Central Park Zoo may have only had a fleeting mention in the Madagascar animated movie series but a visit to the zoo in person is a completely worthwhile experience, especially if you are visiting Central Park with kids.
Located at the southeast corner of the Manhattan park, Central Park Zoo is not a huge zoo. Nonetheless, it still still features multiple zones that will take you around the world from temperate regions to the tropics.
A Visit to Central Park Zoo in New York City
A path that runs parallel to 5th Avenue connecting 65th and Park Drive runs by the edge of Central Park Zoo. This means that you can get a glimpse of the zoo even without entering.
At the southern end of the path, you will find the counters selling zoo tickets. These are located opposite from the Dance Crane Cafe. There are also automated self-service ticketing kiosks where you can purchase the Central Park Zoo tickets.
Once you have purchase the tickets, head to the zoo entrance on the opposite side of the path.
Viewing the Central Park Zoo Animals
Central Garden and the Sea Lions
You will naturally gravitate towards the sea lions in the Central Garden once you have entered into the compound of Central Park Zoo.
While passers-by may able to get glimpses of the sea lions from outside the fence of the zoo, there is nothing like getting upclose to these magnificent animals.
Watch them swimming around the octagonal pool, creating waves as they go by. If you are there at the right time, you may also be able to view the keepers interacting with the sea lions during feeding times. This is always fun to watch.
Sea lion feeding times are at 11.30 am, 1.30 pm and 3.30 pm.
The rest of Central Park Zoo is laid out in a U shape around the Central Garden. You can visit the animals by going in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction around the Central Garden.
Penguins, Sea Birds and Harbor Seals
Going in an anti-clockwise direction, the first exhibit is of Penguins and Sea Birds. You will need to step inside an indoor area to view the penguins. However, before you even see them, you will be able to smell them!
Watch the penguins swim gracefully through the water or waddle about on land inside the darken enclosure before exiting from the other side.
The penguin feeding times are 10.30 am and 2.30 pm.
Next to the Penguins and Sea Birds exhibit is an outdoor exhibit featuring Harbor Seals. Compared to the sea lions at the Central Garden, Harbor Seals are larger in size and don’t have visible external ears. Another difference is that they have fur-covered flippers.
Grizzly Bears
One of our favorite animal exhibits at Central Park Zoo is the grizzly bears.
Climb up the stairs to get a good view of the bears in a setting that looks like rocky cliffs. If you are lucky, you may even be able to view them coming up close towards the glass where the viewing area is located.
Snow Leopard
Another of our favorite Central Park Zoo animals is the snow leopard.
Unlike what the animated movie Madagascar may project, there are no lions at Central Park Zoo. Instead, the top cat is the snow leopard. You can view the stunning snow leopard from behind a glass wall in a gallery.
As much as we admired and awed at the snow leopard, we also felt a bit sorry to see it pacing back and forth within its enclosure. Unlike the grizzly bears, it didn’t have any companions.
Temperate Territory
The snow leopard exhibit signals the start of the Temperate Territory zone of Central Park Zoo.
Other animals that can be viewed from another viewing area are cranes.
There are red pandas and snow monkeys too.
Tropic Zone
A fun and immersive section of Central Park Zoo is the Tropic Zone.
Enter into the Tropic Zone and you will find yourself magically transported to a hot, humid rainforest.
Victoria Crowned Pigeons walk around, intermingling with other birds like Scarlet Ibis and Ruffled Lemurs. It is pretty magical, especially if you have just exited frigid weather outside.
There are also smaller enclosures that allow you to get a close up view of bugs and creepy crawlies.
You can learn about small creatures found in a rainforest and tropical regions.
This is an exceptionally educational zone of the zoo and one that you can easily spend some time inside.
You can even find reptiles lurking at this zone.
4-D Theatre & Tisch Children’s Zoo
Besides the main zoo area, Central Park Zoo regular admission tickets come with two other experiences.
Don’t forget to head to the 4-D Theatre. This is located on the opposite side of the path from the main zoo area. It is just beside the famous Delacorte Clock.
The 4-D Theatre experience is a multi-sensory movie projection that families with young children will enjoy.
Take note that the 4-D Theatre is included in regular admission tickets but not included in the cheaper limited admission tickets.
From the Central Park Zoo entrance, head past the Delacorte Clock and you will arrive at the Tisch Children’s Zoo.
This is an area of the zoo that has been specially created for young children. It features a variety of domesticated animals and there are also opportunities for to buy feed to interact with the animals.
The Tisch Children’s Zoo is included in both regular and limited admission tickets.
Pro tip: if you are only keen on viewing the animals and want to skip the 4-D show, you can purchase limited admission tickets and save a fair bit of money.
Facilities at the Central Park Zoo
For the ease and convenience of families, you will also find that there are two diaper changing areas within this main gated section of Central Park Zoo.
Toilets can also be found just beside the entrance / exit to the gated zoo area. There are also toilets at the Tisch Children’s Zoo.
There is also a small Central Park Zoo gift shop located close to the ticketing counters, if you wish to purchase an animal-theme souvenir to remember your visit to the zoo.
You can also grab a bite from the Dancing Crane Cafe opposite from the ticketing counters.
Central Park Zoo Review
Central Park Zoo is not very large but it is still worth a visit if you have children who enjoy viewing animals.
Interestingly, Central Park Zoo was not originally part of the plan for Central Park. Instead it came about by accident.
People kept dropping off their unwanted animals at the arsenal, the building that is opposite the main gate to the zoo, now used as an administration building.
As a result, in 1864, legislation was passed to allow the construction of the several buildings to house the animals and this was the origins of Central Park Zoo.
Many times, people compare Central Park Zoo with the Bronx Zoo. However, the two zoo are quite different. Central Park Zoo is a very small but conveniently located zoo whereas the Bronx Zoo is a much larger and major zoo.
We would say that Central Park Zoo is a good place to visit if you wish to add some variety to your visit to New York City with children, especially if you are going to be around the 63 Street area and you don’t wish to travel out of Manhattan to visit the Bronx Zoo.
Get more details, including ticketing options, and plan your visit by heading to the Central Park Zoo website.
Where: 64th Street & 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10065
Admission rates: From $8.95 for limited admission tickets for children 3 to 12. From $13.95 for limited admission tickets for adults. Children 2 and under enter for free.
If you are a book lover, you may also be interested to know that Strand Book Store has an outdoor location close to the Central Park Zoo. Find out more about the Strand Book Store at Central Park.
