New York

The Queens Zoo is dedicated to protecting and breeding endangeredspecies, with a focus on North American animals. I can honestly say that I’ve never seen so many ducks in one place before. The bears, eagles, and coyotes were fun, but the ducks definitely blew me away. The small loop circuit of the zoo can be completed in less than an hour (if you don’t accidentally get lost in one of their many “Authorized PersonnelOnly” areas) And if you end up making the trip all the way out to Corona Park to visit the zoo, you might be interested in coupling the experiencing with some other attractions in the area. The interactive New York Hall of Science is located right next door (adults $11/kids $8), then there’s the Queens Museum of Art (adults $5/kids $2.50), the Queens Botanical Garden (free for all), the Unisphere, World’s Fair towers, an ice skating rink, and the Playground For All Children.

Photo:  Diana Pizzari