Fodor's Expert Review New York Aquarium

Run by the Wildlife Conservation Society, one of the country's oldest continually operating aquariums occupies 14 beachfront acres, and is home to hundreds of aquatic species. At the Sea Cliffs, you can watch penguins, sea lions, sea otters, and seals frolic; the best action is at feeding time. The Conservation Hall and Glovers Reef building has angelfish, eels, rays, piranhas, and other marine life from Belize, Fiji, and elsewhere. The new Playquarium, which features a Touch Pool of crabs, marine snails, and sea urchin, also invites children to imagine themselves as sharks, sardines, or whales amid a kelp forest, coral reef, and sandy shore.  Purchase tickets online for discounted rates.