The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro was the first natural habitat walk-through zoo in the United States and it’s still the world’s largest habitat zoo. With so much space to cover and so many animals to see, you’ll want to have a game plan for your day, so I hope these North Carolina Zoo insider secrets and tips will help!
North Carolina Zoo Insider Secrets and Tips
Best days to visit: Monday – Thursday. Weekends are very busy in the park and traffic gets backed up on entrance and exit roads.
Where to park: I highly recommend parking at the Africa entrance instead of North America. Both lots are free, but there’s much less traffic congestion in Africa and it’s easier to get in and out of the zoo. Another perk to Africa is that there’s more downhill walking.
Save on admission: If you have a zoo or aquarium membership, check the list of partners to see if you’re eligible for discounted (or free) admission.
Check animal status boards: Just outside the ticket windows, you’ll find daily feeding times, keeper talks and whether there are any closed exhibits. If you can arrange to see animals at feeding time, it’s worth it.
Hint: Polar bears are often active early in the morning.
Such a cute sleepy fox!
How to dress: Wear your most comfortable shoes as there is a lot of walking if you see everything. The zoo is enormous! Make sure you have sunscreen and a hat too. There are lots of shady spots to rest, but many of the habitats are in full sun and North Carolina summers are hot and humid.
Buy a souvenir drinking cup: Why? Because you can fill them free for life, and hydration is essential!
Take advantage of the artistic water misters throughout the park for a quick cool-off.
Round-up on purchases: When you buy something at the zoo, tell the cashier you’d like to round up for conservation. Instead of getting a few coins back, your change will go toward helping the North Carolina Zoo’s conservation efforts. It’s a painless way to make a difference… a few pennies at a time!
Hike with your pet outside the zoo: Park in the North America zoo lot for free and take a walk with your leashed dog(s) on the Purgatory Trail for a fairly easy hike to the top of scenic Purgatory Mountain. Rumor has it that it got its name because at night during Prohibition, you could see all the lights from the moonshiner stills.
Go on an Art in the Park scavenger hunt: Follow the self-guided map through the largest collection of public art in any zoo.
Zoofari: (April – October) With just three first-come, first-served tours daily (at 10a.m., 11a.m. and noon) Zoofari sells out quickly, so get to Junction Plaza early to purchase your tickets. They begin selling them at 9 a.m. The $20 ticket takes you on a 45-minute ride through the 40-acre Watani Grasslands habitat where you can see rhinos, gazelles, greater kudus, ostriches, exotic antelopes and elephants. The tour is narrated by a ride-along guide who shares lots of interesting factoids about the animals.
On the back of the vehicle seats, there’s a chart of all the animals living in the Zoofari habitat, so take a photo of it to help you identify what’s in your photos later.
Hint: For the best photo ops, sit on the left side.
One of the highlights of the tour was a visit from Pearl the ostrich. She’s the feistiest of the three ostriches at the zoo.
Southern White Rhinos
Stormy takes off! Rhinos can run up to 35 miles per hour.
Addra Gazelle – less than 500 left in the wild
Addra Gazelle in front, Thomson’s Gazelles in back – all males. Can run 50-55 mph to escape the 65 mph cheetahs
Addra Gazelles are a critically endangered antelope species
Fringe eared oryx
baby fringe eared oryx
Nile Lechwes
Stuffing hay between her tusk and trunk so nobody else can have it
Fun fact: There are about 40,000 muscles in an elephant’s trunk
Birds in Flight Show: (April – October) Purchase a ticket in advance for just $3 (well worth it) and arrive early for a good seat. (Seating is limited, two or three shows daily.) There’s very little shade in this area, but if you can handle the sun, the front row is an amazing place to sit.
The birds do receive training as they demonstrate natural behaviors, but they’re never forced to do anything. That means if they don’t feel like it, they just don’t do the behavior and it’s so funny! Some of the birds you’ll visit with during the show include macaws, sun conures, owls, falcons, hawks, vultures and more.
Hint: Volunteers get some really cool opportunities, so get your hand up quick!
It wasn’t startling at all when he flew over our heads. 😉
Letting sun conures eat seed from my hands!
