting, give yourself plenty of time to get around because there’s a lot to see. We hung around for a long time trying to glimpse the gorillas but they have a big enclosure and they weren’t in the main area when we were there. But we were lucky with the other animals, even glimpsing a shy snow leopard hiding in a bush. You can pay extra for a zoo experience that allows you a better chance of seeing some of the animals but we didn’t feel we could run to the extra cost. In fact we paid a bit less for our admission tickets by booking online at the zoo’s easy to use website, as we waited in line to get in. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to make our zoo visit on a Wednesday when admission is completely free. The exhibits we loved the most were the Monorail (open through Spring and Summer), which takes you over the enclosures of elephants, rhino, red pandas, tigers and lots of other animals; and Jungleworld, which was virtually deserted when we were there so we had all the animals, including the amazing gharials (alligator type things), to ourselves. Food at the zoo is ok, although it comes in single-use plastic containers that I don’t think Greta Thunberg will be endorsing any time soon. Overall though we felt this was a really good zoo where the animals were well looked-after. We certainly had a very fun day.

Wished we had arrived a bit earlier to see the zoo but as we’d previously been to Central Park zoo didn’t feel we needed to. So we arrived fifteen minutes before the animal part of the zoo closed and it’s huge! Managed to see the bears whilst making our way to the illuminations.

Was just getting dark so we went to the cafe for food. There wasn’t a load of choice and very busy but we had a good snack and drink and headed off.

The holiday lights were fabulous, nicely presented and spaced out and the grounds are extensive so there was Carol singers, Xmas trees and children’s rides including a merry go round for us big kids too!
There was an ice sculptor and shop and generally the whole evening was a great experience!
I’d definitely recommend the zoo for the animals and if there xmas or new year go see the holiday lights too.

Zoo animals nice. Pick up and retrieneed uberval not so nice. Need uber because taxis nonexistent in the bronx.

I visited the zoo with my sister and children ages 7, 7, 12 and 17. On Wednesday the zoo has free admission,, but you must make a reservation online. There are additional fees, to get an any of the special presentations such as the children’s zoo, butterfly Pavilion, Tram, and monorail requires an additional $17.95 which we pay paid. The free tickets for general admission become available at 5 PM on Mondays forWednesday. The website for the zoo is extremely slow and cumbersome. It took hours to get the tickets. You can only get four at a time so two of us had to do that.

The zoo was very clean and there were hand sanitizing stations everywhere. What was missing were directional signs. There are a few for major attractions but it is very difficult to maneuver the zoo without constantly asking directions from staff. They really need to improve signage. We did download the Zhu app but it wasn’t good. It’s still left us confused. They need something more like Waze or Google maps to go from one place to the other and label the paths with names. You can wander around for hours confused.

The zoo is located in the center of the Bronx known for its hills which date back to the Ice Age. There’s lots of walking up and down hill. We enjoyed most of the animals including the seals, aquatic mammals including penguins, aviary, butterfly Pavilion, the mouse house, monkeys, and giraffes. The kids favorite was definitely the children’s zoo which is located right next to the Southern Boulevard parking lot. There were goats, chickens, turkeys, sheep. The animals were friendly and looking for food. For $.50 you can buy a handful of dried food that you can hand feed to the animals. Our little kids are quite excited about this.

The butterfly Pavilion was gorgeous. There were thousands of butterflies and beautiful colors all over. This is an indoor experience.

At the end of the day we enjoyed our monorail ride through Africa where we saw a tiger, rhinoceros, gazelles, and other African animals. We took the trim back up near the children’s zoo area where we had entered.

There are some cafés in the zoo. The menu is very basic: hotdogs, hamburgers, pizza, and sandwiches. The pizza was quite good. Prices are high. You can easily bring your own lunch and picnic set on one of the tables that are near the cafés.

Staff were very friendly and helpful. Overall, the Bronx Zoo is one of the best. It could be better however with improvements in signage that are very much needed and improvements in the website. We appreciate the efforts of the Conservancy to protect species that would otherwise be extinct and to advance animal science. This is a great place to spend an entire day.

If driving I suggest parking at the Southern Boulevard lot which is then very close to the children’s to and other attractions. The zoo promotes membership which is a great way to support this nonprofit organization. They should however make the enhancements to signage and website.

Wow! What a incredible zoo! You will need to have your proof of vaccination and wear a mask when entering the indoor exhibits but these are the best part of this modern zoo so well worth the hassle.
We first visited jungle world and were blown away by the waterfall rock faces and glass fronted enclosures. There comfort of the animals seems very important here, and the animals seemed very happy and healthy. I do admit some be displayed stress behaviour (pacing and hiding) but this is to be expected in any zoo.
I was very impressed by the pairing of the big star attractions with smaller lesser known animals, and the importance of conservation and how the public can help being signposted so often.
I also loved how they have repurposed the oldest zoo buildings like the lion house to a new Madagascar exhibit etc. Very cool!
This zoo can be reached by subway 1, 2 and E trains and then by bus or foot.
One of my top three zoos for sure!

Nice experience, fascinated me. A tour you take throughout the day, you see a variety of animals.

Pumpkin Night - too expensive and not worth it.

If you are looking to see real pumpkins carved then look somewhere else.
The displays of plastic pumpkins molded into scenes of various parts of nature is boring.
We only saw 3 real pumpkins being carved during a demo of carving.

Maybe worth $15 per person - not $35.

We signed up for the VIP Cart Tour. Had a great overview of the zoo. Our guides Brutus and Jen had lots of great info about the zoo, the animals and the exhibits. They covered the parts of the zoo we wanted them to. Highly recommend the tour. We also rode the monorail - loved the views. The park was clean and the staff were friendly and helpful. We took two days to see everything we wanted to. Younger people may be able to see it all on one day, but I doubt it.

I haven't been to this zoo in YEARS but it is really good. I've been in the entire zoo,and the animals are amazing. They are well kept and the food is quite good. Yes,it's pricey,but it's worth it. I will be visiting again sometime soon.

Visited in mid-June but was still quite hot and tiring with a lot of walking but there are quite a few benches and places to rest. Highlights were the bears and Madagascar. Signage could be better for those who don’t want to be on their phones using an app. Staff were helpful. We bought only the basic ticket without access to all areas as we knew we would not have the time/energy to do everything in one visit. Tiger area was disappointing but maybe we were just unlucky that day. Keep in mind they put animals away/close exhibits prior to Zoo closure time.

