As a Staten Island mom with a toddler and a tween, I've been to the Staten Island Zoo many, many, many times. I don't really need an excuse to visit this eight-acre animal oasis filled more than 350 different species, including lots of reptiles, two rare Amur leopards and the weather-prognosticating/mayor-biting groundhog Staten Island Chuck. But now my family has a great new reason to go: The zoo's recently opened Conservation Carousel featuring two-dozen handcrafted wooden creatures to ride.
The Staten Island Zoo is my family's favorite place to see animals in NYC because it's intimate (we love the Bronx Zoo, too, but it can be overwhelming), rarely crowded and secluded, so you feel like you're going on an out-of-the-city adventure. But since it's an independent institution (it's not affiliated with New York City's five other Wildlife Conservation Society zoos) and located in the so-called "forgotten borough," it's often overlooked by families who don't live on the isle. I'm here to tell you, it's worth the trek. It's near public transportation (there's also a free parking lot) and has lots of special attractions for kids, including a petting zoo and the new carousel, so it's a great daycation destination—then you can stick around and check out some of the other cool things to do with kids on Staten Island.