6 Best Petting Zoos In and Near NYC
While New York City is urban, there are still many opportunities to explore nature and learn about animals we don’t see every day in the wild. Petting zoos are a great way to introduce your children to new animals and allows them to have an experience they won’t forget.
New York petting zoos can be broken down into two categories: farms and zoos.
Farm petting zoos are slices of land that raise animals and you can see and interact with them in a more natural habitat. Zoos on the other hand have sections designated where children can interact with them; they’re a little more urban and controlled.
Depending on what kind of experience you and your child want to have, we have broken this list up by farms and zoos so you can easily find the best fit your family!
Psst… Here are 6 of the Best Indoor Rock Climbing Facilities In and Near New York!
Farm
White Post Farms
250 Old Country Rd., Melville, NY 11747
White Post Farms has always had an element of grandeur that you wouldn’t typically find from a petting zoo. This establishment focuses on the childlike thrill that petting zoos are supposed to generate. Take selfies with giraffes, ride ponies and get up close and personal with farm animals.
The Art Farm NYC
431 E 91st St., 2nd floor, New York, NY 10128
Visit New York City’s only indoor petting zoo! Though their animals steer more towards lizards and guinea pigs than the classic farm animals, they’re still great candidates for petting.
Sign your little ones up for their Animal Exploration class if they’re major animal lovers, or come to one of their daily drop-ins for fun for the whole family.
Queens County Farm Museum
73-50 Little Neck Pkway., Queens, NY 11004
Yet another great New York farm, this time steering more firmly into the farm animal category. Though free upon entry, there are some events and activities that will require payment.
Purchase bags of feed from the farm store to feed the sheep and goats! Be sure to check out their website for the latest upcoming events, like the Sheep Shearing Festival coming up in May!
Zoos
Bronx Children’s Zoo
2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY 10460
If you’re a little too skittish to jump into the deep end of the farm, then try this more urban setting for your New York petting zoo experience. By all accounts, it’s a classic zoo but with the add-on of a children’s section.
Feed and pet your favorite farm animals, plus have up-close encounters with animals like prairie dogs, fennec foxes and more.
It’s a couple of extra dollars on top of admission, but well worth it in exchange for a wonderful day with your little one.
Central Park Tisch Children’s Zoo
East 64th St., New York, NY 10021
The Tisch Children’s Zoo is a specific section of the esteemed Central Park Zoo that presents the cutest animals to children so they can interact with them and learn about the animal kingdom. Pet animals like goats, sheep, cows and even a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig.
Prospect Park Zoo Barn and Garden
450 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11225
Prospect Park Zoo can be overlooked when stacked next to its larger siblings — the Bronx Zoo and Central Park Zoo. But this is just a matter of size and notoriety and not because of quality. Alpacas and pigs at Prospect Park Zoo are just as cute and just as worth visiting for the petting zoo experience.
