Staten Island Zoo

Staten Island Zoo packs a decent punch across its relatively small eight acres, with plenty to keep kids and adults entertained.

Opened in the 1930s, the zoo’s original focus was on reptiles, so it’s no surprise that the Reptile Wing is among its most awe-inspiring exhibits. Come face to face with Chinese crocodiles, bearded dragons and the enormous green anaconda, a boa constrictor that can reach weights of over 150lbs, making it the planet’s heaviest snake. The reptile enclosure is also home to one of the largest and most complete collections of rattlesnakes in North America.

The zoo’s other main exhibits include the Tropical Forest Wing, African Wing and Aquarium. It’s here you’ll meet residents including prickly porcupines, bat-eared fennec foxes and fearsome piranha fish.

Don’t miss America’s biggest Amur leopard exhibit. Native to southeastern Russia and northern China, these majestic creatures are among the most endangered big cats on the planet, with only 100 or so left in the wild.

There’s plenty more for kids to enjoy here, including a playground, a petting zoo, dinosaur sculptures and a carousel featuring lots of wild animals. And, of course, Chuck’s House & Weather Station, home of New York’s official Groundhog Day forecaster.