Last Sunday it was too hot for the playground but we needed to get our 2 year old out of the house and away from the breakables so we took him to The New York Aquarium at Coney Island. Of all the places the Wildlife Conservation Society offers ( Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo) , the aquarium is not the best (though a revision is planned) BUT it’s easy to get to and offers enough on display that we spent a couple of wonderful hours there. On the weekends The Aquarium stays open until 7pm so it’s a perfect after-nap activity.
Why go there on a hot summer’s day? It has both indoor and outdoor activities and exhibits. We were able to check out the walruses as they sunned themselves on rocks and then quickly, before we lost all hydration, head inside to see the sea lions swimming to and fro. All of the popular animals like the walruses, sea lions, penguins and sea otters can be seen from both inside and outside so that your child is able to catch a glimpse no matter where the animal may be hanging out.
What to do there: My son LOVES anything that swims so he was over the moon when he got to see sharks and huge sea turtles up close. It was pretty busy but we were still able to get a great view so there was no need to try and wrestle a squirmy toddler into some sort of Twister-like position. Their Alien Stinger exhibition is especially interesting and my toddler learned all about jellyfish. They even have a few interactive sections that older kids seemed to enjoy. The New York Aquarium also have fun activities like feeding the penguins, sea otters, sharks or watching an engaging sea lion show. The sea lion show, at 11:30 and 3pm every day, is great for the younger kids because it’s not too long and the animals perform a wide variety of tricks.
The cost: The aquarium’s small size doesn’t seem to warrant the high price of admission of adults: $13 and child: $6. However, if you become a member of the Wildlife Conservation Society : Individual: $79 / Family: $124, you get free parking, free admission for 2 adults and your children and 16 attraction passes to the Bronx Zoo, the Prospect Park Zoo, the Central Park Zoo, the Queens Zoo, and the New York Aquarium. That’s a good deal if you visit any of those places more than 6 times a year or if you go less but will do the attractions of the Bug Carousel (personal favorite), Wild Asia Monorail, or 4-D movies, etc. And, don’t forget, the membership is partially tax-deductible and goes to helping the institutions. The other advantage: you can go with your family at moment’s notice without worrying about the steep price of admission.
Anyone have suggestions on where to eat besides the cafe there?
The New York Aquarium
Surf Avenue & West 8th Street
Brooklyn, New York 11224
Directions: Take the F or Q train to the West 8th Street station in Coney Island, Brooklyn. Alternatively, take the N or D trains to the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station, then walk two blocks east on Surf Ave.
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Trained as art historian, Tonya Vernooy has traded in her musings on biotechnology and contemporary art to focus on a more intense subject: raising her son and writing about it: www.adhocmom.com. She is also currently working on a series of murder mystery novels. She lives in Park Slope with 1 child, 1 husband, 2 dogs, and a cat.