Located in the heart of Manhattan, the Central Park Zoo offers a unique wildlife experience within the urban landscape. Its precursor was founded in 1964 and the present facility was opened in 1934, making it one of the country’s oldest zoos. Spread across 6.5 acres and managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the zoo is integral to New York City’s natural heritage. Visitors can explore a diverse range of wildlife and engage in educational programs, making it a vital educational and conservation hub in the city.

Background on Central Park Zoo

The Central Park Zoo holds a prominent place as one of the oldest zoos in the United States. Originally opening on its current site in 1934, it underwent substantial expansion during the Works Progress Administration (WPA) era. Managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society since the 1980s, the zoo underwent a transformative renovation, reopening in 1988 with modern natural habitats replacing traditional cages.

The zoo has evolved significantly through renovations, redesigns, and additions such as the Tisch Children’s Zoo and the Alison Maher Stern Snow Leopard Exhibit. Central Park Zoo features waterfowl, penguins, seals, bears, monkeys, and other wildlife animals, offering diverse experiences year-round.

Where is Central Park Zoo and how to get there

The zoo is located near the southeast corner of Central Park and next to Fifth Avenue and East 64th Street.

You can conveniently reach the zoo by taking the N, R, or W trains to Fifth Avenue/59th Street station, then walk to 64th Street. Alternatively, take the Lexington Avenue No. 6 train to 68th Street.

Multiple bus routes serve the area, including M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M66, or Q32, stopping along Fifth Avenue for easy access to the zoo.

What to expect when you visit

Central Park Zoo comprises both indoor and outdoor settings, suitable for warm and cold seasons alike. The zoo is open daily from 10-5 on weekdays and 10-5:30 on weekends and holidays. Expect large to moderate crowds on weekends and holidays. It may take 1-1.5 hours to explore daily exhibits and amenities at the zoo. So, plan accordingly to enjoy the park leisurely.

All visitors, including one-day ticket holders and WCS members, are not allowed re-entry; new dated/time entry tickets are valid for a single visit. On arrival, check the official website of the Central Park Zoo for updated information about the day’s available exhibits and amenities.

An adult must accompany guests aged 12 and under. The park provides wheelchair access, and the ticket window offers free wheelchairs in limited quantities on a first-come, first-served basis. Child scooters and skateboards are not allowed in the park.

After exploring 130+ animal species, you can relax at the Dancing Crane Café and enjoy lip-smacking meals, beverages, and desserts. Picnic benches outside the zoo or in the park are perfect for enjoying a packed lunch.

Get Your Tickets to Visit Central Park Zoo

What else can you do when you visit?

The Central Park Zoo promises exciting experiences, a 4D theatre, penguin and sea lion feeding, and various kid-friendly quests. You can also explore Central Park, with available activities such as cruising rowboats on the lake, exploring the Central Park Conservatory Garden, or simply taking a casual walk in the park.

Nearby, you’ll find the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the famous shopping hub of Fifth Avenue, always worth a visit.

From nature lovers to those who want to escape the concrete jungle for a while, a few places offer an enriching experience, such as the Central Park Zoo. With its varied animal exhibits, interactive educational programs, and picturesque scenery, it is a destination that will charm visitors of all ages. 

FAQs

What are the zoo’s hours of operation?

The Central Park Zoo opens daily at 10 am; from March to November, closing times are 5 pm on weekdays and 5:30 pm on weekends and holidays. For the colder months (November through March), closing time is 4:30 pm every day. The last entry is one hour before closing.

Are there any special events at the zoo?

The zoo hosts various events throughout the year, including family programs, conservation talks, and seasonal celebrations.

Can I bring food to the zoo?

Outside food is not allowed, but there are several cafés and food carts within the zoo that offer a variety of snacks and meals.

How much time does it take to explore the zoo?

It usually takes 1-1.5 hours to explore the park. However, the time might vary depending on the exhibits currently running.

Central Park Zoo at sunset strikes the perfect balance between the city’s hustle and the serene aspects of nature. Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of New York City’s animal kingdom, from witnessing the graceful stride of a snow leopard to enjoying the playful antics of sea lions! Whether attending a program, meeting one of the animals up close, or enjoying the park’s amazing views, visiting the Central Park Zoo is a must-visit in NYC.

The post Central Park Zoo: An Insider’s Guide to the NYC’s Iconic Wildlife Haven appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

It’s a boat summer here in NYC, and we’re taking every chance we can get to go afloat this year!

Making its massive return in 2024, our friends at Circle Line are bringing back their iconic Summer Dance Series. Guests will once again be able to strut their moves on top of an iconic boat, making rounds around NYC all summer long.

These 2.5 hour cruises will feature, which include an evening full of dancing, seasonal cocktails, and themed costume contests, will welcome a seasoned choreographer on board to help guests master signature moves from top artists and genres!

Lead by their Pop Choreography Expert, Byron Freeman from B. Free Dance, each cruise will feature a group lesson followed by a free-for-all final hour and incredible sunset views.

Check out this year’s lineup of cruise below:

• Janet to MJ – Thursday, July 11
  • Get ready to moonwalk on water as you partake in a Jackson-themed dance cruise that gets even hotter than an NYC summer night! Thriller themed outfits aren’t required, but recommended for the best time.
• Hip Hop Divas (Women in Hip Hop) – Wednesday, August 7
  • Become the next hip-hop diva with Circle Line’s women-focused hip-hop cruise featuring some really speical surprises! Plus, the cruise has partnered with The Hip Hop Museum to donate 50% of all ticket sales revenues from this sail to their institution to celebrate their commitment to the culture. Recommended dress code includes bucket hats, matching tracksuits, or whatever makes you feel good!
• Yeah! Cruise – September 5
  • Calling all Usher fans, this dance cruise is for you! This cruise along the Hudson River is the ultimate tribute to the pop icon, and you’ll surely be hair flipping, hip shaking, and twerking by the end of the night!

