Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
pandas and white-naped cranes. The 6
1
⁄
2
-acre
Congo Gorilla Forest
is home to Western lowland gorillas, okapi, red river hogs, and other
African rainforest animals.
The
Children's Zoo
(open Apr-Oct) allows young humans to
learn about their wildlife counterparts. If the natural settings and
breeding programs aren't enough to keep zoo residents entertained,
they can always choose to ogle the two million annual visitors. But
there are ways to beat the crowds. Try to visit on a weekday or on a
nice winter's day. In summer, come early in the day, before the heat
of the day sends the animals back into their enclosures. Expect to
spend an entire day here—you'll need it.
Getting there:
Liberty Lines' BxM11 express bus, which makes
various stops on Madison Avenue, will take you directly to the zoo;
call
&
718/652-8400.
By subway, take the no. 2 train to Pelham
Parkway and then walk west to the Bronxdale entrance.
Fordham Rd. and Bronx River Pkwy., the Bronx.
&
718/367-1010.
www.bronxzoo.
com. Admission $14 adults, $12 seniors, and $10 for children 2-12; discounted
admission Nov-Mar; free Wed year-round. There may be nominal additional charges
for some exhibits. Nov-Mar daily 10am-4:30pm (extended hours for Holiday Lights
late Nov-early Jan); Apr-Oct Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5:30pm. Trans-
portation: See “Getting there,” in the paragraph above.
New York Botanical Garden
A National Historic Landmark,
the 250-acre New York Botanical Garden was founded in 1891 and
today, is one of America's foremost public gardens. The setting is
spectacular—a natural terrain of rocky outcroppings, a river with
cascading waterfalls, hills, ponds, and wetlands.
Highlights of the Botanical Garden include the 27
specialty gar-
dens,
an exceptional
orchid collection,
and 40 acres of
uncut for-
est,
as close as New York gets to its virgin state before the arrival of
Europeans. The
Enid A. Haupt Conservatory,
a stunning series of
Victorian glass pavilions that recall London's former Crystal Palace,
shelters a rich collection of tropical, subtropical, and desert plants as
well as seasonal flower shows. There's also a
Children's Adventure
Garden.
Getting there:
Take Metro-North (
&
800/METRO-
INFO
or 212/532-4900; www.mta.nyc.ny.us/mnr) from Grand
Central Terminal to the New York Botanical Garden station; the easy
ride takes about 20 minutes. By subway, take the D or 4 train to
Bedford Park, then take bus Bx26 or walk southeast on Bedford Park
Boulevard for 8 long blocks.
200th St. and Kazimiroff Blvd., the Bronx.
&
718/817-8700.
www.nybg.org.
Admission $6 adults, $3 seniors, $2 students, $1 children 2-12. Extra charges for
Everett Children's Adventure Garden, Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, T. H. Everett Rock
