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The Bronx

Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society
Bronx River Parkway, at Fordham Road (1-718 367 1010/www.bronxzoo.org). Travel: 2 to Pelham Parkway, then walk two blocks, turn left at Boston Road and follow as it bears right to the zoo’s Bronxdale entrance; or Metro-North’s Harlem Line to Fordham, then take the Bx9 bus south to the zoo entrance, or the Bx12 bus east to Southern Boulevard, and walk east to the zoo entrance. Open Apr-Oct 10am-5pm Mon-Fri; 10am-5:30pm Sat, Sun, holidays. Nov-Mar 10am-4:30pm daily. Admission $14; $12 seniors; $10 3-12s; free under-3s. Pay what you wish Wed. (Some rides and exhibitions are extra.) Credit AmEx, Disc, MC, V.
Home to more than 4,500 creatures, including the recent addition of African wild dogs. For visitors who want a bird’s-eye view, the Skyfari, an aerial tram ride, is wonderful. Highlights include an underwater viewing area; the Congo Gorilla forest; Tiger Mountain, which educates visitors about tigers and conservation; and an indoor Asian rainforest.

Edgar Allan Poe Cottage
2640 Grand Concourse, at Kingsbridge Road (1-718 881 8900/www.bronxhistoricalsociety.org). Subway: D, 4 to Kingsbridge Road. Open 10am-4pm Sat; 1-5pm Sun. Admission $5; $3 seniors, students. No credit cards. Pay homage to Poe in the house where he wrote such literary gems as Annabel Lee and The Bells. A film and guided tour are available.

New York Botanical Garden
Bronx River Parkway, at Fordham Road (1-718 817 8700/www.nybg.org). Travel: B, D to Bedford Park Boulevard, then take the Bx26 bus to Garden gate; or Metro-North (Harlem Line local) from Grand Central Terminal to Botanical Garden. Open Mar-Oct 10am-6pm Tue-Sun, Mon federal holidays. Jan, Feb 10am-5pm Tue-Sun. Admission $20; $18 seniors, students; $7 2-12s; free under-2s. Grounds only $6; free 10am-5pm Wed; 10am-noon Sat. Credit AmEx, MC, V.
As well as access to 250 acres of flora, the $20 ticket buys entry to current exhibitions, the Adventure Garden, the Haupt Conservatory and tram tours. If you’re coming from Manhattan, look into specials from Metro-North’s Harlem line train from Grand Central Terminal, which may include a round-trip ticket with Admission.

Wave Hill House
W 249th Street, at Independence Avenue (1-718 549 3200/www.wavehill.org). Travel: Metro-North (Hudson Line local) from Grand Central Terminal to Riverdale. Open mid Apr-May, Sept-mid Oct 9am-5:30pm Tue-Sun. June-Aug 9am-5:30pm Tue, Thur-Sun; 9am-9pm Wed. Mid Oct-mid Apr 9am-4:30pm Tue-Sun. Admission $6; $3 seniors, students; free under-6s. Free Tue, 9am-noon Sat. No credit cards.A lush 28-acre former estate, overlooking the Hudson River, that has housed Mark Twain and Teddy Roosevelt. It’s now a spectacular reserve and conservation center, where you can see art exhibits and dance and music performances.

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