Tickets for each cruise start at just $30 and can be purchased through Circle Line’s website here.

The post NYC’s Hottest Floating Summer Dance Series Returns This Summer appeared first on Secret NYC.

* This article was originally published here

By the end of this week, the world will know the full extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Beryl, one of the earliest storms to have ever formed in the region, as it makes it way from Trinidad and Tobago at the southeast end of the Caribbean island chain to as far north as Jamaica and possibly Belize in the northwest. 

The formation of the category four storm in the past week has triggered panic across the region, as most nations are not used to dealing with a fully developed storm this early in a season that normally begins on June 1 and concludes at the end of November each year. Rewriting many records, Beryl, officials say, has moved from a depression to a full-fledged hurricane in less than 50 hours, a development that experts say is highly unusual but points to the realities of climate change that regional governments had been complaining about so persistently around the globe.

Forecasters say that the impact will be felt from Tobago, Trinidad’s sister isle to the north, right through the Eastern Caribbean island chain up to Jamaica by the end of the week. Prime Minister Andrew Holness, like leaders of other nations in Beryl’s path, took to national airwaves at the weekend to warn Jamaicans to be prepared for the very worst as “all the models have suggested that if it is not a direct impact, it will be in the vicinity of Jamaica. We expect that this will bring adverse weather conditions, and we expect that by Wednesday morning we will be experiencing such conditions.”

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves in St. Vincent also warned locals to take Beryl seriously, noting that “this is a major hurricane. This is not a joke. We see what major hurricanes have done nearby to Grenada with Hurricane Ivan, and what has happened to Dominica in 2017 with Hurricane Maria, though Category Five in those cases. But the point I want to make, I want to repeat, this hurricane is intensifying,” he said.

But Grenada, just north of Trinidad and down dip from St. Vincent, is the one preparing for a battering, as models have shown that it might well pass over the island of just over 100,000 people as Ivan did back in September 2004, when the storm left much of the country like a South American gold mining camp, with tarpaulins of various colors dotting the island and replacing blown off roofs. Mainland Grenada has, however, been spared the worst of the storm this time as the eye has picked out the two smaller islands, Petite Martinique and Carriacou. PM Dickon Mitchell urged citizens to remain indoors at least until midnight when attempts to assess the situation will be made.

Ironically, Grenada should have been hosting this week’s regional leaders summit, but the 15-nation bloc announced a postponement as priorities shifted to Beryl. The formation of the storm with 150 miles per hour winds during Monday, will give the region further evidence in arguing that the climate is changing and that the countries which pollute the least are bearing the brunt of storms, as Bloc Secretary General Carla Barnett and others have pointed out.“Climate change has a very tangible human, economic, and financial impact on Caricom. We recall the record-breaking 2017 hurricane season when Hurricanes Irma and Maria, within a period of two weeks, charted paths of destruction across the region. Damage estimated at more than 200% of GDP occurred in one of our member states—Dominica. In Barbuda, the housing stock was almost totally destroyed. Critical infrastructure, including water and electricity, homes, health facilities and schools, were decimated in the wake of these storms,” she told a recent international forum in Antigua.

“Even as we meet at this conference, the region is entering an Atlantic hurricane season that is expected to be extremely active with a forecast of 11 hurricanes, five of them slated to be major storms of Category 3 intensity or higher. The Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CARICOF), coordinated out of the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), predicted near record heat for the Caribbean region from April to September 2024. Several of our member states have already been experiencing periods of prolonged drought, and this has been compounded by forest and bush fires across our region,” she said.

The post Caribbean leaders warn again about a changing climate appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here

Finally, some good transportation news coming out of NYC: The Port Authority is graciously halving price single-ride fares for the AirTrain this summer, in an effort to reduce vehicle traffic to John F. Kennedy International Airport during heavy construction this summer. Now, it’s not exactly the free AirTrain rides we were all hoping for, but we’ll take what we can get! 

RECOMMENDED: You can now travel from Manhattan to JFK airport for a mere $13

From today, July 1, through Labor Day, September 2, the transit agency will offer a $4.25 fare (decreased from the usual $8.50) to riders that enter or exit the AirTrain at Howard Beach or Jamaica, the two off-airport stations that require payment via OMNY or MetroCard. The Port Authority is promoting the new campaign by assuring riders that it will take just 20 minutes to get to Jamaica Grand Central Madison, Penn Station, or Atlantic Terminal via the Long Island Railroad. The agency is also encouraging drivers to use the drop-off/pick-up lot at the Lefferts Blvd station, where they can hop on a free 8-minute AirTrain ride to the airport terminals. 

The fare discount is to encourage airport-goers to utilize NYC public transit on their way to JFK, which will reportedly see a record 18 million passengers this summer, 700,000 more than last year. Along with the record volumes of air travelers, traffic will be further slowed down around the airport due to the continued construction activities for the $19 billion redevelopment of JFK, which will include the forthcoming international terminal.

“With transformational construction underway at JFK, we’re taking steps to mitigate travel delays and affirm what’s always been true – there’s no better option than taking the train to the plane,” Governor Hochul said. “As we kick off a busy summer, we’re making it more affordable for travelers to utilize the AirTrain, offering New Yorkers and visitors from around the world the best-in-class travel experience they deserve.”

* This article was originally published here