My kids (13 & 16) and I, plus my sister and brother in law spent the day at the Bronx Zoo celebrating my son's birthday. It had been quite a few years since we had been so we figured it was time. The Bronx Zoo never disappoints. The animals are a plenty and we definitely get our walking in. I like that everything we wanted to do is included in the Total Experience so we don't have to worry. There are plenty of rest rooms and places to eat, although the cost of food is ridiculous. We drive about 90 minutes to get there but it's worth it. Personally, I feel as though the parking should be included in the price of entry (additional $15).

For those looking for a good deal and not spend alot of money for admission Wednesdays are now free at the Bronx Zoo. I went last week and had an amazing time. Also got to try the Bronx Zoomap app to get around which was very helpful and easy to use

Amazing price and had a great time we had access to all the exhibits as well..we were satisfied! Thank you TripAdvisor for your amazing deals!

Wonderful experience I was totally fascinated by the wide variety of animal species

Increible fascinado por la seleccion tan amplia de animales

I’m a born and raised NYr. Loved the Bronx Zoo my entire life. From the time I was a small child and my working class parents brought me to now as a Grandma.

Sorry Bronx Zoo, despite your beautiful improvements the zoo is to darn expensive for the average NYC family.

First off the pricing is unfair. If one works and needs to come on a weekend we get penalized. That’s just BS and not fair. Parking $22.00!! Highway Robbery.

On Wednesday the Zoo used to be FREE. Not any longer.

I thought the Zoo was a non profit organization. I brought my 2 grandchildren, their parents and my husband. It was over $200!!

The air is fresh here and the peacocks will follow you around the zoo. The tigers are curious. The seals are playful in their pool that looked like a fountain

The Zoo you don't expect... in the Bronx, a huge park appears almost out of nowhere that transports you to another world populated by many animals. Over 6000 species within this thematic zoo with outdoor and indoor exhibits.
The animals seem to be well and carefully kept, the routes are actually not exactly clear with signs that are sometimes confusing.
Due to the weather conditions, with spring still far away, many animals were indoors but this obviously cannot affect the opinion on a zoo.
What struck me most was the gap between the reddish buildings, with the external emergency stairs, of the Bronx and that little fenced-in green world.
Lines 2 or 5 take you about two hundred meters to the entrance to the Bronx Zoo.
The ticket costs around 37 dollars but it is possible to book a free entry for Wednesday on the zoo website.

This is the first time I visited the Bronx zoo holiday lights. I took my granddaughter who came to visit me and she loved it. The park was full of bright beautiful lights so colorful. She got on the merry go around, then we took her for hot chocolate. It was an amazing night full of colors and magic. We took a lot of pictures.

We thought this was a well thought out zoo. The picnic area near the childrens zoo is great. There is ample shade throughout. Many exhibits that are fun and interactive for the children. Viewing of the animals is easy.

We tried the Wednesday discount tickets for the first time, the all-inclusive option. It was great, not any more crowded than past years during field trip season. The fact that it was Wednesday and many people used the free admission did not increase the crowd size uncomfortably. What was odd was how friendly the staff was during our visit. We've been going to the Bronx Zoo for years, and never encountered such friendly helpful employees. Not sure what is different, but it was extremely pleasant. Everything was well kept, the restrooms were clean, shops and food options were typical of the spring season (not everything open, but enough to find what you need throughout the zoo) No complaints, it was a perfect day and a wonderful experience. The guy on the monorail, was the best. We had him last year as well, and he's friendly, professional, and really cares about the experience of the guests.

This is a really good zoo and nice to walk around. A nice break from NYC. The zoo gets four stars because it is quite expensive for an all inclusive price for a family. We just bought general admission and there was plenty to see for 3-4 hours. The food is pretty poor and some outlets were closed. Good shop and first class grounds.

The main reason I’m posting is to help with travel from NYC for non-drivers / tourists without a car. Firstly, taxis are expensive as it is quite far out from downtown Manhattan (where most tourists will be staying). Secondly, the underground isn’t perfect as it’s a walk from the park. We took the Express Bus BxM11 that drives along Madison Avenue stopping at the junctions with 29th, 63rd, 99th Street and it takes about 50 mins. It runs every 30 mins but check the timetable online by searching BxM11.

When we went (July 2019) it cost 6.75 dollars per person (same price for any children over 44 inches tall). Tickets on the bus are by coins only and, realistically, not a sensible option. We bought pay per ride Metrocards from a subway station (they all sell them) and loaded them with enough for the two trips either way. You can have one card for up to 4 people (we put 54 dollars on to our card which was for 8 journeys at 6.75, ie enough for a family of 4 to do a return trip). When you get on the bus tell the driver the number of people then put the card into the slot the same number of times. Hey presto.

The driver will probably call out the zoo stop but keep an eye on time and location. You can’t see the zoo from the stop but you’ll be dropped at a junction by a flyover. Get off, cross road and turn left under flyover and you’ll soon see the zoo!

Enjoy.

I went to the zoo as a child so it was nostalgic coming back to visit. We went on a Wednesday which is free admission day. the grounds are well kept and the museums and some artefacts are interactive for children. The sea lions were a treat.. note: they can get noisy! The Madagascar exhibit was very interesting.. The bird exhibit is a treat as well. The map is easy to read and there are signs at every turn of you feel lost. The bug carousel is a hit with the kids.. There are lots of animals to see even if you don't go to the paid attractions. bring lots of water and you can take your lunch. there is a nice spacious food court as well if you want to buy food. lovely souvenir store. nice outing for the family. highly recommended.

It was a good experience but we were disappointed with not seeing animals that were supposed to be in the exhibits and were not

What a gorgeous zoo. The animal enclosures are done so well and the animals look like they have space and appropriate enrichment activities.

We enjoyed a wonderful day at the Bronx Zoo. It's been about 15 years or better since our last visit and we found so much more this time. The grounds are lovely, especially in the fall. The exhibits are well maintained, the staff is helpful and friendly and there is SO much to see here. Allow about 4 hours to see it all...and wear comfortable shoes as it's all about walking here. Kids and adults alike will enjoy this fantastic experience right here in New York!

Our family loves the Bronx Zoo. The park is well set up, the staff is friendly, and you can get up close to the animals. Cons - pricy food and add-ons if you don't buy a package. However, you can bring in food and water, and/or come and go to get food and water. Consider a membership if you live nearby and plan to attend more than once in a year, especially if you have kids.

I visited the zoo yesterday with my husband and son for our first visit in a few years. We arrived around noon and stayed almost until the conclusion of the private members' evening. It was quite different visiting during the day AND at night. During the day the zoo was overrun with camps- a great opportunity for them, but not for anyone else. While I certainly expect children to be excited and playful, I DON'T expect the camp counselors to leave the picnic areas strewn with trash! I'm actually surprised that the zoo allows them to continue coming, because I cannot imagine how long it takes the zoo staff to clean up after them! The nighttime experience was wonderful. Having the zoo practically to ourselves was something I will definitely take advantage of again!
My biggest complaint about yesterday would be the fact that most of the food venues were closed. I wish the zoo had posted information earlier that day informing people so we could have brought something with us, as we were there at lunch and dinner times.
In conclusion, this was not our first visit and certainly will not be our last. Go for the wonderful animals, green space, and historic zoo. Don't plan on eating a meal here.

