# Things to Do in the Bronx With Kids: The Zoo, the Garden and More *The Bronx has a famous zoo and a famous garden, then a long list of places that don't get the credit: free galleries, a poet's cottage, a beach and a tiny nautical museum. Twelve of them, with the subway stop and the price checked.* By Dan Fitzpatrick, Boroughs & Brood. Updated Monday, October 5, 2026. Canonical: https://boroughsandbrood.com/guides/things-to-do-in-the-bronx-with-kids.html Good for: All ages, Mixed costs, The Bronx. **The short answer:** The best things to do in the Bronx with kids are the Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden, which sit side by side in Bronx Park. For a second day, try Wave Hill in Riverdale (free on Thursdays), the free Bronx Museum on the Grand Concourse, or the City Island Nautical Museum, where under 12s are free. There are two obvious things to do in the Bronx with kids, a zoo and a botanical garden, and they sit next door to each other. Stop there and you've had a good day. Go on and you find a free museum on the Grand Concourse, a poet's cottage, a beach on Long Island Sound, a tiny nautical museum on City Island and an enormous park most of New York has never visited. This guide covers 12 places, with the subway stop, the price and the stroller situation checked on each one's own pages in early October 2026. The Bronx is the only borough on the mainland, so it has real hills, and a good chunk of the subway runs up on tracks above the street, so you see the place on the way. It also means long walks from some stations. I've said so each time, because "it's just ten minutes" is the most dangerous sentence in parenting. > My Bronx rule: book the zoo for a weekday if you can. A weekend zoo line looks short from the sidewalk and isn't. ## Things to do in the Bronx with kids: the quick version - The big day: the Bronx Zoo in the morning, the New York Botanical Garden the next day. Doing both on one day is a test of endurance, not a plan. - Best free: the Bronx Museum on the Grand Concourse, always free, with new fall shows opening October 9. - Best view: Wave Hill in Riverdale, free all day on Thursdays. - Best small museum: the City Island Nautical Museum, where children under 12 are free (open weekends until the last weekend of October). - Best for older kids who like a story: the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, on a suggested donation of $3 for children. - Best for a runaround: Orchard Beach and the Pelham Bay Park trails, but not for swimming in October. Elevators break and stations change. Before you rely on any accessible station below, check the MTA's live elevator status. Where I say a station is accessible, the MTA's own list says so. ## Bronx Park: the zoo and the garden ### Bronx Zoo (Bronx Park, The Bronx) The big one, and it's big: more than 10,000 animals, per Mommy Poppins' Bronx list, and a map you'll need. The zoo's admission this fall starts at $28.95 for adults and $27.70 for ages 3 to 12, with under 3s free. The price flexes: cheaper at quiet times, dearer at busy ones. The zoo lists its Star Attractions as included: the Bug Carousel, Butterfly Garden, Children's Zoo, Congo Gorilla Forest, Jungleworld, Nature Trek, Wild Asia Monorail and Zoo Shuttle. A cheaper limited ticket leaves them out, at $7 extra each. Check which are running before you pay. The Southern Boulevard Gate at 182nd Street is the most level part of the park, according to the zoo. Boo at the Zoo is on this fall, with animal chats and a hay bale adventure course, included with admission. Stroller rental is offered, but the zoo's own pages disagree by a dollar or two on the price, and some exhibits require you to park the stroller outside. Bring a stroller you don't mind leaving. - Subway: 2/5 trains serve the east side of the zoo: Pelham Pkwy is accessible per the MTA, West Farms Sq-E Tremont Av is not. The zoo's pages I read list no subway directions, so pick your gate on its map - Stroller: Rentals offered; self-park the stroller at some exhibits - Cost: Adults from $28.95, ages 3 to 12 from $27.70, under 3 free; flexible pricing - Time: 4 to 5 hours; most of a day with a five-year-old - Check first: Open 10am to 5pm weekdays, 10am to 5:30pm weekends until October 31, then 10am to 4:30pm daily; last entry 45 minutes before closing - Website: https://bronxzoo.com/ ### New York Botanical Garden (Bronx Park, The Bronx) 250 acres next door to the zoo. The All-Garden Pass is $35 for adults on weekdays and $39 on weekends, with children 2 to 12 at $15 and $17, and under 2s free. That is not cheap. If you live in the city, the Grounds Access Pass (adult $15, child $4, bought on site with proof of residency) is a lot kinder, and, per NYBG, Wednesdays are free for New York City residents