Planning a day trip in New York City?  Be sure to include a visit to the Central Park Zoo in your itinerary. The zoo attracts nearly a million visitors a year from around the world. Make sure to catch the Delacorte Clock, which is named for donor George Delacorte.

The clock was designed after the musical clocks of Europe. Italian sculptor Andrea Spadini created the bronze figurines, which include a bear with tambourine, a hippopotamus with violin, a goat with pan pipes, a kangaroo and a penguin.

The carousel-like animated clock plays nursery rhymes as the figures twirl. It comes  to life on the hour and on the half-hour, so stick around. Because the zoo is only about 5.5 acres, you can add it to your must-see list without using up your whole day. The small size of the zoo is exactly why it’s unique. When you enter the indoor Rainforest, you’ll have tropical birds wandering around freely, and literally flying over your head within arm’s reach.

Check the feeding times for the penguins and get in line early. It’s one of the highlights of the trip. Each penguin gets hand fed to keep track of eating habits. It’s quite a sight to see them jockey for position on the rocks to be fed, then dive into the Plexiglas tank where you can see them swim underwater.

The much-anticipated Snow Leopards, Bo, Zoe and Chocolate have arrived! Be patient. When they feel like it, they’ll give you a show by walking by the glass partition, only inches away. It’s definitely worth the wait.

Volunteer guides provide educational as well as fun information on the animals.
The zoo has zones that include tropic, temperate and polar zones, so you’ll see everything from leaf-cutter ants to the famous polar bears Gus and Ida, and red pandas. Anywhere from 130 to 150 species are represented, as well as approximately 15 endangered or threatened species.

If you have children, or you’re a child at heart, you’ll all enjoy the Tisch Children’s Zoo where they can see, and pet, sheep, alpacas, and pot-bellied pigs. The children’s zoo entrance fee is already included in the price of the main zoo.