With summer on its way and school winding down, you may be looking for a creative way to entertain the kids.For an excursion that both you and your little ones will love, make your way to the famous Bronx Zoo.

I was so excited to see the zoo that I took a day off of work and headed out to the Bronx for a crowd-free visit. Taking the No. 5 Uptown Train made for an extremely easy trip, arriving just a block or so from the Asia entrance. Unlike most zoos, the animals here live in settings that resemble their natural habitats, avoiding animals that sulk in a tiny exhibit and instead offer animals that interact more naturally. Almost every animal I saw was up walking around, either playing with pals or showing off for an audience.

The exhibits are organized based on climate and environments, ranging from Asia to Madagascar to the African Plains. Kids and adults alike can enjoy seeing large animals such as lions, snow leopards, gorillas, polar bears, as well as smaller creatures like lemurs, poison dart frogs, hissing cockroaches and more.

There are also interactive exhibits such as camel rides, a Children’s Zoo, frequent daily enrichment and feeding demonstrations, and a monorail ride circling the outdoor exhibits of the elephants, rhinos, and zebras. The walkways throughout the zoo are shaded with trees and nature surrounds you as you walk through winding wooded paths. Concession stands are frequent enough to stave off hunger. It was the perfect balance between wilderness, convenience and activity.

Just a few weeks ago, many of the exhibits were full of baby animals—lion cubs, little lemurs, and not-so-tiny giraffes. The sooner you go, the more adorable babies you get to see! Even though school may not be out at this point, the best move is going on a weekday to avoid crowds. It may seem like an unoriginal activity, but the Bronx Zoo is anything but ordinary.