all day and for everyone from 10am to 11am. The Everett Children's Adventure Garden has a wooden tree top walk and "Early Fall Wonders" at select times, with Dig! Plant! Grow! sessions too. NYBG's pass page says it's included with the Grounds Access Pass, so check what your ticket covers. Día de los Muertos runs October 3 to November 2, with a parade on Sunday, November 1 at 2pm. Flower Power ends October 18. - Subway: Metro-North Harlem Line to Botanical Garden (20 minutes from Grand Central, per NYBG), or B/D to Bedford Park Blvd (accessible per the MTA) and the Bx26 bus east to the Mosholu Entrance - Restrooms: NYBG says all restrooms are accessible - Cost: All-Garden Pass: weekday adults $35, ages 2 to 12 $15; weekend $39 and $17; under 2 free - Time: 3 to 4 hours; the children's garden alone is an hour - Check first: Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm; parking is $25 - Website: https://www.nybg.org/ ## Riverdale: the garden with the Hudson view ### Wave Hill (Riverdale, The Bronx) A public garden and cultural center above the Hudson, with the Palisades across the water. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5:30pm, with the last entry 30 minutes before closing. Admission is $10 for adults, $6 for students and seniors, $4 for ages 6 and up. It is free all day on Thursdays. (It's not an adrenaline place. Bring a ball and let the lawns do the work.) Getting there is part of the plan. On Thursday to Sunday a free Wave Hill shuttle meets the Metro-North Hudson Line at Riverdale station and the 1 train at 242nd Street. On other days, the Riverdale walk uphill is about 15 minutes. - Subway: 1 to Van Cortlandt Park-242 St (not accessible per the MTA), then the free Wave Hill shuttle (Thursday to Sunday, hourly from the Burger King corner); or Metro-North Hudson Line to Riverdale - Cost: Adults $10, students/seniors $6, ages 6+ $4; free Thursdays - Time: 1.5 to 2 hours - Check first: Closed Mondays; the conservatory closes noon to 1pm daily; shuttle runs Thursday to Sunday only - Website: https://www.wavehill.org/ ## The Grand Concourse, the South Bronx and Belmont ### Bronx Children's Museum (Mott Haven, The Bronx) The Bronx's first dedicated children's museum, which opened on December 3, 2022 in a 1925 powerhouse on the Harlem River in Mill Pond Park, at 725 Exterior Street. When it opened its exhibits were The Waterways, The Woods and The Nest, plus Sonia's Corner, a nod to two Bronx-born Sonias, Sonia Manzano and Sonia Sotomayor. That's all I can verify today: the pages I could read didn't show current hours or prices, so check its site before you set off. - Subway: 2/4/5 to 149 St-Grand Concourse (accessible per the MTA), then a walk toward the river; check the walk - Cost: Not on the pages I could read; check its site - Check first: Current hours, prices and ticket booking - Website: https://www.bxcm.org/ ### The Bronx Museum of the Arts (Concourse, The Bronx) Free for everyone, always. It's a contemporary art museum at 1040 Grand Concourse, open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm. Here's the catch for this month: the galleries closed September 7 for an exhibition changeover, and fall shows open on October 9, including Saya Woolfalk: The WoodsWoman Method (to March 28, 2027). The North Wing stays open on regular hours, and the South Wing is being renovated. Family art activities are listed on the home page, but without dates. - Subway: B/D to 167 St, two blocks north (not accessible per the MTA), or 4 to 161 St-Yankee Stadium (accessible per the MTA) - Restrooms: Wheelchair accessible; outside food and drink not allowed in the galleries - Cost: Free - Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour - Check first: Galleries reopen October 9; closed Monday and Tuesday - Lesser known: yes - Website: https://www.bronxmuseum.org/ ### Edgar Allan Poe Cottage (Fordham, The Bronx) The small 19th-century cottage on the Grand Concourse where Edgar Allan Poe lived at the end of his life. For a kid who likes a creepy story this is a tiny, quick, slightly eerie visit. Open Saturdays 10am to 4pm and Sundays 1pm to 5pm, with a suggested donation of $3 for children and seniors and $5 for adults. No one is turned away, and you can reserve online or walk up. The address is 2640 Grand Concourse, next to a small park. It is not a place for a toddler to run around. - Subway: B/D to Kingsbridge Rd (accessible per the MTA), then a short walk along the Grand Concourse - Cost: Suggested donation $3 children/seniors, $5 adults; no one turned away - Time: 30 to 45 minutes - Check first: Open Saturday and Sunday only - Lesser known: yes - Website: https://www.bronxhistoricalsociety.org/ ### Museum of Bronx History (Williamsbridge, The Bronx) Run by the Bronx County Historical