Brooklyn Adventures: Prospect Park Zoo

Over the past few months, I’ve started to receive more and more Brooklyn requests. Locals and tourists alike want to know our favorite spots to workout, run, sip, shop, eat and explore with Katie. While I have a few ideas in the works, today’s post highlights the most wonderful Brooklyn adventure we had with Katie this weekend – Prospect Park Zoo. \

One of New York City’s four zoos, the Prospect Park Zoo is located on the eastern side of Prospect Park. It’s a small, 12-acre zoo perfect for a short visit. We spent 1.5 hours exploring the grounds with Katie on Saturday and really enjoyed our experience. Even on a hot, Summer Saturday the zoo was busy but not packed, allowing us to easily navigate with the stroller and even allow Katie to practice walking. There is a mix of indoor and outdoor exhibits, providing a nice respite from extremely hot or cold weather.

The zoo’s main attraction is the sea lions, which are located at the center of the zoo. There are feeding sessions three times a day – 11:30am, 2pm and 4pm. While I’m sure the sea lions are especially playful at this time, they were engaging with the crowds and chasing each other even when we were there; without the trainers or food. Katie loved squealing and pointing at the sea lions. Beyond the sea lions, the zoo is organized into four different areas: Hall of Animals, Discovery Trail, Animal Lifestyles and the Barn. Throughout these exhibits, there are 25 animals ranging from the alpaca to tamarins. While it was hard for Katie to appreciate or see some of the animals who were further away or hiding in the shade, she was able to appreciate every section except the dark bat section.  If an animal was out of site, we focused and pointed out other things in the area such as birds, flowers, trees or even playful children.  As you would expect, the zoo staff said that the best time to visit is early in the day when the animals are more active. During the summer months, many of the animals will hide in the shade during the hot afternoons. 

The highlight for us was the barn area as Katie was able to safely pet pigs, sheep and alpaca. Next time, we will make sure that we bring spare change or a few dollars so we can buy feed for Katie to give to the animals.

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Hours: The zoo is open 10-5 PM during the Summer and Fall hours but closes at 4:30 during the winter.

Admission: Earlier this year, we purchased the Family Zoo Plus Membership which gives us access to all of the zoos throughout the city as our nanny enjoys taking Katie and the two boys in our nanny share to the different zoos and aquarium on a regular basis. If you don’t have the membership, admission to the zoo is $9.95 for adults, $6.95 for kids and children under 2 are free!

Transportation: Subway (B/Q/S), Bus (B41/B47) or Car (street parking on Flatbush Avenue)

Best For: Young children or people who are exploring Prospect Park and want to squeeze in some animal time

Food: While there were food options, they were a bit underwhelming. I was happy that we chose to bring Katie’s lunch in a stay-cool bag and give it to her while sitting under the shade.

 

You can easily experience the entire zoo in a few hours or even visit for a shorter, more focused trip if you’re short on time or trying to squeeze a visit in between naps. You can access the zoo via car, bus or subway. We found plenty of free parking on Flatbush Avenue, just a few steps from the zoo entrance.