Bronx Zoo

Spanning 265 lush acres, the Bronx Zoo is the largest urban wildlife preserve in the United States, home to several authentically re-created habitats that house more than 5,000 animals representing more than 600 species (including an ever-changing cast of 'awww'—worthy newborns). See zebras, giraffes and lions roam the African Plains; take a safari through the 6.5-acre Congo Gorilla Forest; watch baboons play in Ethiopian highlands; and meet lemurs, crocodiles and cockroaches in the permanent Madagascar! exhibition—all before lunch. The zoo's new Komodo dragons have also already become a popular attraction. Daily activities, including sea lion and penguin feedings, keep visitors busy all day long, while the Bug Carousel, the 4-D Theater's Ice-Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and the Children's Zoo are perfect for kids (the latter is undergoing renovations and will reopen at the end of summer 2014). The Bronx Zoo is open seven days a week and offers pay-what-you-wish admission every Wednesday.