Large and content-rich zoo. If you travel here from Manhattan, the trip out is also an experience outside the busiest tourist road. The zoo has a large selection of different animals, a playground/climbing tower for children, and several kiosks and dining venues. Prices for food and drink are very high (5 USD for a soda). There is an entrance from several sides and a train that drives you from one side to another. We missed a train that was more set up to jump on and off along the way, as the distances are large, especially with small children. We also missed a paper map to orient, and more large maps placed out in the trail than it is today. Certainly it is a QR code you can scan to get a digital map on the phone, but a paper map would be preferable. It was a nice experience to take the monorail ride, but long queues and a little bit expensive to see on our round. The distance from the city, vague/lacking maps and high prices for both entrance and food/drinks dropped down for us. The experience of seeing some of the Bronx, good conditions for the animals, wide variety of animal species and the climbing park pulled up. Would we recommend: Only if you have a lot of time in NYC and are very fond of zoos.

My friend and I rode the monorail, having heard so much about it for so long. We were both excited to experience it. Okay, the animals were mostly hiding, and I can understand why. No complaints about that. It was a beautiful day. What irritated us both was the narrator or whatever you call the guy on the mic. It sounded like the 50, 000th time he'd done it. No life. Over-Exaggerated phrasing, way too loud and sometimes a real a----hole. He barked at this one guy who was sitting in a back seat who stood up a bit to try to see a tiger. "SIT DOWN!!!!!" He was in the back for god's sake, and I could see he became pretty upset. Everyone stared at him as though he were an infidel.

We went to the bronx zoo July 25, 2019. We had an AMAZINGLY AWESOME DAY. From the staff, to the animals, to the jurrasic exhibition, we had a WONDERFUL DAY. We had purchased the whole experience and it was great.

I usually hate going to the zoo on Wednesdays because there's huge crowds and summer camps and what not but today was not the case! Considering my membership expired and I wanted to do something fun with my son right before school started , we decide to go to the zoo! They have a brand new Dinosaur Safari experience and it was awesome! $8 per person was definitely worth it.. especially if the admission to the zoo was free anyway! Richard a.k.a. Ricky made the experience so much better, down to his corny jokes and his funny voices. Its crazy when you can tell when an employee is passionate about their job, I'm telling you he made the experience! .. well besides the cool dinosaurs, duh! Everything about the zoo was typical just like any other day at the zoo. we go ALOT, but I would definitely recommend the Dinosaur Safari Experience.

My family and I decided to visit the Bronx Zoo. We really enjoyed the Safari and feeding the giraffes. There were lots of things to see and the staff were very nice. Lots of walking so wear comfortable shoes and try not to go in the dead of summer.

I had the terrible idea of visiting it in December and never had the idea been more wrong.
Everything semi-abandoned, zero people, few animals.
It's definitely not the right time but they make you pay the full price.

I'll remember my visit to the Bronx Zoo for the rest of my life. We visited on a rare 75-degree day in November. What an experience! It felt like a summer day, but the zoo grounds were absolutely stunning and vibrant in peak autumn colors. And, even more magical, they were already setting up the holiday lights! No, we didn't get to see them lit up, but the decorations were beautiful. The grounds, foliage, landscaping, and decorations were all stunningly gorgeous. I would not have expected the zoo to be so sprawling or such a feast for the eyes. I can't imagine a better place to enjoy the gorgeous weather.

It being a Monday in November, it was definitely off-peak season, so several attractions were closed (most significantly the Wild Asia monorail), but we still spent over 4 hours there. And that's considering that we never even found the Jungle World exhibit!

The Congo/gorilla exhibit is the best I've ever seen in my life, and I've been to several of the world's finest zoos. We probably spent almost an hour in this exhibit alone. There are so many gorillas with so much natural material to interact with, and it was a delight to watch them. The other animals in the exhibit, like the mandrills, okapi, and red river hogs, were great fun to watch, too. The new Madagascar exhibit is also great-- fantastic theming.

Other animals not to miss include the sea lions, the gorgeous tiger exhibit, and the cool mixed-use exhibit for baboons, ibexes, and rock hyrax. Oh! And the bug carousel! Adults can ride that, too! (We're 30 years old and we did.)

It was super fun to eat lunch outside while surrounded by roaming peacocks. That was one of the most enjoyable parts of the zoo experience! I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food from the Dancing Crane cafe. I had a roasted veggie panini with pesto-- not bad at all!

For fellow tourists coming from Manhattan: It is an easy and comfortable ride on the Express Bus and much cheaper than paying for parking! Plus, you can see the sights of the city along the way.

I hope to come back one day and catch the monorail, the bird houses (closed due to bird flu, I think), butterfly garden, and other seasonal attractions, as well as JungleWorld, but even as it was, this was an absolutely world-class experience.

Great exp with kids
Lots and lots of things animals to see great train ride around the property
Lots of parking
Lots to do
Bring comfortable shoes hat and plenty of water and snacks

What a fabulous zoo. Many of the exhibits are mixed species and it works really well. I have to say I went because the have a gorilla exhibit and it's amazing. They have so much space and can hide or be really close to visitors. Instead of standing on the outside of a cage you're in with the gorillas via a glass walkway. We arrived as the zoo opened and left as it closed. When buying your tickets by the complete experience it's the cheapest option or you have to pay for various activities around the zoo.

we paid the membership to be able to do all activities, due to the weather most of them aren't working but regardless of that is a great day trip especially in winter

wonderful places,interesting animals,interesting iteams.
my kid have a really happy time in this zoo.i will definitely go this zoo again.

be prepared for the sheer size of this place. very huge and hard to navigate.. 2 out of 6 staff knew how to give directions.. if visiting with a toddler, visit the children zoo.. wonderful area for them

The zoo is large, the largest in New York, but you can easily walk around it, plan a full day because closing the attractions at 17, in half a day with it would be possible to visit everything on time, for those with mobility difficulties there is an internal shuttle that connects the South Gate area with the Asian one.
On Wednesdays, free admission is available (no "special" attractions l, sold separately) or discounted ticket for unlimited access to attractions, to be booked in advance (the previous Monday starting at 5pm).
It is not very well connected by public transport but at the south entrance there is a bus stop.

