New York City South Bronx

During the 1970s, landlords in this troubled neighborhood torched buildings to collect insurance, and tenants burned down their own houses to collect welfare. When Ronald Reagan visited, he compared the South Bronx to a bombed-out London after the Battle of Britain. Thanks to a huge influx of government funds and a stronger economy, the South Bronx and the borough as a whole have taken steps forward. Still, aside from the immediate vicinity of Yankee stadium, the South Bronx is a not a safe place for a tourist to walk around.

Yankee Stadium. “The House That Ruth Built” opened in 1923, and it remains one of the Bronx’s main attractions. Yankee Stadium was the first baseball complex to be called a “stadium” rather than a field or park. It underwent an extensive (and, in retrospect, highly unfortunate) renovation in the mid-70s, which forced the Yankees to share Shea Stadium with the Mets for the 1974-75 seasons. A new Yankee Stadium is currently under construction on the nearby site previously occupied by Macombs Dam Park and will go into use for the 2009 season. Stick close to the stadium area; the neighborhood gets really bad, really fast. (E 161st St., at River Ave. S 4, B, D to 161st St./Yankee Stadium. Station right outside stadium. ☎718-579-4531; www.yankees.com. 1hr. tours, generally available M-F or daily when the team is on the road, starting at noon and 1pm; no tours on game days. $20, children under 14 and seniors $15; groups of 12 or more $15 per person, $8 children under 14 and seniors. More extensive (and expensive) tours available. Call or check online for details. Tour tickets sell out well in advance, purchase ahead online.)

Bronx Zoo. The Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Park is the largest urban zoo in the US. It houses over 4000 animals in a 265-acre expanse of recreated natural habitats. Grab a free map at the entrance. The World of Reptiles is home to a poison dart frog, a timber rattlesnake, and T Samantha the python, the largest snake in the US. More benign beasts wander free in the park’s “protected sanctuary,” allowing for interactions between inhabitants and visitors. Indian elephants frolic in Wild Asia, which can be toured by monorail ($4 per ride; May-Oct.). White-cheeked gibbons tree-hop in Jungle World. More apes can be seen at the Congo Gorilla Forest, a 6½-acre African rainforest habitat featuring 400 animals from 55 different species. The forest has a separate entrance. The Himalayan Highlands are near the World of Darkness, which houses a collection of nocturnal animals in dimly lit rooms. At Tiger Mountain, six Siberian cats prowl around 3 acres of recreated natural habitat. Don’t miss the “enrichment sessions,” when the keepers feed and play with the tigers. The new Madagascar exhibit draws big crowds. Kids imitate animals at the Children’s Zoo, where they can climb a spider’s web or try on a turtle shell. If you tire of the kids, the crocodiles are fed Mondays and Thursdays at 2pm; the sea lions are fed daily at 11am and 3pm. All ages enjoy the daily primate training sessions at the Monkey House. To beat the crowds, the park recommends visiting on a non-holiday weekend or on a weekday afternoon. (Entrances on Bronx Park S, Southern Blvd., E Fordham Rd., and the Bronx River Pkwy. S 2, 5 to West Farms Sq./E Tremont Ave. Follow Boston Rd. for 3 blocks until the Bronx Park S gate. Buses: Bx9, Bx12, Bx19, Bx22, and Q44 pass various entrances to the zoo. The BXM11 Express Bus leaves from Madison Ave. in Midtown for the Bronxdale entrance to the zoo, and picks up at 26th, 32nd, 39th, 47th, 54th, 63rd, 70th, 84th, and 99th St. ($4 each way, MetroCards accepted). Zoo ☎718-367-1010 or 718-220-5100, wheelchair-access ☎718-220-5188; www.bronxzoo.com. Open daily M-F 10am-5pm, Sa-Su and holidays 10am-5:30pm. Parts of the zoo closed Nov.-Apr. $15, seniors $13, and ages 2-12 $11. W free; donation suggested. Congo Gorilla Forest $3; Children’s Zoo $3; some rotating exhibits also have additional charges. Full pass (doesn’t include camel rides) $27, seniors $23, and children $21. Children under 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Enrichment sessions 11:30am, 1:30, and 3:30pm; additional 4:30pm weekend sessions Apr-Oct. Monkey House training sessions Apr.-Oct. 3:30pm; Nov.-Mar. 2:30pm.)

Subway Safety. Subway stations in the Bronx can be deserted at night and feel unsafe even during daylight hours. To assure that you’re not isolated, pick an entrance manned by station personnel and stand in the designated off-peak-hours waiting areas.

New York Botanical Garden. Across from the zoo, the 250-acre New York Botanical Garden, created in 1891, serves as a research laboratory and plant museum, with rare specimens like the Japanese pagoda tree, the Kobus magnolia, and the Daybreak Yoshino cherry. The 50-acre native forest is the last of the woodlands that once covered the city. The Rockefeller Rose Garden is an elaborate herb garden, and the Rock Garden has a waterfall. Although it costs a few extra dollars to enter, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory also deserves a visit. The gorgeous domed greenhouse, the largest in North America, contains several different ecosystems of exquisite plant life. The Everett Children’s Adventure Garden is equally inviting. If you go exploring by yourself, get a garden map. The crowded 30min. tram ride ($2, free with combo ticket) lets you glimpse most of the major sights. The LuEsther T. Mertz Library features a rotating exhibit and an orchid terrarium in the lobby. An ongoing Plants and Fungi exhibit in the Britton Science Rotunda and Gallery is also a popular stop. The Visitors Center Pavilion, which offers maps, brochures, a plant shop, a cafe, and an orientation center, is a recent addition. (Dr. Theodore Kazimiroff Blvd. S 4 to Bedford Park Blvd./Lehman College; B, D to Bedford Park Blvd. Walk 8 blocks east or take the Bx26 bus. Bus: Bx19 or Bx26. Train: Metro-North Harlem line goes from Grand Central Terminal to Botanical Garden station, which is right outside the Moshalu gate. Conservatory gate on Kazimiroff Blvd., a bit north of Fordham Rd. ☎212-532-4900 for Metro-North line info. BOTANICAL GARDEN ☎718-817-8700; www.nybg.org. Open Tu-Su 10am-6pm. Grounds-only admission $6, students with ID and seniors $3, children 2-12 $1. Free all day W and Sa 10am-noon. Certain exhibits throughout the garden, including the Conservatory and the Children’s Adventure Garden, cost extra; combination tickets ($20, students and seniors $18, children 2-12 $7) allow you to see all exhibits. Various tours depart daily; inquire at the Visitor Center.)