Society at 3266 Bainbridge Avenue, with the same hours and donation as the Poe Cottage: Saturdays 10am to 4pm and Sundays 1pm to 5pm. The current exhibit is The Bronx: Crucible of Liberty, covering 1600 to 1850. It's a quick, quiet stop that makes sense if you're already going to the Poe Cottage. I'd say it suits kids from about eight; younger ones will want to touch things. - Subway: D to Norwood-205 St (not accessible), or 4 to Mosholu Pkwy (accessible per the MTA); check the walk - Cost: Suggested donation $3 children/seniors, $5 adults - Time: 30 to 45 minutes - Check first: Open Saturday and Sunday only - Lesser known: yes - Website: https://www.bronxhistoricalsociety.org/ ### Arthur Avenue Retail Market (Belmont, The Bronx) A covered Italian market that Mayor La Guardia championed, with about nine restaurants, five pastry shops, four butchers, two pasta makers and six bread stores, according to its own website, so a hungry child will have opinions. It's free to walk in. The site doesn't give hours or an address on the page I read, so check. The market's own site suggests pairing it with the zoo or the garden, both nearby. - Subway: 4 to Fordham Rd (accessible per the MTA) or B/D to Fordham Rd (not), then walk or take a bus; check the distance - Cost: Free to enter - Check first: Opening hours and which stalls are open - Website: https://www.arthuravenuebronx.com/ ## Pelham Bay and City Island The northeast Bronx is the one corner you can't do without a plan, because the 6 train stops well short of the water. Pelham Bay Park, NYC Parks says, is the city's largest park property, with a 13 mile saltwater shoreline on Long Island Sound. Plan a bus, a taxi or a car. ### Orchard Beach (Pelham Bay Park, The Bronx) The Bronx's beach, a crescent of sand on Long Island Sound, with the park's trails behind it. NYC Parks lifeguards work from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, so in October there are none. Don't swim, and keep children away from the water line. It's a place for a windy walk, a kite and a thermos. A beach picnic works if you pick a dry day and wear a coat. - Subway: 6 to Pelham Bay Park (accessible per the MTA), then a bus or car; the beach is about two miles away - Cost: Free - Time: 1 to 2 hours - Check first: No lifeguards; ask NYC Parks about the pavilion and restroom status - Website: https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/orchard-beach ### Orchard Beach Nature Center (Pelham Bay Park, The Bronx) Reopened on August 9, 2024 after a renovation that began in 2018, the Bronx Times reported. It's an accessible center with wildlife displays and marine creatures from Long Island Sound, and a base for Urban Park Rangers programs for families. It's near section two of the beach and overlooks the Hunter Island and Twin Islands trails. The hours weren't listed anywhere I could read, so call 718-885-3466 before you head out. - Subway: 6 to Pelham Bay Park (accessible per the MTA), then a bus or car - Cost: No price listed; Bronx Times event listings show free family programs here, so ask - Time: 45 minutes - Check first: Opening hours and ranger program times: 718-885-3466 - Lesser known: yes - Website: https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/pelham-bay-park ### Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum (Pelham Bay Park, The Bronx) A Greek Revival mansion from 1836 with a freestanding spiral staircase, in the park at 895 Shore Road. It's open Wednesday and Saturday to Sunday, 12pm to 4pm, with guided tours at 12:15, 1:15, 2:15 and 3:15pm, and walk-ins welcome. Adults are $15, and seniors and students $12. The listing I found doesn't give a child price, so ask. There's a terraced garden and a Children's Organic Garden on the grounds, which are the better bet for small children than the mansion tour. - Subway: 6 to Pelham Bay Park (accessible per the MTA), then a bus or car; the museum doesn't list transit, so call 718-885-1461 - Cost: Adults $15, seniors/students $12; child price not listed - Time: 1 hour - Check first: Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday only; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day - Lesser known: yes - Website: https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org/ ### City Island Nautical Museum (City Island, The Bronx) A small museum at 190 Fordham Street, open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1pm to 4pm. Adults pay $10 and children under 12 get in free, which is a bargain. The season ends on the last weekend of October, so there are only a few weekends left this year. City Island is a short bus ride over a bridge into a very different Bronx, with seafood restaurants and ice cream shops, per Mommy Poppins. I haven't checked any menus, so I won't recommend