Another zoo in the heart of a major city. And yet, you would never know it! My friend and I visited in December so it was a little cold, but it was still very nice. I love the 'old' feel to alot of the buildings and there was so much to see, im still not sure we even saw everything the zoo had to offer. But it definately is not one to miss.

Go -- it is brilliant -- like being in a wonderland -- thoughtfully developed and the with visitor in mind. Everyone is kind and friendly and warm . . . the lights are magical. Congratulations to the Bronx Zoo for a marvelous job!!

hello i love the animals and the Bronx zoo it s nice place where the most animal are in a free space....it s a big park many green area and very nice to spend time with family...the price it s ok and one day in a week you can go inside for free....it beautiful....

Hands down the best you on the east coast! Great fun for the whole family, of all ages. Lots of walking though some parts are very hilly. I could just standing there watching the sea lions bark n swim all day. The Kodiak bear exhibit is a family favorite and don’t get me started on the panoramic viewing area of the gorilla’s. Even though I’m 40 I still have stop n go through the children’s zoo. :)

I fell in love with the Bronx Zoo on Animal Planet; so, I had to go experience it on my recent trip to New York City. It was everything I hoped for and well worth the long subway ride from Manhattan. They give the animals lots of room to roam and have a wonderful conservation program. Take advantage of the transportation options inside the zoo to save your feet some wear and tear.

Unfortunately this review is not good. I normally love the bronx zoo. we attempted the holiday lights tonight for my son's bday and it was quite literally a zoo. Even with timed tickets the place was packed. No one was controlling anything. We have done a lot during Covid-19 but this was by far the worst we have experienced. No one felt safe. Bumper to bumper people. No one was socially distancing. We had to skip a lot due to crowds. I'm not sure what I expected but it wasn't that. Do not recommend this year if you are abiding by CDC guidelines. Lights are beautiful and I would love to go back next year. Just wish I didn't feel so uncomfortable this year.

Lovely outdoor space in a very loud neighborhood. We enjoyed the cleanliness and the variety of animals we were able to view. The bears were adorable, the Jungle World and Congo sites were at the top of our list of must sees. We went on Friday the 19th and were very disappointed to discover that only the gift shop and one restuarant was open. There were no other vendors available and the place is HUGE. Luckily we tailgated outside before entering and brought our own water bottles and snacks. There was also very limited interaction with staff, so we felt like we were on our own most of the day. Thank goodness we did our research and planned our itinerary in advance.

Highly recommend going to the Bronx zoo to see the holiday lights. It is far from Manhattan and the subway/ bus area is not the nicest but worth the trip. We took a car back to the city after but subway was faster.

I had a late afternoon open one afternoon and made a trip up to the Bronx Zoo before the foliage started to turn. What a great afternoon. I had about three hours to walk around the park which was a lot of fun.

Most of the animals were out for the afternoon so I got to see the exhibits and the animals during feeding time. I got to tour through the historical buildings, walked through the Congo jungle exhibit and finished my tour with a tour of the Dinosaur exhibit. That was interesting

The Bronx Zoo has something for everyone and there is a lot to see and do there.

This zoo keeps getting better and better. We love the trend in top-notch zoos to provide appropriate SPACE for the animals, excellent variety in their programs, shuttle service and a variety of ticket packages for visitors. So happy to learn that the management of this zoo has at least 5 other zoos in the NYC area under their management to ensure greater clout in their many wonderful outreach/conservation/educational programs.

We tried the zoo on a Wednesday, on which they have free entrance. You can make a donation or you can also opt-in for a reduced price for the full experience (14 USD per person). The full experience gives you 5-7 experiences included (which otherwise cost 6 USD each). We tried the Butterfly house, the dinosaur safari, the over the trees walkway, the carousel and the Gorilla Experience. The best was the Gorilla one, you walk though an exhibition, then a short movie and the to the Gorilla area. The zoo is very large, thus there is quite some walking between the attraction. Overall it was a a good experience. It is really value for money on Wednesday. We took the train from Grand Central Station and then an Uber to get there and not he way back we walked to the Subway.

This was the best zoo I have been to. Lots of different exhibits, only one was closed. Staff were very friendly and educational, the monorail is Asia is a must. I think our guides name was Steve and he was so educated and charismatic, it was great. We spent basically the whole day there, there was so much to do and see!

Best Zoo in NYC. Definitively try your best to come. Full views of animals from all kind. Very nice place for kids as well

it pains me not to give this place 5 stars because my dad took me here as a kid and I have fond memories... but now as an adult I came on "free Wednesday" and was very disappointed. We saw very few animals! Free Wednesday shouldn't even be a thing, as you can't see most of the exhibits without paying for a special ticket. What is the point, just call it half price Wednesdays and charge what you need in order to actually see animals. We got to see giraffes, zebras, seals, and a few other things but NO butterfly garden, monkeys, etc. The tiger (and other) exhibits were closed. the grounds are nice to walk around but the signage is terrible and there is no option for a printed map. Parking was high at $20.

After being stuck on the Animal Planet TV show, The Zoo, it was time to make a visit. Its everything and more! Simply Wonderful.
This massive Zoo is hidden in the extremely urban Bronx section of New York. We were shocked at the mere size of it. Plan on the entire day if you want to see most of it.
Amazing Animals, great care takers and ample food and drink stations will fuel your body and mind. This is a NYC must visit.

The zoo itself has been a dream for my son since he watched the zoo for the first time. His birthday was this weekend so I finally got him there. Everything was fine and I understood from weather reasons that animals were not all out. However they had things that were closed online but it did not actually represent the closures. Except for one food and gift shop , everything else was closed. There were many indoor animal exhibits so most of the the animals were out, except for the red pandas and that was what really broke my son's heart since it is favorite, there was not even a sign saying it was closed or why. These are known cold weather animal so that was sad for us all. We skipped the lions since they were noted to be weather permitting but that was not known till we got there. I know winter is colder but it would be nice to give a list of animals not out in the winter and state that it's mostly closed down. Highlight for me was the giraffe indoor area! I wouldn't pay to go in the winter at all, but overall I would recommend the zoo in the other seasons. It's pretty and a good walk.

We saw way more animals from our living room watching about this zoo on Animal Planet. Most exhibits were an additional cost. Purchasing the "Extreme" ticket is the only way you can see and experience what a normal basic admission ticket would give you in any other zoo. Beautiful buildings but most of them lacked what we came to see, animals. The food in the cafe was reasonably priced and the taste of the food wan't bad. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia Zoos are way better and less expensive if seeing animals is your reason for going.

Love this Zoo. Love what they do for conservation and animals in the wild. Free admission on Wednesday’s still got o get the ticket to visit gorillas, tram and a few other things but it’s only $14 so well worth it considering you don’t need to pay the 40$ of other days.

