5 Reasons To Visit Central Park Zoo This Summer

It’s been a long and challenging year, but we’re all coming out of hibernation together. It’s time to escape into the wild in the heart of New York City with snow leopards, sea lions, red pandas, grizzly bears and much more. Here are five reasons why you should visit Central Park Zoo this summer.

1. Welcome to the Tropic Zone

Explore the rainforest without leaving New York. There’s a startling variety of animals in the Tropic Zone exhibit from the forest floor to the canopy, including a wide range of tropical birds and engaging troops of black-and-white ruffed lemurs, white-faced saki monkeys, cotton-topped tamarins, and much more. Keep your eyes peeled — the Tropic Zone’s birds range freely inside the exhibit with you. You never know who might be perched just over your shoulder!

2. A Splash of Nature

The centerpiece of the Central Park Zoo is the California sea lion pool, where you can watch these playful marine mammals enjoy themselves both above and below the surface of the water, demonstrating their graceful swimming abilities and irrepressible barks. Nearby, visit some native New Yorkers — the harbor seals! These strong divers can remain underwater for up to 10 minutes, but they also love “hauling out” of the water to bask in the summer sunshine. And of course, the Polar Circle is home to aquatic birds from the ends of the Earth — the penguins and puffins are always full of energy.

3. Meet the Mammals

The zoo’s outdoor Temperate Territory is home to a variety of creatures, including some amazing mammals you might not expect to find in midtown Manhattan. These animals enjoy the outdoors year-round, but summer is a special time to visit our brown bears, snow leopards, red pandas and more. Did you know that Central Park Zoo is the only zoo in New York City where you’ll find snow monkeys? Much like humans, these primates use a wide range of facial expressions and vocalizations to communicate with each other. You can watch their complex interactions from the edge of their heated pool.

4. Tisch Children’s Zoo

Wander under the iconic musical Delacorte Clock and into the Tisch Children’s Zoo. Home to sheep, goats, zebu and more, this area offers plenty of opportunities for young visitors to crawl, jump, climb and pretend to be animals. The Children’s Zoo always brings out the child in everyone.

5. Health, Safety, and Relaxation

According to new research from Cornell, as little as 10 minutes in a natural setting can help people feel happier and lessen the effects of both mental and physical stress. After such a stressful year, now's the perfect time to refresh your senses and your outlook by spending time with amazing animals in an iconic park. A visit to Central Park Zoo is a safe summer activity for your whole family. The zoo continues to take many precautions, including timed tickets to control capacity and sanitizing stations throughout the park for frequent hand-washing.

Like we said, it’s been a tough winter. But, like bears emerging from hibernation, together we’re stretching, opening our eyes and exploring again. And what better way to refresh and revive than by spending time with incredible wildlife right around the corner? Don’t forget — when you visit Central Park Zoo, you’re supporting the Wildlife Conservation Society’s efforts to protect wildlife and wild places around the world.

Reserve your date-specific tickets now — we can’t wait to see you at Central Park Zoo.