Where to eat: You can feel good about what you eat! Restaurants at the NC Zoo focus on sustainability and locally sourced ingredients from farms and dairies. Food scraps, plates, cups, utensils, and napkins can be placed in compostable cans placed throughout the zoo after use. You won’t see straws and lids anymore (for the protection of the animals) except on the souvenir cups which are recyclable and reusable.
The biggest crowds will always be in Junction Plaza. It’s a lesser known secret to eat in Africa’s Wachovia Akiba Market where Billy D’s Fried Chicken has recently opened up.
Another delicious option is the Iron Hen Cafe in North America. I had breakfast there first thing when I arrived and it was amazing! The grits are delicious!
Relax and have fun: Don’t feel like you need to see the entire zoo in a day (although you could). Most people spend 5-6 hours on an average visit. Take your time and enjoy the lush landscape as you stroll the walkways. Trams are also available to shuttle guests from one side of the park to the other so take advantage of the chance to get off your feet now and then.
I hope these North Carolina Zoo insider secrets and tips help you get the most out of your visit. For more information, visit the zoo’s website and contact the Heart of North Carolina Visitor’s Bureau for help in planning a trip to Randolph County.
Jess Parker says
I grew up outside of this zoo and have been almost every year for my entire life. If you want to see the entire zoo in 1 visit my best tip is to park at North America and take the tram to Junk Junction and start your trip there by looping through Africa. It brings you back to Junk Junction for lunch. That’s where the best selection of restaurants are (although the food is overpriced and basically cafeteria fare so I’d pack if you’re concerned). That leaves you the rest of your afternoon to see North America with easy access to the all of the kid’s play and water areas to visit before you head home. It’s been amazing to get to see this zoo grow and change. There is always something exciting and new under construction.
Liz says
Thank you so much for sharing this advice! It’s super helpful!
mami2jcn says
It’s a great zoo! We went there about 8 years ago but it was a Saturday and traffic was crazy. We hope to go again soon, but on a weekday.
shelly peterson says
What an amazing zoo. I would love to visit.
Wanda Lopez says
We love zoo’s and North Carolina. You have amazing insider secrets. Can’t wait to plan a road trip to North Carolina and visit the zoo with the girls. They’ll love it!
janis says
I’ve always loved going to zoos. All your photos from the NC Zoo are making me wish I lived nearby so I could go there this summer, this zoo looks wonderful.
Rachel says
The status board is a great tip. It is always helpful to know when things are happening especially if you aren’t a regular.
Heather says
That definitely needs to be on our summer bucket list! It’s always great to get an insider’s scoop on making the most of your day. Love finding out how you can get the best views and photos of the animals.
krystal says
North Carolina has so much to do – I actually already have this zoo on my travel wish list!
valmg @ Mom Knows It All says
I’d have some grits, I love them! I love going to zoos and this sounds like a great place to spend a day, I’d be up for checking it out if I were in the area.
Kathy says
Wow, those are some amazing photos. I always love going to the zoo. It’s something I try to do every year. My kids and I really enjoy it.
Sherry says
I love going to the zoo. I haven’t been to one in ages. I have yet to make it to North Carolina but maybe some day.
Amy says
Wow, it really looks like you took some amazing pics!! I love how vivid and up close and personal the animals look!
Allison Cooper says
My daughter is obsessed with animals so we’ve been hanging at the zoo a lot lately! If we ever visit North Carolina, it’s so great to know there is a wonderful zoo waiting for us!
Cristy says
Need to add this zoo to our bucket list. Love the polar bears.
Audrey says
I really enjoyed you sharing your secrets to enjoy this zoo. I would love to take the kids to this zoo. Seeing what different zoos has to offer is exciting. Your pictures are amazing.
Stacie says
Thanks for sharing these! If there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my years of travel, it’s that the more you know, the better your trip is. I’m bookmarking this.
alissa apel says
Make your next zoo stop Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. Look it up. It’s number one in the world. When or if you stop let me know, I’ll meet you there. I live right by it. 🙂
How fun that they let you in on the inside secrets. I love the photos of you holding the pretty bird!
Mica has an opportunity to have classes at the zoo next year, but there’s also the opportunity for him to have classes at the Med Center. He wants to be a Pediatrician, but he’s only in 7th grade. How does he know what he wants to be just yet? I have a feeling he’ll pick the Med Center over the zoo.