I had such a great time at the zoo. I was there for 6 hours, from 10:00 to 4:00, and I could've stayed longer. There are so many great animals to see - big and small, fish and mammal, reptiles and bugs... My favorites were the tree kangaroos, giraffes, and all the colorful birds. The jungle exhibit was especially good. The zoo is quite large, so be prepared for that. I packed my own lunch. There are restrooms in abundance and gift shops throughout the zoo, as well as many places to get quick food or snacks. Note, however, that I didn't see a single water fountain during the entire 6 hours I was there. The zoo in my city has a bottle refilling station at every restroom. This zoo does not. Another thing I thought was weird was that I didn't see a single keeper or docent in the exhibits. My city's zoo has docents stationed at more than half of the exhibits to answer questions and tell you about the animals. Aside from those two things though, this zoo is wonderful. It's a don't miss experience and was my favorite thing that I did during this trip to NYC. I'll be back again in future visits.

The Bronx Zoo stands as one of the city's and the Bronx's best attractions. There is so much to see and the variety of animals and activities are terrific. That said, for a 'family' type experience, it is not for the budget conscious. Besides the entry fees (you must pay extra for many of the transportation type viewings), the parking itself is $17. My wife and I decided to spend a late Sunday fall afternoon...$61!! This was without any frills. I do not know why anyone would visit the zoo for a small portion of the day I understand the upkeep must be costly, but a family of 4 is over $100, again, just to be able to walk around. Kinda sad that something that should be fun and educational now needs a small business loan to visit. There should be 1/2 day or afternoon rates that allow the costs to be lower.

The only thing I would change is possibly getting to see the real animals in the houses. Otherwise, the lights are spectacular.

Worst zoo I have ever visited. Barely any animals on display, exhibits closed. The animals that were on display were in exhibits looked so run down and the animals looked sad and depressed. It was actually upsetting to see. Would definitely not recommend going

This zoo was amazing we came on a Monday beginning of Dec but it was amazing . Not alot of people in there which was nice as there was no crowds.
We used our site seeing pass for these with ease as well only issue we had was finding it as it wasn't very well sign posted but we got there eventually. The animals was near enough all out except the gorillas as that part was shut off sadly 😥. We really enjoyed this and would def come back

This review is specific to the Holiday Lights at the zoo. This was a much anticipated group outing with friends & family. We all spent full price for admission & then were charged an additional $17 to park in spite of no space left in the parking area. The crowd was enormous thus causing extremely long lines & the inability to see displays effectively. We waited on the line for the lantern safari for over an hour & when people started cutting the line & causing arguments we decided it was no longer worth the effort. How about some crowd control on the part of the zoo staff? Better yet...limit the ticket availability. This was a joke to say the least. The prices are ridiculous from admission to parking & food & beverages. There were no strolling carolers as advertised. You couldn't get anywhere near the ice carving demo & they were charging something outrageous for one marshmellow to roast. And the lights.....meh. I've seen far better. I expected so much more from The Bronx Zoo.

Wednesdays are free but we paid extra for The Total Experience which was $14.95 a person, plus $17.00 for parking. We were very disappointed with The Congo, we took our grandsons. We wanted them to see the gorillas, we did not see one. The Butterfly Garden had some birds and basically one type of butterfly, if there were more they were not flying around. The Asia Monorail was relaxing. To really enjoy it you need two days or one where you plant out exactly what you want to do. You can bring your own lunch or eat at their outside cafes.

I had not been here in at least 60 years and came with my wife on a cold day. The place has in deed expanded and modernized to beet the new world.
Price of admission has increased but so have the exhibits and handling pf people..
The animal exhibits have been made much better and it is a better overall experience. I note Cre that many parents and grandchildren parents are here with little folks.
It created a lasting memory and kids love watching feeding of the animals and going around the facility. They gave upgraded everything but still serve the same foods and many times the old prices and the area is much safer in compliance with the new safety laws
Great spot to bring families for a full day.check the weather first before. You come snd try to come in a non weather involvement.

We had a rough time with our tickets for the zoo. I had bought tickets ahead of time from my local library and had planned on using them for the holiday lights show. The zoo wouldn't accept the tickets and they wouldn't let me upgrade them either. I had to buy four new tickets for $120 and the original four I had bought are useless. So in essence I bought tickets for twice the prince. Once you get inside they nickel and dime you for everything else. It's a complete rip off. The holiday lights show tickets are more than general admission and only a third of the zoo is open, so I'm not sure how they can get away with charging that much. I doubt we'll ever go back.

Most of the animals were active and out and about. We were pushing my son in his wheelchair and found most area’s accessible and with good signage as to the route we should take. He enjoyed riding the tram in Asia and the carousel. Park was clean and staff were very friendly and helpful. Best time ever!

Enjoy taking pictures all day, lots of beautiful animals, the staff very attentive. The area was very clean. The Food area great. The only thing was the parking to expensive $20.00.

My wife and I went on a weekday while remote school was taking place in N.Y. This was done to avoid larger crowds so we could avoid Covid exposure as much as possible.

Will also preface this review by saying my wife and I love the zoo. We have been here many times and have supported the zoo over the years as members.

We were given our time slot. There are signs everywhere stating that masks and social distancing are required at all times. It wasn't long before we saw many families walking without masks. This was very disturbing to us. What was even more disturbing was that none of the staff said anything to anyone sans masks. When we complained to a staff member about this, she said that she agreed with our concerns but that the staff is now afraid to say anything because they were the victims of violence from people not wearing masks.

In other words, there is no one to enforce the rules. Since the zoo was quiet, we were able to social distance the entire day. We had also decided that we would not go into any of the animal houses during our visit.

We also brought our own food and drink. Picnic tables have been added around the zoo which allowed us to eat without anyone around.

We still had a great time but would only go back during the quietest of times.

We visited on July on a Wednesday . The entrance is free but the recommended a donation.
Obviously it was very crowded but it didn’t disturbed, overall very nice.