one. - Subway: 6 to Pelham Bay Park (accessible per the MTA), then a bus across the bridge; the museum doesn't list directions, so check the MTA trip planner - Cost: Adults $10; under 12 free - Time: 45 minutes - Check first: Last open weekend of the season; Saturday and Sunday 1pm to 4pm only - Lesser known: yes - Website: https://www.cityislandmuseum.org/ ## Which Bronx day? For under 5s: the Bronx Zoo on a weekday, with a stroller you're willing to leave outside some exhibits. For 5 to 8: the zoo or the botanical garden's children's garden, then City Island on a weekend if you can. For older kids with a taste for history, the Poe Cottage and the Museum of Bronx History on the same Saturday. If it's pouring, the Bronx Museum is free and dry from October 9. ## Questions people ask **What are the best things to do in the Bronx with kids?** The Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden are the headline acts. Wave Hill, the free Bronx Museum, the Bronx Children's Museum, Orchard Beach and the City Island Nautical Museum are good for a second day. **How much does the Bronx Zoo cost and when does it close?** Admission starts at $28.95 for adults and $27.70 for ages 3 to 12, and under 3s are free, with flexible pricing by date. Until October 31 it closes at 5pm on weekdays and 5:30pm on weekends, and from November 1 it closes at 4:30pm daily. Last entry is 45 minutes before closing. **Is the New York Botanical Garden free?** On Wednesdays it's free for New York City residents all day, and free for everyone from 10am to 11am, according to NYBG. Otherwise the All-Garden Pass costs $35 for adults and $15 for ages 2 to 12 on weekdays, rising to $39 and $17 on weekends. **What is free to do in the Bronx with kids?** The Bronx Museum is always free, Wave Hill is free on Thursdays, and Orchard Beach is free to visit. The City Island Nautical Museum is free for under 12s, and the Poe Cottage and the Museum of Bronx History run on suggested donations. **Can you take the subway to Wave Hill?** Yes, take the 1 train to Van Cortlandt Park-242 St, then the free Wave Hill shuttle, which runs hourly Thursday to Sunday. Metro-North's Hudson Line to Riverdale also works, with the shuttle or a 15 minute uphill walk. **Can children swim at Orchard Beach in October?** No. NYC Parks lifeguards work from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, so there are none in October. Stay out of the water and keep children back from the edge. **What's the best thing to do in the Bronx on a rainy day?** The Bronx Museum is free and indoors, with new shows from October 9. The Bronx Children's Museum is indoors too, though you should check its current hours. ## Sources - Bronx Zoo: tickets and hours: https://bronxzoo.com/tickets - Bronx Zoo: plan your visit: https://bronxzoo.com/plan-your-visit/ - Bronx Zoo: getting here: https://bronxzoo.com/plan-your-visit/getting-here - New York Botanical Garden: admission: https://www.nybg.org/visit/admission/ - New York Botanical Garden: transit and parking: https://www.nybg.org/visit/directions/ - New York Botanical Garden: home page (exhibitions and events): https://www.nybg.org/ - Wave Hill: visit: https://www.wavehill.org/visit - Wave Hill: getting here: https://www.wavehill.org/visit/getting-here - Bronx Times: Bronx Children's Museum set to open in December 2022: https://www.bxtimes.com/bronx-childrens-museum-open-december/ - ABC7 New York: Bronx Children's Museum opening: https://abc7ny.com/post/bronx-childrens-museum-kids-children-education/12459559/ - The Bronx Museum of the Arts: visit: https://www.bronxmuseum.org/visit - The Bronx Museum of the Arts: home page (exhibitions): https://www.bronxmuseum.org/ - Bronx County Historical Society: visiting information: https://www.bronxhistoricalsociety.org/ - Arthur Avenue Retail Market: https://www.arthuravenuebronx.com/ - NYC Parks: Pelham Bay Park: https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/pelham-bay-park - Bronx Times: Orchard Beach Nature Center reopens: https://www.bxtimes.com/orchard-beach-nature-center-reopens-after-2-35m-renovation-officials-hold-ribbon-cutting-event - NYC Parks: Rockaway Beach (lifeguard season dates): https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/rockaway-beach-and-boardwalk - Historic House Trust: Bartow-Pell Mansion: https://historichousetrust.org/houses/bartow-pell-mansion/ - Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum: https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org/ - City Island Nautical Museum: https://www.cityislandmuseum.org/ - Mommy Poppins: best Bronx things to do with kids: https://mommypoppins.com/new-york-city-kids/best-of-lists/best-bronx-things-to-do-kids-families - MTA: accessible stations: https://new.mta.info/accessibility/stations