The North Carolina Zoo Features Acres of Attractions

 Print This Post

The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, NC is one of the best zoos in the country. It was the first zoo in the United States specifically designed to present animals and plants in exhibits resembling their natural habitats. It is one of the biggest natural habitat zoos in the nation and contains many miles of walkways.

There are indoor as well as outdoor exhibits at the North Carolina Zoo. There are African as well as North American themed exhibitions. Visitors should obtain a map, and then plan to visit the animals and exhibits they are most interested in seeing. You can see virtually any type of animal you are interested in here, and signs as well as interpretive galleries will provide you with plenty of information about the animals, plants and habitats you view.

One popular African themed indoors exhibit at the North Carolina Zoo is the African Pavilion. Here you can see plants and wildlife native to not one, but three different habitats: tropical rain forests, grassland/savannas, and deciduous woodlands. Various monkey species, the African wild dog, dwarf crocodiles, meerkats and snakes are some of the seventy animals on display at the African Pavilion. You will also see more than 3,000 plants native to Africa at this exhibit.  

The outdoor Cypress Swamp Habitat includes boardwalks as well as aquarium and terrarium displays. Cypress trees, huge rhododendrons, Venus fly traps and holly bushes are some of the interesting plants you will see here. You can view alligators in their pond and see cougars at the swamp exhibit. Ducks, water snakes, and yellow-bellied turtles are some of the other animals you will see, and native wildlife visits this wetlands habitat, as well.  

Throughout the acres and acres of exhibits at the North Carolina Zoo, you can see elephants, giraffes, lions, rhinoceroses, and all of your other favorite zoo animals.  In addition to wildlife and plant exhibits, there is an endangered species Carousel on location. A variety of artwork is displayed throughout the Zoo, as well. Sculptures, paintings, drawings and a beautiful ceramic mural are just some of the diverse types of art on exhibition.

If you are interested in seeing all of the exhibits and animals at the North Carolina Zoo, you will probably need to make more than one visit.  Special events are scheduled throughout the year, so there is always lots of activity and entertainment at the Zoo.

There are many places to eat and enjoy gift shopping at the North Carolina Zoo. Picnic areas are available outside of the African and North American gated areas. There are three restaurants as well as various concession stands on site where visitors can relax and enjoy a variety of food, snacks and drinks.  

If you're interested in making the zoo a two day adventure, you may need to find a nice hotel in the area.  There are several hotels available at excellent rates on HotelsCombined.com.  North Carolina Piedmont Tourism Region.