As native New Yorkers, my sister and I had many enjoyable memories from childhood through adulthood of our visits to the Bronx Zoo. We had never gone on a “Free” Wednesday, but brought our seven year old grandson and nephew on Wednesday, 8-28-19. Never again.
The website is very misleading in characterizing Wednesdays as “free”. We were told at the gate that unless we each bought a $15. ticket, we would be extremely limited in what animals and exhibits we could see. The ticket seller named gorillas, giraffes, lions and others that we would not be able to see without the $15 ticket. Some of the most basic attractions would not be available to us. So what’s free? On any other day of the week it costs $20 per adult and $13. Per child. So instead of “free”, we saved $12. over regular admission. A savings! We should be grateful! Oh, she warned us as we left the ticket booth “hold on to your tickets, you’ll need them to get into many exhibits.” NO ONE ASKED TO SEE OUR TICKETS. Not us or anyone else. There were no employees at the entrances to ask to see tickets. So that was an outright lie. She duped us into spending for something we didn’t need to and we just wasted $45. Shame.
We found not one food concession open as we walked from one end of the park to the other wanting to eat. We eventually got to the Dancing Crane eatery. (More on that later) During our trek we could not find one employee to ask where the closest food was available. There was NO ONE. Does the zoo go down to a minimum staff on “free” Wednesdays? That would make no sense, as “free” anything always brings in more people. Was it because it was lightly raining on and off and employees were hiding? No clue.
The Dancing Crane--we’ve been shocked in the past at the prices of the very basic foods offered, but sustained shock all over again this time. 1 Hot dog, 2 fries, 2 chips, 1 bacon cheeseburger, small garden salad, 1 water, 1 coke and one fruit drink, $50.00. Come on! Does it really need to be this family unfriendly? To be fair, the zoo does allow visitors to bring food from home and use their tables to eat. I considered it before coming, but then realized what a trek it would be back to the cooler in the car, and completely uncomfortable to carry it around.
The one bright spot of the day was meeting up with a man on a golf cart, an employee named Hector. Our map had become so soggy from the rain that it was pretty shredded. We were trying to get to our parking lot to leave, but were lost. I waved Hector down and he was friendly and helpful in telling us exactly where we needed to walk. We thanked Hector (he get's the star) and told him he was the best thing that happened to us all day, and also the first employee we had seen all day. (outside of the Dancing Crane & the gift shop)
Oh, $17 to park and walk. No shuttle service offered on “free” Wednesdays.
In summary, we were disappointed & surprised in the Bronx Zoo’s false advertising. I can’t paint it any rosier--it is absolutely false advertising. Sorry to say, this is my last trip to the Bronx Zoo.

We're from Columbus and are particularly proud of our zoo. On our recent visit, we made the trek to the Bronx to check out their zoo. Are we ever glad we did! This place is steeped in history. The architecture on the buildings is exquisite. When you're walking through the zoo, most of the trails make you feel you're on a nature walk. Huge trees with canapies of shade, great and natural exhibits for the animals, and an overall good experience.

The price for admission is reasonable--about $20 per person for the basic admission. I was a little salty that you need to pay extra to get into the gorilla exhibit, which I thought was a little bush league. I understand why you'd charge extra for zip lining etc. but not to see the gorillas.

We had an excellent day at the zoo! We did a fennec fox encounter that was fabulous. The lunch was good (chicken strips and crispy fries). A side note for fellow vegetarians, the fries have a dedicated frier, so no meat/seafood of any kind is ever cooked with the fries. The swirl soft serve was refreshing. The zoo was beautiful and well maintained, and the enclosures were large. The staff was awesome.

There is a lot of ground to cover and many different types of animals to see. While the zoo is involved in a lot of worthwhile conservation efforts, quite a lot of the zoo is rather old fashioned with limited space, in particularly for the birds. It is an enjoyable and educational day out for kids and grown ups with plentiful photo opportunities.

Went there on the member's night and got there early. Lines were insanely long and the visit was less pleasant than we normally get when we go to the Zoo. It didn't help that it was raining, but even without that, the long lines for everything (45 minutes for the little train, 40 minutes for the lights, 25 minutes for a stale/overheated sandwich, 20 minutes in line at the gift shop, etc.) made it a far less enjoyable trip than we'd expected. We're members and will go back to the Zoo but not sure we'll do the holiday lights again.

We purchased the full zoo experience tickets. We enjoyed all the attractions we went to and saw a lot of animals who were out and about. We learned about the conservtion piece and had watched the animal planet show on what happens behind the scenes.
However, the zoo needs updating especially the bathrooms. Some of the enclosures seemed small but we also realize we don't have a backstage view.
On the day we went, the zoo only offered one restaurant to get lunch. We passed several food places that were closed. It seemed odd for the summertime.
Overall, we had an excellent experience. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable.

Please stay away from this zoo until they allow Happy the lone elephant go live among other elephants at a sanctuary. They are not thinking about what is best for her. Somethings are more important than money.

The zoo is beautiful! We went in January and, following the previous comments, on a day with a temperature above 10 degrees!
It was Sunday and there was plenty of people! Lots of cars in the parking lot!
We went by subway and I especially did not like the experience! Far away and I didn't feel safe!
The zoo itself is large and very well taken care of, with a good diversity! But worth the advice of other reviews: despite the distance and the metro ride!

Huge but great.
The facility is so vast. Enclosures are beautiful. The whole zoo is beautifully laid out.
I was traveling alone as a woman, also walked over from the Bronx Botanical Garden and then to the subway..
All absolutely no problem. The Bronx is better/safer than its reputation.
In the cold season, the zoo is not so beautiful.
Wednesday: free donate = pay what you wish

Wow you don’t even know you are in NYC for most of the time. It is amazing the natural habitats that they have for the animals. The surroundings are mature you are not baking in the sun. Was on my bucket list and it was worth the drive from southern Pennsylvania.

We went expecting to see at least a few animals here, to be honest all we saw were seals, flamingos,a Couples of zebras & 2 monkeys & a couple of giraffes(who were indoors in a small enough room ,I thought they should have been outside) these were the only animals that were actually AWAKE!!!! EVERY SINGLE OTHER ANIMAL was Outcold Asleep/hiding asleep in a corner somewhere.... we left not too long after we arrived.

Waste of time going, theres more trees and shrubbery/bushes as ur walking around than there was animals.

Couple of cafes ect ,very busy

We spent a good hour on the subway getting there,wouldn't go again!

Yes, a zoo has drawbacks, as the animals are confined. But in some cases they are injured and may not survive otherwise. The staff here really seems to understand that and take considerable effort in caring for the animals. To be able to get up close to so many wonderful creatures is an exciting and fun experience. Have found that having a membership makes it so easy to explore a few times a year, and have a great outing on a nice day, to stroll around the large zoo.

I really liked the place! They have something for everyone thought the ape experience was the best thank u.

I went with my little brother because he wanted to see the Dinosaur Safari exhibit and ended up having a great time! Its a bit expensive but well worth it. The place is huge and there is lots to see. I used an app called Zoomaps that a friend had told me about to get around and was very helpful

We usually go to Phili Zoo but happy we changed it up to Bronx Zoo this year. I wanted to go for the Dinosaur Safari. We made this our first stop to avoid long lines. I recommend this if you have children 5 and under. My son age 8 who is still very into dinosaurs was not impressed nor was I. It’s a very short ride and not very “life-like”. I’ve been through better dinosaur exhibits at the museum in Phili. That being said, we enjoyed the rest of the exhibits with a realistic open atmosphere. You need to buy the Total Experience tickets otherwise everything is an extra cost. Zoo is very large, expect to do lots of walking. Our favorite section was Asia- do the monorail. You need opening to close to see everything. (We didn’t stop to eat) Overall, it was a pleasant day and nice experience.

Really beautiful displays and a super fun time running around to find the different animals with stops for hot chocolate and snacks. It is not heavy on the holiday themes but there is a Christmas tree light show. We went the last weekend of its run in January and the crowds were sparse and it felt like a great way to end our holiday season.

My visit to the Bronx Zoo was absolutely amazing. So much to see and do, I especially loved the Zip line activity. Will definitely go again!!!

Awesomest zoo anywhere. Puts all others to shame. Millions of animals of all kinds. You will go round the world and remember fondly that you saw it all here first.

I have been to many zoos across the world...Bronx is certainly in the top two...what an amazing zoo this is...the entry is hassle free...the zoo is itself made to feel like a jungle with trees and trees lining the paths ... the animals are well cared for and their enclosures are made to replicate their natural environment as much as possible...the animals seemed content...

the world of birds is another world together...must visit...you can skip the dinosaur safari if you want to...they have some of the rarest birds and animals from all across the globe...i would have wanted more cafes and refreshment centers inside...shows are happening throughout the day...

i would suggest to keep two days for covering this zoo as it is a huge one or you can start early if you wish to do it in a day...it is easily accessible from NYC through subway...

Absolutely hassle free experience! Book your tickets thru Trip advisor for about 10% Cheaper...the only issue is the parking which costs $20/- inside the Zoo premises...make sure to park outside on the street where ample spaces are available!

Very easy to book the tickets and wi had so much fun Looking forward to book another avent..👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Good value for money on Wednesdays when it's Free Entrance. Was the middle of January so cold, few patrons and quite a few animals were locked away inside to keep them out of the cold. Almost all the concession outlets were closed too. Still a pleasant wander around the large grounds. The WCS that runs the Zoo is doing a good job helping protect some endangered megafauna also.

This was one of the best parts of our trip to New York. Subway ride from Time Square was easy to navigate. Only disappointment was the up close and personal with the sloth wasn't available on the day we went. Loved seeing all the animals, staff were helpful and friendly.

Big Disappointment. Very untidy and scruffy areas. Not a lot of animals available to view. Tickets cost over $88 and only stayed for 2 hours. Had this trip planned as soon as I knew we were going to NY from Ireland. Lots of animal areas had no animals. Pink flamingos area didn’t even have plants nor water so thankfully no animals had to endure living there. The grizzly bear enclosure was the only area that had animals that seemed to be active and where you could spend 10 minutes watching. Such a let down. Come visit Dublin Zoo for a great Zoo experience

Very nice park, had a lot of fun but could be run a lot more efficient. Non stop lines for everything.
Would come again after few years of break, otherwise go during work week.

We are long-time members of the Bronx Zoo, and have been proud to be so. However, our experience at Pumpkin Nights in 2024 was absolutely shameful. About 90% of the displays were plastic fake pumpkins, "carved" with images of animals, and dimly lit. Overall, the entire exhibit was dull, uninformative, and repetitive. Worse, though, was unwelcoming nature of the Zoo.

We were not warned ahead of time that there would be only one entrance--the East entrance--open. We use public transportation. We got off at the subway stop we usually use, on the West side, but found the Zoo entrance there locked. We then walked to the entrance on the North side, encountering a family with two kids and a stroller on the way, and we were all denied admittance. (We later discovered that the exhibit itself was only a few steps away from this entrance.) The security guard directed us to the East entrance (claiming he had no idea how far away it was). It turned out to be about a 30-minute walk beside a highway, with sidewalks only part of the way. On the way, there was no choice but to cross *two* highway exits, with no crosswalk or lights!

As mentioned, the exhibits were absolutely not worth this. In addition, the staff, when asked what the options were for public transportation, were almost uniformly uninformed and rude. To top it off, the subway stop for the East side of the Zoo, which we were "supposed" to have used, was not open, and wandering around the Bronx in the dark is not something I'd recommend.

If you're thinking of driving instead, that's an option. But when we left, the parking lot looked like a shopping mall the week before Christmas.

The Zoo's callous disregard and obvious contempt for their members and visitors was truly breathtaking. No wonder the tickets are non-refundable!

I desperately hope the animals are treated better than we were.

After watching the TV show, my wife and I had to make a visit during our NYC trip. We rode the express bus from Midtown (Madison Avenue) and found the service to be excellent (drops you off in front of the Bronx River entrance). In addition, the bus itself was clean and comfortable. The zoo grounds are very nice - - more like a walk along a forested path in a park than a typical concrete zoo path. The animal exhibits are well maintained and the variety of animals is extensive. The monorail through the Asia exhibits is very worthwhile and allows excellent animal viewing. In terms of "don't miss", we would say the gorilla exhibit as there are a number of gorillas and they were quite close to the viewing windows.

The Bronx Zoo is something I recommend for any traveler to NYC metro area. I've lived here 95% of my life and have been to the Bronx Zoo at least two dozen times. I can honestly say, it's a nice zoo with plenty of attractions but I prefer the zoos in both Washington DC and Philadelphia better. Both have a better layout and cleaner facilities.

My favorite attractions are the tigers and the elephants. You catch a great view of both. There is plenty to see across the large space. Wear comfortable shoes and a hat to keep the sun off of your face.

Tip - Wednesdays are discounted days for admission. Your admission is a donation to the zoo.

We enjoyed from 10am - 5pm & didn't see it all --- FANTASTIC.
We were able to park in the street free of charge about 1 mile from entrance.

I have visited the Bronx Zoo numerous times the 1st time when I was in a Stroller with my parents back in the late 60's to my most recent visit Sept 20 2019. Attractions and animals may change but the dedication to Wildlife conservation remains constant and passionate.. The entire staff at the Zoo from Maintenance workers to educators are all very friendly and helpful.. I think with the Animal planet TV show "The Zoo" has made people more aware of what the The Bronx Zoo does for wildlife conservation.. It is also nice to walk around the exhibits and see the same people you see on the show in real life makes it a little more down to earth..My wife and I went on Friday Sept 20th we arrived early which is highly recommended since there is a lot of ground to cover hard to believe 265 acres is carved out of the concrete jungle and you hardly notice it..The paper map is helpful for finding your way as well as the app from the website. Totally recommend a wild life encounter it is an extra fee but totally worth it. The zoo prices are reasonable as well as parking. Even the prices of food at the concession stand were surprising cheaper than I would have expected. Overall a great day in The Bronx Zoo

I haven’t been to the Bronx Zoo for probably at least 20 years. They still have free admission on Wednesdays, but you have to reserve ahead of time now due to Covid. You can register for tickets starting the Monday prior at 5 pm, though we logged in a bit before then and it allowed us to purchase tickets. Each person can reserve up to four tickets. There’s the free version or you can get the “premium tickets” for $9.95, which allows access to special exhibits and the Bug Carousel (you can ride it more than once!). We went for the 10 am time slot, and this allows you a one hour window for entry (10 to 11). Otherwise, regular admission is $32, I believe.

