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North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, NC

Photo: Diane Villa, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

AttractionsFamily FavoriteOutdoor Adventure

North Carolina Zoo

4401 Zoo Pkwy · Asheboro, NC

Why you should go…

The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro is laid out as large natural habitats rather than cages, with about 500 developed acres on a 2,600-acre site. The Africa region has giraffes, gorillas, chimpanzees and lions, and a herd of African elephants lives in the 47-acre Watani Grasslands. North America has polar bears, bison, red wolves and alligators, and a glass-domed Desert habitat holds reptiles and desert species. It is one of only two state-supported zoos in the country.

  • #zoo
  • #animals
  • #family outing
  • #natural habitat zoo

Good to know

General attractions guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Book the time slot, not just the ticket

    Timed entry is now the norm at big-draw attractions, and online tickets are often cheaper than the gate.

  • Grab the daily schedule on arrival

    Feeding times, keeper talks, and shows run on a posted timetable that changes day to day.

  • The first hour is the quietest

    Queues build through late morning and peak after lunch, so an early start buys you the shortest waits.

  • Budget past the ticket price

    Parking, lockers, strollers, and food inside the gates are common extras worth planning for.

What's around here?

The closest stops to North Carolina Zoo, ordered by straight-line distance.

  • Museums
    History Buff

    International Civil Rights Center & Museum

    Under $25

    Tour the former Woolworth store where four students began the 1960 Greensboro sit-ins at its whites-only lunch counter.

    31 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Stay
    Iconic

    Pinehurst Resort

    $50+

    Stay at a historic golf resort in the North Carolina Sandhills and play courses that have hosted the U.S. Open.

    35 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Duke University Chapel

    Free

    Step inside a Collegiate Gothic chapel with a 210-foot tower, 77 stained glass windows and three pipe organs.

    53 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing