5 Great Reasons To Take Your Whole Family To Boo At The Bronx Zoo This Halloween

Want to up your Halloween game? Then head to the Bronx Zoo for Boo at the Zoo for plenty of chilling and thrilling treats for boils and ghouls of all ages.

The Bronx Zoo, situated on 265 acres of leafy parklands filled with the vibrant oranges and reds of the season, is the biggest Metropolitan zoo in the country. With 650 species of wildlife along with a Children’s Zoo and Butterfly Garden, the Bronx Zoo is an utter delight for families wanting to experience the fun of Halloween while learning a few things too.

Here are five of our favorite Halloween-inspired things to do during Boo at the Zoo.

You and your family can walk in the Costume Parade at Boo At The Zoo — costumes not required. You’ll join handmade puppets and props built by master costume makers. Halloween costumes are all about creativity, exploration, and discovery for kids, and they’re a great way for them to experiment and boost their confidence. So bring your little mummies, vampires, and zombies and let them strut their stuff!

Get Haunted on a Hayride

Yes, you can see all your favorites like the red panda, snow leopard, and giraffes during Boo at the Zoo, naturally. But you can also enjoy a Haunted Pirate Hayride Adventure featuring skeleton pirates and underwater creatures with a Halloween corn maze at the end and a path to some yummy cider and seasonal treats. Ahoy, matey, this one will really shiver your timbers.

Trick-or-Tweet With Feathered Friends

Sure, skeletons and ghosts are spooky — but so are plenty of zoo animals. And the fastest route to goosebumps is the hooting of an owl. With Boo at the Zoo’s Bird Meet and Greet (except on September 30th), kids can mix and mingle with magpies, vultures, ravens, and many other birds. Science + Halloween and getting to see your fave birds up close? It’s owl you need!

Boogie at Bootoberfest

With live acoustic bands playing, you’ll get to enjoy roasting s’mores and yummy “dirt cups” pudding and other treats at Bootoberfest in the Astor Court surrounded by some of the world’s most famous Beaux-Arts buildings. And, yes, that means there’s beer at the zoo, but we promise it’s 100% family-friendly. Plus after all the sitting during the Halloween hayride and corn maze, you’ll want to get your groove on.

If you’d like to forgo spirits, your family can also grab some dinner at the Dancing Crane Café with plenty of great options for both kids and adults (even grapes in a cup for toddlers). You’ll also find seasonal food stands throughout the zoo, with tables by the Terrace Café for those who choose to bring in their own food (100% allowed).

Make Something Bootiful and Watch Artists Sculpt

Got a budding artist? Your family can watch live pumpkin-carving demos by experts. Kids can even ask the carvers to create their favorite creepy critter. Trust us: These pumpkin carvings are nothing like an old school jack-o’-lantern. These are sculptures that showcase the lions, tigers, and bears at the zoo. Boo at the Zoo also has all kinds of Halloween crafts for all ages, and doing crafts where you don’t have to clean up the mess is always spooktacular.

Boo at the Zoo starts weekends September 29th through October 28th, plus October 8th. Most Boo at the Zoo events are free with general admission.