The good thing about coming in March is that you get to avoid all the crowds. The zoo was empty. There were no class trips. The bad thing is that it’s still pretty cold, so a lot of the animals are in hiding. But I guess the same can also be said about a hot summer day.

It’s a pretty exhausting trip since the zoo is huge and you’ll be doing a lot of walking. Not to mention driving from NJ is a pain because there is always GWB traffic. It was fun to get to experience the zoo with my nieces for their first time but I probably won’t be back anytime soon.

Tip - parking is $20. You’re also allowed to bring in your own food, so we packed some sandwiches and ate them at the cafe. Saved about $10 per meal!

My wife and I had a wonderful time at our Wild Encounter. The Keepers Choice allowed us to see five different animals up close. The staff gave us great details about each animal. Be aware, you cannot touch each species, with the exception of Peaches The Warthog, he doesn’t mind and the keepers let you know when it’s ok.

This is sad to write. The Bronx Zoo is quite run down. Many buildings are still closed and have not been renovated for over a decade. Prime real estate like the old Monkey House at Astor Court is one glaring example. It closed in 2011 or 12. I used to go very often, as much as weekly in the early 2000s. The horticulture is horribly overgrown and weedy. In some of the outdoor exhibits, plants are so overgrown that you cannot see the wildlife through what used to be “window” openings. You have to work very hard to see animals in the living collection. They have “improved” the visitor “experience” by adding rides and climbing activities, but those have very little to nothing to do with wildlife conservation. Interpretive information in many places still has the old logo (so pre-2014). I noticed this most glaringly in the Madagascar exhibit and birds of prey. On top of the diminished quality of the campus, the tickets are wildly expensive. Adult admission (13+) that includes entry to see animals in special exhibits, such as Gorillas, is $37.95. Child admission is $28.75 (3-12). Family of 4 with parking is $154. Food was okay but very expensive. If you’re not in the Bronx or Westchester, it’s really an effort to get there. I first visited in the 1980s when I moved to NYC. I visited quite often with my kids in the late 90s through about 2014. Now I go once or twice a year. THREE BITS OF ADVICE: 1) Visit on a drizzly day, in the fall, spring or winter. You will see more animals with less foliage and because they will be out and about in the cooler weather. 2) Don’t go to the Bronx Zoo at all. Go to the other city zoos that WCS runs if you want to see animals: Prospect Park, Central Park, and Queens Zoos. WCS’s Aquarium at Coney Island is similarly run down and is not worth the trip unless you are already going to Coney Island. (Go to the Aquarium in Norwalk by Metro North or head to Mystic, Philly, or Baltimore by car or train.) 3) Hop a morning Amtrak at 34th Street down to Philly and go to the Philadelphia Zoo—you’ll spend about as much money, you’ll have an out-of-town excursion, and you’ll see a wonderful zoo with up-to-date exhibits and a living collection you can actually see.

5 starts lot animals , be prepared to walk alot but its worth it 6k animals and great for kids lot different activities for the family.

My boyfriend and I planned a date at the Bronx zoo for last Wednesday. Which is supposed to be donations day but really It wasn’t because they have a suggested $15 each to see all Exhibitions including butterfly Garden and bug carouselI and the Congo (gorillas) exhibit. I guess thats a bargain next to full price days which is about $39.99. To me thats kinda steep for families. Nevertheless the Bronx Zoo during covid 19 didn’t disappoint and the park was decorated for Halloween through out the entire park. The only hard part was keeping the mask on for hours of walking in the hot sun. Gladly everything was fully open and to my surprise the park was empty. I’m assuming people are still afraid from the corona virus and there were no tourists anywhere which made it lovely to walk and stroll around and check out all the animals at your own paces without rushing. We did stop for a bite of food and had funnel cake but sadly it wasn’t fresh and it was old and after paying $7 we just threw it out. The food wasn’t fresh and I wouldn’t recommend eating there at the park. Its very expensive and not worth it. We did have a great time and the park is beautiful and big and clean. We had an amazing time and I would recommend it as one of new york best attraction. Highly recommend we had a blast and the park gets 5 stars from me.

Zoo was great, sea lions were entertaining. It was busy but not packed where you couldn't get to see anything. Lots of interesting animals.

It is a lovely zoo, beautiful environment, a place of silence in the busy town. Worthy to visit this zoo.

Amazing experience, lots of walking and lots to see. We got there early and got to see most of the experiences except for the world of birds.

A world class zoo that's a delight for the visitors AND the animals in it. They've gone the extra mile to keep most of the animals out in the open with plenty of space, and yet let people watch (and often interact with) them from up close. Unless you're visiting just once it's best to buy the family pass that offers most attractions (including special exhibits not included in the general entry ticket) and parking free, discounted prices for food and prime experiences, and unlimited entry. The new, interactive budgie landing ($5 extra, $3 for pass holders) is very good, and worth the additional expense. Other top attractions for us and kids are the Wild Asia Monorail (see most exhibits with great commentary in a fun ride without needing to walk), the Congo Gorilla Forest (where the gorillas are outside looking in at you AND interacting through glass right up close), nature trail, children's zoo for petting, feeding and interacting with farm animals, bug carousel (merry go round), Tiger Mountain (also covered by monorail), and.. many more. If you happen to have some peanuts, bread or other food handy there's an abundance of peacocks, squirrels and other birds that'll gather up close around you, something our grandkids enjoyed as much as the other exhibits.

I saw the television series about the zoo as I had no idea New York had so many zoos - 5 I think . I believe this is the biggest and it was well worth the train ride to get there . I stayed all day and still didn’t see everything. Easy to get to by train . I travelled from Times Square . The enclosures are designed to give you a good view , although they are big and so you need to be lucky sometimes . I especially enjoyed the birds free flying enclosures . If I was visiting the area again it would be a definite return visit for me .

Went on Memorial Day Weekend, OBVIOUSLY super busy! Kids had fun! It’s a beautiful zoo with the animal areas built into the existing landscape! Very shady and pleasant even on a warm day! Will be back!