The country’s biggest and oldest zoo easily justifies a subway ride into the Bronx. Some two million visit each year, with daily numbers reaching 35,000 on discounted Wednesdays and weekends, and any day in July or August (try to go Monday morning). Opened in 1899, the 265-acre zoo, home to some 4000 animals, has leafy areas that re-create different world habitats – African plains and forests, Himalayan mountains, Asian rainforests. Even if you spring for a monorail or shuttle ride around the grounds, you really can’t see it all in a day.

The best plan is to first grab a free map and find out when and where various ­animal-feeding sessions and demonstrations will be held that day (sea lions, penguins and tigers are good ones). Kids also enjoy camel rides and the bat-filled ‘World of Darkness.’ At Astor Court, surrounded by several landmark buildings, is the Madagascar exhibit, which opened in June 2008.

Some attractions cost extra, like the wildly popular Congo Gorilla Forest, a 6.5-acre exhibit with gorillas and exhibits explaining conservation projects in the Congo (to which the ticket price is donated). The zoo has done many other good works over its hundred-plus years of existence. In the early 20th century, for one famous example, the collection of bison here were used to restock the wild population in their native Great Plains area of the country.

There are five entrances to the zoo. By subway, it’s easiest via the southwest Asia Gate (a couple blocks north of the West Farms Sq–E Tremont Ave stop, up Boston Rd). Another option is aboard the BxM11 express bus ($5.50), which comes from Manhattan via Madison Ave, stopping along Madison at 26th, 47th, 54th, 84th and 99th Sts every 20 minutes or so. For transport by car, there’s a parking lot ($12) near the Southern Blvd Gate on the zoo’s north side.